EN.663.618 Chap.6 Extemporaneous Speaking Under Time Pressure
Extemporaneous Speaking Under Time Pressure
Speaking with almost no warning
An extemporaneous speech is a talk delivered with little or no time to prepare. The assignment packet places it in ordinary professional life: a manager who asks at the start of a board meeting for a quick project update later in the same meeting, or a brief lift ride with an investor who has not answered your emails.
Preparation time in these moments is tiny, but the consequences can be large, from where money goes to who gets responsibility or a career-changing opening.
In this course the assignment is worth 5% of the grade, uses no slides, and asks for a speech of 1-2 minutes.
A plan small enough to hold in your head
The packet's advice is to use every second you are given to sketch a plan mentally, even if the plan is only one keyword that reminds you of the payoff for the listener.
The principles from the longer speeches still apply in a lighter form: a hook, a main point, an example, a recap and a close. Above all the answer should stay simple, honest and authentic, because a short speech has no room for decoration.
Position first, as yourself
The most important move is to state a clear stance at the very beginning, so every example that follows has something to support.
The packet warns that a confused listener may misunderstand the whole answer. It also asks you to speak as yourself rather than as an imagined ideal speaker, and its sample openings follow one pattern: who I am, what I think, and why.
The rubric checks both habits, starting with a clear, easily discernible position and rewarding answers from your own subjective point of view.
Practice round, then the graded round
The course runs a practice session and a graded session, and the rubric scores the same criteria on both, each from 1 to 5. The dates differ between documents: the packet gives the weeks of October 5 and November 2, while the Canvas schedule lists the ungraded practice on October 12 and the graded speech on November 2. Canvas is the one to follow.
What this chapter covers
- 01
What makes a speech extemporaneous
- 02
Using a single keyword as your whole plan
- 03
Hook, main point, example, recap and close in miniature
- 04
Opening with a clear position sentence
- 05
Answering from your own point of view
- 06
How the practice and graded rounds are scored
Worked example · free
Build a position-first answer in under a minute
- 1Choose the keyword for the listener's payoff.
- 1Open with identity, position and reason in one sentence.
- 2Support with one concrete example, recap and close.
Key terms
- Extemporaneous Speech
- A talk delivered with little or no preparation time, often in an interview, meeting or networking moment.
- Position Statement
- An opening sentence that states who the speaker is, what they think and why, so the audience can follow every point after it.
Extemporaneous Speaking Under Time Pressure FAQ
How long should an extemporaneous speech be?
The course rubric sets the required time at 1-2 minutes. That is enough for a clear stance, one worked example and a recap, but not for a list of points, so choose the single example that proves your position and let the rest go.
Is the extemporaneous practice speech graded?
The Canvas schedule labels the October practice as not graded, and the syllabus describes one practice day and one graded day. The rubric still lists every criterion for the practice speech, so you receive a score you can study before the graded round in November.
How can I prepare for a speech when I do not know the topic?
Rehearse the structure instead of the content. Practise opening with a position sentence on random prompts, carrying one keyword, and finishing with a recap and an offer to connect. The calendar also assigns chapters of Everyday Business Storytelling and The Culture Map around both sessions.
Assessment move
Several times a week, have a friend give you a random workplace question. Allow yourself a few moments, choose one payoff keyword, then speak for a minute on your phone recorder. Replay it and check the rubric: did the first sentence state a position, and did the ending wrap up cleanly?
