how to write a speech for a child

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How to Help Your Child Prepare to Give a Speech

Last Updated: March 29, 2022 References

This article was co-authored by Gale McCreary . Gale McCreary is the Founder and Chief Coordinator of SpeechStory, a nonprofit organization focused on improving communication skills in youth. She was previously a Silicon Valley CEO and President of a Toastmasters International chapter. She has been recognized as Santa Barbara Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year and received Congressional recognition for providing a Family-Friendly work environment. She has a BS in Biology from Stanford University. This article has been viewed 51,654 times.

Public speaking does not come naturally for everyone. Most people get nervous before giving a speech, and children are no exception. With proper planning and preparation, though, you can help your child succeed at giving a speech.

Helping Your Child Prepare the Speech

• If your child has been assigned a specific topic already, ask what he or she knows about that subject. If this knowledge is lacking, point your child toward books, articles, websites, or other sources of information. Otherwise, simply talk about how your child might elaborate on the topic at hand.
• If your child gets to select the subject, brainstorm together about possible topics. Decide on something appropriate to the assignment and interesting to your child.

• You can also point out, if your child is nervous, that good visual aids will take the audience members’ eyes off the child. They will be looking at the images instead.

• Depending on the situation, some children (especially younger children) may be encouraged to put their entire speech on note cards and to read directly from the cards. Find out what your child is expected to do.

Helping Your Child Practice the Speech

• Don’t forget to applaud and praise your child after the practice speech. He or she will do better if you help build confidence beforehand.

Helping Your Child Develop Better Speaking Skills

• You can also tell your child to take sips of water strategically. If he or she momentarily forgets part of the speech, a drink of water can buy some time.

Part 4: Strategizing for Success on the Day of the Speech

Community Q&A

• Learning to give a strong speech can be an important life skill, so although you don’t want to place unnecessary stress on your child, you should absolutely take these opportunities seriously. Help your child try to do the best job he or she can do. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Remember: this is your child’s speech, not yours. You should be there to help, but don’t do the work for your child. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.prospects.ac.uk/applying-for-university/university-life/6-steps-to-a-successful-presentation
• ↑ https://longgrove.tutoringcenter.com/blog/posts/articles/tips-for-a-great-school-presentation
• ↑ https://www.dummies.com/relationships/happiness/helping-your-introverted-child-prepare-for-a-class-presentation-or-speech/
• ↑ https://gradepowerlearning.com/ways-to-improve-student-presentation-skills/
• ↑ https://eduboard.com/blog/5-funny-ways-to-help-your-child-overcome-their-classroom-presentation-fear

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A How-To Guide to Creating a Compelling Speech for Children

In today’s educational system, presentations have become not just a common occurrence but an essential component of a child’s learning journey. The ability to effectively convey ideas, share knowledge, and inspire others through presentations is a skill that can help set them apart from their peers and open various doors to success. Whether it is a show-and-tell assignment for school, an assembly talk, or a classroom presentation, knowing how to guide your child in crafting a script of their own can strengthen their ability to convey ideas with clarity and nurture their confidence in expressing themselves in diverse settings. With that in mind, we have written a practical guide to assist parents in their child’s script writing adventures. Without further ado, let’s head straight into it!

Step 1: Pick ing a Topic

Selecting an engaging topic is the cornerstone of a compelling speech. This initial step can be a thrilling but perplexing one for your child. While the choice may sometimes depend on the context (such as during assignments), the ultimate aim is to pick a subject that genuinely captivates your child’s curiosity and passion. When they’re genuinely interested, crafting the speech becomes a delightful journey rather than a chore. Moreover, their sincerity and enthusiasm while speaking about a topic close to their heart will shine through, captivating their audience even more.

Step 2: Research

Before putting pen to paper, it’s essential for your child to lay a strong foundation through preliminary research and brainstorming! Depending on your topic, this may mean diving into books, videos, and reputable websites to gather information and facts about their chosen subject. This may even include gathering presentation aids, like data charts, photographs, or engaging props. An invaluable resource may be looking at presentations by skilled speakers in areas related to their topic. This exposure can inspire fresh perspectives and approaches, adding an extra layer of magic to their speech.

Step 3: Organisation

With all this valuable information gathered, it is important to then create a repository to store all of it. This can be as simple as a notebook, a mind map, or a digital document – a designated space where your child can jot down interesting ideas they come across or think about during their research process. This repository serves as a handy storehouse of ideas to draw upon when they start crafting their speech, making the speech-writing process smoother and more organised.

Step 4: Writing

Finally, the fun part: script writing! To create an optimal environment for this critical process, ensure your child has a quiet, clutter-free workspace that sparks creativity. Encourage them to gather all their research materials, notes, and ideas in one place, keeping distractions at bay. A cozy nook, soft background music, or even a favourite beverage can enhance the writing experience. Above all, emphasise the importance of patience and revision. A well-crafted script is like a finely woven tapestry; it takes time and multiple drafts to reach perfection. With that in mind, here are three useful tips to kickstart the scriptwriting process:

1. Craft a Captivating Introduction

A great presentation begins with a compelling introduction that grabs the audience’s attention from the get go. Here, it’s all about unleashing your child’s unique style – whether it’s an electrifying fact that sparks curiosity, a heartfelt personal story that tugs at heartstrings, a mind-bending question that sets brains buzzing, or a vivid description that paints a scene as clear as a crystal ball. In this way, their very first words will set the stage for an unforgettable presentation.

2. Use Sequence Words and Signposting

When crafting a speech, it’s common for your child to have a wealth of ideas they’re eager to share. However, without proper structure, they might jump from one point to another, leaving the audience bewildered. To maintain a smooth and logical flow in their script, encourage your child to employ sequence words and signposting. Sequence words like “first,” “next,” “then,” and “finally” serve as markers that indicate the order of ideas. Signposting involves using phrases such as “In addition,” “Furthermore,” or “To illustrate” to signal transitions and key points. By incorporating these tools, your child ensures that their audience can effortlessly follow their train of thought, making their speech engaging and easy to follow.

3. End with a Bang!

As your child nears the end of their speech, remind them that the conclusion is their chance to leave a lasting impression. Encourage them to summarise the key points of their presentation, offering a concise recap that reinforces their main message. However, the magic doesn’t stop there! Urge your child to go the extra mile by leaving the audience with something to ponder or act upon. This could be a thought-provoking question, a call to action, or a memorable quote that lingers in the minds and hearts of their listeners. A powerful conclusion not only ties the speech together but also ensures that the audience departs with a takeaway of their own.

Final Thoughts

As your child’s script approaches its final form, consider taking a proactive stance by encouraging them to share their script in mock presentations with audiences they have a close connection to. These will serve as practical testing grounds where your child can gauge the effectiveness of their words, ideas, and overall structure. Encourage listeners to offer constructive feedback on content clarity, relevance, and coherence. They can pinpoint areas where additional information or examples may be needed, helping your child fill potential gaps in their script. Moreover, this collaborative approach allows your child to identify any potential stumbling blocks or confusing sections within their script. By observing the reactions and questions of their mock audience, they can make necessary adjustments to ensure a smoother and more engaging flow of ideas. Ultimately, encourage your child to view this phase not as a mere rehearsal but as an opportunity for script enhancement that will make their presentation shine brightly when it’s time to captivate their real audience. When it comes to nurturing your child’s scriptwriting and public speaking skills, consider specialised English Enrichment centres like Wonderlit. Our dedicated programme,  Wonderlit Speak (Public Speaking classes for kids) , are thoughtfully designed to ignite the passion for learning in your children and set them on a path towards becoming proficient and expressive communicators. Wonderlit’s Speak programme goes beyond teaching scriptwriting; they focus on equipping your child with the essential skills needed to communicate clearly and confidently, abilities that will undoubtedly benefit them throughout their life’s journey. To discover more, reach out to us today. You can contact our Programme Consultants at 6980-5670 (call/WhatsApp) or send us an enquiry at our  website .

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• Loss Of Child

How to Write a Eulogy for a Child + Examples

Updated 12/1/2023

Published 06/2/2020

Belinda McLeod, BA in Secondary Education

Contributing writer

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

There’s nothing more heartbreaking than trying to f igure out the wording for a child’s eulogy. A llow us to suggest steps to get started, along with a few short eulogy examples .

The writing process is different for everyone. If you’re having difficulty coming up with the right words, consider taking this systematic approach.

Jump ahead to these sections:

Step 1: begin the writing process as soon as you're able, step 2: gather ideas, step 3: research quotes, bible verses, or poems to use in the eulogy, step 4: write, share, and rewrite, step 5: practice the eulogy in front of a mirror, sample eulogy for a child’s funeral, how to write a eulogy when your heart is broken.

Tip: Writing a eulogy is just one of your responsibilities following a death. For help through the entire process, check out our post-loss checklist . 

You may write thousands of words a week in the course of your job or hobby, but the eulogy of a child isn’t a typical assignment. The task may be especially hard if you were close to the child or parents .

Given this job’s emotional nature , we recommend reserving ample time to write, edit, and practice your speech. It may take much longer than anticipated, and you don’t want to feel unhappy with your finished eulogy because y ou were rushed.

Before you begin, find a quiet space to write where you can clear your mind and concentrate .

The best obituaries include personal accounts . They capture the child’s essence with details that make the audience nod and maybe even laugh.

If you knew the child well, you might not have any trouble with this step. You may have so many stories that it would be difficult to include them all in a 15-minute speech.

But if you're a member of the extended family or a family friend, you may want to gather the survivors to share memories of the child as you listen and take notes.

If it’s impossible to assemble a large group, try to have private discussions with several people who knew the child well. Besides talking with the parents and siblings, you could turn to a doctor or nurse in charge of the child’s care. Their teacher or even their friends can assist, too.

You may also ask to look at the child’s drawings or stories to see if anything is appropriate to share with the group.

Gathering stories is time-consuming, but doing so is a necessary part of the process if you want to write a eulogy that appropriately honors a child’s short life.

When tasked with sharing a few words about an infant or toddler, there may not be enough details about their life to include. You may look to the words of poets, philosophers, and holy books to describe what it’s like to lose one so young.

Another option is to read from one of the child’s favorite stories . You could also find poetry about the death of a child or appropriate Bible verses to share at a funeral .

Finally, consider using the child's words in the speech, especially if they were known for a particular saying or phrase.

Your high school English teacher probably told you there is no such thing as good writing — there is only good rewriting.

With that in mind, w rite your first eulogy draft and let it sit for a few hours. Come back and reread i t out loud, checking for misused words, repetition , or grammatical problems.

Have another trusted person (or several people) listen as you read the eulogy. Follow their suggestions, or at least consider making changes if something isn’t quite landing.

Before the day of the service, look again and ask these questions:

• Did you share specific stories about the child?
• Are the words heartfelt and emotional? Does it have an appropriate tone?
• Will the eulogy speak to the audience?
• Does your eulogy offer comforting thoughts ?

If you’re writing and giving the eulogy, make sure you practice saying the words aloud while standing in front of a mirror. Monitor your reading speed . P ractice speaking into a microphone. Lastly, p ay attention to your mannerisms, facial expressions, and posture.

Although you may be used to speaking in public, giving the eulogy at a funeral can be particularly hard . You might need practice to create the right tone and mannerisms.

On that note, consider the emotion of the situation. Will you be able to get through the speech without crying? If you aren’t confident , you may want to see if there’s someone in the audience to finish the job if you cannot continue.

Consider what you are going to wear when you read the eulogy. Although most people wear dress clothes in muted colors, which is standard funeral etiquette , the family may request that you wear the deceased child’s favorite color.

Those are the just basics for writing a eulogy , so now we’ll share a few fictitious examples.

Here are snippets from four eulogies — some from the beginning and others from the middle or conclusion :

Example eulogy for a childhood friend

Almost all of my childhood memories include the times I spent with Sam. From the time we were old enough to walk to each other’s house, we spent every moment together. We explored the woods near our homes, dug holes, threw rocks, and waded in streams.

Sam was always much more adventurous than me, and he was the one who came up with the idea of building a raft. Of course, that experience concluded with a trip to the emergency room and both of our dads yelling at us for borrowing their axes.

Sam made life more fun, and I am so sad he is gone.

Example eulogy for a child with cancer

Nothing about today is good or right or makes sense. In fact, everyone here is probably asking themselves why this had to happen. But the awful truth is that cancer doesn’t discriminate. It takes the old and the young.

But we don’t want Brandon’s death to be just another statistic. We want you all to leave here today and be thankful for your child’s messy room, for driving your son to baseball practice for the fourth time this week, and for helping your daughter practice her spelling words.

Those everyday tasks are the stuff of life, and we would give anything to experience regular life with our son once again.

Example eulogy for a very young child, toddler, or infant

Before I had kids, I never spent time reflecting on Matthew 18:3, which says, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” But when Maggie came along, I realized how pure the faith of a three-year-old child could be.

Even though Maggie never learned how to read, she knew Jesus and believed in the promises of the Bible with her whole heart. You could tell by how earnestly she would sing, “Jesus Loves Me.”

Example eulogy for your own child

Before I tell you about how special Paul was, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for being here today. Your show of support has been overwhelming, and I am not sure how we would have gotten through the last week without all the meals you have delivered, help to organize the services, and the outpouring of love you have shown.

This has been the worst week of my life, but you have helped me get through it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

You may have volunteered to write the eulogy for a child because you see it as an act of love. While completing this job is loving, you may need to recognize that you aren’t ready .

Perhaps you’re too angry or frustrated to be able to write an appropriate speech. Maybe you are too numb to formulate a coherent thought , much less an entire eulogy .

If that’s the case, don’t feel bad for asking another family member, close friend, or clergy member to write the text for you. Of course, you should be able to give input and have the final say, but you don’t have to write every word yourself.

Categories:

• Funerals & Memorial Services

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August 16, 2022

How to help your child write a speech (without doing it for them)

by Joanne O'Mara, The Conversation

It's hard for parents to help kids with homework without doing it for them. It can be especially difficult to work out where to start when your child is preparing a speech for school.

You might find your child is procrastinating more about getting started with a speech than about other homework. This could be because they are anxious about it.

Having something that they want to say to their class can help to increase your child's confidence and motivation when they deliver the speech. A positive speechmaking experience can increase confidence for next time, which is why some schools teach public speaking in a systematic way.

It's important to keep in mind that public speaking has two parts to it: writing the speech, and delivering it.

Here are some tips for how to help your kid with both aspects of preparation.

Writing the speech

First, help your child find something they want to say to their audience.

When a child is delivering a speech to the class, they are being listened to, observed, and watched by their peers. Most other classwork is only read by the teacher. In a speech, they are sharing their ideas with the whole class.

That's why it is really important they own what they are saying, and say it in their own words.

It's key they own the topic (if it is a free choice of topic) or that they own the stance they are taking (if the topic is set by the teacher).

As a parent, it's tricky to support your child to find their own words to say—but it's very important you don't write the speech for them.

Help them to think about what they care about and what they think is important to share with their class.

Apart from the fact the teacher will spot a parent-written speech a mile away, if your child has no ownership of their speech, they will not care about communicating the ideas to the class.

Next, help your child to think about organizing their ideas.

It's good to have a hook or a catchy introduction into the main idea of the speech. That could be a rhetorical question, an anecdote or an amazing fact. They can then think of around three main points about the topic.

Ask your child questions that help them to think about some examples or evidence that support their ideas.

Finally, help them to finish their speech. Often, the ending might return to the beginning to round off the point being made—a kind of "I told you so"!

Delivering the speech—4 tips for parents

1. encourage your child to focus on communicating their idea to their audience..

If they focus on sharing their ideas, rather than worrying about themselves, everything will come together. Encourage them to think about looking at the audience and making sure everyone can hear them.

2. Practice the speed of delivery and time their speech.

One of the easiest things to practice that makes a big difference to the delivery of the speech is the pacing.

The big tip is to slow down. When speakers feel nervous they tend to speed up, sometimes just a little—but often students will deliver their speeches at breakneck speed, racing to just get it done so they can go and sit down.

I've listened to thousands of student speeches and have never heard one delivered too slowly. But I have heard many that sound like a horse-race call.

3. Be an affirmative audience to their speech.

Listen to your child practice when they feel ready to share with you, but don't push them if they are resistant.

Focus on building their confidence by talking to them about the moments you felt they were connecting with you as an audience member. Be appreciative of their jokes or show you share their feelings about ideas they care about.

Your children seek your approval—don't be stingy with it.

4. If they are feeling confident, suggest they work on nuancing their delivery.

Once they are feeling confident about delivering the speech, the child can add variety and texture.

For instance, they might slow down for emphasis on certain words, add a pause after asking a question, or think about some moments where they might speak more softly or loudly.

Variation will add interest to the delivery of the speech and help to grab and keep the audience's attention. It also helps further convey your child's ideas.

Good support takes time

It's hard to get the balance right when supporting your child to prepare their speech. The trick is to understand that it will take more than one sitting.

So, plan for a few chunks of time, and work on building their ideas and enthusiasm.

Provided by The Conversation

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• Games, topic printables & more
• The 4 main speech types
• Example speeches
• Commemorative
• Declamation
• Demonstration
• Informative
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• How to write a speech
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• Acute anxiety help
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• Letting go - free e-course
• Using self-hypnosis
• Delivery overview
• 4 modes of delivery
• How to make cue cards
• How to read a speech
• 9 vocal aspects
• Vocal variety
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How to write a good speech in 7 steps

By:  Susan Dugdale  

- an easily followed format for writing a great speech

Did you know writing a speech doesn't have be an anxious, nail biting experience?

Unsure? Don't be.

You may have lived with the idea you were never good with words for a long time. Or perhaps giving speeches at school brought you out in cold sweats.

However learning how to write a speech is relatively straight forward when you learn to write out loud.

And that's the journey I am offering to take you on: step by step.

To learn quickly, go slow

Take all the time you need. This speech format has 7 steps, each building on the next.

Walk, rather than run, your way through all of them. Don't be tempted to rush. Familiarize yourself with the ideas. Try them out.

I know there are well-advertised short cuts and promises of 'write a speech in 5 minutes'. However in reality they only truly work for somebody who already has the basic foundations of speech writing in place.

The foundation of good speech writing 

These steps are the backbone of sound speech preparation. Learn and follow them well at the outset and yes, given more experience and practice you could probably flick something together quickly. Like any skill, the more it's used, the easier it gets.

In the meantime...

Step 1: Begin with a speech overview or outline

Are you in a hurry? Without time to read a whole page? Grab ... The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist And come back to get the details later.

• WHO you are writing your speech for (your target audience)
• WHY you are preparing this speech. What's the main purpose of your speech? Is it to inform or tell your audience about something? To teach them a new skill or demonstrate something? To persuade or to entertain? (See 4 types of speeches: informative, demonstrative, persuasive and special occasion or entertaining for more.) What do you want them to think, feel or do as a result of listening the speech?
• WHAT your speech is going to be about (its topic) - You'll want to have thought through your main points and have ranked them in order of importance. And have sorted the supporting research you need to make those points effectively.
• HOW much time you have for your speech eg. 3 minutes, 5 minutes... The amount of time you've been allocated dictates how much content you need. If you're unsure check this page: how many words per minute in a speech: a quick reference guide . You'll find estimates of the number of words required for 1 - 10 minute speeches by slow, medium and fast talkers.

Use an outline

The best way to make sure you deliver a perfect speech is to start by carefully completing a speech outline covering the essentials: WHO, WHY, WHAT and HOW.

Beginning to write without thinking your speech through is a bit like heading off on a journey not knowing why you're traveling or where you're going to end up. You can find yourself lost in a deep, dark, murky muddle of ideas very quickly!

Pulling together a speech overview or outline is a much safer option. It's the map you'll follow to get where you want to go.

Get a blank speech outline template to complete

Click the link to find out a whole lot more about preparing a speech outline . ☺ You'll also find a free printable blank speech outline template.  I recommend using it!

Understanding speech construction

Before you begin to write, using your completed outline as a guide, let's briefly look at what you're aiming to prepare.

• an opening or introduction
• the body where the bulk of the information is given
• and an ending (or summary).

Imagine your speech as a sandwich

If you think of a speech as a sandwich you'll get the idea.

The opening and ending are the slices of bread holding the filling (the major points or the body of your speech) together.

You can build yourself a simple sandwich with one filling (one big idea) or you could go gourmet and add up to three or, even five. The choice is yours.

But whatever you choose to serve, as a good cook, you need to consider who is going to eat it! And that's your audience.

So let's find out who they are before we do anything else. 

Step 2: Know who you are talking to

Understanding your audience.

Did you know a  good speech is never written from the speaker's point of view?  ( If you need to know more about why check out this page on  building rapport .)

Begin with the most important idea/point on your outline.

Consider HOW you can explain (show, tell) that to your audience in the most effective way for them to easily understand it.   

Writing from the audience's point of view

To help you write from an audience point of view, it's a good idea to identify either a real person or the type of person who is most likely to be listening to you.

Make sure you select someone who represents the "majority" of the people who will be in your audience. That is they are neither struggling to comprehend you at the bottom of your scale or light-years ahead at the top.

Now imagine they are sitting next to you eagerly waiting to hear what you're going to say. Give them a name, for example, Joe, to help make them real.

Ask yourself

• How do I need to tailor my information to meet Joe's needs? For example, do you tell personal stories to illustrate your main points? Absolutely! Yes. This is a very powerful technique. (Click storytelling in speeches to find out more.)
• What type or level of language is right for Joe as well as my topic? For example if I use jargon (activity, industry or profession specific vocabulary) will it be understood?

Step 3: Writing as you speak

Writing oral language.

Write down what you want to say about your first main point as if you were talking directly to Joe.

If it helps, say it all out loud before you write it down and/or record it.

Use the information below as a guide

(Click to download The Characteristics of Spoken Language  as a pdf.) 

You do not have to write absolutely everything you're going to say down * but you do need to write down, or outline, the sequence of ideas to ensure they are logical and easily followed.

Remember too, to explain or illustrate your point with examples from your research. 

( * Tip: If this is your first speech the safety net of having everything written down could be just what you need. It's easier to recover from a patch of jitters when you have a word by word manuscript than if you have either none, or a bare outline. Your call!)

Step 4: Checking tone and language

The focus of this step is re-working what you've done in Step 2 and 3.

You identified who you were talking to (Step 2) and in Step 3, wrote up your first main point.  Is it right? Have you made yourself clear?  Check it.

How well you complete this step depends on how well you understand the needs of the people who are going to listen to your speech.

Please do not assume because you know what you're talking about the person (Joe) you've chosen to represent your audience will too. Joe is not a mind-reader!

How to check what you've prepared

• Check the "tone" of your language . Is it right for the occasion, subject matter and your audience?
• Check the length of your sentences. You need short sentences. If they're too long or complicated you risk losing your listeners.

Check for jargon too. These are industry, activity or group exclusive words.

For instance take the phrase: authentic learning . This comes from teaching and refers to connecting lessons to the daily life of students. Authentic learning is learning that is relevant and meaningful for students. If you're not a teacher you may not understand the phrase.

The use of any vocabulary requiring insider knowledge needs to be thought through from the audience perspective. Jargon can close people out.

• Read what you've written out loud. If it flows naturally, in a logical manner, continue the process with your next main idea. If it doesn't, rework.

We use whole sentences and part ones, and we mix them up with asides or appeals e.g. "Did you get that? Of course you did. Right...Let's move it along. I was saying ..."

Click for more about the differences between spoken and written language .

And now repeat the process

Repeat this process for the remainder of your main ideas.

Because you've done the first one carefully, the rest should follow fairly easily.

Step 5: Use transitions

Providing links or transitions between main ideas.

Between each of your main ideas you need to provide a bridge or pathway for your audience. The clearer the pathway or bridge, the easier it is for them to make the transition from one idea to the next.

If your speech contains more than three main ideas and each is building on the last, then consider using a "catch-up" or summary as part of your transitions.

Is your speech being evaluated? Find out exactly what aspects you're being assessed on using this standard speech evaluation form

Link/transition examples

A link can be as simple as:

"We've explored one scenario for the ending of Block Buster 111, but let's consider another. This time..."

What follows this transition is the introduction of Main Idea Two.

Here's a summarizing link/transition example:

"We've ended Blockbuster 111 four ways so far. In the first, everybody died. In the second, everybody died BUT their ghosts remained to haunt the area. In the third, one villain died. His partner reformed and after a fight-out with the hero, they both strode off into the sunset, friends forever. In the fourth, the hero dies in a major battle but is reborn sometime in the future.

