type of speech communication

What Are the Types of Speech Communication?

John huddle.

Speech, or oral communication, is a process of sending and receiving spoken messages between people. Speech conveys and sways through the presentation of ideas, opinions, information, directions and commands, usually with responsive communication from the listener. Effective speech is tailored by our needs and those of the receiver.

Explore this article

• Intrapersonal
• Interpersonal
• Small Groups
• To the Masses

1 Intrapersonal

Some would say we listen to ourselves more than we do others. Intrapersonal communication happens inside us as inner speech, self-talk or a range of other self-interactions. The foundation for all other communication, it allows us to develop an awareness and understanding about ourselves and our personal world. We process what we say to others by first holding parts -- or sometimes all -- of the conversation with ourselves. For instance, politicians rehearse their 30-second introduction speech in front of a mirror at home, while job candidates practice saying why they're the best for the job. Not limited to planned interpersonal communication, intrapersonal speech also includes our daydreams and goals, where we place ourselves in different settings and situations for pleasure or goal setting.

2 Interpersonal

Interpersonal speech is communication to one another through our words, tone of voice, gestures and other body language. Once we say something, it's said and can't be taken back, adding weight to the adage to “watch your tongue.” Even though we might think this communication is simple, interpersonal communication is very complex, including the impressions we have of each other, the message as we think we said it and how it was heard, including the willingness of the listener to listen. What we say to others is never said in a vacuum; we bring our needs and values to the conversation. In addition, communication includes the listener's reception, the location and our cultural influences.

3 Small Groups

Successful group communication requires the development of good listening skills, to hear and understand what the members of the group are actually saying, as the group moves toward its goals. Within our dominant culture, that means making eye contact and showing agreement and attention with body language, such as leaning forward attentively. Group communication often requires that we clarify what someone else said, usually with a clarifying statement. Groups require a more democratic approach that doesn't just advance one position, such as engaging one another by agreeing with what they said or disagreeing in a way that encourages them to stay engaged. Groups also need someone to keep the group on task, ensure that all are heard, encourage feedback and mediate when conflicts arise.

4 To the Masses

Speaking to the masses, whether lecturing to a small group or worldwide, often involves an unseen audience, with the goal of informing or persuading. Unlike other types of communication, mass communication, or public speaking, is very dependent on the message. Still, the charisma of the speaker's tone, her inflection and her body language, if visible, also influence the message. Successful public speaking depends on the speaker's ability to organize and present the material in a manner that the listener receives and internalizes. The speaker provides a reason for listening, lends credibility to the topic and motivates the audience to respond through words calculated to produce the desired response.

• 1 Pennsylvania State University: Department of Communication Arts & Sciences, The Communication Process, David Dzikowski
• 2 ERIC: Intrapersonal Communication and Imagined Interactions, James M. Honeycutt, et al
• 3 University of Pittsburgh: Speaking in the Disciplines, Author
• 4 Oklahoma State University: Mass Communication, Maureen Nemecek

About the Author

John Huddle is an Army veteran with enlisted service as general hospital staff and hospital chaplain's assistant. His career also included stints as a teacher, adjunct faculty, administrator and school psychologist. Twice, Dr. Huddle was a major party nominee for state office. He also served as a director on several nonprofit boards. Today he enjoys consulting and lobbying for underdog causes.

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Chapter 5: Presenting Your Speech Module

Four Types of Speeches

Speeches can be categorized into four broad areas depending on the amount of preparation that is undertaken and depending upon the nature of the occasion.  The four types of speeches are manuscript, memorized, extemporaneous, and impromptu.  Our aim is to acquaint you with these four different modes of delivery, to provide suggestions for when you are asked to make impromptu remarks, and then to focus most your time on the preparation, practice, and presentation of extemporaneous speeches.

Manuscript Speech

When you listen to the President deliver a State of the Union message, you listen to a well-crafted speech being read from a teleprompter. The speech has been polished by a staff of speechwriters and has been practiced many times. The President will know how to anticipate the reaction of the audience and will know when to pause for applause and when to expect laughter. This form of speaking is used when the exact words matter and when much time and energy is expended on getting everything just right. There are times when people who are not leaders of countries deliver manuscript speeches as well. They are used when people testify before Congress, when people read important statements in a public setting, or when people deliver reports at professional meetings. All call for exact words in the correct order.

While the President has access to a staff of speech writers and a teleprompter, most of us do not. If you were given this type of assignment, you would have to read your manuscript speech from printed notes. In that case, you would want to ensure that you had prepared your manuscript carefully, using large fonts so you could read it easily without burying your nose in the pages. Reading the speech does not allow you to skimp on the preparation. Practice the speech many times. This allows you to make changes, if needed, and to select the best words to communicate your exact meaning. Remember to speak clearly and naturally -strive for a conversational tone. It shouldn’t sound read -even if you are reading. Also, remember to speak slowly; there is a natural tendency to speed up when we speak in public. Delivering a speech is not a race; you do not receive bonus points for finishing early.

Unless you are specifically told by your instructor to prepare and deliver a manuscript speech, you should never write out the entire speech. Spend your time developing your outline, organizing your ideas, and determining where you can best insert your supports. Then practice using the outline while speaking.

Memorized Speech

When you were in elementary school, did you ever have to memorize a poem or a part of a speech? If you are like most students, the answer is “Yes. ” There is nothing wrong with memorization. But if you try to memorize a speech, you risk forgetting what you planned to say and coming across as completely unprepared. Memorizing your speech is even worse than reading it. All the objections that apply to the read speech also apply to the memorized speech. Spontaneity is gone. The speech can sound stilted. Often, delivery is too rapid. Concentration is on the words, not the ideas. Sometimes the speech sounds too formal, like a written essay. There is minimal feedback or other contact with the audience. And what happens if your mind goes completely blank or if an audience member interrupts? The entire presentation will likely fall apart. Memorizing a speech puts entirely too much pressure on the speaker.

That said, there are a couple of parts of the speech that you may want to have memorized -or practiced so well that you can deliver them almost as if memorized. These include:

Your introduction:  It sets the stage for the entire speech. The words should be well chosen and rehearsed. You may find that as you repeat this portion of the speech during your rehearsals you do come to memorize it word for word. If so, this is fine. After all, once you have determined the best way of saying something, why not use it? Just make sure the presentation does not sound memorized. Your conclusion:  The summary and call to action are the final words that your audience will hear. As with the introduction, if you practice this repeatedly you will develop the best way to say what you want and you will probably have perfected this portion of the speech.

Impromptu Speech

There will come a time for all of us when we are asked to “say a few words ” without much preparation.  You haven’t prepared any notes, you haven’t practiced what you’ll say, and you’re being asked to “wing it. ” While this may seem incredibly scary, impromptu presentations are the most common type of public speaking. You’re in class and suddenly the professor wants to hear how group projects are going. You, as the leader of your group, are asked to stand and briefly discuss what the group is doing and how much you’ve completed so far. That’s an impromptu speech. You didn’t know when you headed to class that day that you’d be speaking in public, but you did it. No sweat! Or maybe you’re in a meeting at work and the boss announces that he wants you to brief everyone in the meeting on the new equipment being installed that afternoon. Again, no prior planning, no notes, you just do it. That’s impromptu speaking.

Extemporaneous Speech

The focus of most college courses in public speaking is the extemporaneous speech.  This is because this is the type of speech used most in business, education, preaching, and political affairs. Few of us will ever have a professional staff of speechwriters or ever deliver a speech with the aid of a teleprompter. But when you do have a speech or presentation to deliver, you’ll want to sound prepared, authoritative, and clear.

Simply stated, an extemporaneous speech is one where you will have time for preparation and practice but will not be expected to read from a manuscript or to have the speech memorized.  The question most students ask is, “How much time should be spent in preparation and practice? ” Perhaps Mark Twain said it best. When speaking about preparing for an impromptu speech, he noted, “It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech ” (King). While celebrated as a humorist, there is much truth in his words. To appear to be speaking off the cuff, and to do it well, you must prepare thoroughly and practice to perfection. When you speak extemporaneously, it means you’ve had ample time to prepare and research and that you have rehearsed your speech (many times) using an outline or notes to remind you of the progression of ideas you wish to present. You will follow all the normal steps outlined in the earlier chapters. Choose a topic, narrow appropriately, analyze your audience, choose your supports, and create an outline. You will know your speech so well and will amaze your audience!

Fundamentals of Public Speaking Copyright © by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Types of Speeches: A Guide to Different Styles and Formats

Speeches are a powerful way to communicate ideas, inspire people, and create change. There are many different types of speeches, each with its own unique characteristics and formats. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common types of speeches and how to prepare and deliver them effectively.

1. Informative Speech

An informative speech is designed to educate the audience on a particular topic. The goal is to provide the audience with new information or insights and increase their understanding of the topic. The speech should be well-researched, organized, and delivered in a clear and engaging manner.

2. Persuasive Speech

A persuasive speech is designed to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action. The goal is to persuade the audience to agree with the speaker’s perspective and take action based on that belief. The speech should be well-researched, organized, and delivered in a passionate and compelling manner.

3. Entertaining Speech

An entertaining speech is designed to entertain the audience and create a memorable experience. The goal is to engage the audience and make them laugh, cry, or think deeply about a particular topic. The speech can be humorous, inspirational, or emotional and should be delivered in a lively and engaging manner.

