Basics For Graduation Speeches

Basics For Graduation Speeches

Delivering great graduation speeches can take a lot of work, but ultimately it can the most rewarding thing you have ever done. The majority of people do have a distinct fear of public speaking, however it is very much a subject that you can become proficient at by following some reasonable rules, practicing and working hard at it. As with anything in life, if you follow a good set of rules and work hard you will get results. To create and deliver a graduation speech is not really any different.

There is of course an overall process that is worth taking in. Firstly you need to decide on a great topic, of which there are many possibilities. Then you need to prepare the material that supports the topic. This material is then arranged into a speech. There after you can check the first draft for correct English, make sure the speech flows well from one sentence to the next and also you need to check if it fits into your time constraints.

Then you can practice, practice and practice some more until you feel really good about delivering the speech. Finally you can deliver the speech you know well in a clear voice with an even pace, adding expression and pauses as you have rehearsed. Stand back and listen to the applause.

Each area of the process of creating and delivering good graduation speeches has lots of distinctions and if you have the time you can spend it improving your speech through various techniques. The first thing that is crucial in getting you started is choosing the right topic for you and the audience. The High School, College or University may have something in mind which you need to be clear is acceptable. I it is not a good fit for you try and negotiate a change.

If you are choosing you own topic there are lots of good ones to get you thinking like the benefits of goal setting, the benefits of learning from past mistakes, the opportunities in the future and remember the past, embrace the future, for example. Clearly the content of any speech will depend on who you are and your relation to the audience. For a student speaker there are thanks and goodbyes to take care of, luckily you will have a huge affinity with the audience. The Principal will have their own thanks and goodbyes and perhaps also the journey of the institution in the past and the future to talk about. A guest speaker will be able to bring a great external perspective to proceedings along with giving the benefits of their own expertise.

Typical graduation speeches will have 3 phrases. They will generally look through the past years and the educational journey of the students up to graduation. This phase allows for lots of discussion on how hard it has been, how dedicated the students have been, mistakes made, lessons learned, funny and personal stories, and any contributions the class have made to charity. The next phase is all about taking a moment to reflect on the graduate’s success, the fun they should have, how proud they should be and how this great achievement will set them up for the future. Finally the last phase looks ahead to the future, thinking about the opportunities that lie ahead, how the lessons learned can be used, how the graduate’s education and skills will help them gain a glittering future, and also it is about saying goodbye to friends and teachers. All of this can be written with the main topic in mind, incorporating the messages you wish to give.

Using these phases and the topic you can brainstorm lots of great material. I find it best just to concentrate on coming up with ideas without judging them for a while. After that session the best material can be chosen and the first draft can be written. The English and flow checks can be made. Also check if each pint comes over powerfully and rewrite for impact. Of course you must check the timings. Once you have the final speech start practicing reading it aloud. Trial it in front of an audience of good speakers who will give constructive feedback.

Finally you are ready to deliver the speech. For me I always use a written version and not notes. I have spent some time on the speech and don’t want to forget to say anything. I write in the top half of the page only as I want to keep eye contact. I write in large writing so I do not lose my place. I have orange marking where I must pause. If the audience don’t laugh at something I keep moving. I check out the speaking platform to get comfortable beforehand. Right from the start I concentrate on speaking slowly and clearly.

I hope you get the chance to make a graduation speech.