1. Oral Communication Mrs. Johnson
Informative Speaking

2. Informative Speaking
A speech to inform shares information with others to enhance their knowledge or understanding of the concept and ideas presented.
When you inform someone, you assume the role of a teacher by defining, illustrating, clarifying, or elaborating on a topic.

3. Goals of Informative Speaking
Speak to enhance understanding
When speaking to enhance understanding, you must first make sure you are using words that your listeners will interpret in the same way as you do.
Speak to maintain interest
If audience members feel they will benefit from your speech in some way, your speech will interest them.
And an interesting speech commands attention as well as respect

4. Goals of Informative Speaking
Speak to be remembered
One day after hearing a presentation, most audience members will remember only about half of what they were told.
And they will recall only 25% two weeks later.
Your job as an informative speaker is to improve on those statistics.

5. Types of Informative Speeches
Description
Sample Topics
Speech about Objects
Presents information about tangible things
The Rosetta Stone
Museums
International space station
Voting Machines
Speech about People
Describes either famous people or personal acquaintances
Sojourner Truth
Nelson Mandela
Indira Gandhi
Your granddad
Your favorite teacher
Speech about Ideas
Presents abstract information or discusses principles, concepts, theories, or issues
Communism
Success
Buddhism
Reincarnation
Speech about Events
Describes an event that either has happened or will happen
The 2005 Southeast Asia Tsunami
Inauguration Day
Cinco de Mayo

6. Strategies to Enhance Audience Understanding
Preview main ideas in introduction
Tell your listeners how what you present relates to a previous point
Frequently summarize key ideas
Provide a handout prior to your talk with the major points outlined; leave space so that listeners can jot down key ideas
Once you announce your topic and outline, stay on message
Don’t present too much information too quickly

7. Strategies to Maintain Audience Interest: Establishing a Motive for Listening
Tell a story
The characteristics of a well-told story are simple yet powerful.
A good story includes conflict, action, suspense, and maybe some humor.
Present information that relates to listeners
Be aware of information that your audience can use.
For example, if you are talking about recycling be sure to talk about specific efforts on your campus or in the community.

8. Strategies to Enhance Audience Recall
Build in redundancy
Repeat key points
Give a clear preview at the beginning of your talk as well as a summary statement in your conclusion.
Use numeric signposts (My first point… My second point…)
Pace your information
Organize your speech so that you present an even flow of information, rather than bunching up a number of significant details around one point.

9. Strategies to Enhance Audience Recall (continued)
Reinforce key ideas verbally
You can reinforce an idea by using such phrases as “This is the most important point” or “Be sure to remember this next point.”
Reinforce key ideas nonverbally
A well-placed pause can provide emphasis and reinforcement to set off a point. Pause just before you make an important point.
Raise or lower your voice can also reinforce a key idea.
Moving from behind the podium to tell a personal anecdote can signal that something special is about to be said.

10. Ethics Question
Even during times of intense personal crisis – for example, following the death of a family member – the press relentlessly pursues celebrities to try to elicit impromptu statements. Is this an ethical practice? Does the public’s right to know justify the invasion of privacy?