Definition
A demonstration speech is a speech, which pursues a practical goal of instructing the audience how to perform an action easily and effectively.
Characteristics
A demonstration speech is a complex one since a speaker combines verbal explanations, visual aids and practical showing. With the help of a demonstration speech one can teach how to acquire a skill, accomplish some procedure, and understand the nature of a process.
Preparatory research
A careful preparatory research should precede writing a demonstration speech. A speaker should necessarily answer a set questions as follows:
1) Will the group be interested in the topic of the demonstration speech? In case the answer is negative, a speaker should think over some additional attention-getters such as visuals aids, testimonies, statistics to justify the indispensability of learning a skill;
2) Is the process of a skill acquisition properly timed?
3) Is the audience prepared for learning a skill? Which are the auxiliary patterns for them to interiorize?
4) Which are the hardest and the easiest stages of learning a skill?
Structure/outline
Structurally, a demonstration speech consists of three parts: an introduction, a body and a conclusion. A model outline for a demonstration speech is represented below:
1) Introduction:- Attracting attention to the problem in question; – Announcing what you are going to demonstrate in your speech and which exact results you are going to achieve;
– Giving preparatory technical explanations (e.g. facilitating the perception of new terms you will use in your speech);
2) Body:- Explaining how to perform an action, acquire a skill, accomplish some procedure; – Warning the audience against possible errors, giving helpful tips;
– Showing the results;
3) Conclusion:- Short review of the previous stages of the demonstration speech in order to foster memorizing the new information;
– Making a summary and referring back to introduction and initial statements.
Topics/basic concepts
A demonstration speech otherwise called a “how to speak” supposes shedding light upon issues such as “how to install Windows XP”, “how to join a blog”, “how to cook a barbecue”
Requirements
A demonstration speech should meet a number of basic requirements such as:
1) Brevity: a model demonstration speech is 4 to 6 minutes long;
2) Logicality and simplicity: a demonstration speech is normally dedicated to learning the most effective way to fulfill a task;
3) Having a definite ending point: an evident result of activity is the only acceptable culmination of a successful demonstration speech;
4) Visual support: a demonstration speech must enroll around a visual presentation because the people are not able to recreate all stages of presentation in their imagination.