And now what about one more? What if nobody died? The fifth possibility..."

Go back through your main ideas checking the links. Remember Joe as you go. Try each transition or link out loud and really listen to yourself. Is it obvious? Easily followed?

Keep them if they are clear and concise.

For more about transitions (with examples) see Andrew Dlugan's excellent article, Speech Transitions: Magical words and Phrases .

Step 6: The end of your speech

The ideal ending is highly memorable . You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.

Example speech endings

Example 1: The desired outcome of a speech persuading people to vote for you in an upcoming election is that they get out there on voting day and do so. You can help that outcome along by calling them to register their support by signing a prepared pledge statement as they leave.

"We're agreed we want change. You can help us give it to you by signing this pledge statement as you leave. Be part of the change you want to see!

Example 2: The desired outcome is increased sales figures. The call to action is made urgent with the introduction of time specific incentives.

"You have three weeks from the time you leave this hall to make that dream family holiday in New Zealand yours. Can you do it? Will you do it? The kids will love it. Your wife will love it. Do it now!"

How to figure out the right call to action

A clue for working out what the most appropriate call to action might be, is to go back to your original purpose for giving the speech.

• Was it to motivate or inspire?
• Was it to persuade to a particular point of view?
• Was it to share specialist information?
• Was it to celebrate a person, a place, time or event?

Ask yourself what you want people to do as a result of having listened to your speech.

For more about ending speeches

Visit this page for more about how to end a speech effectively . You'll find two additional types of speech endings with examples.

Write and test

Write your ending and test it out loud. Try it out on a friend, or two. Is it good? Does it work?

Step 7: The introduction

Once you've got the filling (main ideas) the linking and the ending in place, it's time to focus on the introduction.

The introduction comes last as it's the most important part of your speech. This is the bit that either has people sitting up alert or slumped and waiting for you to end. It's the tone setter!

What makes a great speech opening?

Ideally you want an opening that makes listening to you the only thing the 'Joes' in the audience want to do.

You want them to forget they're hungry or that their chair is hard or that their bills need paying.

The way to do that is to capture their interest straight away. You do this with a "hook".

Hooks to catch your audience's attention

Hooks come in as many forms as there are speeches and audiences. Your task is work out what specific hook is needed to catch your audience.

Go back to the purpose. Why are you giving this speech?

Once you have your answer, consider your call to action. What do you want the audience to do, and, or take away, as a result of listening to you?

Next think about the imaginary or real person you wrote for when you were focusing on your main ideas.

Choosing the best hook

• Is it humor?
• Would shock tactics work?
• Is it a rhetorical question?
• Is it formality or informality?
• Is it an outline or overview of what you're going to cover, including the call to action?
• Or is it a mix of all these elements?

A hook example

Here's an example from a fictional political speech. The speaker is lobbying for votes. His audience are predominately workers whose future's are not secure.

"How's your imagination this morning? Good? (Pause for response from audience) Great, I'm glad. Because we're going to put it to work starting right now.

I want you to see your future. What does it look like? Are you happy? Is everything as you want it to be? No? Let's change that. We could do it. And we could do it today.

At the end of this speech you're going to be given the opportunity to change your world, for a better one ...

No, I'm not a magician. Or a simpleton with big ideas and precious little commonsense. I'm an ordinary man, just like you. And I have a plan to share!"

And then our speaker is off into his main points supported by examples. The end, which he has already foreshadowed in his opening, is the call to vote for him.

Prepare several hooks

Experiment with several openings until you've found the one that serves your audience, your subject matter and your purpose best.

For many more examples of speech openings go to: how to write a speech introduction . You'll find 12 of the very best ways to start a speech.

That completes the initial seven steps towards writing your speech. If you've followed them all the way through, congratulations, you now have the text of your speech!

Although you might have the words, you're still a couple of steps away from being ready to deliver them. Both of them are essential if you want the very best outcome possible. They are below. Please take them.

Step 8: Checking content and timing

This step pulls everything together.

Check once, check twice, check three times & then once more!

Go through your speech really carefully.

On the first read through check you've got your main points in their correct order with supporting material, plus an effective introduction and ending.

On the second read through check the linking passages or transitions making sure they are clear and easily followed.

On the third reading check your sentence structure, language use and tone.

Double, triple check the timing

Now go though once more.

This time read it aloud slowly and time yourself.

If it's too long for the time allowance you've been given make the necessary cuts.

Start by looking at your examples rather than the main ideas themselves. If you've used several examples to illustrate one principal idea, cut the least important out.

Also look to see if you've repeated yourself unnecessarily or, gone off track. If it's not relevant, cut it.

Repeat the process, condensing until your speech fits the required length, preferably coming in just under your time limit.

You can also find out how approximately long it will take you to say the words you have by using this very handy words to minutes converter . It's an excellent tool, one I frequently use. While it can't give you a precise time, it does provide a reasonable estimate.

Step 9: Rehearsing your speech

And NOW you are finished with writing the speech, and are ready for REHEARSAL .

Please don't be tempted to skip this step. It is not an extra thrown in for good measure. It's essential.

The "not-so-secret" secret of successful speeches combines good writing with practice, practice and then, practicing some more.

Go to how to practice public speaking and you'll find rehearsal techniques and suggestions to boost your speech delivery from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist

Before you begin writing you need:.

• Your speech OUTLINE with your main ideas ranked in the order you're going to present them. (If you haven't done one complete this 4 step sample speech outline . It will make the writing process much easier.)
• Your RESEARCH
• You also need to know WHO you're speaking to, the PURPOSE of the speech and HOW long you're speaking for

The basic format

• the body where you present your main ideas

Split your time allowance so that you spend approximately 70% on the body and 15% each on the introduction and ending.

How to write the speech

• Write your main ideas out incorporating your examples and research
• Link them together making sure each flows in a smooth, logical progression
• Write your ending, summarizing your main ideas briefly and end with a call for action
• Write your introduction considering the 'hook' you're going to use to get your audience listening
• An often quoted saying to explain the process is: Tell them what you're going to tell them (Introduction) Tell them (Body of your speech - the main ideas plus examples) Tell them what you told them (The ending)

TEST before presenting. Read aloud several times to check the flow of material, the suitability of language and the timing.

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How to Write a Campaign Speech for Kids

How to give an annual day speech in school.

Writing a campaign speech for kids isn't all child's play. Children are smart and informed voters, and can tell when you are lying about giving out free chocolate every Friday after you are elected. Your speech has to stand out and catch their attention, usually in under two minutes. Writing a good and appropriate children's campaign speech increases your chances for winning the election.

Start off with a good, clean, short joke. The children hear speech after speech and are going to start to tune out what is said. You need to say something to catch their attention. Getting them to laugh will give them a little break.

Introduce yourself and declare the office that you are running for. Not making yourself known could be a big mistake later when the children are voting and remember who you are.

Talk about what you will do if elected. Everyone has ideas about how the school could be run better — maybe more vending machines in the cafeteria, maybe off-campus lunches, maybe getting to wear shorts on Friday. Tell your peers how you will work hard to change things for the better.

Thank the students for their time. Remember to be gracious and to treat the audience and the other candidates alike.

Keep the speech short. Usually, you will be given a time limit of up to two minutes. Make sure that you do not run over or you could be disqualified.

• Coin a slogan that you can use on your posters and in your speech.
• Do not make any promises that you are not willing to keep. Nobody likes a liar.

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How to Write a Speech to Welcome People to an Event

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• Write Out Loud: How to Write a Speech for Kids

Chance E. Gartneer began writing professionally in 2008 working in conjunction with FEMA. He has the unofficial record for the most undergraduate hours at the University of Texas at Austin. When not working on his children's book masterpiece, he writes educational pieces focusing on early mathematics and ESL topics.

How to Start a Speech for Kids

27 July 2022

Have you felt nervous when you have given speeches?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many people feel anxious when they have to speak in front of an audience. But don’t let your nerves get the best of you. By following a few simple tips, you can develop your communication skills and deliver a well-crafted speech that will engage and excite your listeners – an incredibly important life skill.

Introductions are Key

When you’re giving a speech, the introduction is key.

How a person starts their speech is important because it’s what grabs the attention of the audience and gets them interested in what they have to say. It’s their opportunity to make a good first impression, so you want to make sure that it’s strong and engaging. This is especially true for children, who given their age often lack the gravitas that is more easily attributed to many adults.

A well-crafted introduction can set the tone for a child’s entire speech, so it’s worth taking the time to get it right. In addition, a good introduction will help keep a child’s audience focused on what they have to say. So if your child is feeling stuck on how to start their next speech, be sure to get them to think hard about their introduction, both in terms of the words they’re going to use and the manner in which they want to present it. With a little practice, they will be able to craft an intro that leaves a lasting impression on their audience!

In this blog we’re going to explore five ways a child might want to start their speech, as well as a range of other public speaking tips to help kids get the most out of their speeches:

• How to use a personal anecdote to engage your listeners
• The best way to use rhetoric to hook your audience
• Whether bold statements, startling statistics, or famous quotes add up to a good speech introduction
• How keeping it simple, following a structure, and building up confidence can help children prepare a killer intro

If you or your child wants to learn more about introductions or other public speaking tips for everything from body language to visual aids, check out our YouTube channel for plenty of ideas on how to help your child prepare their next speech!

Starting with a personal story to engage your audience members

One way a child can easily engage their audience members from the start is to share a personal anecdote relevant to their topic. This can help listeners connect with the child on a personal level and make them more interested in what they have to say.

For example, if your child was giving a speech about the importance of education, they could share a story about a time they struggled when they were younger and how working hard helped them turn things around. Or, if they were speaking to other students about the importance of being kind to others, they could share an anecdote about a time when someone was kind to them and how this made them feel.

By sharing a personal story, any child can help their audience see them as a real person and not just some abstract figure who is talking at them. As a result, they will be more likely to engage with what the speaker is saying and remember it long after the speech is over.

Using rhetoric to your to grab your audience’s attention

Another effective opening a child can use to open their speech is to pose a rhetorical question to their audience. This will get listeners thinking about the answer to their question and make them eager to hear what they have to say next.

This is an especially effective way to open speeches, as it helps to set the stage for what you’ll be discussing in a way that piques the interest of your audience. People (and especially kids) are naturally curious – if you’ve got an interesting take on the question, or chose to start your speech with a question the audience is interested in but don’t know the answer to, you’re much more likely to hook them in and leave them keen for what comes next.

For example, if a child was introducing a speech on public speaking, they could ask the audience “ How many of you have ever had to give a speech in front of a large group of people? ” This question will get people engaged and thinking about their own experiences with public speaking.

It is important to remember that an opening line will only be effective if the speaker pauses, looks up from their palm cards and make eye contact with their audience – this gives them time to consider what the speaker has said and relate to the key points they hoped the audience would take away. It is important to keep this in mind whenever you practice your speech as well!

Bold statements, statistics and quotes

There are plenty of other ways that you might want to open your speech, and whilst these may work for some kids, you should be wary that they’re used properly.

Bold Statements…

One way might be to make a bold statement about your topic in your introduction, potentially explaining an extraordinary scenario to your listeners. This can help listeners understand the main point of your speech and get them interested in hearing more.

…Startling Statistics…

Another could be to start with a startling statistic or fact related to your topic. This can immediately grab the attention of your listeners and set the stage for the rest of your speech.

…and Famous Quotes…

The final way children might be able to open a speech is by referencing a famous quote that is relevant to their topic. This will show that you are knowledgeable about the subject and will get listeners thinking about the implications of the quote in relation to your topic.

…often aren’t the most exciting openers

That said, for most people all three of these are generally less effective than personal anecdotes or rhetorical questions. If you’re going to go down this route, make sure that your statement is truly bold, your statistic is interesting and relevant, or your quote is well-chosen. Otherwise, the message you’re trying to convey can easily be lost, and your introduction can become substantially less impactful.

Public speaking tips to improve my child’s speech introduction

Whilst an introduction isn’t your whole speech, it is one of the most essential parts of crafting an engaging presentation. Below are some tips for helping your child develop a great speech.

Keep the Message Simple

Firstly, when writing the body of the presentation, make sure to focus on a single idea (rather than a range of possible topics) and keep the message simple – rather than attempting to conquer the world, a strong speech will usually focus on a core thesis, with a key point (including up to three of these can work well) to back it up. It is important to write speeches with this in mind, as it allows public speakers to prepare a concise and easy-to-follow introduction, helping their audience focus on what’s important.

Looking for ideas on how to pick the right message? Check out our blogs on picking the perfect speech topic and 101 incredible public speaking topics to see how to use your passion to make your next presentation even more engaging!

Follow a Coherent Structure

Secondly, make sure that the introduction follows a coherent structure that feels comfortable. Start with one of the hooks we discussed above – it’s important that your child’s speech grabs the audience’s attention. Move on from here to actually address the audience – whether this be a “ good morning ” or a simple “ hi there ” – and introduce the key subject you’ll be speaking about. Finally, an introduction will usually flag the ‘matter’ of your speech – the main arguments you’re going to speak about. Using a structure like this can help kids feel more comfortable and aid them in keeping on message when they present.

Interested in learning more about how to structure a presentation? Have a look at our blog on how to structure a speech to learn more!

Build Up Confidence in Advance

Finally, make sure to build up your child’s confidence in advance . This is something that many children have difficulty with – once they have written their speech, make sure that:

• you talk to them about what they wanted to achieve with their speech, help them find the best words to do so, and answer any questions they might have;
• the speech has been written as dot points on palm cards, so they can practice properly and aren’t able to read the speech word for word;
• if your child is nervous, you speak with them about how they can use deep breaths before they talk to help dispel the nerves and ensure they are able to stay on message;
• if they’re up to it, you look at the presentation skills your child is using, and match things like gestures and facial expressions to the words they’re using, ensuring they are getting their point across in the most persuasive way possible – practice makes perfect; and
• they practice, practice, and practice again: you will want to give them lots of opportunities to deliver their speech, whether it be to friends, family members, or other adults – the idea is to not only practice their speech, but also to ensure it sticks to the time limit and provide feedback to your child, and to reinforce that it is an engaging speech, as this will give them to confidence to deliver an even better presentation when they stand in front of a proper room.

The more confident children feel about their speech, the more comfortable they will feel when they stand in front of their audience and start speaking. Every child must find their voice before they enter the room to ensure they’re ready to begin as soon as they step in front of their audience. This starts with family at home, and over time can build up to larger groups and have wide-reaching implications for any child’s life.

Want to learn more about the benefits of developing public speaking and debating skills? Check out our blog to find out how your child could benefit! 

The key ideas for how to start a speech for kids

When it comes to giving a speech (and public speaking more generally), you need to grab the attention of your audience and give them a taste of what’s to come.

But how can children make sure their introductions are up to scratch?

The main things to remember are:

• Hook the audience with a catchy opening like an anecdote or rhetorical question
• Make sure the speech (and introduction) focuses on one central message
• Have a clear structure
• Practice your introduction multiple times
• Build up confidence in advance

It’s important to give your child the best chance for success when it comes to public speaking and developing communication skills. This means teaching them how to write and deliver a good introduction. By following these simple tips, you can help them make a great first impression that will get their audience hooked.

If you’re looking for more advice on this topic or want to help your child build up their confidence in advance, check out some of our other blogs , head to our YouTube , or enrol them in one of our public speaking or debating courses today . We’ll provide everything they need to nail their next speech!

• Delivery Techniques →

Public Speaking for Kids: Help Your Child Overcome Fear and Shine Onstage

Are you looking for ways to encourage your child to take the stage and share their ideas with confidence? Public speaking is a skill that many of us find challenging and intimidating, and us adults usually lack the foundational skills to even teach our children how to confidently share their voice with an audience. But public speaking is an invaluable skill that every child should learn. It can help them in school, future job interviews, and any other type of setting where they need to speak their mind. And the earlier this skill is developed, the easier it can be to hone it over the next few years.

Building Confidence

Building confidence is essential to succeeding in public speaking, and it’s something that takes time and hard work for children to practice. It’s important to focus on building systematic encouragement by setting achievable goals. This can lead to the child feeling more comfortable each time they take the stage. It is helpful to accept that there are going to be moments of discomfort when taking the stage, but teaching children that their discomfort is an opportunity to grow through it is key. Kids must also understand that mistakes are okay. Focusing on success rather than failure will help future performances become more natural and engaging. This also means teaching children how to physically adjust in front of a crowd while speaking – such as walking around, not standing still or slouching. Teaching children to move comfortably and make eye contact with those in the audience can build on their confidence and reduce any fear or anxiety they may be experiencing. Additionally, rehearsing out loud rather than silently can help kids adjust to the sound of their own voice in front of an audience. It is also worthwhile for parents to encourage their children with positive reinforcement after each performance – no matter how big or small – as this helps build self-confidence and further instill a sense of awareness for future opportunities. It can also remind children that tackling something challenging can result in a positive outcome, which is invaluable once mastered. Ultimately, empowering children with the confidence they need to feel comfortable on stage will provide them with beneficial tools they can use throughout their lives. While it’s possible that building confidence may take some time and effort when getting started, consistently focusing on achievable goals will pay off in the long run – leading naturally into the next section: Setting Small Goals.

Setting Small Goals

The goal of public speaking for kids should be to help them overcome their fear and get comfortable talking in front of an audience. One way a parent or instructor can do this is by setting small goals. This is especially helpful for children who become overwhelmed when faced with a large task or unfamiliar situation. When setting small goals, it’s important to keep them achievable but still challenging enough so that your child will be able to feel successful when they complete it. Examples could include memorizing a certain number of lines in a speech they need to give, working through a difficult paragraph in the presentation they are giving, or delivering the speech in front of close family members or friends. As your child achieves each goal, they should be encouraged with positive reinforcement and given credit for their hard work. On the other hand, setting too low of expectations could lead to your child not feeling as though they have made any progress or accomplished something meaningful. To avoid this, it is important to push them outside their comfort zone while being supportive at the same time. By breaking down public speaking tasks into smaller goals and objectives, your child grows confidence and gain experience doing something that may have scared them in the past. With a dedicated attitude and the right approach your child can succeed and reach their goal of presenting effectively and shining in front of an audience. Now that we’ve addressed approaches to setting small goals for public speaking success let’s move on to discussing practicing out loud!

A study conducted in 2018 showed that giving children opportunities to practice their speeches and receiving feedback from the audience increased children’s self-confidence when delivering a speech.

Practicing Out Loud

Practicing out loud is one of the most important steps to help a child prepare for public speaking. It is an opportunity for them to become comfortable with the material and gain confidence in their ability to speak in front of people. By practicing out loud, children get familiar with the sound of their own voice and will be able to work on their pronunciation, intonation and speech patterns . Through this practice, they can better gauge how the audience will receive their presentation. The importance of practicing out loud should not be underestimated. Rehearsing a presentation helps a child focus more on what they want to say, instead of worrying about their fear or trying to remember all their talking points. As kids rehearse, they are invariably going to make mistakes which gives them an opportunity to identify areas that need improvement before they get up onstage. Regular practice also helps children get comfortable with the material as well as build up experience in public speaking so that they can feel more confident during the actual performance. At the same time, there is a risk that too much practice can strip away a presentation’s spontaneity and make it appear rehearsed and robotic. Therefore, it is important to ensure that children only start practicing once they have read through the material several times and have a good understanding of it, so that they can focus on developing their fluency and delivery more than memorizing words. To sum up, practicing out loud is a critical step for helping children overcome their fear and shine onstage since it provides an opportunity for them to gain confidence in their speech as well as familiarize themselves with any materials that need to be presented. Now that we have discussed the power of practice through repeating out loud, let’s look at how preparation and outlining can help prepare your child for success in public speaking.

Crucial Points

Practicing a speech out loud is an essential step in public speaking preparation for children. It helps to build their fluency, delivery, and confidence. Rehearsal also allows for mistakes and improvement before the performance, but too much practice can make a child’s speech appear robotic. Therefore, it is important to ensure that sufficient time beforehand is spent understanding the material before spoken rehearsing begins. Additionally, preparation and outlining will help contribute to a successful performance.

Preparation and Outlining

Preparation and Outlining are two of the most important factors in helping kids overcome their fear of public speaking. A well-thought-out presentation will help reduce anxiety and give children a confidence boost. By preparing thoroughly , children can focus on delivering the speech rather than worrying about what they’re going to say next. To begin, kids should first outline their presentation . Write down all of the main points they want to make and order them logically. To add more depth to their presentation, they can research the topic and come up with supportive facts or examples to illustrate their point. Rehearse the speech before getting up in front of an audience, starting with small cues like talking just above a whisper or practicing with a mirror. Going into too much detail may also make it more difficult for children to remember their speech, so only include necessary information without making it too long or complicated. One alternative is to practice with cue cards which contain key words or phrases that can act as prompts to move from one idea to the next. However, kids should still aim for complete memorization instead of having heavily dependent on those cards when delivering their speech. When guiding kids in preparation for a public speaking event, it is equally important for parents and teachers to monitor the amount of practice time recommended for each individual child. There is no one size fits all method here: some prefer spending more time honing their delivery while others feel secure with mastering the full talk. It’s important to find out what works best for each kid since overworking could lead to burnout while not preparing enough would not be beneficial either. With proper preparation and outlining, any child can become comfortable delivering speeches in public. Helping kids structure their thoughts allows them to easily recall points during performances and reduces stress higher levels of stress when standing in front of an audience. Now that we understand the role preparation plays in public speaking for kids, let’s look closer at creating a plan tailored specifically for your child’s needs in our next section.

Creating a Plan

Creating a Plan is an essential step in helping children overcome their fear of public speaking . By designing and completing a solid action plan, a child can practice and develop skills that will help them become more confident in their ability to speak publicly. When coming up with a plan for your child, it’s important to consider their learning style and the best environment in which they learn from. For example, some kids may be better solo learners and only need someone there to listen while they practice or offer feedback. Other kids may prefer a more collaborative process and could benefit from additional instruction or guidance. In addition to considering your child’s learning style, it’s important to discuss manageable goals with them. Being able to successfully complete each step of the plan will provide highlights along the way as well as inspire motivation and confidence as they move forward each step of the way. Celebrate successes with them every chance you get. Once a plan has been created and agreed upon by both parent and child, then comes the challenging part – staying focused on working towards the goal of becoming an accomplished public speaker! parents should remain guided by the plan but also flexible enough when it’s necessary to make adjustments throughout the process if needed. Creating a Plan is an essential part of preparing for public speaking success, offering momentum, clarity, structure and communication for both parent and child working together towards one common goal. Now that you have a plan in place, let’s take a closer look at strategies for giving a speech that your child can practice so they can shine onstage!

Strategies for Giving a Speech

When it comes to delivering a speech, there are two strategies that can help kids be successful. The first is to practice reading aloud to gain experience in navigating through the material. This technique helps youngsters develop their fluency, vocal mechanics, and public speaking skills. It also helps them become comfortable with the text and build the confidence to present in front of an audience. The second strategy is to write the speech out beforehand. Writing a speech gives kids more control over the content and can hep them better organize their thoughts into a narrative. Furthermore, writing gives kids the opportunity to rehearse and edit their material as many times as necessary until it reaches a more polished state. While this approach may take more time than simply reading, it is generally considered by experts to have a higher success rate than just memorizing lines because it focuses on the mastery of concepts rather than words. By utilizing these two strategies, kids can start using public speaking as an important tool to influence others , which will likely serve them well throughout their lives. Now let’s look at some tips specifically designed for children when they are giving a speech. This wraps up our discussion on strategies for giving a speech. In our next section we’ll be exploring speaking tips for kids so they can shine onstage with confidence!

Speaking Tips for Kids

When it comes to public speaking for kids, teaching them useful tips can give them a huge edge in the confidence game. Public speaking is an essential skill and kids as young as 8 years old can benefit from knowing how to deliver prepared remarks before an audience. Speaking tips for kids generally include elements such as preparation and body language . Building confidence through practice is key; emphasizing that mistakes while speaking are natural and using the opportunity to learn from them will be beneficial in the long run. The importance of visual aids is also something that should be emphasized when discussing public speaking with children. Visual aids are a great tool for speakers because they provide brevity and clarity when communicating complex ideas on stage. Allowing children to practice using visuals such as PowerPoint slides or posters during rehearsals or prep time can be incredibly helpful. It also provides younger children with a chance to become more comfortable using technology while speaking. Another crucial element of public speaking for kids involves speech delivery. Kids should be shown how to use voice inflection , pausing, and slowing down their pace to connect with their audience. Practicing beforehand and getting feedback from parents or professionals can help build their confidence and ensure that what is being said resonates with the audience. Finally, it is important for kids to remember that, when faced with fear, admitting it is normal and taking a deep breath can help calm nerves before stepping onto the stage. Knowing all of these different elements beforehand can decrease feelings of nervousness before having to speak in front of an audience. Leading into the next section, there are many ways that parents, teachers, and even kids themselves can work together to help overcome fear while preparing for public speaking engagements .

