What Is an Extemporaneous Speech?

An extemporaneous speech is an impromptu speech that is given without any special advance preparation and while it may have been previous planned, in a limited capacity, it is delivered without the help of notes. There are several organizations, such as the National FFA Club, that sponsor extemporaneous public speaking contests for members.

There is a six-step process for doing extemporaneous speaking, which can be helpful for those individuals entering contests or for those individuals who have to complete an extemporaneous speech in one of their classes. The first step is choosing the topic. Most contests provide a few topics that contestants get to choose from and it is crucial that a person chooses a topic that they have some familiarity with, have materials on and like to talk about so that they can impress the judge as well as demonstrate expertise in the subject matter.

The second step is to make a thesis statement. This will help ground the speech and give the person a central point to come back to if they feel themselves getting stuck in the delivery of the speech. The third step is to create points that support the thesis. The fourth step is to develop support for the thesis by developing support for the points that support the thesis. Jotting all of these details down in bullet point form is a great way to create a concise and succinct cheat sheet for the speech giving. The fifth step is to write the introduction and conclusion provided that the individual has enough time. The final step is to deliver the extemporaneous speech to the audience of judges or teachers.

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