4. Special Occasion Speech

A special occasion speech is designed for a specific event or occasion, such as a wedding, graduation, or retirement party. The goal is to celebrate the occasion and honor the people involved. The speech should be personal, heartfelt, and delivered in a sincere and respectful manner.

5. Impromptu Speech

An impromptu speech is delivered without any preparation or planning. The goal is to respond quickly and effectively to a particular situation or question. The speech should be delivered in a clear and concise manner and address the topic at hand.

In conclusion, speeches are an important way to communicate ideas, inspire people, and create change. By understanding the different types of speeches and their unique characteristics and formats, individuals can prepare and deliver successful speeches that are engaging, informative, and memorable.

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10.1: What are the Different Types of Speeches?

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• Page ID 106477

• Lisa Coleman, Thomas King, & William Turner
• Southwest Tennessee Community College

Learning Objectives

• Discuss the three main types of speeches.
• Discuss the importance of differentiating between the three.

Speeches have traditionally been seen to have one of three broad purposes: to inform, to persuade, and— Well, to be honest, different words are used for the third kind of speech purpose: to inspire, to amuse, to please, to delight, or to entertain. We will just use “to inspire” as the overall term here.

Your instructor will most likely assign you an informative and persuasive speech, and then perhaps one more. The third one might be a special occasion speech, such as a tribute (commemorative), an after-dinner speech, a toast, or a eulogy. These four types of speeches fit into the category of “to inspire” or “to entertain.”  It should be understood that these three purposes are not necessarily exclusive of the others. A speech designed to be persuasive can also be informative and entertaining, even if neither of those is the main purpose.  To further demonstrate this, look at the examples below in Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\).

Some of the topics listed above could fall into another category depending on how the speaker approached the topic, or they could contain elements of both. For example, you may have to inform your audience about your topic in one main point before you can persuade them, or you may include some entertaining elements in an informative or persuasive speech to help make the content more engaging for the audience. There should not be elements of persuasion included in an informative speech, since persuading is contrary to the objective approach that defines an informative speech. In any case, while there may be some overlap between topics, most speeches can be placed into one of the categories based on the overall content of the speech.

Tucker, Barbara; Barton, Kristin; Burger, Amy; Drye, Jerry; Hunsicker, Cathy; Mendes, Amy; and LeHew, Matthew, "Exploring Public Speaking: 4th Edition" (2019). Communication Open Textbooks . 1. https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/communication-textbooks/1  - CC BY-NC 2.0

Subject Libguide: Speech Communication: Types of speeches

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A persuasive speech tries to influence or reinforce the attitudes, beliefs, or behavior of an audience.  This type of speech often includes the following elements:

• appeal to the audience
• appeal to the reasoning of the audience
• focus on the relevance of your topic
• alligns the speech to the audience - ensure they understand the information expressed

An informative speech is one that informs the audience.  These types of speeches can be on a variety of topics:

A informative speech will:

• define terms to make the information more precise
• use descriptions to help the audience towards a larger picture
• include an demonstration
• explain concept the informative speech is conveying
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The 5 Different Types of Speech Styles

Human beings have different ways of communicating . No two people speak the same (and nor should they). In fact, if you’ve paid any attention to people’s speeches around you, you might have already noticed that they vary from speaker to speaker, according to the context. Those variations aren’t merely coincidental. 

The 5 Different Types of Speech Styles (Table)

Martin Joos, a famous german linguist and professor, was the first one to organize the speeches according to their variations, having come up with five speech styles, depending on their degree of formality: 

1. Frozen Style (or Fixed speech)

A speech style is characterized by the use of certain grammar and vocabulary particular to a certain field, one in which the speaker is inserted. The language in this speech style is very formal and static, making it one of the highest forms of speech styles. It’s usually done in a format where the speaker talks and the audience listens without actually being given the space to respond. 

Application: It’s generally reserved for formal settings such as important ceremonies (for instance, a ceremony at the royal palace or one in which a country’s president is present), weddings, funerals, etc. 

Examples: a presidential speech, an anthem, and a school creed.

2. Formal Style

This style, just like the previous one, is also characterized by a formal (agreed upon and even documented) vocabulary and choice of words, yet it’s more universal as it doesn’t necessarily require expertise in any field and it’s not as rigid as the frozen style. 

The language in this speech is respectful and rejects the use of slang, contractions, ellipses and qualifying modal adverbials. Oftentimes the speaker must plan the sentences before delivering them. 

Application: Although it’s often used in writing, it also applies to speaking, especially to medium to large-sized groups. It’s also the type of speech that should be used when communicating with strangers and others such as older people, elders, professionals, and figures of authority. 

Examples: meetings (corporate or other formal meetings), court, class, interview, speech, or presentation. 

3. Consultative Style 

The third level of communication it’s a style characterized by a semi-formal vocabulary, often unplanned and reliant on the listener ’s responses and overall participation. 

Application: any type of two-way communication, dialogue, whether between two people or more, where there’s no intimacy or any acquaintanceship. 

Examples: group discussions, teacher-student communication, expert-apprentice, communication between work colleagues or even between employer-employee, and talking to a stranger. 

4. Casual Style (or Informal Style) 

As the name says, this style is characterized by its casualty, with a flexible and informal vocabulary that may include slang. It’s usually unplanned, pretty relaxed, and reliant on the fluid back and forth between those involved, without any particular order. 

Application: used between people with a sense of familiarity and a relatively close relationship, whether in a group or in a one-on-one scenario.

Examples: chats with friends and family, casual phone calls, or text messages. 

5. Intimate Style

This is the speech style that’s reserved for people who have a really close connection. It’s casual and relaxed and goes beyond words, as it incorporates nonverbal communication and even personal language codes, such as terms of endearment and expressions whose meaning are only understood by the participants, besides slang. 

Application: used between people who share an intimate bond. 

Examples: chats between best friends, boyfriend and girlfriend, siblings and other family members, whether in messages, phone calls, or personally.  

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4 factors that influence speech styles.

Although knowing the definition and some examples of situations in which each speech style might apply is helpful, there are four important factors that are key in speech styles. These factors help the speakers understand when it is appropriate to use one style instead of the other. They are: 

1. The Setting 

The setting is essentially the context in which the speech shall take place. It’s probably the most important factor to be considered when choosing which speech style to use as nothing could be more harmful than applying the wrong speech style to the wrong setting. 

Although it’s a factor that’s exhausted and diverse,  to make things simple for you, I’ve divided them in three main categories: 

• Formal Settings:  
• Casual Settings: 

In these settings, people are more relaxed and less uptight than in formal settings. Since there’s a degree of familiarity between those speaking, even though people are not necessarily intimate, the speaker can apply either consultative or casual speech styles. Some examples of these settings include weddings, company or team meetings, and school classes. 

• Informal Settings: 

These settings are more open than casual ones as there are almost no rules to how people should interact. Everyone in it either has a deep degree of familiarity or intimacy. The styles of speeches that are used in these settings are Casual and Intimate. A few examples of these settings are family and friends gatherings, private conversations, etc. 

Misreading the setting can be really embarrassing and have devastating consequences. If, for instance, you make inappropriate jokes in a work meeting or use slang words, you could be perceived as unprofessional and disrespectful, and that could cost you your job. 

2. The Participants  

Your audience, the people to whom your speech is directed, or the people you interact with are decisive factors when choosing your speech style. 

To put it simply: 

• Reserve Frozen and Formal styles for people whom you respect and are not intimate or even familiar with ,  either because of their position in society or because of their position in relation to you. These can be authority figures or even superiors in your workplace and strangers.
• Use Consultative and Casual speech styles with people who, even though they are familiar to you (either because you both know each other or interact often), still owe them a certain level of respect . These can be people in your workplace such as your colleagues and business partners, people in school, elders and older family members, neighbors, acquaintances and even strangers . 
• Feel free to use Intimate speech styles with anyone who you share an intimate bond with . These can be your friends and your immediate and extended family members .

3. The Topic 

Speech styles can give appropriate weight to serious topics, just as they can help alleviate the heaviness of certain topics. There’s no specific rule of which style to use with each topic, actually, when it comes to topics, the choice should be more intuitive and keep in mind the other factors. 

For example, sometimes, when making a presentation about a serious topic at a conference, you might want to mix formal speech with a more consultative or casual speech by sliding in a joke or two in between your presentation, as this helps lighten up the mood. 

4. The Purpose of The Discourse or Conversation 

The purpose of your discourse is your main motivation for speaking.  Just like with the topic, when it comes to choosing the speech style taking into account the purpose, the choice is mostly intuitive and keeps in mind the other factors. 

You should remember never to mix a business-centered discussion, where the purpose is mostly professional and formal, with a mainly informal speech of speaking. 

Speaker Styles

• Content-rich speaker:  

A content-rich speaker is one whose aim is to use the speech to inform. He is factual and very objective and focused on providing all the information the audience or receptor of the message needs.

A man speaking in a presentation could be an example of this, or even a lawyer defending a case in court. 

• Funny or humorous speakers:

As the name already suggests, this type of speaker uses humor as a tool to help them deliver their message. Even when delivering facts, they make jokes to lighten things up and break the tension. 

Stand-up comedians are a great example of this type of speaker. 

• Storyteller: 

This type of speaker usually relies on the story format to deliver his message; whether it’s factual or not is not relevant as long as the main message behind the story is relevant to the receptor. 

Usually, the type of speaker is not fixed in each speech style; one person can be many types of speakers depending on the speech style that they are using and keeping in mind the factors that influence the choice of the speech style. 