Ways to Overcome Fear

Overcoming fear of public speaking is an important first step in helping kids to shine onstage. Children tend to be timid when they are asked to talk in front of a large group, but with the right strategies it can be possible to reduce their anxiety. Here are some ways to help children overcome their fear: 1. Be Encouraging: A supportive attitude from parents can go a long way towards helping children get through their fear of public speaking. Emphasize the importance of taking risks and remind them that mistakes can be learning experiences. Encourage them to stay positive and keep practicing until they feel confident. 2. Break it Up into Manageable Steps: Kids can begin by speaking in smaller groups and slowly build up their nerves for larger audiences. Giving the child time between performances can also help them recharge and refocus on their presentation without feeling overwhelmed. 3. Practice Making Eye Contact With Audience Members: Helping kids practice making eye contact with members of the audience can help boost their confidence and make them feel more at ease on stage. 4. Visualize Successful Outcomes: Some experts argue that visualization is an important tool in helping kids overcome their fear of public speaking. Encourage your child to envision how they want to come across before even stepping foot on a stage or podium, this could help alleviate some of their nervousness and make it easier for them to deliver successful presentations. 5. Simplify the Language: If you notice that your child is struggling with complex language or vocabulary, suggest simplifying the language in order to better communicate their ideas. This will make them feel more comfortable, as they won’t have to worry about stumbling over unfamiliar words, which could potentially slow down the pace of their speech and cause anxiety. 6. Allow for Natural Pauses: Again, if your child is having difficulty getting through complicated topics or language, allow for natural pauses in their speech where they can take a deep breath before continuing on with their presentation. This will allow for more clarity when discussing certain nuances, without inundating the audience with too much information at once. 7. Use Supporting Materials: Allow your child to bring visuals or props with them onto the stage as tools for communication and support; these items can serve as helpful reminders throughout the presentation if need be and give them something tangible to help break up any potential monotony during longer speeches or talks . The next step in helping children shine onstage is finding the right topics that are both interesting and engaging for both speakers and audiences alike.

Interesting Presentation Topics

When it comes to public speaking, choosing an interesting topic can be the key to giving a great presentation and helping kids overcome their fear of speaking in front of an audience. Kids are often inquisitive and passionate about the world around them, so finding topics that capture this curiosity is essential. One option for selecting an interesting and engaging presentation topic is allowing kids to select their own topics. This approach provides kids with the freedom to explore something they are genuinely interested in or have a genuine connection with. It also allows them to showcase their knowledge on whatever topic they choose; this could even be a strong motivator for getting them involved with public speaking. However, it is important to note that parents should use their judgement and help guide children in picking a topic that is age-appropriate and not too complicated to explain. Another option for understanding what type of topics would make good presentations is researching popular, relevant issues in the media related to kids or young adults. For example, if news reports are discussing how young people feel about climate action, then this might be a good topic for an age-appropriate presentation. Not only does this enable children to discuss topics from real-world events but will give them experience discussing more complex matters in public discourse as well. One caveat is that parents must take extra care in monitoring the source of reports used so as to ensure accuracy and quality information for the presentation topic chosen. Interesting presentation topics create avenues for further engagement when done properly. This can benefit both children and audiences alike as supports their skillset and maintains interest throughout the talk respectively.

Conclusion and Best Practices for Public Speaking for Kids

Public speaking is an invaluable skill that many children can benefit from developing . It is a great way to help children learn how to express themselves, work through their fears and build confidence. With the right guidance and practice, children can master this skill and become confident public speakers. When it comes to incorporating public speaking into your child’s routine, there are a few things that parents can do to maximize the chances of success. First and foremost, encourage active engagement in activities like storytelling, theater or lessons related to public speaking . This will give them a platform to practice and feel comfortable with their words before delivering an audience-facing speech. Secondly, create an environment in which your child feels safe to share their ideas and opinions without fear of judgement or criticism. Finally, allow them to practice as much as possible – even if it’s just you or family members in the house – so they gain more self-belief as they gain skills. Overall, while there may be no “one-size-fits-all” approach when it comes to teaching public speaking to kids, implementing the right strategies can help increase their chances of success in the long run. By following these tips and creating a supportive environment for them to explore the world of public speaking, parents can help boost their child’s self-esteem and lay the foundation for a successful future in this craft.

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions with Explanations

What age is appropriate for kids to start learning public speaking.

Starting young is the key to developing public speaking skills . To foster good public speaking habits, children should begin honing their skills at around age six or seven. At this stage, children have already had enough practice with verbal communication that they can begin learning how to respond appropriately to an audience as well as manage their stage fright. Not only will providing your kids with some guidance help them become more confident speakers, but it will also teach them how to communicate efficiently and effectively.

What resources are available to help kids become better public speakers?

There are several resources available to help kids become better public speakers . First and foremost, parents can provide kids with the support and encouragement they need to be successful public speakers. Visual aids such as white boards, visuals, flash cards, and speech outlines can also be effective teaching tools for helping kids practice delivering their speeches. Additionally, courses in public speaking , debate clubs, or join local theater groups are great options for children who want to gain more confidence in their public speaking abilities. Moreover, having a mentor or someone the child trusts to review and give valuable feedback on their speeches is essential in helping them progress. Lastly, finding meaningful workshops and seminars that focus on topics such as developing a powerful voice, storytelling techniques, body language skills, and stage presence are excellent ways to help young people become strong communicators while honing their public speaking skills.

What activities or exercises can help my child develop public speaking skills?

To help your child develop public speaking skills, there are a variety of activities and exercises that can provide practice while decreasing anxiety associated with speaking in front of a crowd. One activity is to have them practice speaking in front of a mirror or recording their speeches to gain confidence in their own delivery. This will also allow them to see and hear where they can improve on pauses, intonation and speed. Another activity is to have them deliver presentations or speeches with friends or family in comfortable settings. This can help build confidence for larger audiences when the time comes. Reading out loud regularly is also an excellent way to increase their fluency and word choice . Engaging age-appropriate literature with entertaining stories will make this exercise more enjoyable for them. Finally, empowering children by providing opportunities to participate in class discussions and school debates will increase their ability to think critically as well as become more self-assured when responding publicly.

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• July 3, 2024

Table of Contents

Eulogy Example for a Son 1

Eulogy example for a son 2, eulogy example for a son 3, eulogy example for a son 4, eulogy example for a son 5, eulogy example for a son 6, key elements of a eulogy for a son, begin by introducing yourself, provide a brief overview of your son's life, share personal memories and stories, express the impact of his loss, offer words of consolation and hope, eulogy assistant: gently weaving memories into tributes, creating eulogies with warmth for spiritual leaders, creating a lasting impression with shared stories, heartfelt voices: experiences from our clients, eulogy examples for son frequently asked questions.

Losing a child is undoubtedly one of the most heart-wrenching experiences a parent can endure, and finding the right words to express your grief in a eulogy is no easy task. It's essential to honour your son's memory and celebrate his life, while also providing comfort to everyone present in the service. In this article, we will provide you with guidance on finding the words to express your love and appreciation for your son through a well-crafted eulogy. Use our Eulogy Assistant to help you create a heartfelt tribute that truly represents your son's life.

In the quiet corners of our hearts, where love blooms eternal and memories are forever engraved, there resides a picture of a son whose life was a beautiful melody, resonating with the most touching notes of love, kindness, and unparalleled zest for life. Today, as we gather to celebrate the journey of a soul so vibrant and full of life, we also gather to honor the memory of a son who brought unmeasured joy and happiness into our lives.

Our beloved son, a beacon of light in our family, had a heart that encompassed the world. His laughter was contagious, spreading like wildfire and lighting up even the gloomiest of days. His spirit was an ever-burning flame, igniting passion and zeal in everyone who had the privilege to know him. His journey on this earth, though tragically brief, was filled with moments of beauty, grace, and unforgettable joy.

He had a rare gift, the ability to touch lives with a simple act of kindness, a comforting word, or a gentle smile. His compassion knew no bounds, as he constantly sought to uplift those around him, fostering a community of love, support, and mutual respect. He was a beacon of hope, a pillar of strength, and a source of inspiration for many.

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In his younger years, he exhibited an insatiable curiosity and a remarkable intelligence that transcended his age. His thirst for knowledge propelled him into a world of continuous learning and discovery. He was a voracious reader, a thinker, a dreamer, with a mind that constantly sought to explore the depths of the universe and the intricacies of the human soul.

But it wasn't just his intelligence that made him stand out. His creativity was a wonder to behold, painting the canvas of his life with the vibrant colors of imagination and innovation. He had a way with words, a poetic grace that allowed him to express his deepest thoughts and emotions with profound beauty and depth. His artistic talents were evident in every project he undertook, leaving a mark of excellence and a legacy of beauty.

As he grew, so did his sense of responsibility and commitment to his family and community. He became a pillar of support, a shoulder to lean on, and a voice of reason in times of chaos. His unwavering dedication to the betterment of society was a testimony to his character, a character built on the foundations of integrity, humility, and a deep-rooted sense of justice.

He loved deeply and unconditionally, forming bonds that were both sacred and eternal. His love for his family was a beautiful tapestry of cherished moments, woven with threads of joy, laughter, and an unbreakable bond that transcended time. He was a loving son, a protective brother, and a loyal friend, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of those he loved.

In the garden of life, he was a blooming flower, radiating beauty and spreading the fragrance of love wherever he went. His spirit was resilient, facing the storms of life with courage and grace. Even in the face of adversity, he remained steadfast, holding onto hope and radiating positivity.

As we bid farewell to a life that was a beautiful symphony of love, joy, and unparalleled brilliance, we hold onto the belief that he is now at peace, in a place where there is no pain, no sorrow, just eternal love and bliss. His memory will continue to be a guiding light, a source of strength, and a beacon of hope for all of us.

In this moment of profound loss, we find solace in the beautiful moments we shared, the laughter, the tears, and the countless precious memories that will forever be etched in our hearts. His legacy will live on, in the stories we tell, in the lessons he taught us, and in the love that binds us together, transcending the boundaries of time and space.

As we gather here today, let us remember the joyous spirit, the vibrant energy, and the boundless love that defined his life. Let us celebrate a life well-lived, a journey that was both beautiful and inspiring. Let us honor his memory by living our lives with the same passion, kindness, and love that he exemplified throughout his journey on this earth.

As we say our final goodbyes, let us hold onto the belief that love never dies, it simply transforms, transcending the boundaries of this earthly plane, uniting us with those we love in a bond that is eternal. Our beloved son, you will forever be in our hearts, a cherished memory, a beautiful dream, and a love that knows no end.

As we stand amidst whispers of leaves and the comforting embrace of the sky, we gather not to mourn a loss, but to celebrate a life that was a beacon of joy, love, and inspiration. A son who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders with grace, who viewed life through a lens of boundless optimism and who, in his relatively short time here on earth, managed to touch lives in ways that are both profound and everlasting.

In the ever-changing tapestry of life, he was a constant thread of love, weaving together hearts with bonds that defied the ravages of time. His smile, a luminous beacon in a sometimes-dark world, had the power to uplift spirits and ignite sparks of happiness in the most forlorn of hearts. His laughter was a melody that played the sweetest tunes of innocence and joy, echoing in our hearts as a reminder of the pure, unadulterated happiness that he brought into our lives.

In the vast canvas of the universe, he painted strokes of brilliance with his unwavering kindness and compassion. With an open heart, he embraced the world, offering love and empathy to friends and strangers alike. His generosity knew no bounds, as he gave without expecting anything in return, leaving footprints of love and kindness wherever he went.

He was a visionary, a dreamer who gazed at the stars with eyes filled with wonder and aspirations. His mind, a fertile ground for ideas and creativity, bore fruits of innovation and excellence. With determination and perseverance, he pursued his dreams, carving out a path of success that was built on hard work, dedication, and an unyielding belief in his abilities.

But more than his accomplishments, it was his spirit that shone the brightest. A spirit that danced with the winds, that soared with the eagles, and that whispered secrets to the rivers and mountains. His connection with nature was profound, a reflection of his pure, unblemished soul that found beauty in the simplest of things, that found poetry in the rustling of leaves and that found peace in the gentle caress of the breeze.

His love for his family was a sacred flame that burned with a fervor that was both comforting and awe-inspiring. As a son, he was a pillar of strength, a source of joy, and a beacon of love that illuminated our lives with warmth and affection. His bond with his siblings was a beautiful testament to the depth of love that existed between them, a bond that transcended words, a bond that was forged in the crucible of love, laughter, and shared memories.

In his journey through life, he exhibited a resilience that was nothing short of remarkable. Faced with challenges, he stood tall, facing them with courage and grace, turning obstacles into stepping stones and setbacks into comebacks. His resilience was a beacon of hope, a reminder that with faith, perseverance, and a positive outlook, one could overcome even the most formidable of challenges.

As we gather here today to remember a life that was a beautiful tapestry of love, joy, and inspiration, we find solace in the knowledge that his spirit lives on, in the whispers of the wind, in the rustling of the leaves, and in the beating of our hearts. His legacy is a beautiful garden of memories, blooming with flowers of love, kindness, and joy, a garden that we can visit anytime we close our eyes and remember the beautiful soul that graced our lives with his presence.

In this moment of reflection, let us embrace the beauty of his spirit, let us celebrate the joyous moments that he brought into our lives, and let us honor his memory by living our lives with the same zest, passion, and love that he embodied throughout his life.

As we bid farewell to a beloved son, let us remember that in the grand scheme of the universe, goodbyes are just a brief pause, a fleeting moment in the eternal dance of souls. Let us hold onto the belief that love transcends the boundaries of time and space, uniting us with those we love in an eternal bond that knows no end.

Today, as we stand united in grief and love, let us make a promise to keep his spirit alive, to carry forward his legacy of love, kindness, and compassion, and to live our lives in a way that honors his memory and celebrates the beautiful journey that he embarked upon on this earth.

In the silent corridors of time, where love echoes as a timeless melody, where memories bloom as eternal flowers, we find comfort in the knowledge that he is at peace, embraced by the loving arms of the universe, cradled in the bosom of eternal love.

Our beloved son, your journey on this earth was a beautiful symphony of love, joy, and inspiration. You will forever be in our hearts, a cherished memory, a beautiful dream, and a love that knows no end.

Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, my name is [Parent's Name]. I stand before you today, grieving yet honoured to be [Son's Name]'s father/mother. I want to share with you a glimpse into the beautiful life of my son, who was taken from us far too soon.

[Son's Name] was born on [Date of Birth] and brought nothing but joy to our lives from the moment he entered this world. With a contagious smile and unwavering determination, he pursued his passions and inspired all of us with his unique spirit.

As a child, [Son's Name] possessed a great love for the outdoors. He enjoyed hiking, fishing, and camping with his friends and family. He would spend hours admiring the beauty and tranquility of nature, and many of my favourite memories with him were spent exploring the wilderness together. He also had a talent for painting and often captured the picturesque scenes he encountered in his artwork.

In school, [Son's Name] was a dedicated student who excelled academically, and his kindness and empathy for others were evident in how he treated his peers. He had a gift for connecting with people and had the rare ability to make everyone feel valued and respected.

My heart is heavy as I acknowledge the loss of my precious son. The tragic and sudden nature of his passing has left us shaken, and the void his absence leaves in our lives is immense. The pain we feel in this moment is, without doubt, the most unbearable pain a parent can experience.

However, I refuse to let this tragedy define my son's life or our memories of him. Instead, let us celebrate the impact he made on our lives and the immeasurable love he brought to us. Though we may never truly understand why such a tragedy has occurred, let us take solace in knowing that we have all been blessed with the time we shared with [Son's Name].

I have faith that [Son's Name]'s spirit is still with us, and he continues to watch over us, comforting and guiding us in our journey through life. His memory will remain a beacon of light and love in our hearts, inspiring us to carry on his legacy of kindness, compassion, and adventure.

In closing, I encourage each of you to remember [Son's Name] and the remarkable person he was. Let us honour his life by keeping his memory alive, loving one another, and cherishing the time we have together.

Good [morning/afternoon/evening] everyone,

We are gathered here today to honor and celebrate the life of my beloved son, [Name]. It is with a heart heavy with sorrow, but also filled with immense love and gratitude, that I stand before you to remember and pay tribute to him. [Name] was not just my son; he was my joy, my inspiration, and my pride. His passing leaves a void that can never be filled, but his spirit and the memories we shared will continue to live on in our hearts.

From the moment [Name] was born, he brought a light into our lives that we had never known before. His smile could brighten the darkest days, and his laughter was the sweetest sound. As he grew, so did our love for him. He was a child full of curiosity, enthusiasm, and an incredible zest for life. Whether he was exploring the world around him, asking endless questions, or simply playing, [Name] approached everything with an infectious joy that touched everyone he met.

One of the qualities I admired most about [Name] was his kindness. Even from a young age, he had a compassionate heart. He was always ready to help others, to share what he had, and to make sure everyone around him felt included and valued. His kindness extended beyond his immediate family and friends; he was the type of person who would go out of his way to help a stranger. [Name]’s empathy and generosity were a testament to his beautiful soul.

I recall a particular instance that perfectly captures [Name]’s spirit. It was during a community event where a little girl had lost her balloon and was crying inconsolably. Without a second thought, [Name] approached her, offering his own balloon and a comforting hug. This act of kindness was just one of many examples of how [Name] lived his life—always thinking of others and spreading love wherever he went.

[Name] was also incredibly resilient. Throughout his life, he faced many challenges, but he always approached them with courage and determination. His strength was a source of inspiration to all who knew him. No matter the obstacle, [Name] never gave up. He taught us the importance of resilience, perseverance, and maintaining a positive outlook even in difficult times.

In addition to his kindness and resilience, [Name] was a passionate individual. He had a love for [mention any hobbies or interests, such as sports, music, drawing, etc.], and he pursued these interests with enthusiasm and dedication. [Name] lived his life to the fullest, embracing every opportunity and savoring every moment. His passion for life was truly inspiring, and he taught us all the importance of finding joy in the little things.

One of my favorite memories of [Name] is [specific memory]. It was a time when we [describe the memory in detail], and it perfectly encapsulates who [Name] was. His [specific qualities, such as humor, resilience, or compassion] made that moment unforgettable, and it is a memory I will cherish forever. [Name] had a way of turning ordinary moments into extraordinary ones, and his presence brought joy to everyone around him.

As we gather here today to celebrate [Name]’s life, let us remember the many ways he enriched our lives. His legacy is one of love, kindness, and unwavering strength. [Name] taught us the importance of living with purpose, of being there for our loved ones, and of always striving to make a positive impact. His influence on our lives is immeasurable, and his memory will forever be a part of us.

To my family, I offer my deepest condolences. Thank you for sharing [Name] with us and for allowing us to be a part of his incredible journey. Your love and support have been a cornerstone of his life, and we are forever grateful for the beautiful moments we have shared together.

As we move forward, let us honor [Name]’s memory by continuing to live our lives with the same kindness, strength, and joy that he did. Let us strive to be compassionate, supportive, and dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others. May we find comfort in the knowledge that [Name]’s spirit will live on through the memories we cherish and the love we hold in our hearts.

Rest in peace, dear [Name]. Your legacy will forever be etched in our hearts, and your spirit will continue to inspire and guide us. Thank you for the countless memories, the endless love, and the unwavering support. You are loved and cherished beyond measure.

We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of my dear son, [Name]. It is with a mixture of profound sorrow and deep gratitude that I stand before you to share my memories and honor the incredible person he was. [Name] was more than just a son to me; he was my pride, my joy, and my greatest blessing. His passing leaves a void that words cannot describe, but his spirit and the memories we shared will continue to live on in my heart.

From the moment [Name] entered this world, he brought an indescribable joy to our lives. His bright eyes and infectious smile could light up any room. As he grew, so did his curiosity, his compassion, and his love for life. [Name] had an extraordinary ability to make everyone around him feel special and loved. Whether he was sharing a kind word, offering a helping hand, or simply being himself, [Name] had a way of touching the hearts of those around him.

One of the qualities I admired most about [Name] was his kindness. He had a heart that was always open and ready to give. From a young age, he showed a remarkable empathy and understanding of others. He was always the first to offer support to a friend in need, to stand up for someone who was being treated unfairly, or to share what he had with those less fortunate. [Name]’s kindness and generosity were a testament to his beautiful soul.

I recall a particular instance that perfectly captures [Name]’s spirit. It was during a family vacation when we encountered a stranded animal in need of help. Without hesitation, [Name] took it upon himself to care for the animal, ensuring it had food, water, and a safe place to stay. This act of kindness was just one of many examples of how [Name] lived his life—always thinking of others and spreading love wherever he went.

[Name] was also a person of great strength and resilience. Throughout his life, he faced many challenges, but he always approached them with courage and determination. His strength was a source of inspiration to all who knew him. No matter the obstacle, [Name] never gave up. He taught us the importance of resilience, perseverance, and maintaining a positive outlook even in difficult times.

We are gathered here today to honor and celebrate the life of my beloved son, [Name]. It is with a mixture of profound sadness and deep gratitude that I stand before you to remember and pay tribute to him. [Name] was not just my son; he was my pride, my joy, and my greatest blessing. His passing leaves a void that can never be filled, but his spirit and the memories we shared will continue to live on in my heart.

As the parent, you are the primary person who will be speaking on behalf of your son at the funeral. Start by mentioning your name and your relationship to the deceased.

Include important details such as his date of birth, where he grew up, and any significant accomplishments, hobbies or interests that were close to his heart.

This is the time to share heartfelt stories or memories that capture your son's personality and character. Focus on the positive moments and experiences that highlight his uniqueness.

Identify and acknowledge the pain of losing your son, and how it has affected you, your family, and his friends. Do not shy away from sharing your emotions during this difficult time.

End on a positive note by offering words of comfort and hope amidst the tragedy. Acknowledge that your son's memory and presence will always be with you.

In the quiet moments that signal the approach of a final goodbye, encapsulating your profound emotions in words can feel as intimate as capturing the essence of a peaceful evening. The task of writing a eulogy for a spiritual leader is a delicate balance, merging deep respect with genuine emotion. Eulogy Assistant is here to guide you through this journey, fusing honor with heartfelt narrative, turning valued memories into lasting commemorations.

Our team, skilled in the art of tender eulogy writing, is prepared to assist you in crafting a eulogy that resonates with the quiet dignity and insightful grace of your spiritual leader. With Eulogy Assistant , you receive more than just a service; you gain a compassionate partner, ready to provide understanding and support as you honor a life of spiritual depth.

At Eulogy Assistant , we understand that the most moving eulogies come from a place of collaboration. In partnership with us, your personal anecdotes and deep reflections are intertwined with our expertise, resulting in a tribute that honors respectfully and connects emotionally.

Our approach is built on empathetic listening and creative collaboration. Your personal experiences and insights are key in depicting the narrative of your spiritual leader's life and legacy. This process involves more than commemorating their teachings; it's about capturing the essence of their influence and the personal relationships they fostered.

Together, we aim to construct a narrative that embodies the spirit of your spiritual leader – a story that goes beyond the usual eulogy, delving into deep respect, personal connection, and genuine emotion. Our joint effort results in a eulogy that is a richly woven narrative, reflecting the deep respect and love your spiritual leader inspired.

The essence of our service is best captured in the personal stories from those we’ve helped. These genuine testimonials of appreciation and recognition from individuals who found guidance and comfort in our services are heartfelt affirmations of our dedication.

"When I faced the challenge of eulogizing my spiritual leader, Eulogy Assistant was a guiding light, assisting me in crafting a tribute that truly captured their essence," reflects Johnathan, who found solace in our partnership.

Emily shares her journey, "The understanding and skill of Eulogy Assistant were comforting in my time of loss. They helped me express my feelings in a eulogy that was not just words, but a heartfelt homage, capturing the spirit of our beloved spiritual guide."

