Oral Communication

Oral Communication in Context

Quarter 2 – Module 11: Principles of Effective Speech Writing: Duration of Speech
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education - Schools Division of Pasig City

Development Team of the Self-Learning Module

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Editor: Arlene Donor
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Management Team: Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin
OIC-Schools Division Superintendent
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Chief, Curriculum Implementation Division

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Liza A. Alvarez (Science/STEM/SSP)
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Norlyn D. Conde EdD (MAPEH/SPA/SPS/HOPE/A&D/Sports)
Wilma Q. Del Rosario (LRMS/ADM)
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Perlita M. Ignacio PhD (EsP)
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 Oral Communication

Quarter 2
Self-Learning Module 11
Principles of Effective Speech Writing:
Duration of Speech
Introductory Message

For the Facilitator:

Welcome to the Oral Communication Self-Learning Module on Principles of

Effective Speech Writing: Duration of Speech.

This Self-Learning Module was collaboratively designed, developed, and reviewed

by educators from the Schools Division Office of Pasig City headed by its Officer-in-
Charge Schools Division Superintendent, Ma. Evalou Concepcion A. Agustin, in
partnership with the City Government of Pasig through its mayor, Honorable Victor Ma.
Regis N. Sotto. The writers utilized the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum using
the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) in developing this instructional
resource.

This learning material hopes to engage the learners in guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Further, this also aims to help learners
acquire the needed 21st-century skills especially the 5 Cs, namely: Communication,
Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Character while taking into
consideration their needs and circumstances.

In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body
of the module:

Notes to the Teacher

This contains helpful tips or strategies that
will help you in guiding the learners.

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module.
You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to manage
their learning. Moreover, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners as they
do the tasks included in the module.
For the learner:

Welcome to the Oral Communication Self-Learning Module on Principles of

Effective Speech Writing: Duration of Speech.

The hand is one of the most symbolized parts of the human body. It is often used
to depict skill, action, and purpose. Through our hands, we may learn, create, and
accomplish. Hence, the hand in this learning resource signifies that you as a learner is
capable and empowered to successfully achieve the relevant competencies and skills at
your own pace and time. Your academic success lies in your own hands!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities
for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be enabled to
process the contents of the learning material while being an active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectations - This points to the set of knowledge and skills that

you will learn after completing the module.

Pretest - This measures your prior knowledge about the lesson at

hand.

Recap - This part of the module provides a review of concepts and

skills that you already know about a previous lesson.

Lesson - This section discusses the topic in the module.

Activities - This is a set of activities that you need to perform.

Wrap-Up - This section summarizes the concepts and application

of the lesson.

Valuing - This part integrates a desirable moral value in the

lesson.

Posttest - This measures how much you have learned from the
entire module.
 EXPECTATIONS

This is your self-instructional learner module in Oral Communication in

Context. All the activities provided in this lesson will help you learn and
understand: Principles of Effective Speech Writing: Duration of Speech.
Specifically, you will learn the following:
1. define duration;
2. identify factors affecting duration of speech; and
3. cite the importance of considering time in speech.

PRETEST

Direction: Write the letter of the correct answer on the space before the number.

_____1. Is a person who delivers a speech that sets out the central theme of a
conference
A. Real Speaker C. Main Speaker
B. Keynote Speaker D. Guest Speaker

_____2. How do I know (as a speaker) when I am being boring?

A. You exceeded the allotted time
B. Look at the audience’s reaction
C. You get no response from your simple queries
D. All of the above

_____3. This refers to the length of time the speaker takes in his/her speech
A. Time allotment C. Soundness
B. Duration D. Pace

_____4. How does choice of words matter in the duration of your speech?
A. Choice of words will dictate your depth
 B. To avoid stumbling on them
C. Some words are either too long or too short
D. It doesn’t matter

_____5. Rehearsing your speech duration best helps in __________

A. managing your topics
B. adding confidence to preparedness
C. making sure that no topic is rushed
D. All of the above

RECAP

Can you still remember the importance of audience profile in speech

writing? What do you think are the means to build a good connection between
the speaker and the audience? Write your answer below.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

LESSON

Many people advocate for short speeches because people are losing their
attention spans. But we have seen speakers get up, speak very vaguely, be very
abstract, dump a bunch of data on the audience, and nobody remembered it
after two minutes.
On the other hand, some speakers stand up to speak in the morning and
speak until midnight and the audience still wants more because they are
interesting, engaging, and memorable with lots of stories and anecdotes that
related and interacted with the audience. So it is not necessarily about speaking
for a shorter period, it is about how interesting you are.
There is no exact definition of duration as applied in speech and or public
speaking. According to Longman Dictionary, duration refers to the the length of
time that something continues- in this case your speech.
How long should a speaker speak? The answer to this fundamental
question of speech writing, like so many others, depends on a wide range of
factors.

