Since 1980, The English-Speaking Union (ESU) has organised an international public speaking competition (IPSC) with the goal of nurturing and encouraging the next generation of international communicators and potential social actors. In the words of one participant, quoted on their homepage, ‘Because of IPSC I learned to dream the biggest dreams, and more importantly, to be confident that I’d be able to reach them’.
The human voice, un-amplified by technology, but venerated in its ancient power to share and communicate, is the preferred medium. This potent attribute of the human voice was succinctly expressed by a haiku by Yosa Buson (1716-1784) that served as a departure point for the candidates’ speeches in this year’s competition:
The light of a candle
Is transferred to another candle—
Spring twilight
On 23 May 2026, in the Assemblée Nationale in Paris, a dozen high-school students, who were well-prepared and well-presented, presented one-by-one their offerings to the genius of the voice. Witnessed by the parliamentary assistant, supported by their parents, and grilled by three judges, the students rose to the challenge not only in terms of their speech, but also in the way they answered the questions of the judges.
What makes an effective communicator? As one of the three judges, I had the chance to offer something back to students that I received from others as an adolescent: kind, but analytical commentary on their presentations. My alma mater, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, provided many opportunities for students to get involved with public speaking and debating. It was therefore with a certain degree of humility that I was able to encourage these young speakers to advance in their works. Much of my professional work in teaching has focused on spoken communication, or as the ESU would put it, oracy. It is the ability to transmit, or transfer, one’s own thoughts to a listener.
Based on what I saw during the competition, and other experiences, I have reflected on what makes an effective communicator. By this, I would like to emphasise the context of transmitting a message in a live context, namely present, spoken and acoustic. I am not talking about social media, podcasts, or other forms of communication that rely on external technology. But rather the skill of promoting dialogue between people themselves to further social and cultural aims; instigating discussion on key topics for progress, both social and technological; and encouraging collaboration, which is the only way we as a species have survived and thrived.
Context
The first point I wish to make is understanding the context in which you are operating. An effective speaker needs to be highly sensitive to the time and space in which they are talking. The way that a teacher addresses their students is not the same as when the teacher addresses their colleagues; many politicians’ gaffs will come from a misunderstanding, or a misreading, of the room. To this effect, speakers who were able to integrate elements of their surroundings effortlessly into their speech were effective. By referring to the room that we were in, pointing out a painting, making eye contact with everyone there, such speakers were present both temporally and spatially. Dress is also part of communication. While students should feel comfortable expressing themselves, a national final held at the Assemblée Nationale is a professional setting, and effective communicators understand that appearance contributes to the first impression they make on an audience.
Defend and criticise
If the first point relates to the form, this second suggestions refers to the substance. Communication needs to defend one position with conviction and criticise another with compassion. If this delicate balance is not met, then it transforms into a more nocive form of expression, that of propaganda or an agenda. In this sense, we are looking for a two-way street: the speaker can present a well-defined position on a subject, but also highlight to their listeners any opposing views. This leads us to understanding what I mean by a well-defined position and it is well worth mentioning that an example is not an argument. While personal anecdotes can help bring a sense of proximity and macro statistics anchor the speech in a broader context, it is necessary to refine and specify argumentation. This also means giving a thrust and a focus to your speech, instead of simply listing a series of facts without narrative or argumentation. Passion and curiosity for a subject are wonderful, but it is the forensics of your structure that will hook your listeners.
You might have delivered a well-prepared speech, but the questions at the end are a moment of improvisation. Pausing before answering, to let the little grey cells do their work, is a great tip. Repeating, or paraphrasing the question at some point (usually the beginning of the answer) can serve as a runway to your comments. Enjoying the challenge of the moment is contagious.
Power of the word
My final point relates to the great power that speakers can wield over their listeners. Students sometimes confused the fine line between a spoken word poem and a speech. The Poetry Foundation gives the following description: “Characterised by rhyme, repetition, improvisation, and word play, spoken word poems frequently refer to issues of social justice, politics, race, and community.” This could very well be the description of a speech. However, while a spoken word piece relies more on the body and the voice and the music, a speech is more focused on the words and the structure; the body and the voice are the medium, not the message.
The strength of a speech will often come from the listener’s belief that the person speaking will lead them to new and exciting places. The power of a great speech is that it makes us dream and imagine new possibilities. We don’t need the spiritual guides of religion to grasp the power that a word has: when we feel sad or scared, a word can uplift and reassure us. Effective communicators, with a certain charm and an ability to persuade, need to be incredibly mindful of the power that they possess. To quote a Hollywood blockbuster, ‘with great power comes great responsibility’. Therefore, pick your words carefully and what you do with them even more so.
Final call
On the day that I was invited to judge the competition for the French national final, I was struck by the words that inspire the country’s main political chambre, the Assemblée Nationale. The words that inspire it are, among others: duties, rights, citizens, social body, talents, expression, opinion, public strength, common good. All of these could fit in with the mission statement of the ESU. A second curiosity came from the fact that it was the weekend of the Pentecost, a moment in the New Testament when the Apostles were invited to spread the positive message across the whole world. Could we hope that these young leaders might be able to share the common good throughout the world for a better future? I am persuaded and convinced.
