Enunciate means to "speak clearly." Proper enunciation is key for public speakers and is also useful for singers and actors. One of the quickest ways to practice enunciation is to use songs from Broadway shows. Find lyrics from such shows as "Pirates of Penzance." "Modern Major General" from Penzance is quite effective. Print the lyrics and make copies. Give a copy to each student.
Instructions are to ensure that the students pronounce the words completely, exaggeratedly, even. For example, the first line of "Modern Major General" says, "I am the very model of a modern major general." It would be pronounced as, "I AM the ve/RY mo/DEL OF A mo/DERN ma/JOR ge/NE/RAL." The capital letters show where the emphasis should be placed. Follow this same process through the rest of the song. Assign different stanzas to different students and have them commit their section to memory. Choose a day when the students will deliver their stanzas. Repeat these exercises, as needed, using songs and poems from other Broadway shows.
This exercise involves learning to argue an issue from opposing positions. Assign each student a point of view to argue. This can be an extemporaneous assignment or it can be given on one day, allowing the student to research the issue. Once the student has delivered the speech from one position, direct him or her to now argue from the counterpoint on the same issue. This portion of the assignment should be done off the cuff. Part of being a public speaker is being able to speak authoritatively at a moment's notice.
Create a monologue for each student, culling them from movies, books, TV shows and TV scripts. The key is to have the students deliver the same monologue utilizing a broad range of emotions, such as anger, happiness, despair or fear. Critique the students on their understanding of the emotions and how they used them to sell the monologue. Learning when and how to make an impassioned speech is a key skill for a public speaker. The knowledge of how one's emotions come across is integral to this skill.
Have students practice variations of a speech they have written. Have them start out with a 30-minute speech, then a 15-minute, 5-minute, 1-minute and 30-second speech. Students should be able to encapsulate the gist of their speech within the 30-second speech. Part of getting the timed speech right is knowing the approximate length of each speech. Cutting down the speeches also helps students to understand the importance of proper word use and how language conveys meaning.
Have students study the speeches of such great orators as Aristotle, Churchill and Martin Luther King. Students should also listen to the speakers to get an idea of their cadences and mannerisms. Have them compare and contrast the styles of different speakers to determine the speaker's strong points. Another exercise is to have each student deliver a portion of these speeches but allow the student to modify the subject matter for present day. Critique the students on how well they were able to update the content of these classic speeches.