Make sure you weigh all factors equally before choosing a speech style. You don’t want to be THAT person bringing up an intimate subject to a friend in front of a group of strangers during a business meeting where the subject has nothing to do with whatever you’re talking about.

What’s The Importance of Speech Styles In Communication 

Using and knowing speech styles is the key to effective communication. Choosing the right way to communicate in different settings and with different people is what separates a good communicator from a bad communicator. 

Knowing the speech styles and the rules that apply to each of them saves you from embarrassment and positions you as someone of principles and respectful, especially in formal and conservative settings. 

Besides that, people tend to gravitate more towards and get influenced by good communicators; therefore, learning something new in that area and improving the quality of your speech and presentations will only benefit you. 

Further Readings

Speech Styles- ELCOMBLUS

Types of Speech Styles | PDF | Sentence (Linguistics) | Cognitive Science- SCRIBD

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12 Types of Communication

Communication can be separated into many different categories or ‘types’. Generally, we categorize it into the four main mediums of communication: verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual.

However, we can also look at other ways to distil communication into categories, such as: informal vs formal, synchronous vs asynchronous, and intrapersonal vs interpersonal.

Below, each of the main types of communucation are introduced with a definition, examples, and brief table exploring the type’s strengths and weaknesses.

Types of Communication

1. nonverbal communication.

Nonverbal communication refers to any form of communication that is not transmitted through spoken word.

It can include body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture, passive communication strategies , and even what you wear (which can send signals about your cleanliness, social class , etc.).

But under this banner we also have other types of communuication listed below, including written and visual communication. Generally, however, when referring to nonverbal communication we tend to be talking about body language cues.

We can communicate and receive a lot of important information through nonverbal cues. This is why face-to-face communication (where you can see facial expressions, etc) leads to far less confusion than text messages or other low context means of communication that lack contextual cues.

In everyday communication events, we observer other people’s nonverbal cues as a form of perception checking , which involves seeing if their nonverbal communication matches their overt verbal communication, which can help to affirm that you are understanding the person effectively.

• Facial expressions: Smiling, frowning, raising eyebrows, furrowing brow, rolling eyes, etc.
• Gestures: Hand gestures, head nods, shrugging shoulders, pointing, etc.
• Posture: Standing tall, slouching, leaning forward or backward, crossing arms, etc.
• Eye contact: Direct eye contact, avoiding eye contact, staring, glancing, etc.
• Touch: Handshakes, hugs, pats on the back, etc.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Go Deeper: Nonverbal Communication (Full Guide)

2. Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is any form of communication that occurs through spoken word. Its key strength is that it tends to be perceived as a trusted and authentic form of communication.

For example, people often want to talk to or hear from a real human when making an expensive purchase or big decision in their lives.

While face-to-face verbal communication also has the benefit of allowing for two-way dialogue between interlocutors, in our current era, verbal communication can also be one-way, such as through podcasts or videos.

Verbal communication tends to also have high-context elements to help with clarity of messages, such as tone of voice, pitch, and urgency.

Verbal communication skills are often taught at school, and mastery of effective verbal (and especially public) communication can be seen as a valuable skill in the workplace. Effective verbal communication requires not only the ability to articulate one’s thoughts and ideas clearly but also convey those thoughts with confidence in a variety of contexts.

• Conversations: Speaking with others in person, over the phone, or through video conferencing.
• Presentations: Delivering speeches, lectures, video conferences, or other formal talks to an audience.
• Written correspondence: Communicating through letters, emails, memos, text messages, or other written forms of communication.
• Face-to-Face Interviews: Answering questions posed by a potential employer in a face-to-face interview context.
• Video and Podcast: Video and podcast media generally also contain verbal communication, such as a person telling a story or a recording of a conversation between characters.

Go Deeper: Verbal Communication (Full Guide)

3. Visual Communication

Visual communication means the transfer of information to a person in a format that can be read or viewed.

Such formats include physical objects and models, charts, cards, tables, photos, videos, drawings, and diagrams.

According to Gophinatan (2022), “…visual communication is the transmission of information and ideas using symbols and imagery” (p. 87).

It’s considered a sub-type of nonverbal communication.

Visual communication is a prevalent form of communication in the 21st Century. It’s a preferred medium for advertising as well as for storytelling (e.g. film) and social media entertainment.

• Infographics: Presenting complex information, data, or knowledge in a visually engaging and easy-to-understand format using charts, graphs, and illustrations.
• Slide Presentations: Conveying information, ideas, or concepts through a combination of text, images, and design elements in a slideshow format, often during meetings or conferences.
• Graphs and Charts: Visualizing data, trends, or comparisons through various graphical representations such as bar charts, pie charts, line graphs, and flowcharts.
• Videos and Animations: Using moving images, graphics, and visual storytelling techniques to convey a message or concept in an engaging and informative manner.
• Graphic Design and Branding: Employing design elements like logos, color schemes, and typography to create a visual identity for a product, company, or organization, which can be consistently applied across various media and platforms.

Go Deeper: Visual Communication (Full Guide)

4. Written Communication

Written communication involves the use of words, sentences, and paragraphs encoded in text in order to communicate.

Its primary benefit is that it is clearly and unambiguously recorded and saved, and can be looked back upon at a later date to determine what exactly was said.

Prior to the advent of audiovisual recording devices, written text was the key format for recording data. Today, it is still used for legal purposes, such as when we must sign and keep legal documents.

• Emails and Letters: Exchanging information, ideas, or requests through written messages in a formal or informal tone, sent electronically or through postal services.
• Reports and Documents: Compiling research, analysis, or project updates into structured written formats to inform, persuade, or provide recommendations to an audience.
• Blog Posts and Articles: Sharing knowledge, opinions, or experiences on a specific topic through written content published on websites, newspapers, or magazines.
• Books and eBooks: Conveying narratives, ideas, or educational content in a longer written format, distributed in print or digitally for readers to consume and engage with.
• Academic Writing : This is used to present facts and evidence in the form of essays, research papers, and other publications. Academic writing is often used in the fields of higher education and research.

Go Deeper: Written Communication (Full Guide)

5. Intrapersonal Communication

Intrapersonal communication is an individual’s own personal dialogue and reflection within themselves (Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013).

It is a form of metacognition that’s beneficial for self-improvement and self-reflection. This internal dialogue helps people to understand themselves better.

Debasis (2009) states that in intrapersonal communication:

“…the individual communicates in his mind through the process of thinking and feeling” (p. 13). 

Control over our intrapersonal communication is important, however. For example, we need to silence our inner voice when trying to sleep, or if it leads to excessive negative self-talk.

• Self-Reflection : Engaging in an internal dialogue to assess one’s thoughts, emotions, or actions in a specific situation or over time.
• Goal Setting: Identifying personal objectives and desired outcomes, along with outlining a plan to achieve those targets through internal communication.
• Mental Rehearsals: Mentally practicing an upcoming task, speech, or performance in one’s mind to improve preparedness and reduce anxiety.
• Mindfulness and Meditation: Focusing on the present moment, breathing, and internal sensations to cultivate self-awareness , emotional regulation, and mental clarity.
• Daydreaming and Visualization: Using one’s imagination to explore scenarios, potential outcomes, or aspirations as a form of internal dialogue and problem-solving.

Go Deeper: Intrapersonal Communication (Full Guide)

6. Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication simply refers to communication between two or more people. However, it is generally used to explain collaboration and group work.

The benefits of interpersonal communication include the development of strong relationships, the ability to achieve more together than alone, improved understanding of other peoples’ points of view, and the ability to resolve conflicts or disagreements.

Interpersonal skills are highly valuable in 21st Century workplaces. These are skills like the ability to mediate, lead a group, follow when necessary, influence others, and find common ground.

Examples of Interpersonal Communication

• Casual Conversations: Engaging in informal dialogue with friends, family, or colleagues to share experiences, thoughts, and emotions.
• Active Listening: Demonstrating empathy and understanding by attentively listening to another person’s ideas or concerns, and providing appropriate responses or feedback.
• Conflict Resolution : Addressing disagreements or misunderstandings between individuals by discussing the issues, identifying solutions, and finding common ground.
• Group Discussions: Collaborating with multiple individuals to exchange ideas, solve problems, or make decisions through open and respectful communication.
• Nonverbal Communication: Conveying meaning or expressing emotions through body language, facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice, in conjunction with verbal exchanges.

Go Deeper: Interpersonal Skills (Full Guide)

7. Mass Communication

Mass communication refers to communication at a social scale that is facilitated by broadcast media such as radio, television, or the internet.

It is believed that the emergence of the first form of mass communication in the 1500s – the printing press – led to the development of national cultures and identities (Anderson, 1987).

Mass communication is hugely beneficial for public health and safety, the spread of cultural values, and the spread of important news and information.

However, it has been widely critiqued for being controlled and gatekept by cultural elites. In the world of Web 2.0 and beyond, it’s also criticized for having the capacity to spread misinformation on a mass scale.

• Newspapers: For many centuries, daily and weekly newspapers were the key way in which people received current affairs information.
• Books: Often under-recognized, books are still one of the major forms of mass communication. The Bible, for example, was responsible for the spread of Christianity worldwide.
• Radio: Radio gives people instant access to audio information and entertainment. In its era, it was revolutionary. Radio’s primary limitation is lack of visual communication. Before long, television came along to resolve this problem.
• Television: Television was the first form of mass communication that has audiovisual properties – both visual and audio communication. It was also a big driver of shared national identity because popular programs tended to be broadcast nation-wide. It is in declined today, superseded by online video platforms.
• Internet: The internet is today’s form of mass communication. Within it, we have mass communication platforms like social media platforms, YouTube, and websites.

