Speaking to Inspire: Ceremonial and Motivational Speeches
The most memorable speeches inspire, entertain, and praise. By blending stories and eloquence, great speeches highlight the core values motivating an audience. You might need to do this in a keynote address, a eulogy, or simply a business meeting. Inspiring audiences is a common, but difficult writing challenge. You want a speech that elevates the topic and the audience. This course gives you a method for preparing and delivering speeches that inspire and entertain.
Buy Now AED 274.99 + VAT
Monthly Subscription Starting at AED 99 + VAT
- Level Foundation
- Duration 16 hours
- Course by University of Washington
-
Offered by
About
The most memorable speeches inspire, entertain, and praise. By blending stories and eloquence, great speeches highlight the core values motivating an audience. You might need to do this in a keynote address, a eulogy, or simply a business meeting. Inspiring audiences is a common, but difficult writing challenge. You want a speech that elevates the topic and the audience. This course gives you a method for preparing and delivering speeches that inspire and entertain. By the end of this course, you should be able to compose and deliver moving speeches that praise core audience values through evidence, storytelling, and humor. You should be able to write eloquent passages in tones appropriate to the audience and occasion and speak fluidly from either a well-prepared manuscript or from memory. Learners will record speeches, providing and receiving peer feedback.Modules
Week 1 preview--Start here
-
2
Readings
2
Readings
- Week 1 preview
- Get help and meet other learners. Join your Community!
Welcome and overview
-
3
Videos
-
1
Readings
3
Videos
- Welcome!
- What’s this course about?
- Ceremonial speech assignment
1
Readings
- Ceremonial speech assignment description (Optional reading)
What at the core of a good inspirational speech?
-
3
Videos
-
1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Ceremonial speaking
3
Videos
- What do ceremonial speeches do?
- How to find your fit
- A process for preparing speeches
Developing the speech around moving values
-
3
Videos
-
1
Readings
3
Videos
- You need values at the core of your speech
- Finding your values
- Supporting your values
1
Readings
- Values in action--Emma Watson
Using stories to inspire
-
4
Videos
-
1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Stories
4
Videos
- What is a story?
- How stories help your speech
- Structuring your story
- What's the point of the story?
Developing your stories
-
3
Videos
-
1
Readings
3
Videos
- Writing characters
- Writing description
- Transforming stories into anecdotes
1
Readings
- The most touching story--Frank Oz remembers Jim Henson
Week 1 review, quiz, and assignment check-in
-
2
Readings
-
1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Week one quiz
2
Readings
- Week one lesson summaries
- Week one assignment check-in
Introductory speech (Optional)
-
2
Videos
-
1
PeerReview
1
Peer Review
- Introductory Speech
2
Videos
- Sample introduction speech
- How to record speech videos
Week 2 preview
-
1
Readings
1
Readings
- Week 2 preview
Pulling it all together. Finding the speech’s form
-
4
Videos
-
1
Readings
4
Videos
- Arrangement concerns
- Topical arrangement
- Narrative arrangement
- Informative arrangement
1
Readings
- Arrangement at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Specific genre concerns
-
3
Videos
-
1
Readings
3
Videos
- Speeches of introduction
- Presenting and receiving awards
- Eulogies
1
Readings
- Public mourning--The 9th Earl Spencer's Eulogy for Princess Diana of Wales
Speech analysis #1
-
1
Videos
-
2
Readings
-
1
PeerReview
1
Peer Review
- Speech analysis #1
1
Videos
- Sample ceremonial speech
2
Readings
- Speech analysis #1 overview
- Matt's review (Optional)
Week 2 review, quiz, and assignment check-in
-
2
Readings
-
1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Week two quiz
2
Readings
- Week two lesson summaries
- Week two assignment check-in
Week 3 preview
-
1
Readings
1
Readings
- Week 3 preview
Writing excellent style
-
4
Videos
-
1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Style
4
Videos
- Different speech styles
- Stylistic devices: Allusions and rhetorical question
- Stylistic devices: Tricolon and enuimeratio
- Stylistic devices: Diacope, epanalesis, epizeuzis.
Hitting the right tone
-
3
Videos
3
Videos
- What is speech “tone”?
- Presidential tone comparison
- Presidential tone analysis
Getting into and out of the speech
-
2
Readings
2
Readings
- Strategies for openers
- Strategies for closers
Manuscripting
-
4
Videos
-
1
Readings
-
1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Manuscripts
4
Videos
- Writing for the ear
- Preparing a manuscript
- Formatting a manuscript for speech delivery
- Speaking from a manuscript
1
Readings
- Which manuscript format do you prefer?
Week 3 review, quiz, and assignment check-in
-
2
Readings
-
1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Week three quiz
2
Readings
- Week three lesson summaries
- Week three assignment check-in
Draft speech manuscript (Optional speech assignment)
-
1
PeerReview
1
Peer Review
- Speech manuscript draft
Week 4 preview
-
1
Readings
1
Readings
- Week 4 preview
Memorization
-
4
Videos
4
Videos
- Should I read my manuscript or memorize it?
- Overview of memorization
- Memory techniques
- Memorization process
Using humor in your speech
-
4
Videos
-
1
Readings
4
Videos
- Humor in speeches
- Integrating humor
- What humor do I leave in? What do I take out?
- A failed joke is your best opportunity
1
Readings
- Funny building to meaning: Conan O'Brien's 2011 Commencement Address
Understanding the voice
-
3
Videos
3
Videos
- Martin Nevdahl: How the voice works
- Martin Nevdahl: Techniques for good vocal performance
- Martin Nevdahl: Maintaining vocal health
Speech analysis #2
-
1
Videos
-
2
Readings
-
1
PeerReview
1
Peer Review
- Speech analysis #2
1
Videos
- Sample ceremonial speech #2
2
Readings
- Speech analysis #2 overview
- Matt's review (Optional)
Week 4 review, quiz, and assignment check-in
-
2
Readings
-
1
Assignment
1
Assignment
- Week four quiz
2
Readings
- Week four lesson summaries
- Week four assignment check-in
Course review
-
2
Videos
2
Videos
- Course review
- Other courses in this specialization
Ceremonial speech--video option
-
1
Videos
-
1
PeerReview
1
Peer Review
- Ceremonial speech
1
Videos
- Sample ceremonial speech
Ceremonial speech--written option
-
1
Readings
-
1
PeerReview
1
Peer Review
- Ceremonial manuscript
1
Readings
- Sample ceremonial manuscript
Auto Summary
"Speaking to Inspire: Ceremonial and Motivational Speeches" is a foundational personal development course designed to teach you how to craft and deliver memorable speeches that inspire, entertain, and praise. Led by expert instructors from Coursera, this 960-minute course provides a comprehensive method for using storytelling, evidence, and humor to highlight core audience values. Perfect for keynotes, eulogies, or business meetings, it includes peer feedback on recorded speeches. Available through Starter, Professional, and Paid subscriptions, this course is ideal for anyone looking to enhance their public speaking skills.
Dr. Matt McGarrity