Speaking to be heard and to persuade
Speaking well in public is one of the most valuable skills you can build. Presentations and debates appear in classrooms, universities, workplaces and communities. They require the same foundations as strong writing (clear purpose, organization and evidence) plus effective delivery.
Part 1: Oral presentations
An oral presentation is a prepared talk designed to inform, persuade or engage an audience.
Plan
- Purpose: What should the audience know, feel or do afterward?
- Audience: What do they already know? What will interest them?
- Main message: Can you state it in one sentence?
- Time limit: Plan roughly 130 to 150 spoken words per minute.
Structure
Introduction
– Hook: a question, surprising statistic, short story or striking image.
– Purpose and thesis.
– Preview of main points.
Body
– Two to four main points, each with evidence or examples.
– Signposting: First…, My second point…, Finally… Signposting helps listeners follow along, since they cannot re-read.
– Transitions linking ideas.
Conclusion
– Summary of key points.
– Memorable ending: call to action, return to the hook, powerful quotation or image.
Listeners remember beginnings and endings best, so make them strong.
Visual aids
A visual aid should support, not replace, your message.
- Slides: one idea per slide; minimal text (avoid paragraphs); large, readable fonts; high-quality images.
- Charts: simple and clearly labelled.
- Objects and demonstrations: effective for hands-on topics.
- Do not read your slides. The audience can read faster than you speak.
- Credit images and data.
Delivery
| Element | Tips |
|---|---|
| Voice | project to the back of the room; vary pitch and volume for emphasis |
| Pace | slow down for key points; pause before and after important ideas |
| Eye contact | look at different sections of the audience; avoid staring at notes or slides |
| Posture | stand tall, feet planted, shoulders relaxed |
| Gestures | natural and purposeful; avoid fidgeting |
| Filler words | reduce um, like, you know; replace with pauses |
Notes
Use brief notes or cue cards with keywords, not a full script. This keeps your delivery conversational.
Managing nerves
- Practise aloud several times, ideally in front of others.
- Know your opening extremely well.
- Breathe deeply before starting.
- Reframe nerves as energy.
- Focus on your message and audience, not on yourself.
Handling questions
- Listen fully; repeat or rephrase the question if needed.
- Answer concisely.
- If you do not know, say so honestly and offer to follow up.
Part 2: Debate
A debate is a structured exchange of arguments on a resolution (also called a motion). Teams argue for (proposition / affirmative / government) or against (opposition / negative).
Be it resolved that Canada should lower the voting age to 16.
Common formats
- Parliamentary debate (common in Canada): teams of two or three; speakers deliver constructive speeches and rebuttals; opponents may offer a point of information (a brief question) during speeches.
- Cross-examination debate: speakers question opponents directly between speeches.
- Lincoln-Douglas (one-on-one): focuses on values and philosophy.
Building arguments
Each argument needs:
1. Claim: a clear statement.
2. Reasoning: why it is true.
3. Evidence: facts, statistics, examples, expert opinion.
4. Impact: why it matters, and how much.
A helpful structure: ARE (Assertion, Reasoning, Evidence) plus impact.
Rebuttal
Rebuttal is responding to opponents’ arguments.
- Listen and take notes (flowing) during opponents’ speeches.
- Identify weaknesses: lack of evidence, faulty logic, exaggerated impacts, irrelevance.
- Respond directly: My opponent claims…, but…
- Weigh: explain why your arguments matter more (scope, probability, severity, timeframe).
Debate etiquette
- Attack arguments, never people.
- Be respectful and listen actively.
- Follow time limits and rules.
- Speak clearly and confidently.
- Be gracious in victory and defeat.
Skills debate builds
- Thinking on your feet.
- Understanding multiple perspectives (you may be assigned a side you disagree with).
- Research and evidence evaluation.
- Persuasive speaking and active listening.
Worked example: a debate argument
Resolution: Be it resolved that high schools should ban cellphones during class.
Proposition argument:
– Assertion: Phones reduce learning.
– Reasoning: Notifications interrupt concentration, and switching tasks takes time to recover from.
– Evidence: Research on attention suggests that even the presence of a phone can reduce available cognitive capacity.
– Impact: Lower focus over hundreds of class hours adds up to significant lost learning, especially for students who already struggle.
Opposition rebuttal:
My opponents assume a ban is the only solution, but clear classroom policies, such as phones face down until needed, can reduce distraction while preserving phones’ value for research and emergency contact. A blanket ban treats the symptom, not the skill of self-regulation students will need for the rest of their lives.
Common mistakes
- Reading from slides or a script.
- Too much text on slides.
- Speaking too quickly due to nerves.
- No clear structure or signposting.
- In debate: ignoring opponents’ arguments, making personal attacks, asserting without evidence.
Try it yourself
- Write a hook for a presentation on ocean plastic.
- Rewrite this slide text as a short bullet: Plastic pollution is a really big problem because there is so much of it in the oceans and it hurts animals.
- Give one argument and one rebuttal for: Be it resolved that homework should be banned in elementary school.
- Name two ways to reduce filler words.
Possible answers: 1. By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight, according to one widely cited estimate. 2. Ocean plastic harms wildlife. 3. Argument: young children benefit more from play and family time. Rebuttal: brief reading practice at home supports literacy. 4. Practise aloud; replace fillers with pauses; record and review yourself.
Study tip
Record yourself presenting for two minutes. Watch it once with the sound off (to check body language) and once without looking (to check voice and filler words).
Quick recap
- Presentations need a clear purpose, structure, signposting and strong opening and ending.
- Visual aids should support, not replace, your message.
- Effective delivery uses voice, pace, eye contact and gestures.
- Debate arguments need assertion, reasoning, evidence and impact.
- Rebuttal responds directly to opponents and weighs arguments; always debate respectfully.