Go Deeper: Mass Communications Theories (Full Guide)

8. Synchronous Communication

Synchronous communication refers to real-time interaction between individuals, allowing for immediate feedback and dynamic exchanges.

In the digital age, synchronous communication can occur through various channels, including in-person meetings, phone calls, video conferencing, and instant messaging platforms.

Synchronous communication allows for rapid problem-solving, collaboration, and increased understanding among participants by enabling instant clarification of ideas and immediate response to questions.

• In-person meetings: Collaborating face-to-face to discuss ideas, share updates, or make decisions.
• Phone calls: Engaging in real-time conversations to convey information, provide support, or build relationships.
• Video conferences: Connecting remotely with others using audio and visual technologies to facilitate communication and collaboration.
• Instant messaging: Exchanging text-based messages in real-time to quickly share information, ask questions, or coordinate activities.
• Live chat support: Providing immediate assistance to customers or users through real-time text-based communication.

9. Asynchronous Communication

Asynchronous communication involves the exchange of messages or information without the requirement for participants to be simultaneously present or engaged.

This type of communication allows individuals to respond at their convenience, accommodating different schedules, time zones, and work styles.

Examples of asynchronous communication include emails, discussion boards, recorded video messages, and collaborative documents.

• Emails: Sending and receiving messages with attachments, allowing recipients to respond at their convenience.
• Discussion boards: Posting and replying to topics in online forums, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Recorded video messages: Creating and sharing pre-recorded videos, providing visual information to be viewed at a later time.
• Collaborative documents: Sharing and editing files with others asynchronously, enabling teamwork and collective input.
• Social media posts: Crafting and sharing content, allowing followers to engage and respond in their own time.

10. Formal Communication

Formal communication refers to structured and professional exchanges that follow established rules, guidelines, and etiquette.

This type of communication is typically used in professional settings, official correspondences, or ceremonial events, and can include both verbal and written forms.

Formal communication often involves the use of proper language, clear structure, and respectful tone, ensuring clarity and credibility in the message being conveyed.

• Business letters: Crafting well-structured and professionally formatted correspondence for official purposes.
• Presentations: Delivering well-organized and polished speeches or lectures to an audience, using appropriate language and visual aids.
• Reports: Writing comprehensive and coherent documents to present research findings, project updates, or policy recommendations.
• Agendas and meeting minutes: Creating and distributing structured outlines of topics to be discussed, along with records of decisions and action items.
• Formal invitations: Sending carefully crafted and elegantly designed invitations for events, such as weddings, conferences, or award ceremonies.

11. Informal Communication

Informal communication involves casual and spontaneous exchanges between individuals, often characterized by a relaxed tone and the use of colloquial language.

This type of communication typically occurs in personal conversations, friendly interactions, or social media engagements, and can include verbal, written, and nonverbal forms.

Informal communication allows for the expression of personal opinions, emotions, and experiences, fostering rapport and relationship-building among participants.

• Casual conversations: Engaging in unstructured and relaxed dialogues with friends, family, or colleagues.
• Text messages: Sending and receiving brief, colloquial messages to share updates, ask questions, or coordinate plans.
• Social media comments: Interacting with others through likes, shares, and comments on various platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
• Informal emails: Writing casual and conversational messages, often using abbreviated language and emoticons.
• Comedy Shows: Comedians tend to employ informal communication in order to send signals to the audience that they are in a space designed to make light of social situatios.

12. Metacommunication

Metacommunication refers to communication about communication . It generally refers to statements or non-verbal cues during a conversation used to check in about how the conversation is going.

For example, you might pause to reflect on what you said by saying “did that make sense to you?” This specific type of metacommunication is called metacommentary .

Online, we see metacommuncation on social media such as twitter where there are warning comments giving context about the text that is being read.

There might be a flag saying some of the statements are contested or untrue; or, there might be a notice explaining the author of the text. This adds context to the text and allows you to understand more about what you’re reading.

• Clarifying yourself: Saying in text or verbally, “that was a joke, by the way.”
• Voice inflection: Going up at the end of a sentence can indicate you’re asking a question.
• Metacommentary: Making a comment about what you’re saying, like, “wow, I’m going around in circles aren’t I?”.
• Paraphrasing: After a long speech, consciously paraphrasing what you said to recap the key points.
• Signposting: When giving a speech, starting by signposting what you will say and the order in which it will be said to help people follow your speech.

There are likely many other types of communication we can examine, but the above are some key examples of ways we have categorized communication in communications and media studies. These categories are useful to analyze how different approaches to communication have their own key strengths and weakesses.

Separating communication out into its various types also helps us to explore how different types of communication have risen to prominence depending upon the technology of the day. This sort of analysis can demonstrate how technologies have fundamentally shaped how societies communicate and, therefore, facilitated large-scale cultural change. To explore this idea that communication technologies shape societies and cultures, take a look at my article on technological determinism .

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

1 thought on “12 Types of Communication”

Very interesting topic. I have learnt a lot about different types of communication and that there are a lot of different ways people can communicate with each other.

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Chapter 9 Public Speaking

9.2 Types of Speeches

In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with messages both good and bad. No matter where you live, where you work or go to school, or what kinds of media you use, you are probably exposed to hundreds. if not thousands, of advertising messages every day. Researcher Norman W. Edmund estimates that by 2020 the amount of knowledge in the world will double every seventy-three days (Edmund, 2005).

Christian Pierret –  Leader  – CC BY 2.0.

Because we live in a world where we are overwhelmed with content, communicating information in a way that is accessible to others is more important today than ever before. To help us further understand why public speaking is important, we will first examine public speaking in everyday life. We will then discuss how public speaking can benefit you personally.

Everyday Public Speaking

Every single day people across the United States and around the world stand up in front of some kind of audience and speak. In fact, there’s even a monthly publication that reproduces some of the top speeches from around the United States called  Vital Speeches of the Day  ( http://www.vsotd.com ). Although public speeches are of various types, they can generally be grouped into three categories based on their intended purpose: informative, persuasive, and entertaining.

Informative Speaking

One of the most common types of public speaking is  informative speaking . The primary purpose of informative presentations is to share one’s knowledge of a subject with an audience. Reasons for making an informative speech vary widely. For example, you might be asked to instruct a group of coworkers on how to use new computer software or to report to a group of managers how your latest project is coming along. A local community group might wish to hear about your volunteer activities in New Orleans during spring break, or your classmates may want you to share your expertise on Mediterranean cooking. What all these examples have in common is the goal of imparting information to an audience.

Informative speaking is integrated into many different occupations. Physicians often lecture about their areas of expertise to medical students, other physicians, and patients. Teachers find themselves presenting to parents as well as to their students. Firefighters give demonstrations about how to effectively control a fire in the house. Informative speaking is a common part of numerous jobs and other everyday activities. As a result, learning how to speak effectively has become an essential skill in today’s world.

Persuasive Speaking

A second common reason for speaking to an audience is to  persuade  others. In our everyday lives, we are often called on to convince, motivate, or otherwise persuade others to change their beliefs, take an action, or reconsider a decision. Advocating for music education in your local school district, convincing clients to purchase your company’s products, or inspiring high school students to attend college all involve influencing other people through public speaking.

For some people, such as elected officials, giving persuasive speeches is a crucial part of attaining and continuing career success. Other people make careers out of speaking to groups of people who pay to listen to them. Motivational authors and speakers, such as Les Brown ( http://www.lesbrown.com ), make millions of dollars each year from people who want to be motivated to do better in their lives. Brian Tracy, another professional speaker and author, specializes in helping business leaders become more productive and effective in the workplace ( http://www.briantracy.com ).

Whether public speaking is something you do every day or just a few times a year, persuading others is a challenging task. If you develop the skill to persuade effectively, it can be personally and professionally rewarding.

Entertaining Speaking

Entertaining speaking  involves an array of speaking occasions ranging from introductions to wedding toasts, to presenting and accepting awards, to delivering eulogies at funerals and memorial services in addition to after-dinner speeches and motivational speeches. Entertaining speaking has been important since the time of the ancient Greeks, when Aristotle identified epideictic speaking (speaking in a ceremonial context) as an important type of address. As with persuasive and informative speaking, there are professionals, from religious leaders to comedians, who make a living simply from delivering entertaining speeches. As anyone who has watched an awards show on television or has seen an incoherent best man deliver a wedding toast can attest, speaking to entertain is a task that requires preparation and practice to be effective.

Personal Benefits of Public Speaking

Oral communication skills were the number one skill that college graduates found useful in the business world, according to a study by sociologist Andrew Zekeri (Zekeri, 2004). That fact alone makes learning about public speaking worthwhile. However, there are many other benefits of communicating effectively for the hundreds of thousands of college students every year who take public speaking courses. Let’s take a look at some of the personal benefits you’ll get both from a course in public speaking and from giving public speeches.