These experiences underscore our commitment to crafting eulogies that transcend mere words, creating heartfelt expressions of respect, honor, and lasting memory. We are honored to walk this journey with you, celebrating the unique legacies of those who have influenced our lives, and crafting eulogies that stand as lasting tributes to their spiritual guidance.

Join us in creating narratives that are personal, respectful, and truly resonate with the spirit of the spiritual leaders who have profoundly touched our lives.

What elements should I include in my son's eulogy?

A eulogy for a son should ideally encapsulate his personality, the cherished moments you shared, and the impact he had on the lives around him. It can include anecdotes, his passions, achievements, and the love and joy he brought into the lives of those he knew. You might also want to include poetry or quotes that remind you of him or that were dear to him.

How do I begin writing a eulogy for my son?

Begin with a warm introduction, recounting your son's unique qualities, and the joyous moments you've shared. You might start with a cherished memory, a quote, or a poem that encapsulates his spirit. Remember to write from the heart, and take your time to gather your thoughts and emotions before you start writing.

How can I make the eulogy personal and heartfelt?

To make the eulogy personal and heartfelt, focus on sharing personal anecdotes, stories, and memories that highlight your son's character, virtues, and the love he shared with others. You can also include his hobbies, passions, and achievements that made him the wonderful person he was.

What tone should I maintain throughout the eulogy?

Maintaining a tone that is a blend of heartfelt, uplifting, and reverent is generally advisable. While it is a moment to mourn the loss, it is also a time to celebrate his life and the joyous moments he created. Your tone can be a reflection of his personality, embodying the warmth, love, and joy he brought into the lives of others.

Can I include humor in the eulogy?

Yes, including moments of light-heartedness or humor, especially if it reflects your son's personality, can be a touching and comforting addition to the eulogy. It can bring a sense of relief and a smile to the faces of those grieving, helping to remember your son in a joyful light.

How long should the eulogy be?

While there is no set length for a eulogy, aiming for a duration of about 5-10 minutes (approximately 800-1000 words) allows for a comprehensive and touching tribute without being too lengthy. It gives enough time to share personal stories, reminisce about cherished moments, and convey the depth of your love and admiration for your son.

Can I include contributions from others in the eulogy?

Absolutely. Including testimonials, stories, or messages from friends, family members, or colleagues who were close to your son can provide a more rounded view of his life and the impact he had on others. It also allows others to share in the commemoration of his life.

How do I conclude the eulogy?

Concluding the eulogy with a final tribute to your son, expressing the joy, love, and pride he brought into your life can be very touching. You might also choose to end with a favorite poem, quote, or a personal message of love and farewell. It should ideally convey the everlasting bond and the cherished memories that will live on.

Should I rehearse the eulogy before the funeral?

Yes, rehearsing the eulogy can help you become familiar with the flow of the words and can provide a sense of comfort and preparedness. It can also give you a chance to adjust the content as needed, ensuring that it fully encapsulates the message you wish to convey.

How do I cope with the emotions while delivering the eulogy?

Delivering a eulogy for your son is indeed an emotionally charged task. Give yourself the grace to express your emotions freely. It might help to have a backup person who can continue reading the eulogy if you find that you are unable to continue. Remember, it's perfectly fine to take a moment to compose yourself during the delivery.

Can I use visual aids or multimedia during the eulogy?

Using visual aids or multimedia can be a touching addition to the eulogy. A slideshow of pictures, a video montage, or playing your son's favorite music can help paint a vivid picture of his life and create a beautiful, immersive tribute to his memory.

What should I do if I become too overwhelmed to write the eulogy?

In the event that you find yourself too overwhelmed to write the eulogy, you can ask a close family member or friend to assist or take over the task. Alternatively, you can seek the help of a professional eulogy writer who can craft a touching tribute based on the information and stories you provide.

Can I create a collaborative eulogy with inputs from various family members?

Yes, creating a collaborative eulogy can be a beautiful way to pay homage to your son. It allows for a multifaceted view of his life, with contributions from those who knew him best. This approach can create a rich and heartfelt narrative that embodies the many relationships and bonds he formed during his life.

Looking For Examples? Here Are Some of The Best Eulogies

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Free Sample Eulogy Speeches (Plus Writing Tips)

Kelly has more than 12 years experience as a professional writer and editor.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

Sample eulogies can provide ideas when you need to prepare a speech for a funeral. Being asked to give a eulogy is a great honor, but it can also be daunting. Finding the right words to mark the passing of a friend or family member's life is difficult when emotions run high. There is no right or wrong way to write a eulogy, but each tribute has a basic flow. The speech doesn't have to be perfect; it just has to come from the heart.

Eulogy Example for a Friend

Following an easy format makes it easier to pull together a eulogy for a friend and takes some pressure off starting from scratch. Follow this format to make composing the eulogy easier.

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Thank you all for coming to help us celebrate Liza's life and share our grief at her passing.

• Introduction

My name is Carol, and Liza and I have been best friends since childhood. We lived just five houses apart on National Avenue, and we spent part of nearly every day together as kids.

When I think of Liza as a child, I remember how much she loved exploring the ravine behind our house. Half of our summers were spent wandering through the woods, looking for crayfish under rocks along the creek, climbing trees, and generally doing things that would have given our parents gray hair much sooner if they knew what we had been up to each day. I have to share one memory that really illustrates Liza's fearless, and sometimes impulsive, nature. Some of the neighborhood boys had built a rope swing in a tree along the ravine's edge. Liza, being fearless, decided to give it a try. As she swung out over the edge, one of the boys jokingly called out, "Jump!" My heart leaped to my throat as I saw Liza let go of the rope on her next swing out. Luckily she wound up with nothing more than skinned knees and a sheepish grin that said she couldn't believe she had just done that, but it just goes to show what a risk taker she was.

More than a simple risk taker, Liza also had a generous soul, as I'm sure many of you here this morning can attest to. She never met a person in need that she didn't find some way of helping. Her work as director of our local family shelter became her greatest passion, and she put in tireless hours organizing meals and places where "her families" could all stay together until they could get back on their feet. I say, "her families" with all seriousness because she didn't just take them into shelters; she really took them into her heart and kept contact with them even after their lives were back on track.

Mention of Family/Friends

When you combine the facts that Liza was a compassionate soul and willing to take risks, it's not difficult to understand why she ventured out in that terrible snowstorm on Wednesday night to try to take food and diapers to one of her families in need. Yes, maybe they would have been alright until morning, but that wasn't how Liza would have thought about it. She would have worried about their empty stomachs and imagined the sound of that baby's crying. She would have set any thoughts for her safety aside and gone to their aid, and that's exactly what she did.

Of course, we now know that she never made it to that family. We can second guess Liza's decision with 20/20 hindsight, or we can embrace the fact that she died doing something she believed in so deeply. Knowing her as I did, I can tell you that her only regret about her decision to go out on the road that night would have been that her husband, Mitch, is now left to carry on without her. As passionate as she was about her shelter work, Mitch was truly the love of her life.

It may comfort us all a bit to realize that Liza is now reunited with her beloved parents, Lee and Meredith, and that someday we'll all be together again when we cross over to the other side. This is only a brief parting in the larger scheme of life.

One thing you may or may not know is that Liza was a huge fan of the band Queen. She particularly loved a song called Dear Friends , and she once made me promise that if she passed before I did, I would play the song at her memorial, or at least read the lyrics. So, I'll read those now in closing, and I hope they leave you with the message that time will heal our wounds, and that life truly does go on.

Eulogy Sample for a Parent

Writing a eulogy for a parent's death can be an incredibly emotional task. Use the following sample to help you create one personalized for your parent.

Welcome and Introduction

For anyone who may not know me, my name is Jean, and I am Rita's eldest daughter. Thank you all for coming here today to help us say goodbye to Mom.

To me, Mom was my guiding light. She set the example of what a good wife, mother, and friend should be. She always did her best to be patient with all of her children, and there were five of us, so that was no easy feat. She tried to carve out some quality time with each of us, and believe me, we were all jealous when it was someone else's turn. However, that just shows you how much we all loved her and wanted that one-on-one time with Mom. When it was your turn, you found out that she hadn't really missed out on anything that was going on in your life, she just hadn't talked with you about it yet.

As for her life with Dad, she set a shining example of the kind of unconditional love required to see a marriage through good times and bad. I remember when Dad lost his job at the auto factory. He was so worried about finding work, and he felt he was letting Mom and all of us down because he couldn't provide for us. Mom gave him a big hug and told him she had no doubt that he would find another job that was as good or better than the one at the factory, and she took a job as a cashier at the grocery store to help tide us over until he found work again, this time as a manager in another factory instead of just working on the line. That was Mom; always an optimist, always willing to pitch in and do whatever was needed, all the time truly believing that things would work out in the end.

Mom was also a fantastic friend. She always saw the good in people, and if she saw the bad, she certainly didn't gossip about it. If you needed her, she was there and asking what she could do to help. I remember how she helped Mrs. Johnson get back and forth to work one week when her car was in the shop. When her best friend Mary needed a new pair of glasses and didn't have quite enough money, Mom insisted on loaning her the rest. Mom was there for all the highs and lows of her friends' lives, and I think the size of the gathering here is a testament to how much they all loved her.

Mention of Family

As much as I'd like to think I was Mom's favorite child, I know she truly didn't have one. We were all her favorite in one way or another. She always used to talk about what a wonderful artist our sister Ellie is. Our eldest brother Mark was her dependable child. She said God had "built Mark solid," and she was thankful she could lean upon him if she needed to. She adored our brother Greg's sense of humor since it was so like her own. They shared many a private laugh together about things that went over the rest of our heads. Callie was her "quiet one." Mom said that whenever Callie was especially quiet, that meant she was thinking up a storm on the inside.

As for me, Mom always said I was the keeper of the family chronicles because of my habit of journaling every night before I went to bed. She'd come in to say goodnight, and I'd let her read the day's entry. I think that must have been what inspired her request that I speak to you all today.

As you all know, Mom had a great deal of faith and rarely missed Sunday Mass. One hymn was her particular favorite, and I remember how she used to light up whenever Be Not Afraid was sung at Mass. She truly believed that she could "pass through raging waters in the sea and not drown" because God was with her the entire time. I know that's how she felt about her battle with cancer. She knew that even if cancer won, God would be there with her to carry her safely to Heaven. In honor of Mom's faith and her life, I'd like us all to sing that hymn together now...

Eulogy Speech Example for a Child

The death of a child rocks the very foundation of people's view of the world as a good place. Use the sample below to help you pull together something appropriate yet touching.

Thank you all for joining us here today, although I'm sure many of us wish we were gathering in celebration rather than in mourning. My name is Julie. I am Lisa's aunt, and I'll be speaking on behalf of Lisa's parents, my sister Gwen and her husband Mike.

I remember the day Lisa was born. She was the most beautiful little baby you could ever hope to see, and she was an especially wonderful blessing to Gwen and Mike who had struggled for years to have a family. With this one child, all their prayers had been answered.

Lisa was by all accounts an easy baby to raise. She was sleeping through the night by the time she was three months old, and she had a naturally happy disposition. Anytime someone new would enter the room, baby Lisa would give a great big smile and stretch out her arms to offer a welcoming hug. Of course, this instantly endeared her to everyone who ever came in contact with her. Lisa was definitely meant to bring love into this world for the all-too-short time we would have with her.

In light of how desperately Lisa was wanted and loved by her parents, as well as everyone here today, it's difficult to understand why her life had to end so soon. It's nearly inconceivable that God would allow a young child to become ill and suffer, let alone die. When you look at it that way, it's easy to be angry at God for taking back the gift He gave. I choose to look at it another way.

God saw how dearly Mike and Gwen wanted to know the joy of having a child of their own, and even though it might not have been meant to be, he gave Lisa to their keeping for a short time so they could know that joy. When Lisa became ill and her suffering was too much to bear, he scooped her up to Heaven, and all her suffering was gone. I believe she now waits patiently for the day when her parents will join her, and they will all live happily together once again. I believe that she would want us all to dwell on the happy times we shared with her, and let the sad memories fade.

At this time, I'd like to offer you all the opportunity to share some of your favorite memories of Lisa's brief life.

Tips for How to Write a Eulogy Speech

A eulogy is a final favor to the deceased, revealing the best parts of their life to the people who loved them. Highlight the person's life instead of focusing on how you feel about the loss.

Basic Eulogy Outline

Eulogies need not be long; the average length is between three and five minutes. You don't want to overwhelm those in attendance by speaking any longer than this. The key here is to be honest with your feelings and thoughts.

A eulogy should include:

• Give your personal sentiments
• Discuss happier times with the deceased person; include anecdotes and real-life experiences (avoid anything that might be considered offensive or vulgar)
• Describe the person's character
• Talk about family and friends left behind
• Close with a memorable poem or traditional funeral song

You should always draft a copy of your speech and, if possible, rehearse it in front of someone. Make sure you print a copy of the eulogy and give a second copy to someone who can act as a backup in case you get sick or are overcome with emotion.

Ideas for Funeral Eulogy Content

Don't try to write the eulogy in the order that you'll give it. It's easier to begin by jotting down your thoughts about various aspects of the deceased's life. Think about the following points and see if anything springs to mind. If it does, write that now, and then you can put things in the order you want them later.

• A short introduction about yourself and relationship to the person who died
• A brief biography of the deceased person
• Information about his or her career
• Remarks about his or her family, friends and pets
• List of achievements
• Favorite songs or poems
• Information about hobbies or interests
• Personal stories or anecdotes
• Memories from years gone by

Delivering the Speech at a Funeral

Funerals and memorials are very difficult times. It's okay to cry and share your emotions while delivering your tribute . However, don't try to memorize your speech. It's best to keep your notes in outline form or on note cards for reference to help you stay on track and to ensure that you cover all the key points that you plan to bring up.

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Identifying Speech and Language Concerns About your Child and When Should You Seek Help?

How to identify a speech, language or feeding issue in kids.

Speech language pathologists deal with multiple speech, language, feeding and voice issues. On this week’s  On Call for All Kids , Therese Montanari, M.S., CCC-SLP, director of the  Speech-Language and Feeding  division at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, discusses the most typical speech and language concerns that children may be experiencing.

What should parents be looking for?

The first area of concern is a child who is demonstrating a language delay. This may be an expressive language delay/disorder, which is characterized by children who do not have the sounds, words or phrases they should have for their age. For example, if your child is 2 years old and not talking in two to three-word phrases, he or she does not have a vocabulary of 50-100 words. This is when parents may want to seek professional help by a pediatric speech language pathologist.

There are milestones for each age of what is expected for expressive skills. One main reason parents need to start with early identification is children who understand the world around them but cannot express their needs often become very frustrated and often we may see behavioral issues develop, for example hitting, throwing, biting, screaming, etc. When a family comes in for a family evaluation, a speech language pathologist will look at the child’s play, understanding of language and overall communication (gestures, sounds, words).  Parents can help overcome language delays by offering choices (for example, do you want the ball or car?), modeling words/sounds, playing with a farm and modeling all the animal sounds or car sounds. 

What are some speech expectations for children of different ages?

• 6 months:  babbling, repeating sounds: mamma, dadadada
• 1 year:  saying from one to three words (e.g., mama, dada, bye bye), using gestures and pointing
• 2 years:  say at least 50-100 words, putting together two-word phrases, pointing to objects
• 3 years:  Uses about 1,000 words, speaking in three- to five-word sentences, says their name, asks questions, sings songs
• 4 years:  talks in sentences, vocabulary more than 1,000 words, names letters and numbers

What else should we look for?

Another issue is children who present with an articulation/phonological disorder. This is children who typically have difficulty making specific speech sounds and others may not understand their speech. They are making sound substitutions such as tar for car or do for go. The general rule of thumb is: others should understand their speech for a 2-year-old 70% of the time, a 3-year-old 80% of the time, a 4-year-old 90% of the time and when they start kindergarten others should understand 100% of the time. Children can present with a mild articulation disorder to a severe disorder.

There is also a subset of children who have difficulty with motor planning, sequencing sounds together in a multisyllabic word like spaghetti. This is called childhood  apraxia of speech . When a child has an articulation/phonological and/or apraxia of speech you will want to see a licensed speech language pathologist who can give a differential diagnosis from an articulation disorder to an apraxia of speech.

How early should parents start to look for the above speech and language concerns?

First, it is important to note that communication starts from birth with that first smile and eye gaze. By 18 months, if your child never babbled, used jargon with different sounds, played with different sounds throughout the day, and is not using single words to get his or her wants and needs known, this would be when we would recommend seeking a speech and language evaluation. If your child has other medical issues, ongoing ear infections and/or a medical diagnosis, it may be recommended to see a professional at an earlier age.

What can families do at home to facilitate speech and language development?

Talking to your child, modeling labeling of toys and objects, use rising/falling intonation when playing, reading/labeling pictures in a book, giving a child choice when playing (“Do you want the farm or bus?”). Allow time for your child to try to imitate or copy the words you are modeling.

If a parent has concerns, how would they start to seek services?

I would recommend that you start with your child’s pediatrician and discuss your concerns. Request a speech-language evaluation and a referral for a pediatric speech language pathologist, if needed. At that evaluation, the therapist will start by asking the caregiver their concerns, review history, establish rapport with the child through play, as well as assessing language skills through play and formal testing. The therapists will review results at the end of the evaluation and recommend therapy and practical language strategies to use within the home environment to improve speech and/or language skills. If any other referrals are necessary, they would discuss with the family as well.

Speech-Language and Feeding at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital

Find a treatment center.

• The Speech-Language and Feeding Program (Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital)
• Pediatric Occupational Therapy (Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital)
• Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
• Johns Hopkins Children's Center

Find Additional Treatment Centers at:

• Howard County Medical Center
• Sibley Memorial Hospital
• Suburban Hospital

Request an Appointment

Neurological Disorder: Hailey's Story

Traumatic Brain Injury: River's Story

Severe Apraxia: Tucker's Story

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Age-Appropriate Speech and Language Milestones

The ability to hear is essential for proper speech and language development. Hearing problems may be suspected in children who are not responding to sounds or who are not developing their language skills appropriately. The following are some age-related guidelines that may help to decide if your child is experiencing hearing problems.

It's important to remember that not every child is the same. Children reach milestones at different ages. Talk your child's healthcare provider if you are suspicious that your child is not developing speech and language skills correctly. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and other experts list the following age-appropriate speech and language milestones for babies and young children.

Milestones related to speech and language

Related Links

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Voice and Swallow Program
• Pediatric Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery (ENT)
• What Is Airway Reconstruction?
• Language Disorders in Children
• The Growing Child: 3-Year-Olds
• The Growing Child: School-Age (6 to 12 Years)

Related Topics

Age-Appropriate Speech and Hearing Milestones

Hearing Problems and Speech and Language Milestones

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A Parent’s Guide to Giving a Speech at Your Child’s Graduation

June 14, 2023

Graduation is a significant milestone in the life of your child, and as a parent, you may have the honor of giving a speech at their graduation ceremony. This is a precious opportunity to express your pride, love, and well wishes for their future.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore how to give a speech at your child’s graduation that will leave a lasting impact. Additionally, we will introduce Yoodli, an AI speech and communication coach, and how it can assist you in crafting and delivering a remarkable speech that touches hearts and minds.

The Power of Giving a Speech at Your Child’s Graduation

Giving a speech at your child’s graduation ceremony is an opportunity for a heartfelt tribute that celebrates the achievements of your child and offers them both guidance and inspiration as they embark on their next chapter in life. It’s an opportunity to capture the essence of their educational journey thus far, acknowledge their growth, and provide them with valuable life lessons.

How to Use AI to Practice Giving a Speech at Your Child’s Graduation

Yoodli , an AI speech and communication coach, can be an invaluable tool in helping you deliver an exceptional graduation speech for your child. Here’s how Yoodli can assist you.

1. Refine your script.

Yoodli provides feedback on your speech script, helping you refine your content to ensure clarity, coherence, and emotional impact. It offers suggestions to enhance your storytelling, use persuasive language, and structure your speech effectively.

2. Improve the delivery of your speech.

Yoodli can also help improve your delivery by providing feedback on elements such as pacing, tone, and body language. It offers insights on how to engage the audience, maintain eye contact, and project confidence during your speech.

3. Practice your speech in a low-stress environment.

Yoodli offers virtual practice sessions where you can rehearse your speech and receive real-time feedback. This feature allows you to fine-tune your delivery and identify areas for improvement.

3 Quick Tips for Planning Your Speech at Your Child’s Graduation Ceremony

Here are a few straightforward ways you can prep for your speech at your child’s graduation ceremony.

1. Reflect on your child’s journey.

Take time to reflect on your child’s educational journey when giving a speech at their graduation ceremony, considering their challenges, successes, and personal growth. This reflection will help you craft a speech that resonates with their unique experiences.

2. Identify key messages in your speech.

Consider the key overall messages you want to convey in your speech. These can include expressing pride in their accomplishments, acknowledging their resilience, and sharing advice for the future, as well as expressing gratitude to teachers and mentors.

3. Structure your speech in a way that makes sense.

Organize your speech in a way that flows naturally and engages the audience. Consider using the following structure:

• Introduction : Grab the audience’s attention with a compelling opening that sets the tone for your speech.
• Personal anecdotes : Share meaningful, memorable stories and anecdotes about your child’s journey and highlight their character traits and achievements.
• Words of wisdom : Offer advice, life lessons, and encouragement for their future endeavors.
• Gratitude : Express your gratitude to teachers, mentors, and the educational institution for their guidance and support.
• Closing : Finally, end your speech with a heartfelt message of love, pride, and well wishes for your child’s future.

What to Say in a Speech Celebrating Your Child’s Graduation

Crafting the content of your graduation speech requires thoughtfulness and consideration. Here are some key points to include:

1. Acknowledge their achievements.

Begin by acknowledging your child’s achievements, highlighting their academic successes, extracurricular involvement, and personal growth throughout their educational journey . This is a great start to any graduation speech for your kid.

2. Express your pride and love for them.

Share your genuine pride and love for your child. Emphasize the joy they have brought to your life and the pride you feel in their accomplishments. This personal touch won’t go unnoticed.

3. Share personal anecdotes.

Weave in personal anecdotes that exemplify your child’s character, resilience, and growth. These stories will create a connection with the audience and add depth to your speech. On the other hand, look back to when you were their age and share a relevant story from your experiences as a young adult.

4. Offer sound advice and encouragement.

Provide words of wisdom and guidance for your child’s future endeavors. Share lessons you have learned and encourage them to embrace new opportunities, pursue their passions, and navigate challenges with determination.

5. Express your gratitude for them (and others).

Express gratitude to teachers, mentors, and the educational institution for their contributions to your child’s development. Acknowledge their dedication, support, and positive impact on your child’s educational journey.

6. Look to the future.

End your speech with a heartfelt message about the bright future that awaits your child. Express your confidence in their abilities and reassure them of your unwavering support as they embark on their next chapter.

The Bottom Line on How to Give a Memorable Speech at Your Child’s Graduation

Giving a touching and memorable graduation speech for your child is an honor and an opportunity to celebrate their achievements. By following the steps outlined in this guide and utilizing the assistance of Yoodli, your AI speech and communication coach, you can refine both your script and delivery, ensuring that your speech resonates with the audience and leaves a lasting impact.

Remember, the most powerful speeches come from the heart, so embrace the moment and let your love and pride shine through as you celebrate this significant milestone in your child’s life.

Giving a Speech at Your Child’s Graduation: 8 FAQs

1. how long should a speech at my child’s graduation be.

A graduation speech typically ranges from 5 to 10 minutes in length. It is important to keep your speech concise and engaging, capturing the audience’s attention without exceeding the allotted time. If you’re one of many parents giving a speech at this ceremony, keep it on the short side.

2. How can I manage nervousness while delivering the speech at my child’s graduation?

Nervousness is natural when giving a speech. To manage it, practice your speech multiple times, visualize a successful delivery, take deep breaths before speaking, and focus on connecting with the audience . Remember, your love and genuine emotions will shine through, helping you overcome nervousness.

3. Should I memorize my entire speech for my child’s graduation ceremony or use cue cards?

The choice between memorizing the entire speech or using cue cards depends on your comfort level and speaking style. Some prefer to memorize to maintain a natural flow, while others opt for cue cards to ensure key points are covered. Use the method that allows you to speak confidently and maintain a connection with the audience.

