By focussing upon each component of the whole we aim to develop each aspect of your public speaking ability. Below are the 10 core syllabus level assignments we have designed that bring you to the status of an accomplished speaker:
 
You choose the subject and each speech should last from 5-8 minutes.
 
There are additional assignments beyond these that involve microphones, chairing meetings and the use of PowerPoint presentations.

1. Making a start

The is the Ice-breaker. You are asked to speak about something that you are very comfortable and knowledgeable about. Talking about yourself is a good subject. Typically it will last around 5 minutes. Its goal is to get you up there and speak. Your assignment is not to give a knock-them-dead speech. It is to get you started. The manual has many good tips like do not try to overstretch yourself.

2. Mean what you say!

You are now going to build on the self confidence you have gained from your first assignment. By speaking on a subject which you know well, and believe in, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate sincerity, conviction and persuasiveness. The manual starts to introduce things to consider like length of speech, toe of notes, eye contact and the like.

3. Speech construction

This is where you take a good idea and make it very much more powerful by making it easy for your audience to know what your speech is about and what to expect. All speeches should have a beginning, the main development and then a ending. All three phases have different goals and there are tools to help in each area.

4. Use of gestures

We naturally gesticulate when talking. The more important the point we are making the more we speak with body language and tone. A good speech can be made great with good use of gestures. These can come from hand and body movements, body demeanour, facial expressions, eye contact and more.

5. Use of voice

The voice is the most powerful weapon in the Speaker's armoury, but it is only effective if it is used appropriately to amplify the power, drama and delivery of the speech itself. By the time you are at this assignment the improvement in your ability is substantial and you should feel comfortable speaking outside of the club as well as in.

6. Vocabulary and imagery

You are well into more advanced development with this assignment. Your choice of words and construction and order of ideas will now focus on painting a picture inside the minds of your audience. These pictures will add depth and substance to your speech. They will arrest the attention of the listeners by being memorable and appropriate

7. Use of notes

Notes can be a wonderful support or they can rob a speech of its life. Have you ever sat through a presentation where someone got up and read to you? Why did they bother?

You will learn what to do so that you have the appropriate support that notes can give but they will not interrupt the flow of the speech or rob your audience of your eye contact.

8. Humour

You will explore different types of humour for the various types of speeches you may wish to give. You are shown how to develop this to fit your character whilst taking in the needs of the audience.

9. Audience rapport

This is a much softer and hard to identify skill but that is all it is - a skill. With it, your speeches will resonate, be impacting and will be remembered.

10. The masterpiece

This is where you bring all that you have learned into focus in one speech. By this time you will have had considerable experience and will be a polished speaker.