Benefits of Public Speaking Courses

In addition to learning the process of creating and delivering an effective speech, students of public speaking leave the class with a number of other benefits as well. Some of these benefits include

• developing critical thinking skills,
• fine-tuning verbal and nonverbal skills,
• overcoming fear of public speaking.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

One of the very first benefits you will gain from your public speaking course is an increased ability to think critically. Problem solving is one of many critical thinking skills you will engage in during this course. For example, when preparing a persuasive speech, you’ll have to think through real problems affecting your campus, community, or the world and provide possible solutions to those problems. You’ll also have to think about the positive and negative consequences of your solutions and then communicate your ideas to others. At first, it may seem easy to come up with solutions for a campus problem such as a shortage of parking spaces: just build more spaces. But after thinking and researching further you may find out that building costs, environmental impact from loss of green space, maintenance needs, or limited locations for additional spaces make this solution impractical. Being able to think through problems and analyze the potential costs and benefits of solutions is an essential part of critical thinking and of public speaking aimed at persuading others. These skills will help you not only in public speaking contexts but throughout your life as well. As we stated earlier, college graduates in Zekeri’s study rated oral communication skills as the most useful for success in the business world. The second most valuable skill they reported was problem-solving ability, so your public speaking course is doubly valuable!

Another benefit to public speaking is that it will enhance your ability to conduct and analyze research. Public speakers must provide credible evidence within their speeches if they are going to persuade various audiences. So your public speaking course will further refine your ability to find and utilize a range of sources.

Fine-Tuning Verbal and Nonverbal Skills

A second benefit of taking a public speaking course is that it will help you fine-tune your verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Whether you competed in public speaking in high school or this is your first time speaking in front of an audience, having the opportunity to actively practice communication skills and receive professional feedback will help you become a better overall communicator. Often, people don’t even realize that they twirl their hair or repeatedly mispronounce words while speaking in public settings until they receive feedback from a teacher during a public speaking course. People around the United States will often pay speech coaches over one hundred dollars per hour to help them enhance their speaking skills. You have a built-in speech coach right in your classroom, so it is to your advantage to use the opportunity to improve your verbal and nonverbal communication skills.

Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking

An additional benefit of taking a public speaking class is that it will help reduce your fear of public speaking. Whether they’ve spoken in public a lot or are just getting started, most people experience some anxiety when engaging in public speaking. Heidi Rose and Andrew Rancer evaluated students’ levels of public speaking anxiety during both the first and last weeks of their public speaking class and found that those levels decreased over the course of the semester (Rose & Rancer, 1993). One explanation is that people often have little exposure to public speaking. By taking a course in public speaking, students become better acquainted with the public speaking process, making them more confident and less apprehensive. In addition, you will learn specific strategies for overcoming the challenges of speech anxiety.

Comm 101 (Dutton) by [author removed at request of original publisher] is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Module 6: Organizing and Outlining Your Speech

Methods of speech delivery, learning objectives.

Identify the four types of speech delivery methods and when to use them.

There are four basic methods of speech delivery: manuscript, memorized, impromptu, and extemporaneous. We’ll look at each method and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.

A manuscript page from President George W. Bush’s address to the nation on the day of the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

A manuscript speech is when the speaker writes down every word they will speak during the speech. When they deliver the speech, they have each word planned and in front of them on the page, much like a newscaster who reads from a teleprompter.

The advantage of using a manuscript is that the speaker has access to every word they’ve prepared in advance. There is no guesswork or memorization needed. This method comforts some speakers’ nerves as they don’t have to worry about that moment where they might freeze and forget what they’ve planned to say. They also are able to make exact quotes from their source material.

When the exact wording of an idea is crucial, speakers often read from a manuscript, for instance in communicating public statements from a company.

However, the disadvantage with a manuscript is that the speakers have MANY words in front of them on the page. This prohibits one of the most important aspects of delivery, eye contact. When many words are on the page, the speakers will find themselves looking down at those words more frequently because they will need the help. If they do look up at the audience, they often cannot find their place when the eye returns to the page. Also, when nerves come into play, speakers with manuscripts often default to reading from the page and forget that they are not making eye contact or engaging their audience. Therefore, manuscript is a very difficult delivery method and not ideal.  Above all, the speakers should remember to rehearse with the script so that they practice looking up often.

Public Speaking in History

The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, owed in large part to a momentary error made by an East German government spokesperson. At a live press conference, Günter Schabowski tried to explain new rules relaxing East Germany’s severe travel restrictions. A reporter asked, “when do these new rules go into effect?” Visibly flustered, Schabowski said, “As far as I know, it takes effect immediately, without delay.” In fact, the new visa application procedure was supposed to begin the following day, and with a lot of bureaucracy and red tape. Instead, thousands of East Berliners arrived within minutes at the border crossings, demanding to pass through immediately. The rest is history.

The outcome of this particular public-relations blunder was welcomed by the vast majority of East and West German citizens, and hastened the collapse of communism in Eastern and Central Europe. It’s probably good, then, that Schabowski ran this particular press conference extemporaneously, rather than reading from a manuscript.

You can view the transcript for “The mistake that toppled the Berlin Wall” here (opens in new window) .

A memorized speech is also fully prepared in advance and one in which the speaker does not use any notes. In the case of an occasion speech like a quick toast, a brief dedication, or a short eulogy, word-for-word memorization might make sense. Usually, though, it doesn’t involve committing each and every word to memory, Memorizing a speech isn’t like memorizing a poem where you need to remember every word exactly as written. Don’t memorize a manuscript! Work with your outline instead. Practice with the outline until you can recall the content and order of your main points without effort. Then it’s just a matter of practicing until you’re able to elaborate on your key points in a natural and seamless manner. Ideally, a memorized speech will sound like an off-the-cuff statement by someone who is a really eloquent speaker and an exceptionally organized thinker!

The advantage of a memorized speech is that the speaker can fully face their audience and make lots of eye contact. The problem with a memorized speech is that speakers may get nervous and forget the parts they’ve memorized. Without any notes to lean on, the speaker may hesitate and leave lots of dead air in the room while trying to recall what was planned. Sometimes, the speaker can’t remember or find his or her place in the speech and are forced to go get the notes or go back to the PowerPoint in some capacity to try to trigger his or her memory. This can be an embarrassing and uncomfortable moment for the speaker and the audience, and is a moment which could be easily avoided by using a different speaking method.

How to: memorize a speech

There are lots of tips out there about how to memorize speeches. Here’s one that loosely follows an ancient memorization strategy called the method of loci or “memory palace,” which uses visualizations of familiar spatial environments in order to enhance the recall of information.

You can view the transcript for “How to Memorize a Speech” here (opens in new window) .

An impromptu speech is one for which there is little to no preparation. There is often not a warning even that the person may be asked to speak. For example, your speech teacher may ask you to deliver a speech on your worst pet peeve. You may or may not be given a few minutes to organize your thoughts. What should you do? DO NOT PANIC. Even under pressure, you can create a basic speech that follows the formula of an introduction, body, and conclusion. If you have a few minutes, jot down some notes that fit into each part of the speech. (In fact, the phrase “speaking off the cuff,” which means speaking without preparation, probably refers to the idea that one would jot a few notes on one’s shirt cuff before speaking impromptu.) [1] ) An introduction should include an attention getter, introduction of the topic, speaker credibility, and forecasting of main points. The body should have two or three main points. The conclusion should have a summary, call to action, and final thought. If you can organize your thoughts into those three parts, you will sound like a polished speaker. Even if you only hit two of them, it will still help you to think about the speech in those parts. For example, if a speech is being given on a pet peeve of chewed gum being left under desks in classrooms, it might be organized like this.

• Introduction : Speaker chews gum loudly and then puts it under a desk (attention getter, demonstration). Speaker introduces themselves and the topic and why they’re qualified to speak on it (topic introduction and credibility). “I’m Katie Smith and I’ve been a student at this school for three years and witnessed this gum problem the entire time.”
• Body : Speaker states three main points of why we shouldn’t leave gum on desks: it’s rude, it makes custodians have to work harder, it affects the next student who gets nastiness on their seat (forecast of order). Speaker then discusses those three points
• Conclusion : Speaker summarizes those three points (summary, part 1 of conclusion), calls on the audience to pledge to never do this again (call to action), and gives a quote from Michael Jordan about respecting property (final thought).

While an impromptu speech can be challenging, the advantage is that it can also be thrilling as the speaker thinks off the cuff and says what they’re most passionate about in the moment. A speaker should not be afraid to use notes during an impromptu speech if they were given any time to organize their thoughts.

The disadvantage is that there is no time for preparation, so finding research to support claims such as quotes or facts cannot be included. The lack of preparation makes some speakers more nervous and they may struggle to engage the audience due to their nerves.

Extemporaneous

The last method of delivery we’ll look at is extemporaneous. When speaking extemporaneously, speakers prepare some notes in advance that help trigger their memory of what they planned to say. These notes are often placed on notecards. A 4”x6” notecard or 5”x7” size card works well. This size of notecards can be purchased at any office supply store. Speakers should determine what needs to go on each card by reading through their speech notes and giving themselves phrases to say out loud. These notes are not full sentences, but help the speakers, who turn them into a full sentence when spoken aloud. Note that if a quote is being used, listing that quote verbatim is fine.

The advantage of extemporaneous speaking is that the speakers are able to speak in a more conversational tone by letting the cards guide them, but not dictate every word they say. This method allows for the speakers to make more eye contact with the audience. The shorter note forms also prevent speakers from getting lost in their words. Numbering these cards also helps if one gets out of order. Also, these notes are not ones the teacher sees or collects. While you may be required to turn in your speech outline, your extemporaneous notecards are not seen by anyone but you. Therefore, you can also write yourself notes to speak up, slow down, emphasize a point, go to the next slide, etc.

The disadvantage to extemporaneous is the speakers may forget what else was planned to say or find a card to be out of order. This problem can be avoided through rehearsal and double-checking the note order before speaking.

