Understand the student body prior to making your speech. It is critical to learn as much about your audience as possible. Retrieve information such as the racial demographics of the school, gender enrollment ratios, any significant academic and athletic accomplishments, and other pertinent information. Ascertain which information can be useful toward shaping the content of your speech.
Choose your words carefully to address all members of the audience. Refrain from using words or expressions that may apply to a particular culture to avoid the risk of alienating a portion of the audience. Refrain from using too much body language and visual gestures. Instead, make eye contact with the students. Because members of the student body may interpret your speech differently, try not to deviate from the main points in your speech.
Accommodate the needs of the diverse students. Depending on the type of school, you may have individuals who are vision or hearing impaired. Make special seating arrangements for these students so they will get the most from your speech. If possible, provide a sign-language interpreter or visual aids such as a PowerPoint presentation for the hearing impaired.