- Greet the class
- Introduce yourself, may include personal story
- Explain PHL - organization founded in 1972 to provide pro-life education to anyone requesting it..
Pennsylvanians for Human Life is non-sectarian, (no religious affiliation) non-partisan, (no political orientation) and non-profit. (operating solely through donations)
Pennsylvanians for Human Life encourages respect and protection of human life in all its stages from conception to natural death.
Pennsylvanians for Human Life will provide scientifically proven fact pertaining to the individuality of each human life and the continuity of human development before birth.
There are five pillars of successful communication. They are:
Preparation
There is absolutely no substitute for preparation.- Know your subject. Keep reading. Keep listening to others. Keep thinking. Keep up with current events related to the subject.
- Know your audience. Know their goals and their perspectives. Anticipate their questions and disagreements and be prepared to meet them. Be objective and tough on yourself.
Sincerity
Never give a speech on a topic you don’t believe in. If you believe in what you are presenting, hand gestures, energy and focus will come more naturally.If you are perceived as a compassionate and logical individual, you will be far more successful in communicating the pro-life message than one who is very glib, and has all the answers, but who is perceived as cold and uncaring.
- Project and maintain an air of reasonableness.
- Avoid the highly emotional approach or a “flippant” approach.
Practice
By rehearsing in front of a mirror or into a tape recorder.Organization
- Introduction
The opener is important! A story that relates to your topic is always a good way to start. Before you begin, pause, look around at your audience and smile.
Poet Javan once wrote, “A smile unlocks a door quicker than a key.”
In the introduction you should:
1. Establish your credibility. Use an opening that sparks the interest of your audience.
2. Give a preview of what you will be talking about. - Body
1. List the key points or prepare an outline. Make sure you stick to your subject.
2. Expand your points by researching statistics and finding supporting evidence. Find stories and examples to help the audience visualize and understand what you mean. Consider using visual aids.
Be certain that your audience has a clear understanding of the terms you use. Though familiar to pro-lifers, some terms may be new and unfamiliar.
Don’t assume a great deal of prior knowledge on the part of the audience.
Be honest and avoid exaggeration, but be conscious of the fact that some of our opponents distort the facts.
3. Write out transitions between each point. This will help the flow of your speech. I.e. “Now that we have learned what...and how...now we can look at what we can do...” - Closing
1. Summarize. Quickly recap your main points by “telling them what you just told them.”
2. You want to leave your audience with something memorable. Emphasize the most important point of your speech. Call them to action. Or inspire them profoundly.
Appeal to their emotions. As with the introduction, practice and know what you are going to say.