Many speakers consider the extemporaneous method to be the ideal speaking method because it allows them to be prepared, keeps the audience engaged, and makes the speakers more natural in their delivery. In your public speaking class, most of your speeches will probably be delivered extemporaneously.

• As per the Oxford English Dictionary' s entry for "Off the Cuff." See an extensive discussion at Mark Liberman's Language Log here: https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4130 ↵
• Method of loci definition. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_of_loci . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• The mistake that toppled the Berlin Wall. Provided by : Vox. Located at : https://youtu.be/Mn4VDwaV-oo . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• How to Memorize a Speech. Authored by : Memorize Academy. Located at : https://youtu.be/rvBw__VNrsc . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Address to the Nation. Provided by : U.S. National Archives. Located at : https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2011/09/06/911-an-address-to-the-nation/ . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
• Methods of Speech Delivery. Authored by : Misti Wills with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

4 Main Types of Speeches in Public Speaking (With Examples)

We live in a world where communication is king.

With social media and all the digital stuff, we’re bombarded with information constantly, and everyone is fighting for our attention.

Research shows that our attention spans have declined from 12 seconds to just 8.25 seconds in the past 15 years, even shorter than a goldfish’s attention span.

So, the point is being able to get your point across quickly and effectively is a big deal. That’s where the invaluable skill of public speaking comes in handy.

But being a great speaker goes beyond just having confidence. It’s about understanding different kinds of speeches and knowing which one works best for your audience and purpose.

In this blog, we will explore four main types of speeches (or types of public speaking), each with its own purpose and impact. By understanding these types, you can connect with your audience , cater to their needs, and deliver a message that resonates.

So, let’s dive right in:

What is Speech?

Importance of public speaking (7 benefits).

• 4 Main Types of Public Speeches (With Examples)

Other Types of Speeches

Final thoughts.

A speech is a formal or informal presentation in which a person communicates their thoughts, ideas, or information to an audience. It is a spoken expression of thoughts, often delivered in a structured and organized manner.

Speeches can be delivered to serve various purposes, such as to persuade , educate, motivate, or entertain the audience.

People usually give speeches in public places, like meetings, conferences, classrooms, or special events, aiming to connect with and influence the listeners through their words.

A public speech may involve the use of supporting materials, such as visual aids, slides , or props, to enhance understanding and engagement.

The delivery of a speech encompasses not only the words spoken but also factors like the tone of voice, body language , and timing, which can greatly impact the overall effectiveness and reception of the message.

You may want to check out our short video on how to speak without hesitation.

Public speaking is a superpower that transforms your life in more ways than you can imagine.

Here are 7 reasons why Public speaking is an invaluable skill:

• Effective Communication: Being a good public speaker helps you express yourself clearly and confidently. It allows you to share your knowledge, opinions, and ideas in a captivating manner.
• Professional Growth: Mastering public speaking gives you a competitive edge in the job market. It allows you to lead meetings , present ideas, negotiate deals, and pitch projects with confidence.

• Building Confidence: Overcoming the fear of public speaking and delivering successful presentations significantly boosts your self-confidence . With experience, you become more self-assured in various situations, both inside and outside of public speaking.
• Influence and Persuasion: A strong public speaker can inspire, motivate, and influence others. By effectively conveying your message, you can sway opinions, change attitudes, and drive positive change in your personal and professional circles.

• Leadership Development: Public speaking is a crucial skill for effective leadership. It enables you to inspire and guide others, lead meetings and presentations, and rally people around a common goal.
• Personal Development: Public speaking encourages personal growth and self-improvement. It pushes you out of your comfort zone, enhances your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and helps you become a more well-rounded individual.
• Increased Visibility: The ability to speak confidently in public attracts attention and raises your visibility among peers, colleagues, and potential employers. This can lead to new opportunities, collaborations, and recognition for your expertise.

Public speaking is a vital tool for social change. History has shown us how influential speeches have shaped the world we live in. From Martin Luther King Jr.’s “ I Have a Dream ” speech to Malala Yousafzai’s advocacy for girls’ education, public speaking has been at the forefront of inspiring change. Your words have the power to challenge beliefs, ignite passion, and rally others around a cause. So, if you have a message you want to share or a mission you want to pursue, mastering the art of public speaking is essential.

1. Informative Speech

An informative speech is a type of public speaking that aims to educate or provide information to the audience about a specific topic. The main purpose of this speech is to present facts, concepts, or ideas in a clear and understandable manner.

Delivering an Informative Speech

In an informative speech, the speaker’s objective is to provide knowledge, increase awareness, or explain a subject in detail.

To be informative, you need to structure your content in a way that’s clear and easy to follow. The structure of an informative speech typically includes:

• an introduction where you grab the audience’s attention and introduce the topic
• the body where you present the main points and supporting evidence
• a conclusion where you summarize the key information and emphasize your message.
• a Q&A session or a brief discussion to further deepen their understanding.

Informative speech could be formal or informal speech, depending on the context. However, it is helpful to maintain a conversational tone.

Use relatable examples, anecdotes, or even a touch of humor to keep your audience engaged and interested. Think of it as having a friendly chat with a group of curious friends.

Examples of Informative Speeches:

An Example of Informative Speech

• Academic Settings : Students may deliver presentations to educate their classmates. Teachers or instructors may explain a specific subject to students in schools, colleges, and universities.
• Business and Professional Presentations: In the corporate world, professionals may present information about industry trends, new technologies, market research, or company updates to inform and educate their colleagues or clients.
• Public Events and Conferences: Informative speeches are prevalent in public events and conferences where experts and thought leaders share their knowledge and insights with a broader audience.
• Ted Talks and Similar Platforms: TED speakers design their speeches to educate, inspire, and spread ideas that have the potential to make a positive impact on society.
• Community Gatherings: Informative speeches can be delivered at community gatherings where speakers may inform the community about local issues, government policies, or initiatives aimed at improving the community’s well-being.

The beauty of informative speeches is their versatility; they can be adapted to different settings and tailored to suit the needs and interests of the audience.

2. Demonstrative Speech

In a demonstrative speech, the main goal is to show how to do something or how something works. It is like giving a step-by-step guide or providing practical instructions.

The purpose of a demonstrative speech is to educate or inform the audience about a specific process, task, or concept.

It can be about anything that requires a demonstration, such as cooking a recipe, performing a science experiment, using a software program, or even tying a tie.

The key to a successful demonstrative speech is to be organized and concise.

When preparing for a demonstrative speech, you need to break down the process or technique into clear and easy-to-follow steps.

You need to make sure that your audience can grasp the concepts and replicate the actions themselves. Visual aids like props, slides, or even live demonstrations are incredibly helpful in illustrating your points.

A great demonstrative speech not only teaches but also inspires.

You need to ignite a sense of enthusiasm and curiosity in your audience . Encourage them to try it out themselves and apply what they’ve learned in their own lives.

Examples of Demonstrative Speeches:

An Example of Demonstrative Speech

• Educational Settings: Demonstrative speeches are often used in classrooms, workshops, or training sessions to teach students or participants how to perform specific activities. For instance, a teacher might give a demonstrative speech on how to conduct a science experiment, play a musical instrument, or solve a math problem.
• Professional Training: In the workplace, a trainer might give a demonstrative speech on how to use a new software application, operate a piece of machinery, or follow safety protocols.
• DIY and Home Improvement: Demonstrative speeches are commonly seen in DIY (do-it-yourself) videos, TV shows, or workshops where experts demonstrate how to complete tasks like painting a room, fixing plumbing issues, or building furniture.
• Culinary Demonstrations: Demonstrative speeches are prevalent in the culinary world, where chefs or cooking experts showcase recipes and cooking techniques.

Overall, a demonstrative speech is a practical and hands-on type of speech that aims to educate, inform, and empower the audience by teaching them how to perform a particular task or skill.

3. Persuasive Speech

A persuasive speech is when the speaker tries to convince the audience to adopt or support a particular point of view, belief, or action. In a persuasive speech, the speaker aims to influence the audience’s opinions, attitudes, or behaviors.

You may present arguments and evidence to support your viewpoint and try to persuade the listeners to take specific actions or simply agree with you.

You have to use persuasive techniques such as logical reasoning, emotional appeals, and credibility to make your case.

Let me break it down for you.

• First, you need a clear and persuasive message. Identify your objective and what you want to achieve with your speech. Once you have a crystal-clear goal, you can shape your arguments and craft your speech accordingly.
• Secondly, you need to connect with your audience on an emotional level. You may use stories , anecdotes, and powerful examples to evoke emotions that resonate with your audience.
• Thirdly, you need to present compelling evidence, facts, and logical reasoning to support your arguments. Back up your claims with credible sources and statistics.
• Additionally, the delivery of your speech plays a crucial role in persuasion. Your body language, tone of voice , and overall presence should exude confidence and conviction.
• Lastly, end your persuasive speech with a call to action. Whether it’s signing a petition, donating to a cause, or changing a behavior, make it clear what steps you want your audience to take.

Examples of Persuasive speeches:

An Example of Persuasive Speech

• Political speeches: Politicians ****often deliver persuasive speeches to win support for their policies or convince people to vote for them.
• Sales and marketing presentations: Advertisements ****use persuasive techniques to persuade consumers to buy their products.
• Social issue speeches: Activists, advocates, or community leaders often give persuasive speeches to raise awareness about social issues and mobilize support for a cause.

Effective persuasion helps you win over clients, close deals, and secure promotions.