4. Is it necessary to include humor in the speech?

Including humor can add a light-hearted and memorable touch to your speech. However, it is essential to consider the audience and ensure the humor is appropriate and relevant to the occasion. Use humor sparingly and in a way that aligns with the overall tone and purpose of your speech.

5. Can Yoodli help with non-English speeches?

Yoodli primarily focuses on English language speech coaching. While it may provide general guidance on delivery and body language, its script refinement feature may be limited to the English language. For non-English speeches, it is recommended to consult with language-specific resources or coaches.

6. Can Yoodli help with pronunciation improvement?

Yes, Yoodli can provide feedback on pronunciation and offer suggestions for improvement. Its advanced speech recognition technology allows it to analyze your pronunciation and provide targeted guidance to enhance your overall delivery.

7. How far in advance should I start preparing my graduation speech?

It is recommended to start preparing your graduation speech several weeks in advance. This allows ample time for reflection, scriptwriting, revisions, and practice sessions. Starting early gives you the opportunity to craft a well-thought-out and impactful speech.

8. Should I rehearse my speech multiple times?

Rehearsing your speech multiple times is crucial for a confident and polished delivery. Practice allows you to refine your script, work on your timing, and become familiar with the flow of your speech. Rehearsing also helps you internalize the content, making it easier to deliver naturally on the day of the graduation ceremony.

Remember, while Yoodli can provide valuable guidance, ultimately, the success of your graduation speech relies on your personal touch, genuine emotions, and the love you have for your child. Embrace the opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments and leave a lasting impression with your heartfelt words.

Start practicing with Yoodli.

Getting better at speaking is getting easier. Record or upload a speech and let our AI Speech Coach analyze your speaking and give you feedback.

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Maid of Honor Speech Ideas for Sisters

Writing a speech in general can be a challenging endeavor; however, when you write about family members, the task becomes even more daunting. The trick to a successful speech about a family member is to balance between facts and sticking with a theme plus adding anecdotal information that gives the speech a personal touch. A speech about your son could serve any number of purposes, from talking about the hardships of raising a male child and the pitfalls to anticipate, to discussing specific situations in which your son has overcome a common youth issue.

Determine a theme so your speech remains focused. This is key because despite the fact that your speech is about your child, there still needs to be an underlying point to keep your audience interested in what you have to say. Generally, a speech about your child will center on some component of child rearing or some youth-related issues your son has had to overcome, which you can share with your audience. Choose the direction for your speech and stick with it throughout.

Inject humor into your speech. Speeches about children are often most successful when interspersed with humorous stories and tidbits about the focal point of your conversation with the audience. For example, you might talk about your son's struggle with bullying--which is a more serious topic--but to lighten the mood, perhaps you might interject a funny story about him bullying you in the womb with his penchant for kicking anytime you ate your favorite food. This keeps with the theme of the speech, but lightens a heavier topic.

Ask for your son's input during the writing process. Since it is about him, your son might offer constructive suggestions on elements to include, details that are a bit too personal and general feedback from the viewpoint of the audience.

Audition your speech for the rest of the family. As a group that knows your son and the story behind your speech, family members can also provide feedback on missing details, key aspects of your theme and opinions from a different viewpoint. Doing this for your family before you give your speech gives you an opportunity to go back and tweak anything you need to.

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Lynda Moultry Belcher is a writer, editor and public relations professional. She worked for a daily newspaper for 10 years and has been a freelance writer for more than 15 years. She has contributed to Divorce360 and Revolution Health Group, among other publications. She is also the author of "101 Plus-Size Women's Clothing Tips" and writes "Style At Any Size," a bi-weekly newspaper column.

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Understanding your child’s speech and language therapy report: Part One

A while ago, Elizabeth and I did two guest posts on the Special Needs Jungle website about how to get the most out of your child’s speech and language therapy assessment. You can read those posts here and here . Once your child has had an assessment, your speech and language therapist will probably write a report. I have been writing reports for 10 years now, and I hope I have become better over time at writing in a way that is clear to whoever is reading it. However, the nature of a report is that you do tend to use a certain amount of technical jargon, and I know that this can be confusing. This is particularly true if the report is being used for the Statementing process. Sometimes what the therapist thinks they are explaining clearly may not be clear at all to someone else. It’s rather like when I take my car to the garage, and the garage man is trying to explain to me what’s wrong with it. He probably thinks he is speaking really clearly, and often it makes sense to me while he is speaking, but if I try to explain it to my husband later, I find I didn’t really understand well enough after all, and I can’t tell him what’s actually wrong or why! If in any doubt get back to your speech therapist and ask.

This is the first of a series of posts hopefully explaining some of the terms you might see in your child’s speech therapy report.

Reports, especially longer ones are often split into sections. These sections represent different areas of communication that the therapist has looked at. Your child’s report may include comments on some or all of these areas.

• Attention and Listening – this refers to your child’s ability to focus on what is being said to them. This is a pre-requisite for many other language skills – if your child is not able to focus and listen they are likely to have some difficulties with understanding for example. Attention and listening skills can be different in different situations – 1:1, in a small group etc. so the therapist may talk about the differences between your child’s ability to listen in these different settings.   Find out more about attention and listening here.
• Verbal comprehension – this refers to your child’s ability to understand what has been said to them. In real-life situations, we all use other things to help us understand as well as spoken language – watching others, tone of voice, gesture etc. The SLT (speech and language therapist) will try to see how much your child can understand when these clues are taken away and the child just has to respond to what has been said. There are lots of aspects which make up verbal comprehension – find out about them here .
• Expressive language – this is the words and sentences that your child uses. The SLT may talk about how many words your child uses, whether they use other things as well as words to communicate (gesture, pointing etc.), and how well they are able to put sentences together. Again there are many aspects involved within expressive language – find out more here .
• Phonology – this is the clarity of the words your child says. The therapist may talk about certain patterns in the way your child pronounces words (for example, they may tend to say “t” instead of “c/k”). They may talk about the beginnings, middles and ends of words, as sometimes the pronunciation can be different depending on where in the word the sound appears. They may also talk about “connected speech”. This refers to how the words sound when the child is putting sentences together and talking naturally, rather than just saying single words as they are often asked to do in an assessment session.   Find out more about the speech sounds portion of the report here.
• Pragmatics/social skills – this refers to the wider aspects of communication. There are a lot of things included within the area of pragmatics and social skills such as eye contact, understanding and using facial expression, ability to hold a conversation, ability to read social situations and interaction with adults and other children.   Find out more about this here.

These are the main areas that your child’s report is likely to focus on. Your child may have a difficulty in only one of these areas or in several, and hopefully the report will make clear which of these broad areas are causing a problem for your child. We’ll look at each area in more detail another day. Are there any terms you’ve seen in a speech therapy report that you didn’t understand? Do let us know and we’ll try to cover them.

You can read the next part of this series (which focusses on attention and listening) here .

1 Ping/Trackback

Thank you for these very informative posts. My son has Receptive Language Disorder, and it never occurred to me before that even if he understands an instruction in one setting, he may not understand it in a different setting. That helps me a little more to understand why he doesn’t always understand the same instruction twice.

Hi Dawn, thanks for your comment. I’m so glad you found the post helpful. It can be puzzling at times to work out what has confused a child with a language disorder, and why they understand one day and not the next, but I think context definitely plays a large part in it. It’s very common for a child to have partial understanding of a word or concept, but not have fully grasped it yet.

Do let us know if there’s anything in particular you’d like us to write about in future.

I would be very interested in learning more about Receptive Language Disorder. I see it every day and how it affects my son but I find it very difficult to find any information on how to deal with it.

I have seen a CAMHS specialist before and didn’t have a great experience. Don’t get me wrong, the man we saw was lovely but to be told to “look it up on Google, because we don’t have the funding” wasn’t exceptionally helpful!

[…] and language therapy report – if you haven’t seen the other posts, you can read the over view here, a post on attention and listening here and the last post on comprehension […]

• Understanding your child’s speech and language therapy report part 4: Expression by Elizabeth | speechbloguk on September 16, 2013 at 9:39 pm

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The Art of Appreciation: How to Write an Unforgettable Tribute Speech for Son

A tribute speech is an opportunity to celebrate and honor the life of a loved one, in this case, your son. It allows you to share special memories, express your love and admiration, and provide comfort to family members and friends who are also grieving. A heartfelt tribute speech can bring solace to those attending funeral or memorial services, and help keep your beautiful son’s memory alive for years to come.

Delivering a tribute speech to your son may seem like a daunting task, especially when your heart breaks at the thought of his absence. However, there are several ways to make your son’s eulogy truly special and memorable. In this blog post, we will explore 10 inspiring approaches to honor your son in a speech, ranging from sharing personal stories to offering words of hope. We’ll provide guidance on how to find the right words that capture the essence of your son’s life, and ensure that the tribute resonates with family and friends, providing comfort during this difficult time. These tips will help you create a beautiful eulogy that pays homage to your beloved child.

II. Understanding Your Son’s Unique Qualities

A. reflecting on his personality and character to write tribute speech for son.

Before you begin writing a tribute speech to your son, take some time to reflect on his unique personality and character. Consider the traits that made him special, such as his sense of humor, kindness, or determination. As you think about these qualities, remember the moments when they shone the brightest, like when he comforted a friend in need or achieved a personal goal. Incorporating these aspects of his character into your son’s eulogy will help paint a vivid picture of who he was and why he was so cherished by family members and friends.

B. Identifying his passions and interests

Another important aspect to include in your tribute speech is your son’s passions and interests. Whether he loved sports, music, or had a particular hobby, these activities were an integral part of his life and brought him joy. When discussing these interests, try to share specific examples or anecdotes that highlight his dedication and enthusiasm. For instance, if your son had a talent for playing the guitar, you might mention the countless hours he spent practicing and the delight he brought to others with his performances. By incorporating his passions and interests into the speech, you’ll create a beautiful eulogy that truly honors your son’s memory and celebrates the happiness he found in his pursuits.

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III. Sharing Personal Stories and Memories

A. choosing meaningful anecdotes.

When crafting a tribute speech for your son, it’s essential to include personal stories and memories that celebrate his life and the impact he had on those around him. As you reflect on your son’s life, consider the moments that stand out as particularly special or poignant. These anecdotes might involve times when your son displayed his unique qualities, achieved something significant, or simply shared a heartwarming moment with family members or friends. By selecting meaningful anecdotes, your son’s eulogy will resonate with those who knew him well and provide a lasting memory of the beautiful boy he was.

B. Balancing humor and emotion

One of the challenges in writing a tribute speech for your son is striking the right balance between humor and emotion. While it’s important to acknowledge the pain and grief that accompanies losing your child, it’s also essential to remember the joy and laughter he brought into your lives. When sharing anecdotes and memories, try to incorporate both light-hearted and touching moments that showcase your son’s personality and the happiness he created. By balancing humor and emotion in your tribute speech, you’ll not only honor your son’s memory but also offer comfort and support to family members and friends attending the funeral or memorial services.

IV. Acknowledging Your Son’s Achievements

A. celebrating his accomplishments.

In your tribute speech to your son, it’s essential to celebrate his accomplishments. No matter how big or small, these achievements marked significant milestones in his life and showcased his abilities, talents, and determination. As you reflect on your son’s eulogy, make sure to highlight the moments that made you proud as parents and brought joy to family members and friends. By acknowledging and celebrating these accomplishments, you will create a beautiful eulogy that pays tribute to your son’s hard work, dedication, and the positive impact he had on the lives of others.

B. Recognizing his personal growth

As you prepare your tribute speech for your son it’s crucial to recognize his personal growth. Throughout his life, your beautiful boy experienced many ups and downs, and through it all, he continued to learn, grow, and evolve into the amazing person he was. Make sure to include special memories that demonstrate his growth, such as overcoming challenges or learning valuable life lessons. As you find the right words to express your love and admiration, remember that recognizing your son’s personal growth can provide comfort and hope to family members and friends during the funeral and memorial services.

V. Highlighting Your Son’s Impact on Others

A. sharing stories from friends and family.

In your tribute speech to your son, it’s essential to share stories from friends and family who were touched by his life. These accounts will help paint a fuller picture of your son’s eulogy and demonstrate the depth of his relationships with others. As you gather these stories, consider asking close friends and family members to share their favorite memories of your beautiful boy and the moments that made them smile. By including these heartfelt narratives in your speech, you’ll not only honor your son’s memory but also provide comfort and support to those who are grieving alongside you.

B. Demonstrating his influence in the community

Your son’s impact extended beyond his immediate circle of friends and family, touching the lives of many in the community. As you prepare your tribute speech to your son, make sure to highlight his contributions and influence within the community. This could include his involvement in volunteer work, sports teams, or other local organizations. By demonstrating your son’s positive influence in the community, you’ll create a beautiful eulogy that pays homage to his life and the legacy he leaves behind. May God bless you as you find the right words to celebrate your son’s life and the lasting impact he had on the lives of so many.

VI. Expressing Gratitude for Your Time Together

A. cherishing the moments spent with your son.

As you prepare your tribute speech to your son, it’s vital to express gratitude for the precious moments you shared together. Your son’s life was filled with joy, love, and cherished memories that will forever be engraved in the hearts of family members and friends. Take time to reminisce about these special moments in your speech, describing how they brought happiness and meaning to your lives. By cherishing the time spent with your son, you’ll create a beautiful eulogy that honors his memory and reminds everyone of the unique bond you shared.

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B. Recognizing the lessons learned from one another

In addition to celebrating your son’s life, your tribute speech should also acknowledge the valuable lessons he taught you and others. As a great example to those who knew him, your son influenced many lives through his actions, words, and dreams. Reflect on the wisdom and insights you gained from your time together, and share these lessons with friends and family at the funeral or memorial services. By recognizing the impact your son had on you and others, you’ll not only honor his legacy but also find comfort and peace in knowing that his presence continues to live on in the hearts and minds of those who loved him dearly.

VII. Incorporating Quotes, Poems, or Song Lyrics

A. selecting meaningful content that resonates with your son’s life.

As you craft your tribute speech to your son, consider incorporating quotes, poems, or song lyrics that hold special meaning or reflect your son’s life and personality. These words can provide additional depth and emotion to your son’s eulogy, helping you express your feelings in a powerful and poignant way. When selecting content, look for pieces that resonate with your memories of your son, his interests, and the impact he had on family members and friends. By choosing meaningful material, you’ll create a beautiful eulogy that captures the essence of your son’s life and leaves a lasting impression on those attending the funeral and memorial services.

B. Integrating the chosen material into your speech

Once you’ve selected quotes, poems, or song lyrics that hold special significance, it’s essential to integrate this material seamlessly into your tribute speech to your son. As you weave these words into your speech, make sure they complement the stories and memories you share about your son’s life. For instance, you might use a quote to introduce a specific moment or highlight a particular quality that your son embodied. By thoughtfully integrating this material into your son’s eulogy, you’ll pay homage to his memory while providing comfort and solace to family members and friends who are grieving alongside you.

VIII. Conveying Your Love and Admiration

A. speaking from the heart.

As you deliver your tribute speech to your son, it’s essential to speak from the heart. Share your genuine feelings of love and admiration for your son’s life and the impact he had on family members and friends. By speaking sincerely, your words will resonate with those attending the funeral and memorial services, providing comfort and a sense of connection during this difficult time.

B. Expressing your pride and appreciation

In your son’s eulogy , take the time to express your pride and appreciation for the person he was and the life he lived. Despite his short time in this world, your son was a great example to many, teaching valuable lessons and bringing joy even in the face of sadness. As you honor your son’s memory, use phrases like “tribute speech to my son,” “son’s life,” or “beautiful eulogy” to convey the depth of your emotions and your gratitude for having him in your life. Remember that by sharing your love and admiration, you not only pay tribute to your son but also offer solace and support to family and friends who miss him dearly.

IX. Offering Words of Comfort and Hope

A. providing solace to others grieving the loss.

As you deliver your tribute speech to your son, be mindful of offering words of comfort and hope to family members and friends who are also grieving the loss. Share heartfelt memories and stories that celebrate your son’s life, highlighting his unique qualities and the love he shared with those around him. By providing solace to others during the funeral or memorial services, you not only honor your son’s memory but also help foster a sense of connection and healing among those who knew and loved him.

B. Sharing a positive outlook for the future

In the midst of grief, it’s important to maintain a positive outlook for the future. As you give your tribute speech to your son, remind family members and friends that although your son’s life was tragically cut short, his legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of those he touched. Encourage them to cherish the moments they shared with your son and to honor his memory by living their lives with purpose and joy. By sharing a positive outlook for the future, you’ll offer hope and support to those who are grieving, helping them find peace and solace as they navigate their own healing journey.

X. Closing Your Speech with a Call to Action

A. encouraging others to honor your son’s memory.

As you conclude your tribute speech to your son, inspire those present at the funeral and memorial services to honor your son’s memory in their own lives. Remind family members and friends that even though your son died unexpectedly a week ago, his life and legacy will continue to live on through the love and lessons he shared with them. By encouraging everyone to cherish the moments they spent with your son and to carry his spirit within their hearts, you’ll create a beautiful eulogy that pays homage to his life in a meaningful way.

B. Suggesting specific ways to keep his spirit alive

In your son’s eulogy, offer specific suggestions for keeping his spirit alive, such as participating in activities he enjoyed or supporting causes that were dear to his heart. You might say something like, “As we gather here today to honor my son’s life, let us carry on his legacy by following his great example. In the coming days, weeks, and even years, let us remember the joy and love he brought into our lives and strive to embody those qualities in our own actions. Whether it’s by volunteering in our community, sharing our own stories of his impact on our lives, or simply being there for one another in times of need, let’s ensure that the light of my son’s life continues to shine brightly in our world.”

By providing tangible ways for family and friends to honor your son’s memory, you’ll help them find solace and support as they navigate their grief and work toward healing. With your heartfelt words and poignant tribute speech, you’ll not only pay homage to your beloved son but also offer comfort and hope to those who loved him dearly.

XI. Example Eulogies

A. sample tribute speeches from various perspectives, from a mother’s perspective:.

“Today, we gather to honor the life of my beautiful son, who left us far too soon. As his mother, I am so proud to have watched him grow into the great example he was to his friends and family. His laughter brought joy into our lives, and his wisdom will forever echo in our hearts.”

From a father’s perspective:

“As a father, I never imagined I would be standing here today, delivering a eulogy for my beloved son. He was a beacon of light in our world, always teaching us so many things and leaving a lasting impact on everyone he met. In this time of grief, I find solace in the memories we shared and the dreams he had for the future.”

From a sibling’s perspective:

“My brother was not only my family but also my best friend. We shared countless moments of joy and laughter, and I will always cherish the lessons he taught me. Our bond was unbreakable, and I am honored to stand before you today, paying tribute to his incredible life.”

B. Analysis of effective elements within the examples

• Personal connection: Each eulogy highlights the unique relationship between the speaker and their son, creating an emotional connection with the audience.
• Celebration of life: The speeches emphasize the positive aspects of the son’s life, such as his achievements, qualities, and the impact he had on others.
• Emotional appeal: By sharing heartfelt memories and expressing their feelings of love, pride, and grief, the speakers create an emotional atmosphere that resonates with the audience.
• Hope and comfort: Throughout the eulogies, the speakers provide hope and comfort to family and friends by acknowledging their shared grief and emphasizing the support they have for one another.
• Call to action: Each speech encourages the audience to honor the son’s memory by cherishing their time together and continuing to live their lives with purpose and love.

XII. Conclusion

A. recap of the 10 inspiring ways to honor your son.

• Share personal stories and memories that celebrate your son’s life.
• Express love and admiration for your son, speaking from the heart.
• Incorporate meaningful quotes, poems, or song lyrics that resonate with your son’s life.
• Offer words of comfort and hope to family members and friends grieving the loss.
• Maintain a positive outlook for the future, focusing on the lasting impact of your son’s life.
• Encourage others to keep your son’s spirit alive by participating in activities he enjoyed or supporting causes he was passionate about.
• Suggest specific ways to honor your son’s memory, such as volunteering or sharing stories of his impact.
• Create a heartfelt and memorable tribute speech that captures the essence of your son’s life.
• Include moments of laughter and peace in your speech to provide comfort and solace to those attending the funeral and memorial services.
• Seek the support and love of family, friends, and God during this difficult time.

B. Create a heartfelt and memorable tribute speech

In conclusion, crafting a heartfelt and memorable tribute speech to honor your son is a beautiful way to celebrate his life and legacy. As you embark on this journey, consider using MemoryCherish’s expert eulogy writing service to help you create a powerful tribute speech to your son. By utilizing our professional expertise, you will ensure that your son’s eulogy captures the essence of his life and provides comfort to family members and friends attending the funeral and memorial services. Whether your son died a week ago or a year ago, it’s never too late to honor his memory and share his story with the world. With MemoryCherish’s support, you can create a beautiful eulogy that pays homage to your son’s life and leaves a lasting impression on all who hear it.

What do I say at my son’s funeral?

At your son’s funeral, you can share heartfelt memories of his life, express your love and admiration for him, and offer words of comfort and support to family members and friends who are grieving. Speak from the heart and let people know how much your son meant to you and others, the impact he had on those around him, and the valuable lessons he taught.

What is an example of a tribute?

A tribute is a speech or written work that honors and celebrates the life of someone who has passed away. An example of a tribute could be a eulogy given at a funeral or memorial service, where the speaker shares personal stories, highlights the deceased’s achievements, and offers words of comfort to the grieving family and friends.

How do you write a tribute speech?

To write a tribute speech to your son, follow these steps:

• Begin by reflecting on your son’s life, his personality, achievements, and the memories you shared together.
• Write an outline of the topics you want to cover in your speech, such as personal stories, your son’s impact on others, and lessons he taught.
• Start your speech by acknowledging the grief and sadness felt by family members and friends, and express your gratitude for their presence and support during this difficult time.
• Share personal stories and memories that highlight your son’s qualities and the positive aspects of his life.
• Offer words of comfort and hope to those in attendance, reminding them of the lasting impact your son had on their lives.
• Encourage others to honor your son’s memory by participating in activities he enjoyed, supporting causes he was passionate about, or sharing stories of his impact.
• Conclude your speech by expressing your love and admiration for your son, and offering a call to action for those present to keep his spirit alive in their hearts.

By following these guidelines and including the keywords mentioned, you can create a heartfelt and beautiful tribute speech to your son that will resonate with those who attend the funeral and memorial services.

Writing a eulogy during this difficult time is hard. Our professional writers are here to help you capture your loved one’s essence and life beautifully.

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How to Write a Great GSL MUN Speech – Guide

Speeches in MUN are one of the most important communication tools in Model United Nations . Speeches are where you make your first impression, how your ideas alive and relevant, and an effective way to send messages to allies, opposing blocks, and chairs all at once.

Our “How to write a great MUN Speech” guide will teach you to avoid speaking in generalizations, maximize your speech time, and drive your points home with the desired audience. This guide will start by teaching the CIA method of MUN speech writing, continue with how to write a strong opening speech . Later, we elaborate on strategies for both opening and follow up speeches.

Whether a speech for your opening statement, General Speakers List (GSL), moderated caucus, or any time during a MUN committee session, our guide will help you understand the mechanics to achieve your MUN speech goal!

Introduction

What makes a great MUN speech?

• Appealing to delegates emotions or a solid clash?
• Have an impressive collection of facts or relevant information?
• Strong quotes with historic significance?
• A clear call to action?

It’s extremely important to have a structure to your speech. Each and every point mentioned are important for your MUN speech. It’s how you put them together that makes your speech from good to great. Having a strong quote with no clear call to action will not take you far. Having a coherent clash and solid information with a clear call to action will help take your MUN speech to the next level.

Having the floor to give your MUN speech is extremely valuable, so you want to ensure you utilize your time effectively. Sometimes a MUN speech needs to be very exact to achieve its desired goals while others need more nuance. Make sure you have a clear idea of the messages and concepts you want to convey before you start your speech. 

If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up exactly where you started.

The CIA Method for MUN speech writing developed by Daniel Gindis to help delegates around the globe make amazing MUN speeches no matter how long you have been doing MUN.

Writing down our MUN speech word for word is a tried and tested strategy for many MUN veterans. Knowing what to write is where it can get a bit tricky at times. No matter if you are writing your opening speech where you are giving off your first impression to the room with your ideas, concepts, policies and strategies, or your later speeches throughout the MUN conference the CIA method will help you with getting that message across. 