1. The Audience
Is your audience a squirming group of five-year-olds? Or is it a crowd
of laid-back fifty-year-olds? Will you be talking to folks who have already
had to sit for hours listening to other speech makers, or will you be the
only public speaker at the event? Depending upon your listeners, you’ll
want to adjust the length of your talk to fit what you believe they need and
expect.
2. The Subject Matter
Some speech subjects are fairly cut and dry. For instance, if you’re
asked to give a quick talk about the sales data for the first quarter of the
year, you can probably be exact without leaving out much information.
(Just as a side note, a chart will be a helpful visual, too, and can shorten
a speech by taking the place of an unnecessary description.)
On the other hand, if you’re expected to give a lecture on the history
of Renaissance painters and their unique styles of teaching apprentices,
you probably won’t be able to (nor would you want to) abbreviate your
topic.
3. Your Role
Are you one of many public speakers at the event in which you’re
giving a talk? Or are you the “keynote”? A keynote speaker is a person who
delivers a speech that sets out the central theme of a conference. Your role
(and you should be aware of this before the occasion) will absolutely guide
expectations as to length of your speech.
 4. The Mood
Is what you have to say potentially going to be received with
hostility? Or will the crowd be pleased with what you have to tell them?
Sometimes, the mood of the speech can determine the length, especially if
you have “bad” news to tell listeners. Obviously, brevity is best when the
subject matter is expected to generate some level of negativity, whereas
you can speak for longer periods about a pleasant theme.

Five (5) Ways to Write a Better Speech considering Duration

The first place you can work out your timing is during the writing phase.
If you're the sort that likes to write out your speech in full beforehand, you can
judge the length of your written speech based on your speaking rate.

1) Learn your time limit and calculate your word count. The average person
speaks at somewhere between 125 and 150 words per minute. It’s almost
always better to speak more slowly than too quickly.
2) No matter how long the speech, always divide it into five parts: an
introduction, point 1, point 2, point 3 and a conclusion. Or, in other words,
tell people what you’re going to tell them, tell them what you want to say and
then wrap up by telling them what you just said. This format is adaptable to
a speech of just about any length, here a 20-minute speech is divided as
follows:
Introduction: 2 minutes
Point 1: 5 minutes
Point 2: 5 minutes
Point 3: 5 minutes
Conclusion: 3 minutes
(20inutes)
3) Vary your speaking speed. Audiences sometimes get bored listening to
speeches — even good ones — and that’s why you should try to make your
delivery as interesting and varied as your words. One of the ways you can do
that is to change your speed. If you have a story or statement that excites you
then speak quickly so that the speed of your talking matches your excitement.
 If you’re saying something important or dramatic, then S-L-O-W down for
emphasis.
4) Write for the ear rather than the eye. Make sure the language you use is
easy to say — even if you’re writing the speech for someone else. Say it out
loud many times, so you can check to ensure there are no stumbling blocks.
Use concrete, everyday words (for example, “use” instead of “utilize”) and
make sure your sentences are short enough that you don’t have to gasp for
breath in the middle of them. Be sure to use contractions, because that’s how
real people speak.
5) Be brief. If you’re asked to speak for 60 minutes, make it 45 or 50. If the goal
is 20, make it 18. If the target is five, aim for 3.5. No one ever complained
about a speech that was too short. Audience will love you for this.

There are only two main reasons why keeping the time is crucial: for you
and your audience.

1. Leaner, cleaner speeches for you

Making sure your speech is well-timed requires rehearsal, and that
will force you to think in detail about what parts of your script are critical
to making your point. Knowing the flow and pace of your own narrative
will give you a better sense of the information you are trying to convey and
whether or not it will make sense to your audience.
2. Keep the audience focused
Keeping to time shows respect for your audience and ensures that
you deliver a focused presentation that makes an impact. When planning
a speech, it is important to know about the audience and to adapt the
message to the audience. You want to prepare an audience-centered
speech, a speech with a focus on the audience
Guided Practice
Exercise: Tell whether the statement is true or false

1. Many events will have timing signals provided so time is not of major
concern in speech.
- While it is true that most events have timing signals, the duration of your
speech is a top priority in any type of speech. False.
2. Many presenters run out of time because they have not taken all aspects
of their performance into account when planning and rehearsing their
presentation.
- True. When planning your presentation, it is important to understand
what can be achieved in the allocated time and rehearsals will play a
vital role in that.
3. When you have written the content of your speech, it is no longer
important to map out how it will be delivered.
- False. When you have identified your main points, you can move on to
illustrate your argument with appropriate supporting information.
Choose the supporting detail for each main point carefully to find one or
two examples that make a real impact and will be remembered.
4. When delivering your presentation, keeping an eye on the passage of time
is very impossible.
- It may be true in a sense if you failed to have at least the necessary
practice to make up for it. All speakers have a unique delivery and style.
Many presenters rely on their own mental awareness of time passing to
keep themselves to time. False.
5. When planning your speech, put aside your notes and write a simple
outline of your talk.
- True. although one speaker varies from the other, great speakers rely
heavily on outlines. This outline should be based on a series of main
points structured in a logical order. Make sure that you can express each
of the key points in a few words or a simple sentence.
 ACTIVITIES

Activity 1
This is one of the shortest speeches of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the
119th Police Service Anniversary Celebration. Deliver the speech and check your
duration using the table below.