However, it’s important to note that persuasion should always be used ethically and with integrity. It’s not about manipulating people but rather about creating win-win situations.

4. Entertaining Speech

An entertaining speech is a type of public presentation that aims to captivate and amuse the audience while providing enjoyment and laughter. Unlike other types of speeches, entertaining speeches prioritize humor, storytelling , and engaging content to entertain and delight the listeners.

In an entertaining speech, the speaker uses various techniques such as jokes, anecdotes, funny stories, witty observations, humorous examples, and clever wordplay to engage the audience and elicit laughter.

The primary objective is to entertain and create a positive, lighthearted atmosphere.

An entertaining speech is a powerful tool for building a connection with the audience. It isn’t just about cracking jokes. It’s about using humor strategically to reinforce the main message.

When we’re entertained, our guards come down, and we become more receptive to the speaker’s message. It’s like a spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down.

An entertaining speech can be particularly effective when the topic at hand is traditionally considered dull, serious, or sensitive. By infusing humor, you can bring life to the subject matter and help the audience connect with it on a deeper level.

With entertainment, you can make complex concepts more accessible. And also break down barriers that might otherwise discourage people from paying attention.

Delivery and timing are crucial elements in entertaining speeches.

The speaker’s tone, facial expressions, gestures , and voice modulation play a significant role in enhancing the comedic effect.

Effective use of pauses , punchlines, and comedic timing can heighten the audience’s anticipation and result in laughter and amusement.

Examples of Entertaining Speech:

An Example of Entertaining Speech

• Social Events: Entertaining speeches are often seen at social gatherings such as weddings, birthday parties, or anniversary celebrations.
• Conferences or Conventions: In professional conferences or conventions, an entertaining speech can be a refreshing break from the more serious and technical presentations. A speaker may use humor to liven up the atmosphere.
• Stand-up Comedy: Stand-up comedians are prime examples of entertaining speeches. They perform in comedy clubs, theaters, or even on television shows, aiming to make the audience laugh and enjoy their performance.

The content and style of an entertaining speech should be tailored to the audience and the occasion. While humor is subjective, the skilled entertaining speaker knows how to adapt their speech to suit the preferences and sensibilities of the specific audience. By carefully selecting appropriate humor, you can transform a dull or serious setting into an enjoyable experience for the audience.

Beyond the four main types of public speeches we mentioned, there are a few other different types of speeches worth exploring.

• Special Occasion Speeches: These speeches are delivered during specific events or occasions, such as weddings, graduation ceremonies, or award ceremonies. They are meant to honor or celebrate individuals, express congratulations, or provide inspiration and encouragement.
• Motivational Speeches: Motivational speeches aim to inspire and are commonly delivered by coaches, entrepreneurs, or motivational speakers. They often focus on personal development, goal-setting, overcoming obstacles, and achieving success.
• Commemorative Speeches: These speeches are delivered on anniversaries, memorial services, or dedications. These speeches express admiration, highlight achievements, and reflect on the impact of the person or event being commemorated.
• Debate Speeches: Debate speeches involve presenting arguments and evidence to support a particular viewpoint on a topic. They require logical reasoning, persuasive language, and the ability to counter opposing arguments effectively.
• Impromptu Speeches: Impromptu speeches are delivered without prior preparation or planning. You are given a topic or a question on the spot and must quickly organize your thoughts and deliver a coherent speech. These speeches test the speaker’s ability to think on their feet and communicate effectively in spontaneous situations.
• Oratorical Speech: An oratorical speech is a formal and eloquent speech delivered with great emphasis and rhetorical flair. It aims to inspire, persuade, or inform the audience through the skilled use of language and powerful delivery techniques. Oratorical speeches are typically given on significant occasions, such as political rallies, commemorative events, or public ceremonies.

No matter what kind of speech you are giving, pauses play a key role in making it captivating.

Check out our video on how pausing can transform your speeches.

Public speaking is a powerful skill that holds tremendous value in various aspects of our lives. Whether you’re aiming to inform, demonstrate, persuade, or entertain, mastering the art of public speaking can open doors to new opportunities and personal growth.

Growth happens when you push beyond your comfort zones. Public speaking may seem daunting at first, but remember that every great speaker started somewhere. Embrace the challenge and take small steps forward.

Start with speaking in front of friends or family, join a local speaking club, or seek opportunities to present in a supportive environment . Each time you step out of your comfort zone, you grow stronger and more confident.

Seek resources like TED Talks, workshops, books , and podcasts to learn from experienced speakers and improve your skills.

Just like any skill, public speaking requires practice. The more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you will become.

Seek opportunities to speak in public, such as volunteering for presentations or joining public speaking clubs. Embrace every chance to practice and refine your skills.

If you are looking for a supportive environment to practice and hone your public speaking skills, try out BBR English.

Our 1:1 live sessions with a corporate expert are designed to help you improve your communication skills. You’ll gain the confidence and skills you need to communicate effectively in any situation.

Don’t let fear or insecurity hold you back from achieving your goals.

Book your counseling session now and take the first step towards becoming a more confident and effective communicator.

Your future self will thank you!

To get a peek into our results, check out How A Farmer’s Son Faced His Fear Of Public Speaking To Climb Up The Leadership Roles In An MNC.

Happy Speaking!

Team BBR English

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Persuasive Speeches

A  persuasive speech attempts to influence or reinforce the attitudes, beliefs, or behavior of an audience.  This type of speech often includes the following elements:

• appeal to the needs of the audience
• appeal to the reasoning of the audience
• focus on the relevance of your topic to the audience
• fit the speech to the audience - ensure they understand the info
• make yourself credible by demonstrating your expertise

Watch out for logical fallacies in developing your argument:

• ad hominem argument   = attacking an opponent rather than their argument
• bandwagoning  = using popular opinion as evidence
• begging the question = using circular reasoning
• either-or fallacy = the argument is structured as having either one answer or another
• hasty generalization = taking one instance as a general pattern
• non sequitur = aka: it does not follow ; your conclusions are not connected to the reasoning
• red herring fallacy = using irrelevant info in the argument 
• slippery slope = arriving at a truth by supposing a series of possible events
• Persuasive Speech Topic Ideas

Informative Speeches

An  informative speech is one that enlightens an audience.  These types of speeches can be on a variety of topics:

A good informative speech will:

• define terms to make the information clearer
• use descriptions to help the audience form a mental picture
• incorporate a demonstration
• explain concepts in-depth for greater understanding 

Informative speech example from Bill Gates:  Mosquitos, malaria and education

• Informative Speech Ideas
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1 Introduction to the Public Speaking Context

Learning objectives.

• Identify the three components of getting your message across to others.
• Describe elements in the transactional model of communication.

Communication is a Process

Communication is a process, not a singular event. A basic definition of communication is “sharing meaning between two or more people.” By definition of a process, we must take a series of actions or steps in order to reach a defined end goal. When we follow this process, we carefully consider how to best present information to reach our goals in a given context. When we do not follow the process, we leave our speaking success up to chance.

How do you get your message heard?

We live in a world with a lot of noise. Getting your message heard above others depends on three fundamental components: message, skill, and passion .

Message: When what you are saying is clear and coherent, people are more likely to pay attention to it. On the other hand, when a message is ambiguous, people will often stop paying attention. Working through the speechmaking process in the next chapter will help us to create clear and coherent messages.

Effective communication skills:  You may have the best ideas in the world, but if you do not possess the skills to communicate those ideas effectively, you’re going to have a problem getting anyone to listen. In this book, we will address the skills you must possess to effectively communicate your ideas to others.

Passion: One mistake that novice public speakers make is picking topics in which they have no emotional investment. If you are not interested in your message, you cannot expect others to be. Passion is the extra spark that draws people’s attention and makes them want to listen to your message. Your audience can tell if you don’t really care about your topic, and they will just tune you out. We will explore how to choose topics in the next chapter.

Public Speaking Elements

Most who study the speech communication process agree that there are several critical components present in nearly every speech. Understanding these elements can provide us with information that will help us to navigate any speaking context successfully.

All communication is a process composed of certain necessary elements:

• Senders (encoders)
• Receivers (decoders)
• feedback; and

With all these elements working together, the act of communication can be very complex. Let’s examine each element.

Sender: The sender creates a message through the process of encoding. Encoding entails putting thoughts and feelings into words or other symbols to share with the audience.

Receiver: The receiver decodes by listening and understanding those words and symbols and making meaning of them personally.

Context : There are four major types of context happening simultaneously in any communication act.

• Historical: What has gone on between the sender(s) and receiver(s) before the speech. The historical elements can be positive or negative, recent or further back in time. These contexts can influence the speaker’s credibility with the audience, as well as their understanding.
• Cultural: This may be ethnic, racial, religious, and/or regional cultures or co-cultures. Culture is defined (Floyd, 2017) as “the system of learned and shared symbols, language, values, and norms that distinguish one group of people from another.”
• Social: The kind of relationship the sender(s) and receiver(s) are involved in, such as teacher-student, co-workers, employer-employee, or members of the same civic organization, faith, profession, or community.
• Physical: Where the communication is taking place and the attributes of that location. The physical context can have cultural meaning (a famous shrine or monument) that influences the form and purpose of the communication or attributes that influence audience attention (temperature, seating arrangements, or external noise).

Message: Messages are the content of what you are communicating. They may be informal and spontaneous, such as small talk, or formal, intentional, and planned, such as a commencement address. In public speaking, we focus on the creation of formal and deliberate messages.

