The Demonstration Speech

"This is how we do it . . ."

                                      Bel Biv DeVoe

“A demonstration speech is a form of informative speech where the speaker’s primary purpose is to teach the audience how to complete a task (or process).”

A demonstration speech is about training the audience to perform a task or complete a process. Just as with any educational task, it helps tremendously if your audience is motivated to learn.

This is why it’s important to tell your audience how they will benefit from the knowledge you are about to share. Once your audience knows why they are learning this new task, they will be motivated to learn.

Will learning this new task or process help your audience:

• Earn or save money?
• Earn a promotion?
• Build their range of skills?
• Save them time?
• Make their life easier?
• Provide enjoyment or satisfaction?
• Make them happy?

There are many ways to motivate your audience, but one of the best ways is to open with a story. Paint a picture of how their life will improve with this new knowledge.

This speech requires a high degree of creativity, so take chances with it and give it some thought. Talk about something you know about and satisfy the needs of your audience.

1. Find a topic that is closely related to your hobbies, skills, favorite sports, or interests. Organize your rough ideas on good speech topics. Make a list of the things you love to do or make.

2. Now develop your demonstration speech topic. The easiest way is to show how to do something, how something is done, how to make something, or how something works. Start with one of these example phrases. Fill in the informative topic of your choice:
1. How to make…
2. How to fix…
3. How to use…
4. How to do…
5. How ... works
6. How ... is done, produced or made

Take a look at this: 

Mario making something delish . . .

Examining Mario

What does Mario do that's so effective as a demonstration speech?

• He is an expert in his content, which allows him to 'multi-task'
• He uses tangents to be interesting and to have something to say while he's cooking
• He gives the audience details about his subject
  • little background information we'd find interesting
  • these bits are likely prepared and thought of ahead of time
• ingredients/materials are prepared ahead of time and ready to be used
• He has obviously practiced
  • he's not "thinking" about what he's doing, he's just doing it
• He doesn't over-narrate
• over-describing would be boring, so he tells stories and gives interesting information as we watch his hands
• Like a television sports' announcer, he realizes we can see what he's doing

For Next Class

List at least five things you can do as well as Mario.

We will discuss your ideas and how to set them up in the public speaking template. 

MEANWHILE

Start thinking about how you will record your video. 

You may need someone to help you record your work or you can set up your iPad or phone at a distance to record yourself.