Understanding the components which make up the different parts of a MUN speech is what allows a delegate to harness and direct the message how they see fit. When done right, it is not down to ‘luck’, but rather following a method of understanding each of the three components of the CIA speech writing method. Follow this guide for MUN speech writing utilizing the CIA method and your MUNing will never be the same.

CIA stands for Clash, Information and (call to) Action. These three elements are needed for a MUN speech to be maximally effective; missing any of them will significantly weaken a delegate’s speech. A strong CIA speech, combined with proper country representation (See article on ‘ How to Effectively Representing your Country ’), and good coalition work will lead to the most effective type of delegating.

C lash I nformation A ction

Clash – A confrontation of ideas, specifically an important two-sided issue within the topic that you want the committee to discuss.

Information – Relevant facts, ideally numbers, that support other parts of your speech. Information can also be facts about your country that justifies your position.

Action – The practical policy you offer to solve the issue you set up in your clash.

A confrontation of ideas.

Example: We cannot censor people who incite violence in a country with complete freedom of speech.

A clash in MUN would be  – Two opinions in direct opposition on one idea, therefore clashing with each other.

For something to be a clash, delegates from your committee need to be on either side of it. If there are no two sides it is not something the committee will debate and will either unanimously go straight to the unimportant clause section of the resolution or fall entirely out of discussion. Either way, it will not be central to the debate on the floor.

Examples of Clash:

Revoking asylum status for anyone who does not agree to get vaccinated at the border.

Advocating for megacities to have their own independent legal system.

The United Nations should fund water filtration in countries who suffer volcanic eruptions.

In all of these examples, there is a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question. The answer to these questions will be the main one to divide the committee room.

An idea that everyone agrees on is Off Clash. Off Clash statements (Like the Ebola virus is bad or tornados are dangerous) are a waste of precious speech time that could be further used to develop your Clash or Call to Action. (More on Clash and Off Clash in the expanded explanation below)

How do you select a clash when preparing?

Some topics have many possible clashes. In those cases, you should choose the one you feel will be more relevant to the discussion.

Example - World Health Organization

Committee : World Health Organization

Topic: Combating the Zika Virus

Clash 1: Increase the number of doctors sent to Peru to treat Zika.

Clash 2: Remove patent restriction to let countries locally develop medicines to counter Zika.

Clash 3: Suggest countries around the world teach children about the world’s top deadliest diseases.

Combating Zika is an Off Clash topic. No one will say the Zika virus is a good thing. To find the Clash you need to go one level deeper and decide what type of discussion will best serve our country’s interests.

It is clear that Clash 3 will save the least leaves and bring the least immediate benefit. It will also likely get little or no discussion time.

When choosing between Clash 1 and Clash 2, Paraguay would open for Clash 2, as creating generic medicines would be cheaper not only for fighting Zika but could also make medical treatment cheaper across the board. This idea would also be of interest to Angola, who faces similar constraints on creating generic medicines, even though they do not have the Zika virus. As a rule of thumb, it is better to choose a clash that is not only relevant to your country but many others can also agree with.

Information

Information = Hard facts that support your case

A strong MUN speech needs to have relevant facts and numbers that support parts of your speech .

Without information, your fellow delegates can only rely on your word, which might not give enough credibility to what you have to say. Numbers, names, dates and hard facts show what we are saying exists in the real world and is not an opinion. Numbers are the best form of information to use and the hardest to argue with.

Information does not exist in a vacuum. There is no such thing as facts for fact’s sake. 

Information in a CIA speech always does one of the following:

• Supports why your Clash is the most relevant
• Shows why your Call to Action is the most important
• Shows why your country has the position it does
• Disproves information brought by another delegate

Information in follow up speeches usually moves between these four. In earlier speeches the “I” focuses more on your own world building and less on countering other countries. However, MUN simulation have a lot going on and the Information should be used and modified on a case by case basis.

Call to Action

Call to Action (CtA) is a statement designed to give instructions for an immediate response.

Your CtA is the practical policy to solve the issue you set up in your clash.

Without a clear CtA other delegates will not know what to do with the Clash and Information you presented. Worse, they can use your set up to justify other CtA’s/

A Call to Action needs to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely (SMART). 

Your CtA needs to be specific as to:

• Where you will get funding from
• Which organizations will you work
• What will you send

Clash: Sending Teachers to the refugee camps in Ethiopia.

CtA: Hiring 300 teachers who specialize teaching English and Math to United Nations run high schools at the 3 refugee camps in the Tigray region in Ethiopia.

We can’t send “teachers” as we don’t know how many, where to send them or what they are going to do. However, when we look at the CtA, we can guestimate the cost of 300 teachers who specialize in English and Math and now know where to send them.

A good Call to Action explains the problem, the solution and what it’s going to do.

Specific actionable policy ideas will allow you to direct the discussion, and later take credit for the ideas when everyone else has the same general stance (ex. “humanitarian aid”).  

Example MUN Opening Speech

This MUN speech sample is an opening speech for MUN. It can also work as a first General Speakers List (GSL) speech if your MUN conference doesn’t have mandatory opening statements. See how the Clash is set, Information used and Calls to Action introduced.

TOPIC: CLEAN WATER

COUNTRY: NORWAY

Honorable chair, distinguished delegates: 800 million people across the globe are living without access to clean water. Half of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Kingdom of Norway believes that our efforts should focus there, and these efforts should involve the entire international community. Norway has donated over $975 million in aid to sub Saharan countries and invites countries who have not donated to join the effort. Norway proposes we focus on community-oriented aid in the form of water harvesting devices. A good option is the water harvester developed by the University of Akron in Ohio which produce up to 10 gallons of drinking water per hour from thin air. To ensure long term success, the United Nations should transfer the funding after there is sufficient training to build and operate the water-gathering device without continued external support. Community-oriented aid is a big step towards universal access to clean water. Let’s say H2”NO” to the water crisis!!!

Example GSL Speech

This GSL sample speech is comes after the opening speeches are concluded and twenty minutes worth of speakers into the session after the General Speakers list is opened.

Country: Comoros

Honorable Chair, Distinguished Delegates,

Comoros agrees with Canada, Ecuador, and Tanzania that cleaning water is the top priority and disagrees with Norway and Chad that water creation is an affordable or viable solution.

In small countries like Comoros the largest problem is water so polluted it is fatal to drink. Karthala, our most active volcano, erupted in April 2005 and May 2006. Each time, it destroyed multiple freshwater sources. It also took years to clean the volcanic ash that comes back as acid rain.

Our salvation was UNICEF and the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office which give us $1.3 million to clean more than 1,500 reservoirs and bring fresh water to more than 150,000 people.

Comoros is aware that most countries do not have active volcanoes. However, water pollution is a global phenomenon, whether from other natural disasters or corporations who pollute without accountability. Comoros suggest the creation of UN-funded permanent water filtration programs. These can also be funded with proceeds from Canada’s policy to make polluting companies pay for their own cleanup.

Observe how echoing other delegates are used to shout out allies and members of other blocks. Notice how Information is used to offer an alternative issue to focus on instead of the one offered by Norway in the MUN Opening Speech Example. Additionally, observe how the Call to Action offered by Comoros is connected to the policy offered by Canada, showing willingness to work together. Most importantly, see how CIA is central to the speech even though many GSL speeches came before it.

The principles remain consistent. If you don’t fight to keep your clash on the table it could be lost and another takes its place. Information is always needed to support opinions. A Call to Action is introduced or repeated, keeping itself on the table and, where possible, linking back to the delegate’s national interest.

CIA Method – Continued

Defining the terms of the debate generally dictates who’s gonna win it.

Paul Begala

How To Find The Clash

A Clash is where two opposing opinions collide on one issue. More specifically, a clash is an issue within the general topic that our research, and MUN instincts, tell us will be central to the discussion and where our country can likely get a majority.

This basic concept is important because two ideas which do not clash mean the two delegates are likely not actually arguing and their ideas may coexist on a resolution.

Tool Tip:  Quick way to find the clash

Phrase your statement in the form of a question.

Example: Should we allow countries to freely develop chemical weapons?

If one country says “yes” and the other “no” then you’ve found the clash (or a clash) !

When some countries will say yes and some no we have a clash. This does not mean the two sides need to be equal in size, just that there is resistance and through that discussion.

When everyone agrees there is no debate. Without an impasse, there is no place for creative solutions or innovative ideas. A discussion without clash is also very boring to delegates.

Finding a Strong Clash

For a Clash to work as a Clash it needs to convey the following:

• Which issue within the greater topic which we want to focus on
• Which side of that two-sided issue you are on

Gambia: We should increase the number of doctors sent to Peru to treat Zika.

Norway: We should increase the subsidy to develop medicines to counter Zika.

In this example, you can see that the policy proposals don’t actually disagree with each other, and while they could both speak about the limitations of the other proposal, there is no reason not to merge.

Gambia: We should increase the number of doctors sent to Peru to treat Zika

Indonesia: We should decrease the number of doctors in the Zika prone area of Peru, as they are also at risk

In this example, we see that there is a direct clash, thus the same resolution, to be sound, cannot include both.

In Model UN, the idea is to solve global issues deemed important by the UN. The ability to improve upon the status quo means overcoming an existing barrier. For this reason, the greatest achievement a resolution can reach is if the sides give ground on something they previously did not and “go where it hurts”. It is these potential points of progress that are most interesting to discuss, and the debate will naturally flow to disagreement, as there is no reason to discuss points everyone agrees on. For this reason, it is important to find a good clash and set it, so that the debate is about what you want it to be about.

If no one sets the clash, it will happen anyway, because the nature of Model United Nations is to discuss issues. However, discussions can easily go in a direction no one wants, or at least some countries aren’t interested in. For this reason, each delegate should present a clear clash in their speech, as well as which side of the clash they are on.

Vietnam: Honorable Chair, Distinguished Delegates, Vietnam believes the best way to keep zika from spreading is to restrict travel from all countries which have Zika, specifically limiting who can use airports.

The speech can continue but after around 12 seconds, we know that:

• Exactly what Vietnam wants to focus on and 
• Which side of the clash Vietnam is on (Vietnam is for a travel ban)

Unless someone else directly disagrees with Vietnam’s idea, it can reach the final resolution undisturbed. However, it is likely to get more attention, and even be mentioned in other delegates’ speeches, than a policy to increase funding to develop a cure. What is certain, is that both of these ideas will get more of a response than a speech about how Zika is a terrible virus and a danger to all; something everyone in the room already knows and agrees upon.

The Danger of Being Off Clash

Along with strong clashes, there are also many statements and directions which are off clash. Being off clash is when you say something nobody in the room will disagree with. An off clash speech can be very emotional but, in the end, it takes critical time away from important material and new examples or ideas, which could further a delegate’s case.

Examples of Off Clash statements:

Statement #1: A nuclear holocaust is a horrible thing

Statement #2: Honor killings are bad

Statement #3: The Zika virus endangers lives and spreads fear

Statement #4: Civil wars destroy countries

Off clash statements can be more complex than those above. However, the core issue is the same in that entire speeches can be wasted developing and delivering points that everyone already agrees on. Another issue with off clash speeches is that they are easy to fill emotion and memorable sound bites because the content is so polarized. An experienced delegate will easily see through this, while beginners will often not remember a clear point because of all the bells and whistles.

A MUN speech succeeds when, after it ends, the listener thinks “I agree”, “I disagree”, “I want to hear more”, “I want to work with her/him!”, “I should keep an eye of her/him.” or “I have a question.”

The speech fails when the listener has none of those thoughts. Sometimes, by the first sentence of the following speech, the previous will already be forgotten. As stated above, an even worse response is when all anyone else remember from the speech is a funny or emotional line. Avoid sentences charged with feeling like “think of the children” (unless that is actually the topic) and stick to set a strong clash.

Statement #2: Governments should decide their own fate without fear of international pressure or retaliation.

To both of these statements, two very different countries (say, the United States & North Korea) would have the same answer. This is because the statements are too polarized and are thus beyond the clash.

Statement #3 : A country should have complete freedom to pursue nuclear ambitions.

To this third statement, the US and DPRK would not agree and thus we find a clear cash. This clash can be seen in a topic with two sides, where progress for one side comes at the “expense” of the other. Clearly, many countries will have a lot to say on the matter.

Choosing the Right Clash

There are many possible clashes , and some will be more in a country’s favor than others.

Norway:  We should increase the subsidy to develop medicines to counter Zika

Mexico:   We should develop chemicals which kill mosquitoes

Vietnam: Should we impose a travel ban on potential carriers from countries with Zika?

Iceland:    We should make abortion laws less restrictive, to prevent the birth of fetuses found with the virus

In this example, El Salvador would not want to discuss the clash set by Iceland. This is because abortions are illegal in El Salvador and allowing the idea of less restrictive abortion laws would show El Salvador, and other countries which are completely against abortion, in a negative light.

Even in cases where the majority of countries in the room are anti-abortion, it is likely that abortion law is not the most important issue when discussing trying to reverse the Zika epidemic. 

All of these clashes are possible contention points; progress on any of them will be a strong part of any potential resolution. Off clash speeches and ideas, however, will not get such engagement or echoing (when countries repeat each other). Setting the right clash will give the room a way to align themselves and bring about an excellent Model UN. 

A strong clash, is a clash that is relevant to many clashes besides yours. That will give you more allies and make you more relevant to their ideas and discussions, keeping your points in people’s minds even after your speech. For example, finishing clinical trials to release a cure for Zika is more important, and will impact more people than increasing food aid to an inflicted area.

In a nutshell: Choose a relevant clash (clash = topic of debate with two or more clear sides to it) 

• Which your country can claim is relevant to them and, preferably (but not always), 
• Shows your country in a positive light.

We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge.

John Naisbitt

Information = Relevant information that supports other parts of your speech

Relevant, factual Information is critical for any MUN speech to be persuasive. It shows that your claim is based on facts and is not a vague generalization, which could be made up or inaccurate. Information is the way to show you’ve done research and have strong support for your case. When done correctly, proper use of relevant information will make you look smarter and can give the impression that you have even more research up your sleeve. For information to be most useful in your speech, it needs to specifically support one of the points you are trying to make (whether the justification of the clash or why your Action is going to work). (To better understand how to use the information to support a statement, check out our SEEC method in our article on “ How to Structure an Argument ”) 

The same statement given with the proper use of the information will make it much more persuasive and more sound at the same time.

Norway: We should increase the subsidy to Inovio Pharmaceuticals to further develop the GLS-5700. The trial on July 2016 had positive results and further investment of $5,700,000 could give us the best medicine yet to combat Zika.

With tangible examples, opposing countries would need to find counterexamples instead of simply saying “You’re wrong”. Also, if enough information is put into speeches over time, the underpinnings of reality will be built, giving your interpretation of the situation a much stronger case.

“I” Can Be More Than Facts

The information part of the speech doesn’t always need to be factual or example-based. What it does need to do is make the other parts of the speech stronger, fortifying the points made. While hard facts are usually best, the “I” in CIA can also be:

I – Facts (Statistics, names, dates, etc.)

I – Examples

I – Illustrations

I – Allegories

Facts and examples should be the most used device, and each speech must contain at least one of these.

When giving a story that lacks hard facts, you can cite the source of the story, which can give you some hard data to include in your speech.

You can include sources – like the UN Charter – where, instead of stating

“A country is sovereign and the UN cannot interfere in internal affairs..”

You can say

“Article 2 of the UN Charter says that ‘all members shall refrain in their international relations …”

Illustrations can bring color to a dry case and sometimes add a moral justification.

Example of Illustration

Sara woke up this morning to the sound of mortar shells. They landed far enough away that she was able to run. She did, after all, still have both her feet. Her brother was not so lucky, having lost a leg the previous week. Running for shelter, she managed to duck behind a boulder to avoid the ricocheting rocks. The bombardment stopped and Sara is ok, for now. What is happening in Wau Shilluk, South Sudan, we would call horrifying. Sara calls it Tuesday.

Note: The use if an ‘illustration’ should only happen after defining the clash where you explain what is likely to happen if we do not follow the course you suggest (i.e “The UN should NOT send peacekeepers to Myanmar (clash) – ILLUSTRATION – If we were to use peacekeepers (explain what would happen likely).

Emotional stories and tear-jerkers alone will rarely persuade delegates to join your coalition. However, good delivery can get attention, which is very important when everyone wants their speech to be listened to. You can obtain their full focus and attention, following shortly after with the point you want to get across. Everyone will be listening, it will not be missed.

Rule of “I”: Use Numbers (and Names) in Every Speech

The Information rule of thumb is that every MUN speech should have at least one number. A number is harder to argue with and makes your speech stronger and more credible.

“Their New York police force is large.”

“There are 38,422 full time police officers in New York.”

The second one clearly sounds stronger. It is more credible and also gives the listeners a general idea that can be easily understood.

Your opening speech should have three to five numbers. Later speeches should have 1-3 numbers per speech. Unique name dropping works as well. The name of the current president / prime minister, a city or region, an important treaty or some other specific name can be just as strong as a number in that it shows research and knowledge.

Remember, don’t use too many facts/numbers because then your message can get lost. Use facts to justify things / explain precedent but the bulk of your speech should be persuasion/logic/ support your own Call to Action.

“Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.”

Benjamin Disraeli

(Call to) Action = Your Policy = An Actionable Practical Solution

Action, as in a Call to Action, is the policy you want on the MUN resolution that will pass with a majority. This focus on actionable/practical solutions is what makes MUN different from other extracurriculars which involve speech and debate. In almost every other extracurricular, it is enough to convince others (or the judges) that one idea is better than the other. This idea can be a philosophical concept with no detail or real-world impact. In Model UN, all of the committee sessions are focused on deciding what to do about a given situation. When a resolution passes, those same actionable ideas change something in the real world. The only way for you to impact this change is if your ideas are in the resolution. This is why it is critical to have your actionable policy introduced in your first speech.

Remember that a MUN resolution is an executive order to a bureaucrat somewhere in the giant UN machine. In the real world, this official takes the instructions from the UN resolution and turns the operative clauses into a real UN operation, or mission, in the physical world.

For this reason, the Call to Action needs to be:

• Empirically measurable
• Quantifiable

To be a ‘proper’ Call to Action, you need to be able to measure it , touch it and buy it . You need to be able to clearly explain how it works to others. While MUN is a simulation, it is a realistic one; we are dealing with real world problems. As such, if you aren’t offering a change in the physical world, you offer nothing . Without a Call to Action, the point of your speech can easily be lost. Even worse, someone else can make use of your clash to justify their policy proposals.

On the other hand, a good Call to Action can be passed in a resolution without a clear Clash or Information behind it. While the lack of a Clash or influencing the debate might not get a diplomacy award, the Call to Action may still reach the final resolution.

In a nutshell – A Call to Action is telling others what to do with the information you provided in the form of a detailed, practical plan.

Why is the Call to Action so important?

The goal of a MUN simulation is to solve a problem and, most of the time, make the world a better place. However, talk is cheap; only a real action plan, measured in expected real world results, will actually change anything. It is these expected results that turn our idea into a reality and are the motivation behind all of the speeches, lobbying and negotiations we do throughout the simulation.

Call to Action I: Commission 100 mile sweeping units to operate in the newly taken village around Mosul

Problem it’s solving: Mines hidden by ISIS fighters before they withdrew from the territory

Outcome of policy: The homes can be used again and lives no longer in danger

Call to Action II: Neutral observers should supervise, secure and count the ballots from all polling stations in East Ukraine after next election

Problem it’s solving: Vote tampering of some sort

Outcome of policy: A more transparent reflection of the actual will of the people

1, 2, 3’s of a Call to Action

For a Call to Action to work, it needs to meet the following three criteria. It must:

• Solve the problem
• Fit your country’s views
• Be simple / passable

The CTA Triangle

An easy way to remember the three criteria is to use the CTA Triangle. It is a useful visual to help you remember to check if your Call to Action is sound. A good Call to Action needs to hit each of the corners.

1. Solves the Issue

After the policy is implemented, the status quo should be changed in some quantifiable way. The only exception is when a country benefits from the status quo, in which case, their Call to Action should attempt to perpetuate the issue or at least minimize the damage to it.

Austria is against using chemicals to create artificial rain during times of drought (A process called Cloud Seeding to create Enhanced Rain) because it feels this would artificially tamper with the environment. They see that 70% of the room are countries who would use Enhanced Rain to increase crop yield and do not care enough about the environment to not use it. In such a case, Austria should not take up a position completely against Cloud Seeding, as this would not get a majority. Instead, Austria should opt for a policy of a testing zone to “make sure Cloud Seeding is safe”. This Call to Action could be limited to use in a small area for five years to assess environmental impact. If this passed, as a compromise, there would be much less use of Cloud Seeding technology. Also, there are now five years to overturn this policy in the future. With 30% of the room strongly supporting limiting the use, such a compromise could be reached. As we can see, a practical policy is offered which can be quantified, and voted on, that also serves Austria’s interest, even if they don’t get everything they want.

2. Fit your country’s views

Representing your country’s interests is a very important part of the Model UN, that many delegates fail to do properly. This happens because one can give a good CIA without, inherently, representing their country. If you ignore what your country would want, you can be much more flexible regarding policy, hence many delegates falling into this trap.

True Fact: It is easier to be completely fluid, in the name of compromise and consensus, if you ignore the actual policies that were implemented and your national interest.

When you present a Call to Action, it needs to be clear to the delegates, as well as the chair, that your policy is something your country would sign off on.

Hungary cannot sponsor, or support, a policy of subsidised modified wheat and corn to those who live below the poverty line in Hungary because it has banned the cultivation and sale of GMOs.

Hungary can give tax breaks to firms who can reach minimal quota targets for organic crops to use for the same purpose.

(If you are unsure how to represent your country, or fit the representation into your CIA speech, you can find all that and more in our article on How to Effectively Represent Your Country !)

3. Be simple / passable

Your Call to Action needs to be a policy which will not get lost due to over complexity. Also, even if the minor details are somewhat complex, the main idea should be clear enough to deliver in one to three lines.

For this reason, the third criteria is called “Simple/passable”. A simple Call to Action will not be enough for a good policy. However, it is a reminder that the idea needs to be simple enough, and relevant to enough countries, to pass. If the idea is too complex and cannot obtain a majority, it does not matter how great said idea was. The balance must be perfect.

A good Call to Action must be (1) unique, (2) specific and (3) attributable to you. For that reason, you should make your policy fulfill these three criteria as much as possible, keeping in mind that you also need to stop before you risk losing your audience. Again, it is about getting the right balance.

Call to Action Rule of Thumb:

A good Call to Action needs to be as unique and detailed as possible, while being simple enough for the room to understand and relevant enough to obtain a majority.

Coming Up With a Good Call to Action

The first step to finding your Call to Action is to quantify the issue(s) you are addressing. If you do not know what you are focusing on, you cannot solve anything. There can be a few issues to discuss within each topic and many directions to take, once chosen. Some can be more strategic for a country’s interest than others. In all cases, when you set the clash, have in mind the direction you want to take the discussion, to lead it towards your desired Call to Action. The key is to make the issue-specific and then solve it.

General topic Solvable topic

Global hunger Malnutrition of children in Uttar Pradesh

Combating the Zika virus Mosquitoes who transfer Zika

Preventing domestic violence Lack of safe houses for victims

(To better understand what to do with bad study guides and topics that are too general, check out our article on What to do when your Study Guide Sucks )

You should choose no more than three issues within a given topic, though one is usually enough. Memories are short and sometimes there will be tens of delegates who need to give an opening speech. The more non-related, different ideas you give in a speech, the less likely other delegates are to follow or remember them.

Finding Inspiration For Our CtA6

There are many ways to come up with a Call to Action. It can be from:

S  1. Original thinking

S  2. Look to your country’s past in this situation

S  3. Look at what other countries have done in this situation

S  4. Look at similar situations in your country, or similar ones

S  5. Look at completely different situations and try to find inspiration

There is no wrong answer here, with many ways to find the right Call to Action for the topic your committee will be discussing.

Have an Idea before you look for one

Once you choose your issues and have quantified them into something you can solve, don’t jump back into the research; take a few minutes to think. See what ‘common sense’ solutions you can come up with, then write them down. They might even be better solutions than what was implemented by the UN. Once you have a few ideas that make sense outside of the ocean of information, continue your research. As you now have something, the material you find will either complement, or supplement what you have found. It can even replace what you originally had, but only if you find something of better value. The key is to come up with the best policy for our specific committee that we can. Having our own direction before we start looking for solutions will keep us from getting lost. Also, sometimes, our own ideas can be the missing element to a very strong Call to Action.