My warmest greetings to the Philippine National Police as you celebrate the 119th
Anniversary of the Police Service.
For more than a century, the brave men and women of our police force have been
the vanguard of peace and order across the country.
I congratulate everyone — especially the outstanding units and deserving
personnel that will be awarded today — for your crucial role in making the PNP a
highly dynamic, professional and responsive organization.
Be assured of our nation’s gratitude for your significant contributions to our
campaign against illegal drugs, criminality and terrorism.
I likewise extend our appreciation for your selfless service as frontliners in our
fight against COVID-19 pandemic. I ask you to ensure that the PNP will remain
pandemic-resilient by adopting protective protocols in the new normal.
May you build on the gains of your achievements and continue to serve with honor
and justice.
Again, happy anniversary. Mabuhay kayong lahat!
(SOURCE: PCOO-PND Presidential News Desk)

Parts of the Speech Duration per parts

Introduction:
Point 1:
Point 2:
Point 3:
Conclusion:
Activity 2
Using the same speech, rate your self-based on the rubric below.

Criteria 4 3 2 1
Consistently Changes voice Limited Did not
changes voice to engage changes of changes voice.
Tone
to engage audience voice to engage
audience audience
Uses Uses Limited use No
appropriate appropriate appropriate appropriate
Volume
volume all the volume most volume volume all the
time of the time time
Timing is Timing is Timing is There is no
Timing consistently sufficiently inconsistent. timing.
paced. paced.

Activity 3
Watch or listen to a news or a speech in any platform (TV, radio, Social media)
and fill up the following table:

Name of Topic/Mai Duration of the Speed Voice quality Comments

the News n Idea Speech (How fast or (How clear is if any
Anchor/ (How many how slow did the vocal
Speaker minutes was the the speaker delivery of
speech/news?) delivers?) the speaker?)

WRAP-UP

Based on your outputs from the different activities, cite at least three importance
of considering time when giving a speech.

1. ________________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________________
 VALUING

Read and explain the following quotations about speech duration from famous
personalities. Write your answers on a sheet of paper.

1. Average speakers plan for average attention spans. Great speakers plan for
optimal attention spans. –Alf Rehn
2. “No one can remember more than three points.” –Phil Crosby
3. “If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.”
–Dianna Booher
4. “Speeches that are measured by the hour will die with the hour.”
–Thomas Jefferson
5. “Ask yourself, ‘If I had only sixty seconds on the stage, what would I
absolutely have to say to get my message across.” –J eff Dewar

POSTTEST

Write the letter of the correct answer on the space before the number.

_____1. Why does your role play an important factor in the duration of your
speech?
A. The audience will know how long your speech is based on your role
B. The more important your role is the more it should be longer
C. It helps in your plan if you know your part
D. All of the above

_____2. How many minutes should an ideal instruction last?

A. 2 minutes C. 4minutes
B. 3 minutes D. 5 minutes
_____3. If the audience composes of laid back 50 years old, how would you
consider the duration of your speech?
A. Make it long since they do not have something to do
B. Make it long and intensive because they are careful and attentive
C. Make it short, simple and exact; they hate going around the bush
D. Make it short because they have better things to do

_____4. Following are effects of overlooked duration in speech except _____.

A. You miss out important topics.
B. You learned flexibility of topics.
C. The audience gets bored.
D. You have taken time longer than planned.

_____5. Why is there a need for speed variation in your speech?

A. Audiences sometimes get bored listening to speeches; even good ones
B. It helps in managing your topics accordingly.
C. It adds emphasis and meaning.
D. It dictates the duration of the speech.
 KEY TO CORRECTION

5. A 5. A
4. B 4. B
3. C 3. B
2. A 2. D
1. D 1. B
Posttest Pretest

References

(n.d.). Retrieved August 18, 2020, from

http://www.publicspeakingexpert.co.uk/lengthofspeech.html

The Importance of Keeping Your Speech To Time. (2015, October 11). Retrieved August
18, 2020, from https://telliott.io/2015/10/11/the-importance-of-keeping-your-
speech-to-time.html

Ten ways to write a better speech. (2018, January 09). Retrieved August 18, 2020,
from https://www.publicationcoach.com/ten-ways-to-write-a-better-