By Daisy Wong
It might be your worst nightmare, but eventually, everyone is going to have to give an impromptu speech sometime in their life. Although the gut instinct is to start panicking, the biggest enemy in giving impromptu speeches is you. You need to convince yourself that you will give a good impromptu speech because you are more than capable of giving an excellent impromptu speech. An easy way to give an impromptu speech is to use the PREP method.
But you’re probably wondering, what exactly is the prep method? PREP stands for point, reason, evidence, and point.
- Point 1: The first point you should make is your claim. The claim sets up your speech and tells your audience what your main point is.
- Reason: Give reasons as to why your claim is true.
- Evidence: Use evidence and examples to back up your claim.
- Point 2: Conclude by restating your point in different words!
Now that we understand how to use the prep method, let’s see the prep method in action with this impromptu speech example using the PREP method:
P: Soft skills, personal attributes, and interpersonal skills that facilitate self-growth, are often underrated compared to hard skills. This should not be the case.
R: While hard skills are acquired skills that can be measured and tested, they usually can only be applied to one or two subject areas. Soft skills on the other hand can be used in almost every aspect of life and can set the foundation for a strong career and social life.
E: In schools today, we rarely see classes that educate us on leadership, creativity, or emotional intelligence, but rather on hard skills such as calculating fractions, grammar rules, and standard equations. Soft skills can better help our education by allowing us to think more creatively and enhancing long-term memory by fostering connections between subjects.
P: Thus, while soft skills are currently underrated, they should be given more credit because they can be used in multiple aspects of our life!
As you give your speech with the PREP method, there are some other quick tricks that you can use. For example, focus on what you already know. Impromptu speeches make you want to concentrate on things that you don’t know, but you should have at least some knowledge of what you are talking about. Try not to ramble and get sidetracked. Keep in mind, “less is more”, stick to the target, and keep things short and to the point. Also, remember that speeches are just conversations! You have conversations every day, this speech is no different. Go with the natural flow of conversation and you’ll be at ease.
References
The-prep-framework-an-easy-way-to-give-excellent-impromptu-speeches
How-to-give-an-impromptu-speech-when-you-have-zero-prep-time
https://rigorousthemes.com/blog/best-impromptu-speech-tips-with-examples/