Final Words on Call to Action : When we finish the A of our CIA speech and know what we want to do and how we want to do it, we can be very emotionally connected to our policy. This is great! However, this emotional connection does not mean other policies cannot exist alongside it, or also be relevant, even extremely relevant.

When it comes to a Call to Action, remember that there can be many solutions to the same problem!

Even if your Call to Action is objectively the best one you know, not everyone will agree.  You need to be ready to fight for why your Call to Action is extremely relevant and the best course of action to take. Also, if we don’t want to work with someone, make sure you have a Call to Action which clashes with something on the other resolution.

MUN Speech Format

While many MUN beginner delegates look for formatting instructions as they try to figure out how to prepare a GSL speech, the truth is that there is no required format for a MUN speech. CIA, country ownership and proper use of research will influence the content, but the only one who will see the speech itself is you. As long as you can clearly read the text, don’t get lost and are able to deliver it well, that is really all that matters. So format the speech in a way that suits your style.

MUN Opening Speech Strategy

When it comes to MUN speech strategy, how we start our speeches is very important. Many things can influence our first speeches, from the nature of the topic (Some topics can be more Clash or Call to Action heavy) to what letter of the alphabet our country starts with. The following strategies should be taken into account to make sure you nail your opening speech.

How to Start Your Opening Speech

The first rule of a MUN opening speech is to be interesting to your audience. This is especially important in a large committee, where they might not see you and will only hear your voice, potentially over a screechy microphone!

First Letter Of Your Country = Different Speech Strategy

Before you give your speech, look at what letter of the alphabet your country starts with.

If your country starts with an A or B, you might be able to give a speech introducing the topic as a whole. However, if you are Turkmenistan, it is very likely that your clash has been touched on, as have some of the policies you might want to state. Remember, saying it first does not mean saying it best . As Turkmenistan, much of what you would say will already be said, even if in a less clear or focused way. For this reason, write your speech with the end of the list in mind. Avoid spending time introducing concepts and make sure that as much of your speech as possible is unique to you, and detailed enough to get you the credit for presenting the idea best, even if not first. (More on strategies to adapt your speech to the discussion in the committee are in the next section of this article.)

Intelligent Use of Soundbites

Whether you are 1 out of 15, or one out of 200, your fellow delegates actually listening to your speech is essential in getting your ideas out there. Your first and last sentences should aim to be attention grabbers, but not so much so that the rest of your speech won’t be taken seriously. After you have their attention, try and get to your CIA as quickly and clearly as possible. Starting strong is more important than ending strong, but both are important if you want future listeners. Make it worth their while.

Opening: Do you hate mosquitoes? Honorable Chair, distinguished delegates, the delegate of Namibia hate mosquitoes, and that’s when they bite me without a fatal virus! The Zika virus must be stopped…

Ending: … those mosquitoes may bite us today, but now it’s time for the World Health Organization to bite back!

Echo and Name Drop Strategically

Unless you are the first to speak, you will be able to use the names, and words of delegates who came before you in your speech.

Saying other delegates’ names in your speech, whether allies or members of other blocks, will usually have them perk up and listen to what you are saying, because you used their name. Echoing also makes other delegates feel that you speak for a block and not just yourself. Often, echoing is reciprocal. If you use other countries’ names, they will use yours.

You can also respond to other delegates’ Calls to Action in your speech. This can be to support, refute or connect your ideas to theirs. Just make sure their ideas aren’t hugely popular. This will make you more relevant in the debate.

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Topics “Without a Clash”

Not all topics have a clear clash to start with. Some topics can be very principled. In those, the majority of the debate is spent setting the clash and, once decided, the Call to Action falls into place. On the other hand, some topics are off clash and result in battles of Calls to Action to decide which policy to choose from (Example: Helping flood victims). In those cases, mini clashes need to be created to kickstart the debate. However, it will still usually come down to measuring the effectiveness of policies against each other, rather than deciding if to be for or against a course of action.

Clash Heavy Topics

Requiring an international military presence remain in Syria

Phasing out the mining and use of coal for energy

Minimizing conflict in the South China Sea

Off Clash Topics / Call to Action Heavy Topics

Tackling and treating STIs and HIV/AIDS

Access to clean water

Combatting honor killings

Repair and resettlement after an earthquake

In the Clash heavy topics, countries can be on either side of the clash. Calls to Action heavy topics are also called Battles of Calls to Action. They are situations where everyone agrees on the macro clash (no one will say they support the idea that honor killings are good because the world is overpopulated) and the debate will focus on how best to solve the problem / which policies are the most important and central.

(To learn about other ways to interpret MUN topics, check out the “Identifying Types of MUN Topics” in the second part of this article ).

Macro Clash and Micro Clash

When the study guides give us a clash that has two clear sides, for example, giving illegal migrants from a warzone refugee status, all countries should have an opinion on the larger issue. An issue which starts the committee off by dividing the delegates into two groups is called a Macro Clash. It is the initial clash which requires a yes or no opinion from almost every country. The “Clash heavy topics” in the section above are all topics with a Macro Clash.

Identifying a Macro Clash

• It is obvious in the study guides
• Most countries will have an opinion
• There is only one of them per topic
• Everything else you do or think is a direct result of your position on the Macro Clash

Just because a topic has a Macro clash, it does not mean that both sides will be of equal size. If the topic is around child marriage, for example, it is likely that the majority of the countries would be against. The same applies for topics discussing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. This means that once the Macro Clash is set (and this can become clear by the middle of opening statements), the discussion moves from getting a majority on the Macro Clash to setting new clashes within what has become the new topic of discussion. This new clash, within the side of the Macro Clash that is chosen, is called a Micro Clash. It is a Clash within a Clash and is the new point of contention, once the majority reaches a consensus on the previous clash.

Identifying a Micro Clash

• It is an important question that will need to be answered on one side of the Macro Clash
• Most countries on that side of the Clash will have a particular opinion
• This discussion can become central, once the Macro Clash has a majority to one side

A Macro Clash can have many Micro Clashes within it. Furthermore, a Micro Clash can become the new Macro Clash, if enough of the committee agree on the next level of debate. The following example will show how this may occur.

Committee: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Topic: Child Marriage

By the end of opening statements, 85% of the 60 delegates are strongly against child marriage. Allowing child marriage to continue undisturbed is no longer on the table. The remaining 15% can try to get some form of moral high ground, but it is clear that no resolution can pass with the pro child marriage countries continuing as they have so far.

However, even though they have a clear majority, the 85% could now go into the following Micro Clashes:

• Should the UN take collective action, or is child marriage an issue which countries should respond to individually?
• Should nations who condone child marriage be given warnings first?
• If married children emigrate, to a country where the practice is illegal, should they retroactively be annulled?

All of these Micro Clashes are yes or no questions, which could easily split the 85% majority into two groups of equal size. If that happens, neither of them will have a majority.

The discussion continues and a 75% majority is in favor of discussing the first Micro Clash. This now transforms the question “Should the UN take collective action, or is child marriage an issue which countries should respond to individually?” into the new Macro Clash.

The debate continues and a clear majority say that they believe the United Nations, as a whole, should take action. Now that the committee have agreed that the UN should be the one to take action, this clash too has been moved beyond and new Micro Clashes may arise. These could be:

• Should countries who have reduced the number, but still legally allow it, be punished as harshly?
• What should the punishment be? Should economic sanctions be used?

And so the debate continues.

As seen in the example above, the debate will continue to move from Micro Clash to Micro Clash until the committee decides, intentionally or otherwise, which clashes they want to discuss. This usually happens when one side no longer has a clear majority and realize they need to start working to retain what they have. Some beginner committees will have the entire room agree the entire time. This usually upsets chairs, who will have chosen the topic with some debate in mind, and is often not representative of reality. If an entire room agrees, it usually means some of the countries are acting off policy, which as discussed earlier in this article, is not representative of the people within that country.

Start From The Relevant Clash

When you are confident that the majority of the room will go in a certain direction, start your speech about where the topic is going to be headed, instead of echoing the majority opinion.

Sometimes, the majority going overwhelmingly to one side of the Clash may sometimes come as a surprise. However, for many topics (like the examples above) it is fairly obvious that the entire committee will agree on the Macro Clash and quickly go to one of the Micro Clashes. As the Macro Clash will quickly become off clash (because no one will condone honor killings) your research and your speech itself speech should be already aimed at winning the Micro Clash; particularly the micro clash you anticipate to be where the debate actually starts. Don’t talk about why child marriage is immoral or wrong; even if your country starts with the letter A, do not give a speech that will be repeated by many others in the room. Go straight to the Micro Clash that you want to set as the main focus; by the time the rest of the committee gets there, you will be ahead of the curve and could be giving follow-up speeches on the Micro Clash before most delegates give their first. Sometimes, this early start on a discussion you know will happen, can be the difference in leading the debate in the direction that will pass your draft resolution with a clear majority.

CIA Structure Is Not Concrete

The order of CIA is not set/fixed. You can start with the C, I or the A. You can switch the order if you believe it will make a stronger impact, will sound better or for many other reasons.

If you’re starting out, it is recommended that you try to use the C, I and A in their intended order. A clear clash lets everyone know how to categorize the rest of your speech. After that, the rest should fall into place. If you are unsure how to start a MUN speech, always start with the clash. However, if some other order works better, remember that there is no single right way to do

Follow Up Speech Strategies

Before you even start the first word of your opening speech, please keep in mind that you will need to follow up on your main point. Many, many times over. The following strategies will help you prepare for the speeches following up on your opening speech, to keep everything consistent and continue to be hard-hitting throughout the MUN.

Repeat Your Main Points. Always.

Repetition is key in MUN speeches. While CIA is the core of your MUN opening speech, one excellent speech is not enough. Furthermore, even if you give the best MUN speech in the history of MUN speeches after you are done, someone else will speak and eventually, your brilliant oration will be old news. You must keep the high quality of your speeches consistent throughout.

It is i mportant that each following speech repeats the core ideas of your case and links back to your original clashes and policies. This must continue over the span of the simulation. The focus of the debate can change, and you might need to change the clash or even your practical policy. However, your core interest must remain consistent, and that needs to continue to shine through.

You can use the occasional speech to reframe/clean up the debate (“To recap, this is what we have heard so far…”) or refute the other side (“They said X, however, this is clearly incorrect and here’s why..”). However, even these should come back to your core case and show “Why (my) Call to Action is the best way to solve issue X!”.

Continue to Echo and Name Drop

Just because you got their attention the first time does not mean that you will have it the next time without work. You should get used to mentioning 1-3 allies and 2-3 opponents in each speech. You should try and quote another delegate at least once in every other speech.

When you say their name they will listen. Do this well and your allies will mention you in their speeches. Your opposing blocks may mention you as well. Being mentioned by other countries in their speeches will not only make your country name more known but also make it more likely for your ideas to stay on the table. 

Adapting your Speech for Success

After the opening speeches are given, we can sometimes find ourselves ‘less unique’ than we expected. Below is a list of strategies to keep your policy on the table, while still being unique to you and your country.

Details Can Make a Call to Action Yours

Sometimes, we have a country with a letter from the end of the alphabet and when the room finally reaches our speech, our clash and/or Call to Action has already been said, potentially multiple times. Chairs write Model UN study guides with some sort of discussion in mind, meaning they expect that some delegates will come up with similar ideas. Remember, other delegates saying your Clash or Call to Action before you do, DOES NOT MAKE IT THEIRS . It could be a one-off speech, or they might not have been aware they even said it. So many excellent ideas are lost because a delegate planned for just one speech or they simply did not realize what a great idea they have.

If someone else states your Call to Action, whether in a one-liner or as the focus of an entire speech, YOU SAY IT BETTER ! Drill your points down in detail and give a more in-depth explanation of why it’s going to work. Show everyone in the room that it is your explanation which makes it a revolutionary policy. Go into the speech treating the idea as your own. The previous speaker was simply headlining it for you.

Turkey: We need to build desalination plants to help Kuwait increase water supply.

Moldova: We agree that desalination is the best course of action. However, for this to work, we need to specifically build Vapor Compression Distillation plants; these only require electricity to operate and Kuwait is energy rich.

You Can Drill Down For Any Policy

We don’t always choose the winning policy. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, a different policy ends up more central to the Clash than the one we planned for or predicted. In such a case, it could be strategic to drop your policy and use your speech to build on the more central idea, using the same method of describing a policy in more depth. It might not make you the main sponsor of the idea, but your place as a constructive partner could get you a central position in the coalition. Sometimes, compromise is better than having no input at all in the final resolution.

Flexibility is key in MUN and most chairs will give the credit to the delegate who was the main champion of the idea, not the person who said it first. For this reason, you can be the main proponent of the idea, and a major contributor, even if you didn’t come up with the original Call to Action. The key is reading the room and making sure the policy works with your country’s interest.

Strategically Choose When Policies Can or Can’t Coexist

A resolution is not limited to one Call to Action. Most resolutions will have a few different practical solutions in one document. Sometimes, they are complementary, while other times they are disconnected and simply co-exist on the resolution. If you are an experienced delegate, you should already be practiced at adopting your policies to the room you are in. You should also know when you see a block, or delegate, you do not want on your side; you need to make sure to have a policy that clashes with something in their speech or resolution.

In the end, the better solution PLUS the better coalition will win out . What is certain is that no solution, or a bad one, won’t stick .  As we stated before, the work doesn’t stop when you find a good Call to Action, you need to be ready to defend it. You will defend it in your speeches, get it echoed by your coalition allies and use all the MUN tools at your disposal to get it on that final draft of the resolution.

In a Battle of Calls to Action – Yours Comes First

Sometimes you reach that point in a battle of Calls to Action where the policies are being measured against each other. In those cases, a way to bring yours to the top is to say that theirs is a good idea, but it can only come after yours is implemented.

We agree with Malta that we should build schools for the children in the refugee camp. However, without a regular supply of food aid, they will not be able to truly benefit from the classes.

Delivery Tips – Putting the Public in “Public Speech”

While some are more relevant to beginners, all of these tips are important in getting your speech heard, understood and agreed with by the rest of your MUN committee.

Practice Your Opening Speech Out Loud

Specifically for your opening statement. Speak it out, see what flows and naturally rolls off your tongue. While later speeches are no less important, this is the your first impression and you want to do it right!

WRITE YOUR SPEECH DOWN

When we speak off the cuff, we naturally leave out specific names, dates and numbers. The same happens when we speak from memory. To convey a general idea is natural, but it’s the last thing we want to do in Model UN. Our goal in our speeches is to establish ourselves as knowledgeable, competent and worth working with. The desire to collaborate from other delegates will not come from generalizations and vague descriptions.

To ensure you do not forget any important facts, or the sentences you so carefully crafted, you should do the following:

• Have your entire speech, or selected bullet points in front of you, printed on paper.
• Use a large enough font to read from a distance, so you do not disengage the audience trying to read small text.
• You can also bold/italicize words that you want to emphasize. There are other markings you can use to modify speed, volume, gestures and more. 

Particularly when in a large room, it is much better to read straight from the paper. One should always prefer to be clearly heard and understood, than to miss words, facts and fail to deliver your point.

Practice with a Stopwatch

Ideally, you want to finish your 60-second speech at 0:58:5 seconds. You do not want your chair to cut you off. Practice your speech to make sure if it meets the time. Don’t be afraid to remove words and rephrase. Keep working on it until it does.

Slow and Clear Beats Fast and Crammed

Your goal is to be understood by everyone in the room. It is better to take out words and speak slowly, than to rush and get everything in. You will not properly hear or remember other rushed delegates, so don’t be part of that club.

(Again, Delivery Cues can help your speech and they’re right here!)

Bring the Right Amount of Information

Make sure the number of facts in your speech is digestible. It is the arguments you use which will persuade, not the long list of names and numbers that no one else found on the internet. Avoid information overload; it is best to use 2-5 facts in a one-minute speech, to be decided based on the content. Information can go a long way, but it needs to come as support, not as the main substance.

Put Your Most Important Points at the Beginning

Do not try to end with a strong punchline that will magically bring it all together. Most delegates will likely lose attention by that point. You want to introduce your Clash the second your opening soundbite ends. Even better, your Clash may be part of the opening sound byte.

Canada believes the only way to stop domestic violence is to throw anyone who is reported to be violent into a holding cell for 72 hours immediately after the call!

As seen here, Canada (1) set the clash, (2) showed what side they were on and (3) eluded to their Call to Action all in one sentence . Now, no matter what they say next, everyone knows where they stand. The other delegates can listen as you develop your plan / bring examples, etc. but even if they stop listening at that very moment, they know where Canada stands in the room.

Choose Effectiveness Over Emotional Attachment

We sometimes write lines in our first draft that we can’t seem to let go of. It is even harder when we write a speech by hand. We might want to keep this line because we researched for many hours to find that particular fact, or for some strange reason, the line sounds too good to us to pass up. Our goal is to be understood by others and get the desired outcome, everything we do is geared towards that goal. For those who find it especially hard, know that the abilit y to let go of lines will come with time and practice.

Always Speak

While CIA is very important, as a rule of thumb, it is ALWAYS better to give an imperfect speech than to say nothing. Speaking regularly and frequently raising your placard shows the chairs and other delegates that you are someone active, serious about the issues at hand and worth taking into consideration.

Some things to do when you are not sure what to say:

• Paraphrase one of your previous speeches.
• Write down a line from another delegate’s speech. In your speech, direct quote them and disagree.
• Summarize the past few speeches and say that you agree or disagree and why.
• Mention the names of countries in a block with their main points. If it’s your block, you can agree. If it’s another block, do the opposite.

Confidence, name dropping and rhetorical ability will grow with time, but being perceived as active is just as important. The delegates taken most seriously are those who are active and have impressive content and strategy. The one certainty is that imperfect action will always be better than smart and silent.

For more tips about delivery and public speaking, check out our guide on Public Speaking for MUN .

Use a Fact Sheet for Follow Up Speeches

You will not have space in your opening CIA speech for everything important that you find during your research. For this reason, it is good to keep a second document to put all the important facts and figures on, which could not appear in the opening speech. Keep this Quick Reference Fact Sheet with you during committee session. If you did a good job with your research to predict the direction of the debate, your fact sheet will likely be useful in a follow-up speech, or to answer a Point of Information. Copying over these numbers, names and dates while researching will take little effort at the time, yet having them for reference later can be anything from helpful, to life-saving. Also if it is a multi-day conference, doing some research on your main opponents’ policies and countries can be useful

A MUN speech does not exist in a vacuum from everything else that happens in the room. It is part of a larger strategy looking to influence the policy outcome however it can. The right Clashes, Information and Calls to Action will not only guide your opening speech, but also the clauses you write, the allies you work with and the compromises you are willing to make. Being off clash can result in time and opportunity wasted and other blocks gaining ground on the floor. We should not expect to be perfect, it is practice and experience that brings about greater speeches. So, on the bright side, you can expect your MUN speeches to improve as you gain MUN experience.

Whether a beginner, intermediate or veteran, the power of a good speech is universal at all MUN conferences. To be able to set the Clash, strategically and constantly use relevant Information and get your Call to Action a central spot on the resolution, is what will distinguish the top delegates from the rest.

In a Nutshell

When writing a MUN opening speech / GSL speech, or any later speech, make sure you have your CIA threaded throughout your speeches and guiding them.

For the opening speech, clearly,  state which clash you’re talking about and on what side of it you’re on. Bring information/facts  and research which strengthens your speech and position.

Present / connect them to an actionable, practical solution that you want to implement.

As you continue throughout the committee session, repeat your main ideas in your follow up speeches. Connect your ideas to others when you can,  and connect them to others in the room.

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How To Identify if Your Toddler’s Speech Delay Is a Concern

Every child develops at their own pace, but it's important to know when your toddler's speech delay may be something to be concerned about.

• 12 to 18 Months
• 18 to 24 Months
• 2 to 3 Years

There is a wide range of what's considered "normal" language development in toddlers. Children hit milestones at different times and many factors can influence how much or how clearly a young child speaks.

For instance, children who live in a bilingual home may take a little longer to become fluent in either language (but in the long run, may have significantly better verbal skills than their peers). Toddlers in a family with older children sometimes speak later because older siblings "talk for them." Research also shows that children with ovaries speak earlier than those with testes on average.

Sometimes, though, speaking later than expected or speech that is unclear can signal a developmental delay or a physical problem. The first step is to determine whether your child's speech is really off target for their age. Use this list of speech-related milestones and signs of possible speech delay in toddlers age 3 and under when considering whether your little one's speech is progressing as expected.

Parents / Michela Buttignol

12- to 18-Month Speech Milestones

Around the first birthday, baby babble starts to change. As little ones try harder to imitate the sounds around them, the noises they make start to take the shape of actual words.

At this age, toddlers have a wide range of speech sounds . You’ll probably be able to recognize at least one or two common words, such as "baba" (for "bottle") or "mama" (for "mom"). Nouns that are, in a child's view, essential to daily life are usually the first words that they master.

Aside from those key words, your child’s speech at 12 months will mostly be limited to babbling sounds. Over the following six months, though, you should start to see your child begin to develop more advanced communication, such as:

• Trying to copy your words
• Imitating the back-and-forth of real conversation
• Inflecting speech to ask a question (saying "Ju?" when requesting juice) or make a demand (shouting "Ju!" when insisting on juice)
• Spontaneously using words, rather than just responding to sounds you make
• Using a combination of gestures and vocalized sounds to communicate

When evaluating your child's 12- to 18-months speech milestones it's important to pay attention to the words or sounds your child is making. Consider whether or not your toddler can follow simple one-step directions such as, "pick up the block."

18- to 24-Month Speech Milestones

There continues to be a wide range of normal in verbal skills during the 18-to 24-month period. Your child’s personality, temperament, and circumstances can play a role in how many words you hear and how often. On average, by the time your toddler reaches age 2, you can expect the following speech milestones:

• Increasingly adding words to their vocabulary
• Forming two-word phrases, although they won’t be grammatically correct (such as “no go,” “book read”)
• Using words to identify pictures in a book or surroundings
• Naming body parts and animals and sometimes making animal sounds (such as “moo” for cow)

It's still important to notice how well your child is able to comprehend what you say. Do they respond to you when you ask questions? Can they follow simple two-step commands by age 2? This is known as receptive language .

2- to 3-Year Speech Milestones

After the second birthday, there is usually an explosion in vocabulary and the use of more complex sentences. It's often said that a child's vocabulary grows to 200 or more words during this time. Some of the 2- to 3-year speech milestones to look for this year include:

• Saying more words and picking up new words regularly
• Combining three or more words into sentences (which may still be grammatically awkward)
• Beginning to identify colors, shapes, and concepts, such as "more" or "less" and "big" versus "little"
• Singing nursery rhymes and songs or repeating stories from books you've read often together
• Beginning to express feelings with words ("I hungry," "Sam sad")

The total number of words your child learns during this time is less important than a consistent increase in the number of words they start to use week by week.

At this age, it's still common for people outside your immediate family or regular caregivers to be unable to understand your child as well as you can. In the coming year, your child’s speech should become clearer and clearer. 

Key Takeaways

When determining whether your toddler has delayed speech, you should first evaluate if their speech is normal for their age. You can use speech-related milestones to look for signs of possible speech delay in toddlers. Milestones are broken up by age group and vary from copying words to identifying colors and shapes. Make sure to look through each milestone to determine if your little one's speech is progressing as expected. If you are concerned about your child's speech, talk to a pediatric health care provider about the causes of speech delays and ways you can support language development at home.

Sex Differences in Language Across Early Childhood: Family Socioeconomic Status does not Impact Boys and Girls Equally . Front. Psychol . 2015 .

Important Milestones: Your Child By One Year . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . 2023.

Important milestones: Your child by eighteen months . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . 2023.

Important milestones: Your child by two years . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . June 2023.

Related Articles

The Words We Use Give Our Children Their Scripts for Life

The words we choose can scar us or make us..

Posted July 25, 2024 | Reviewed by Margaret Foley

• What Is Body Image?
• Take our Disordered Eating Test
• Find a therapist to improve body image
• Words change how we feel about ourselves and our bodies.
• Words are transmitted through the generations.
• Words can give us a good or bad relationship with food.

