Context : Context is the circumstances surrounding a message.

The circumstances might

include the setting, the value positions of the people, and appropriateness of a message. This
means considering your audience, the forum under which you are speaking, the era, and
accepted norms. For a Satanist to preach at a Christian church would be out of context

Basic Components of the Speaking Environment:

• The physical location of a speech refers to the immediate environment in which the
speaker will be speaking. Locations vary from large rooms to small rooms, from outdoors
to the comfort of your office or home. It is important, however, to stress that the location
refers to a physical environment, and not the medium through which a speech is
delivered.
• speaking tool are the tools that assist the speaker to deliver speech. These tools include a
microphone, a podium, a lectern, and lighting.
• podium which is a raised platform that can vary in size, that the speaker stands on. As
mentioned earlier, it isadvantageous to both the speaker and the audience if both are not
on the same level, and podiums create this type of atmosphere
• Lectern is the stand behind which people speak, and on which they place their
notes. Lecterns are usually placed on a podium or at the end of a dais, so that there is a
designated place from which a person will speak

Communication in Context:
1. Interpersonal communication normally involves two people, and can
range from intimate and very personal to formal and impersonal. It implies a trusting
relationship established over time between two individuals or some previous familiarity,
and is really more about acknowledging each other and actual exchange of information .

2. Intrapersonal communication involves one person; it is often called “self-

talk.” intrapersonal communication can be positive or negative, and directly influences
how you perceive and react to situations and communication with others .

3. Group communication is a dynamic process where a small number of people

engage in a conversation.” (McLean, 2005) Group communication is generally defined as
involving three to eight people. The larger the group, the more likely it is to break down
into smaller groups

4. public communication refers where one person speaks to a group of people;

the same is true of public written communication, where one person writes a message to
be read by a small or large group. The speaker or writer may ask questions, and engage
the audience in a discussion (in writing, examples are an e-mail discussion or a point-
counter-point series of letters to the editor), but the dynamics of the conversation are
distinct from group communication, where different rules apply.
 Ceremonial speaking/ Specific Context Based Speaking: refers to speeches of
praise, tribute, and celebration that bring audiences together on special occasions.
Three general guidelines for ceremonial speeches: be prepared, be brief, and be occasion
focused.
i) Speakers should always be prepared for a speech, but this can be challenging with
special-occasion speaking because it is often unexpected. Even though most special
occasions are planned, the speaking that goes on during these events isn’t always as
planned.
ii) Special-occasion speeches should always be brief, unless otherwise noted. With only
a couple exceptions, these speeches are shorter than other speech types.
iii) A special-occasion speech should focus on the occasion.
Exp:
• A speech of introduction is a speech in which one speaker briefly introduces an
upcoming speaker who is usually the focus of the occasion. Such speeches are usually
only one to two minutes long. The first step in preparing a speech of introduction is to get
to know the person you’re introducing.

• presenting an award : There are several steps in presenting an award, but the main
goal of this speech is to enhance the value of the award and honor the person receiving it.
As with other special-occasion speeches, it should be focused on the occasion and the
particular award. Start by stating the name of the award and providing a brief overview of
its purpose. Also share some information about the organization or group that is
bestowing the award. Connect the values of the organization with the purpose of the
award. You may also want to describe the selection process

• TOAST, which is a ceremonial speech that praises or conveys goodwill or blessings in

honor of a person, accomplishment, or event. Cheers, slainte, skal, prost, and salud! All
these words could form the basis for a toast.

• A speech of tribute is a longer and more formal version of a toast that establishes why a
person, group, or concept is worthy of praise. Speeches of tribute can honor a group,
organization, or concept but usually focus on one person.

• A eulogy is a speech honoring a person who has died. The emotions and grief
surrounding the loss of a loved one are difficult to manage and make this one of the most
challenging types of speech. It is a speech of tribute, focus on the person’s personality
and demonstrate why the person was likable and what he or she added to your life and the
lives of others.

• This I Believe speeches encourage people to speak from a personal context in a way
that inspires others and crosses into civic engagement. These speeches should be
positive, personal, grounded in concrete events, and not preachy.

• Public advocacy speaking occurs mostly in civic contexts and engages people
through responsible communication that invites others to listen to diverging
viewpoints in a critical and compassionate way to promote social change.
 • A thesis statement summarizes the central idea of your speech and will be explained
or defended using supporting material. Referencing your thesis statement often will
help ensure that your speech is coherent.
• Demographic, psychographic, and situational audience analysis help tailor your
speech content to your audience

General Context Based Speaking Guidelines :

• communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences; to do this you will
need to answer a range of questions
• speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language
• organise your ideas coherently
• express and justify your opinions
• analyse, discuss and speculate about issues