I know I am "good at being busy," "pretty organised," "like to have fun," and "good at reading road signs." This is based on very little evidence, but at some time I was told this as a child and it has stuck.

Words matter and have the power to change how we see ourselves, how we behave, and even how we experience our own bodies.

Body and Food Scripts

Much of my work over the years has focused on body image and shows us that parents who use negative "body looking" words such as "fat" or "chubby" or negative "body doing" words, such as ''a couch potato" or "lazy," may well have heard these when they were children, often use these to their own children, and often have children who say these same words about themselves.

I have also studied eating behaviour and similarly found that words such as "treat," "greedy," and "picky" can travel through the generations.

Food and body scripts can therefore be lodged into our minds by our parents, and these then get passed onto our own children as we become parents ourselves. In the process, we create generations of those with either a healthy or an unhealthy relationship with food and body size. We may think negatively about how we look and eat without quite knowing why. But so might our parents, their parents before them, and unfortunately, our own children. And so it goes on.

But words can also change how we experience our own bodies. Hunger may feel like a biological process, but calling food "a snack" or a "meal" can change how much it fills us up and how much we then eat afterwards.

Likewise, conditions such as tonsillitis, gastroenteritis, or heart failure can feel different if they are referred to as "sore throat," "stomach upset," or "your heart isn’t pumping strongly enough," and how a doctor describes a patient’s polycystic ovary syndrome can change how they feel about their condition in the years to follow. Even on my run, when I call the hill a "hill" it feels much harder than when I tell myself, "It’s nearly coffee time!"

Images Matter Too

Sometimes it's not just the word that matters but also the images and the way something is framed. Having a big bandage over a wound rather than a small bandage can make the wound feel more worrying, and seeing an operation on a screen can make it more painful. Sometimes just lots of words in the form of a nice chat with a nurse during a conscious operation, such as having varicose veins removed, can make it hurt less.

Choose Your Words Wisely

In our daily lives, we chatter away, plucking words out of nowhere as we talk to those around us. But these words may well reflect the ones we heard as we were growing up, may impact those around us who are still growing up, and have the power to change how we think, what we do, and even how we feel about our bodies and who we are. Words really do matter. So choose wisely, try to break any bad patterns from the past, and create better ones for the future.

Jane Ogden, Ph.D., is currently a Professor at the University of Surrey, UK, where she teaches psychology, vet, nutrition, dietetic and medical students to think more psychologically about health.

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Sticking up for yourself is no easy task. But there are concrete skills you can use to hone your assertiveness and advocate for yourself.

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Watch CBS News

Read Obama's full statement on Biden dropping out

Updated on: July 21, 2024 / 11:00 PM EDT / CBS News

Former President Barack Obama issued a statement on Sunday afternoon, hours after President Biden announced he was dropping out of the presidential race .

Obama weighed in on his former vice president's unprecedented decision to step aside for what Mr. Biden said was the good of the Democratic Party and the country. Notably, Obama did not name or endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to be the nominee, even though Mr. Biden said she had his "full support and endorsement."

Read Obama's full statement below:

"Joe Biden has been one of America's most consequential presidents, as well as a dear friend and partner to me. Today, we've also been reminded — again — that he's a patriot of the highest order.   Sixteen years ago, when I began my search for a vice president, I knew about Joe's remarkable career in public service. But what I came to admire even more was his character — his deep empathy and hard-earned resilience; his fundamental decency and belief that everyone counts.   Since taking office, President Biden has displayed that character again and again. He helped end the pandemic, created millions of jobs, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, passed the first major piece of gun safety legislation in 30 years, made the biggest investment to address climate change in history, and fought to ensure the rights of working people to organize for fair wages and benefits. Internationally, he restored America's standing in the world, revitalized NATO, and mobilized the world to stand up against Russian aggression in Ukraine.   More than that, President Biden pointed us away from the four years of chaos, falsehood, and division that had characterized Donald Trump's administration. Through his policies and his example, Joe has reminded us of who we are at our best — a country committed to old-fashioned values like trust and honesty, kindness and hard work; a country that believes in democracy, rule of law, and accountability; a country that insists that everyone, no matter who they are, has a voice and deserves a chance at a better life.   This outstanding track record gave President Biden every right to run for re-election and finish the job he started. Joe understands better than anyone the stakes in this election — how everything he has fought for throughout his life, and everything that the Democratic Party stands for, will be at risk if we allow Donald Trump back in the White House and give Republicans control of Congress.   I also know Joe has never backed down from a fight. For him to look at the political landscape and decide that he should pass the torch to a new nominee is surely one of the toughest in his life. But I know he wouldn't make this decision unless he believed it was right for America. It's a testament to Joe Biden's love of country — and a historic example of a genuine public servant once again putting the interests of the American people ahead of his own that future generations of leaders will do well to follow.   We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead. But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges. I believe that Joe Biden's vision of a generous, prosperous, and united America that provides opportunity for everyone will be on full display at the Democratic Convention in August. And I expect that every single one of us are prepared to carry that message of hope and progress forward into November and beyond.   For now, Michelle and I just want to express our love and gratitude to Joe and Jill for leading us so ably and courageously during these perilous times — and for their commitment to the ideals of freedom and equality that this country was founded on."

• Kamala Harris
• Barack Obama

S. Dev is a news editor for CBSNews.com.

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King's Speech 2024: background briefing notes

Read the briefing notes on the announcements made in the 2024 King’s Speech.

The King's Speech 2024: background briefing notes

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King’s speech 2024: experts explain new government’s plans for workers’ rights, rail nationalisation, housebuilding and more

Professor of Urban Economics & Real Estate, University of Manchester

Senior Lecturer in Urban and Regional Planning, University of Liverpool

Senior Research Fellow, Energy Institute, University of Sheffield

Professor, Urban and Environmental Planning, University of Manchester

Associate Professor of Work and Employment, University of Southampton

Associate Professor in Education, University of Bristol

Professor of Industrial Strategy, Co-Director Centre for Governance, Regulation and Industrial Strategy (CGR&IS), University of Bath

Professor of Urban Planning and GISc, University of Manchester

Professor in Social Policy, University of York

Disclosure statement

Anupam Nanda's research has been funded/sponsored by various UK and international public and private funding bodies and companies, including UKRI, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (formerly), IPF, RICS. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS with IBG). He is a board member of the European Real Estate Society.

Colin Nolden receives funding from the British Academy through its Net Zero Governance Programme and from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) through its Phase 4 Programme. Colin also works as an expert peer-reviewer for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and as a non-executive director of Community Energy South.

Graham is a member of the Town and Country Planning Association and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society/ Institute of British Geographers. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS). He has received ESRC funding in the past for two projects on planning, plus one on sustainable urbanism and one on flood risk governance.

Jane Parry receives funding from the ESRC and the British Academy. She is a member of the Labour Party.

Lorna Smith is a member of the National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE), the English Association (EA) and the British Educational Research Association (BERA). None are politically affiliated.

Phil Tomlinson receives funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for Made Smarter Innovation: Centre for People-Led Digitalisation.

Richard Kingston currently receives funding from The Natural Environment Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council. He is a chartered member of The Royal Town Planning Institute and a member of the Town and Country Planning Association.

Ruth Patrick's work on the two-child limit and the benefit cap was funded by the Nuffield Foundation. She is a member of the Labour Party.

Chia-Lin Chen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Liverpool , University of Bristol , and University of Sheffield provide funding as founding partners of The Conversation UK.

University of York , University of Southampton , University of Bath , and University of Manchester provide funding as members of The Conversation UK.

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The king’s speech has been delivered, marking the state opening of parliament (technically, this was the first king’s speech with a Labour government in 74 years). The speech was written by Keir Starmer’s government, not the king, and lays out the government’s agenda for the coming year. Here, a team of The Conversation’s academic experts break down the key policies most likely to have a direct impact on people’s lives.

Read the rest of our expert reactions to the government’s plans for political reform here .

Rail nationalisation can help get carbon targets back on track

Chia-Lin Chen, Senior Lecturer in Urban and Regional Planning, University of Liverpool

The king’s speech endorses the government’s rail renationalisation plan. Great British Railways, a new arm’s length body, is expected to play an overarching role in bringing together the different agents – Network Rail and train operators – to simplify and improve rail services.

There is an urgent need to address these worsening services both in terms of affordability and reliability, and to regain trust from passengers. Electric cars should not be the only solution for a net zero future – rail has huge potential to contribute to decarbonisation.

The rail nationalisation of the 21st century should not be a repeat of the 1947 nationalisation programme. Instead, it should be strategic and look at the bigger picture, taking a holistic approach for both passenger and freight services.

For passengers, price, reliability and accessibility are key. At the same time, the government should plan to invest in long-term rail infrastructure and capacity. This is crucial to ensure the UK’s future mobility shifts to rail as the backbone of national transport infrastructure.

Stability and credibility in finances

Phil Tomlinson, Professor of Industrial Strategy, University of Bath

New legislation has been announced requiring tax and spending plans to be scrutinised by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). This is aimed squarely at underpinning the new government’s credibility with the financial markets. It means the OBR will be required to produce its own independent forecast (and assessment) of all “significant changes” to tax and spending set out in the chancellor’s budget.

This is the new government trying to convince markets that stability will be the “cornerstone” of its economic policy. In other words, it will not repeat former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s ill-fated mini-budget of unfunded borrowing for tax cuts in 2022 – for which the Treasury refused to publish an accompanying OBR forecast.

Instead, the king’s speech contained a promise that the new government will abide by self-imposed fiscal rules that effectively will be policed by the OBR. But this may prove to be a double-edged sword.

The UK’s fiscal rules – inherited from the previous government – limit government borrowing and require public debt to be falling as a proportion of GDP over a five-year period. The rules are based on OBR forecasts, but these have often been wrong because it is difficult to make accurate predictions for five years into the future.

Previous chancellors have tweaked the fiscal rules, but there may be less flexibility to do so in future. Given that OBR forecasts and assessments now have a new legal standing, thanks to the plans in the king’s speech, any changes to (or breaches of) the fiscal rules may lose the Treasury credibility in the markets.

Many economists have raised concerns that the fiscal rules are holding back much-needed public investment, which is constraining UK growth. The Institute for Government recently suggested these rules ought to be more flexible in their design and implementation, and should align with the government’s long-term priorities. It will be interesting to see if the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, heeds such advice.

Opportunities for worker wellbeing and employment rights

Jane Parry, Associate Professor of Work and Employment, University of Southampton

In promising to end “exploitative” working practices, the government can also play a key role in modelling and disseminating good practice – providing employers with tools for designing work systems that build healthy and productive workforces.

Plans announced in the king’s speech to enhance employment rights might include guidance on good practice for out-of-hours and non-traditional contracts , and making occupational health considerations a routine part of hybrid work design. And employers could also look at ways to scrutinise work proposals for any negative impacts on diversity.

The government can invest in trials and skills development around hybrid and flexible working , which would enhance access to decent work and offer greater agility for organisations. These might include innovation around third spaces of work such as libraries or community centres, and other workplace adaptations.

It will be important to ensure that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which provide the majority of UK employment , are not left behind in this innovation, and that all learning incorporates their unique needs. SMEs require support to ensure they can contribute towards sustainable growth of the economy.

Adapting to the COVID pandemic, and subsequently to hybrid working, has led to the most rapid period of learning in living memory for UK employers. This parliament could be the perfect time to place decent work and wellbeing at the centre of productivity discussions.

Accelerating investment in clean energy sources and services

Colin Nolden, Senior Research Fellow at the Energy Institute, University of Sheffield

Great British Energy, a publicly owned clean power company to be launched with headquarters in Scotland, is tasked with accelerating investment in clean energy sources. But it is unclear whether this will be achieved through public or private ownership of energy generation assets .

The establishment of an Industrial Strategy Council suggests a commitment to “mission orientation” – an approach that considers growth and prosperity as the main goals. The plan is to achieve this through long-term commitments to industrial, technological and service innovations which deliver specific outcomes – including clean energy and sustainable aviation fuel .

Meanwhile, the launch of Great British Railways, alongside more opportunities for collaboration among local and combined authorities, indicates support for public sector involvement in service provision at both local and regional levels.

These steps point towards a commitment to protect clean energy deployment that involves local authorities and community energy organisations from market pressures. Further innovation support among immature technologies – such as green hydrogen, floating offshore wind farms and tidal power – will enable more cost reductions. Public investment in mature technologies such as onshore and offshore wind will encourage private investment, while maintaining competitive market environments that help lower bills .

Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made. Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter , delivered every Friday throughout the campaign and beyond.

Failure to scrap two-child limit on benefits

Ruth Patrick, Professor of Social Policy, University of York

For researchers of poverty and social security, the king’s speech was most marked by what it didn’t contain, rather than what it did. While it was good to see a commitment to legislate on workers’ rights, there was very little proposed that will directly help the record numbers of children facing poverty across the UK.

A child wellbeing bill will be welcome, but it feels impossible to speak of the wellbeing of children while the two-child limit remains in place, gripping around 1.6 million children in poverty purely because of the number of brothers and sisters they have.

To properly address child poverty – rightly called a “stain on our society” by Liz Kendall, the new secretary of state for work and pensions – there is an urgent need to invest in social security, and start to reverse more than a decade of cuts and retrenchment in state support. The 4.3 million children in poverty and their families can wait no longer for change; they need support, and they need it now.

Getting Britain building could come with hidden costs

Graham Haughton, Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning; Anupam Nanda, Professor of Urban Economics & Real Estate; Richard Kingston, Professor of Urban Planning and GISc – all University of Manchester

To get Britain building, as was promised in the king’s speech, other building blocks are needed first, including more training for construction workers, building inspectors and planners. The speech nodded towards sustainability and reform of building regulations to address climate change, particularly energy performance in new buildings – this will be vital as well.

The danger of not getting these building blocks in place early is that the scale of proposed house building will derail other policy goals, such as controlling inflation, reducing energy costs, and achieving net zero targets.

If, over the next two years, homes are built at the rapid pace that has been proposed, it might contribute to diverting skills from other growth sectors, such as vital retrofit work for heat pump or solar installation. It could also potentially fuel labour shortages and some regional and national wage inflation – mainly in the south-east, where the gap between housing demand and supply is severe, and affordability is an especially serious issue.

While some increase in wages would be welcome after several years of stagnation, it is important to avoid returning to earlier periods of regional skill shortages and wage costs, especially now it is no longer possible to rely so much on attracting labour from EU countries.

So, training enough new construction workers, retraining existing workers, and attracting back those who have either left the labour market or moved into other sectors, will all be key to getting Britain building.

What improving education could look like

Lorna Smith, Associate Professor in Education, University of Bristol

The king’s speech announced the introduction of a bill “to raise standards in education and promote children’s wellbeing”. This legislation is likely to include the requirement that all state-funded schools follow the national curriculum. Academies and free schools will no longer be able to limit students’ opportunities and choices by, for instance, prioritising core subjects such as science and maths over wide technology and language options.

The children’s wellbeing bill looks set to also include a review of the whole curriculum . This is necessary. The curriculum needs to be revised and updated if it is to prepare young people for jobs not yet developed or even imagined.

A significant problem is the importance of assessment, which compels teachers to “teach to the test”. This means the key to revising the curriculum, and also the most significant challenge, is to simultaneously revise what is assessed and how this is done.

Exams, prioritised by the previous government, may not test the right skills and knowledge. A campaign is underway , for example, which calls on the government to reform the GCSEs in English Language and English Literature, describing them as “not fit for purpose”.

Traditional school subjects may be becoming outdated . And, now that young people must stay in education until 18, the question must be asked whether GCSEs at 16 are still necessary. If the national curriculum is to stay, this review must consult widely. It must listen to teachers in different communities, universities and employers – and listen carefully.

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'Border czar'? Kamala Harris assigned to tackle immigration's causes, not border security

If your time is short.

In March 2021, President Joe Biden tasked Vice President Kamala Harris with working alongside officials in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to address the issues driving people to leave those countries and come to the United States.

The Biden-Harris administration said it would focus on five key issues: economic insecurity, corruption, human rights, criminal gang violence and gender-based violence.

Border security and management is the Homeland Security secretary’s responsibility.

Vice President Kamala Harris might soon get a new official title: 2024 Democratic presidential nominee. In the meantime, Republicans have revived a title they gave her in 2021: "border czar." 

Claims that President Joe Biden named Harris the "border czar" and that she is responsible for overseeing U.S. border enforcement gained prominence at the Republican National Convention as the party sought to link her to his immigration policy. 

The refrain intensified once Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris. It was echoed in ads and by Trump campaign surrogates, including Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance , the Republican vice presidential nominee.

"Here’s Biden appointing Kamala Harris to be his border czar to deal with illegal immigration," a narrator says in a video the Republican National Committee posted on its X account, @GOP. "And here are a record number of illegal immigrants — 10 million and counting — flooding over the border after Harris was put in charge of stopping illegal immigration."

We’ve repeatedly fact-checked claims about the number of people entering the U.S. illegally under Biden. The federal data tracks how many times officials encountered a person trying to cross the southern border, but it doesn’t reflect the number of people let in. And if one person tries to cross the border multiple times, that counts as multiple encounters, even if it’s the same person. 

For this fact-check, we’re focused on the scope of Harris’ border responsibilities. 

"Border Czar Kamala Harris' reversal of President Trump's immigration policies has created an unprecedented and illegal immigration, humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border," Trump campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told PolitiFact in a statement. 

But Biden didn’t put Harris in charge of overseeing border security.

In a meeting with Harris in March 2021 , Biden said Harris would lead U.S. diplomatic efforts and work with officials in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to stem migration to the U.S. Biden said that when he was vice president, he "got a similar assignment" and that the Obama administration secured $700 million to help countries in Central America.

"One of the ways we learned is that if you deal with the problems in country, it benefits everyone. It benefits us, it benefits the people, and it grows the economies there," Biden said then.

Biden asked Harris "to be the chief diplomatic officer with Central American countries" and address the root causes that make people leave their home countries, said Michelle Mittelstadt, communications director for the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. 

Managing the border "has always been" the Homeland Security secretary’s role, Mittelstadt said.

Biden tasked Harris with addressing the root causes influencing people’s decisions to migrate to the United States.

"I’ve asked her … to lead our efforts with Mexico and the Northern Triangle and the countries that help — are going to need help in stemming the movement of so many folks, stemming the migration to our southern border," Biden said in March 2021.

Biden held a similar role as vice president to former President Barack Obama. In a 2015 New York Times opinion piece, Biden said he would work with the Northern Triangle’s leaders on security, anti-corruption and investment efforts in the region.

"Donald Trump’s administration didn’t really sustain this strategy, but what Harris sought to revive in 2021 ran along the same lines," said Adam Isacson, defense oversight director at Washington Office on Latin America, a group advocating for human rights in the Americas. 

Within weeks of Biden’s remarks about Harris’ role, Republicans including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., began calling Harris the " border czar " often in tandem with pointing out she had not yet been to the border.

In April 2021, when a reporter asked Harris whether she would visit the border, she said that her role is addressing the factors that make people leave their home countries, not managing the border.

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"The president has asked (Homeland Security) Secretary (Alejandro) Mayorkas to address what is going on at the border. And he has been working very hard at that, and it’s showing some progress because of his hard work," Harris said at an event . "I have been asked to lead the issue of dealing with root causes in the Northern Triangle, similar to what the then-vice president did many years ago."

Harris said she’d focus on economic struggles, violence, corruption and food insecurity in the countries. 

In June 2021, Harris visited El Paso, Texas, with Mayorkas. They outlined their responsibilities to reporters. Harris said she was addressing "the root causes of migration, predominantly out of Central America," and Mayorkas said, "It is my responsibility as the Secretary of Homeland Security to address the security and management of our border."

But this distinction didn’t stop critics from linking Harris with U.S.-Mexico border security. 

"The administration’s messaging on this in mid-2021 was not as clear as it should have been," Isacson said. "But at no time did Harris or the White House state that her duties included the U.S.-Mexico border, or border security."

Immigration experts said it’s hard to measure Harris’ success in her role, and that a "root causes" approach implies that the results will be seen long term, not immediately.

In July 2021, the administration published a strategy , with Harris writing the lead message, for confronting the factors that drive migration in Central America. The plan focused on economic insecurity, corruption, human rights, criminal gang violence and gender-based violence.

In March 2024, the administration said it secured more than $5.2 billion in private sector investments to the region. However, only about $1 billion has been distributed, the Partnership for Central America, a group working with the administration, reported .

The White House said the investments have generated more than 70,000 new jobs in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, provided job training to 1 million people and expanded digital access to 4.5 million people. 

"Still, her engagement on this issue has been sporadic," Isacson said. "She has not traveled very often to the region or otherwise sought to make ‘root causes in Central America’ a central theme of her vice presidency."

Illegal immigration at the U.S. southern border from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador has dropped since 2021. Encounters with people from other countries, Venezuela, have risen . 

"But it’s hard to prove that U.S. assistance is a central reason" for the Northern Triangle countries’ decline, Isacson said.

The issues pushing people to leave Central American countries "are extremely complex and require deep restructuring of so much in those societies," said Cecilia Menjivar, a sociology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles who specializes on immigration. "So it’s very difficult for one person to change all that, even if it is a powerful person."

Immigration patterns at the U.S.-Mexico border have more to do with conditions in Latin American countries than "any U.S. policy," Mittelstadt said. 

For example, a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has displaced nearly 8 million people since 2014, according to the United Nations. Political, economic and security crises in Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti and Ecuador have also led to more migration from these countries, Mittelstadt said. 

In contrast, immigration encounters with people from El Salvador have dropped in past years, partly because of the country’s crime crackdown .

The Republican National Committee said Biden appointed Harris "to be his border czar to deal with illegal immigration...Harris was put in charge of stopping illegal immigration."

Biden tasked Harris with addressing the root causes that drive migration to the United States. He did not task her with controlling who and how many people enter the southern U.S. border. That's the Homeland Security secretary’s responsibility.

Experts say that seeing the results of addressing root causes driving people out of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras  — violence, economic insecurity and corruption — takes time.

The statement contains an element of truth, but it ignores critical facts that would give a different impression. We rate it Mostly False.

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Truth Social, post , July 22, 2024

The Hill, House Republicans tee up vote condemning Harris as ‘border czar’ , July 23, 2024

C-SPAN, Sen. J.D. Vance campaign rally in Radford, Virginia , July 22, 2024

GOP, post on X , July 21, 2024

PolitiFact, Francis Suarez’s misleading claim about millions of migrants getting free cellphones, plane tickets , July 28, 2024

PolitiFact, There aren’t 20 million to 30 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally, as Sen. Marco Rubio claimed , June 11, 2024

The White House, Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris in a meeting on immigration , March 24, 2021

PolitiFact, Central America and the root causes of migration to the US , June 7, 2021

The New York Times, Joe Biden: A Plan for Central America , Jan. 29, 2015

The White House, Remarks by Vice President Harris at virtual roundtable of experts on the Northern Triangle , April 14, 2021

The White House, Remarks by Vice President Harris, Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas, Chairman Durbin, and Representative Escobar in press gaggle , June 25, 2021

Fox News, Obama-era DHS secretary: 'There's a real problem' when you have 'bipartisan outrage' , July 23, 2024

The White House, FACT SHEET: Strategy to address the root causes of migration in Central America , July 29, 2021

The White House, FACT SHEET: Vice President Harris announces public-private partnership has generated more than $5.2 billion in private sector commitments for Northern Central America , March 25, 2024

Migration Policy Institute, Shifting patterns and policies reshape migration to U.S.-Mexico border in major ways in 2023 , October 2023

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Venezuela crisis explained , April 17, 2024

PolitiFact, Donald Trump fact-check: 2024 RNC speech in Milwaukee full of falsehoods about immigrants, economy , July 19, 2024

CBS News, The facts about Kamala Harris' role on immigration in the Biden administration , July 23, 2024

Email interview, Michelle Mittelstadt, communications director for the Migration Policy Institute, July 22, 2024

Email interview, Adam Isacson, defense oversight director at Washington Office on Latin America, July 22, 2024

Email interview, Henry Ziemer, research associate for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, July 22, 2024

Email interview, Cecilia Menjivar, sociology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, July 22, 2024

Statement, Karoline Leavitt,  Trump campaign national press secretary, July 23, 2024

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'Border czar'? Kamala Harris assigned to tackle immigration's causes, not border security

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