Channel: The channel is the means through which the message travels. In face-to-face communication the channel involves all of our senses, so the channel is what we see, hear, touch, smell and perhaps what we taste. When we’re communicating with someone online, the channel is the computer; when texting the channel is the cell phone; and when watching a movie on cable, the channel is the TV.

Noise: Noise refers to anything that interferes with message transmission or reception (i.e., getting the image from your head into others’ heads). There are four types of noise.

• Physiological noise : Physiological processes and states that interfere with a message. For instance, if a speaker has a headache or the flu, or if audience members are hot or they’re hungry, these conditions may interfere with message accuracy.
• Psychological noise: This refers to the mental states or emotional states that impede message transmission or reception. For example, audience members may be thinking about what they want to eat for lunch, or about a date they had last night. Or a speaker may be anxious about the speech.
• Physical noise : This is the actual sound level in a room. There may be noise from the air conditioner or the projector. Or maybe the person next to you clicking their pen.
• Cultural: Message interference that results from differences in people’s worldviews is cultural noise. The greater the difference in worldview, the more difficult it is to understand one another and communicate effectively.

Feedback: This is the message sent from the receiver back to the sender. Feedback in public speaking is usually nonverbal, such as head movement, facial expressions, laughter, eye contact, posture, and other behaviors that we use to judge audience involvement, understanding, and approval. These types of feedback can be positive (nodding, sitting up, leaning forward, smiling) or less than positive (tapping fingers, fidgeting, lack of eye contact, checking devices). There are times when verbal feedback from the audience is appropriate. You may stop and entertain questions about your content, or the audience may fill out a comment card at the end of the speech.

Outcome: The outcome is the result of the public speaking situation. For example, if you ask an audience to consider becoming bone marrow donors, there are certain outcomes. They will either have more information about the subject and feel more informed; they will disagree with you; they will take in the information but do nothing about the topic; and/or they will decide it’s a good idea to become a donor and go through the steps to do so. If they become potential donors, they will add to the pool of existing donors and perhaps save a life. Thus, either they have changed or the social context has changed, or both.

Now that we have looked at the process of communication, let’s apply it to public speaking. The speaker originates and creates a structured message and sends it through the visual/oral channel using symbols and nonverbal means to the audience members as a group, who provide (mostly nonverbal) feedback. The speaker and audience may or may not be aware of the types of interference or noise that exist, and the speaker may try to deal with them. As a result of public speaking, the audience’s minds, emotions, and/or actions are affected.

The Transactional Model of Public Speaking

The transactional model of communication illustrates the elements in public speaking visually so we can understand how meaning is co-crated. Transactional communication means that there is a continuous and simultaneous exchange of information between people. The process of encoding and decoding is an important consideration because it takes into account misunderstandings. How often have you had a message that you thought you shared effectively only for the receiving party to completely misinterpret your meaning? Although interpreting a speaker’s message may sound easy in theory, in practice many problems can arise. A speaker’s verbal message, nonverbal communication, and mediated presentation aids can make a message either clearer or harder to understand. For example, unfamiliar vocabulary, speaking too fast or too softly, or small print on presentation aids may make it difficult for you to figure out what the speaker means. Conversely, by providing definitions of complex terms, using well-timed gestures, or displaying graphs of quantitative information, the speaker can help you interpret his or her meaning. Once you have interpreted what the speaker is communicating, you then evaluate the message. Was it good? Do you agree or disagree with the speaker? Is a speaker’s argument logical? These are all questions that you may ask yourself when listening to a speech.

The idea that meanings are cocreated between people is based on a concept called the “field of experience.” According to West and Turner, a field of experience involves “how a person’s culture, experiences, and heredity influence his or her ability to communicate with another” (West & Turner, 2010). Our education, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, personality, beliefs, actions, attitudes, languages, social status, past experiences, and customs are all aspects of our field of experience, which we bring to every interaction. For meaning to occur, we must have some shared experiences with our audience; this makes it challenging to speak effectively to audiences with very different experiences from our own. Our goal as public speakers is to build upon shared fields of experience so that we can help audience members interpret our message.

Key Takeaways

• Getting your message across to others effectively requires attention to message content, skill in communicating content, and your passion for the information presented.
• The interactional models of communication provide a useful foundation for understanding communication and outline basic concepts such as sender, receiver, context noise, message, channel, feedback, and outcomes.
• Examining each public speaking situation using the elements of public speaking will help us to create more effective messages for our audience.

Arnett, R. C., & Arneson, P. (1999).  Dialogic civility in a cynical age: Community, hope, and interpersonal relationships . Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

Bakhtin, M. (2001a). The problem of speech genres. (V. W. McGee, Trans., 1986). In P. Bizzell & B. Herzberg (Eds.),  The rhetorical tradition  (pp. 1227–1245). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s. (Original work published in 1953.).

Bakhtin, M. (2001b). Marxism and the philosophy of language. (L. Matejka & I. R. Titunik, Trans., 1973). In P. Bizzell & B. Herzberg (Eds.),  The rhetorical tradition  (pp. 1210–1226). Boston, MA: Medford/St. Martin’s. (Original work published in 1953).

Barnlund, D. C. (2008). A transactional model of communication. In C. D. Mortensen (Ed.),  Communication theory  (2nd ed., pp. 47–57). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

DeVito, J. A. (2009).  The interpersonal communication book  (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Geissner, H., & Slembek, E. (1986).  Miteinander sprechen und handeln  [Speak and act: Living and working together]. Frankfurt, Germany: Scriptor.

Mortenson, C. D. (1972).  Communication: The study of human communication . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Schramm, W. (1954). How communication works. In W. Schramm (Ed.),  The process and effects of communication  (pp. 3–26). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

Shannon, C. E., & Weaver, W. (1949).  The mathematical theory of communication . Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

Understanding the Process of Public Speaking. (2021, February 20). https://socialsci.libretexts.org/@go/page/17728

West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2010).  Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application  (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, p. 13.

Wrench, J. S., McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (2008).  Human communication in everyday life: Explanations and applications . Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, p. 17.

Yakubinsky, L. P. (1997). On dialogic speech. (M. Eskin, Trans.).  PMLA ,  112 (2), 249–256. (Original work published in 1923).

Public Speaking Copyright © by Dr. Layne Goodman; Amber Green, M.A.; and Various is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Types of communication

Ivan Andreev

Demand Generation & Capture Strategist, Valamis

January 19, 2021 · updated April 2, 2024

9 minute read

After reading this guide, you will better understand the four main types of communication: Verbal, non-verbal, written, and visual.

You will be able to use this information to improve your own communication and make sure that you are promoting effective communication skills within your organisation.

• Non-verbal communication
• Verbal communication
• Written communication
• Visual communication

4 Types of communication

While it is easy to think of communication as simply the verbal transmission of information from one person to another, it is so much more than that.

Communication ranges from non-verbal, such as a glance and raised eyebrows, to verbal, such as a change in pitch and tone. Let’s take an in-depth look at all the ways that we communicate with each other.

1. Non-verbal communication

It is interesting to note that non-verbal communication is used both intentionally and unintentionally.

Most people do not have perfect control over their facial expressions – we all have heard an unprofessional comment and raised our eyebrows in response, regardless of whether or not it was wise to do so.

By learning more about how we use non-verbal communication, you will be better able to master yours and ensure that you are conveying your message exactly the way you wish to.

Facial expressions

We often use facial expressions as a way to communicate that we are listening and engaged with the person speaking.

A smile, furrowed eyebrows, or a quizzical expression all convey information to the speaker about how you are responding to their conversation.

They work to help grease the conversation, keeping it going without having to interject verbally to confirm your continued interest.

If you have ever spoken to a stone-faced person, you will know how important facial expressions are in a conversation.

How you position yourself during a conversation is important.

If you angle yourself towards the person, with a relaxed and open posture, you invite them to engage with you more fully.

Leaning back, crossing arms, or turning away from the speaker conveys a very different message – and not a positive one.

Just as no one wants to have a conversation with the back of someone’s head, talking to someone with an extremely closed posture creates a more difficult and unpleasant conversation.

Gestures and physical touch

Depending on the person, and their country of origin, they may use gestures and physical touch a lot, or almost never. However, there is a lot of information conveyed in these actions.

A gentle touch on the arm can signal encouragement, while an overly strong handshake can be an act of dominance.

Someone fidgeting with their hands while talking to you about a problem can signal guilt or avoidance and using many grand gestures while presenting an idea could convey excitement or confidence.

Eye contact

We all know the importance of eye contact.

When someone is unable to maintain eye contact, we take this to mean that they are being untruthful, shifty, or not paying attention.

Being able to maintain eye contact while listening will ensure that the speaker knows that you are present and engaged.

While speaking, it shows that you are connecting with the listener, and in cases where you are delivering unpleasant news, is doubly important.

Being able to tell someone an unpleasant message while looking them directly in the eye shows that you respect them and are an honest and sincere person.

2. Verbal communication

When we speak, we are communicating much more than just the content of our words.

We are also using pitch and tone, as well as the level of formality we use to convey important subtext to the person we are speaking with.

By carefully choosing how we use each of these aspects, we can be sure that our message is received exactly as intended.

From greeting coworkers to leading a client pitch meeting to present in front of the entire company, verbal communication factors into our work lives in a massive way.

When speaking, our emotions can often come into play.

If we are angry, upset, or frustrated, our pitch might raise, conveying to the listener that we are experiencing a strong emotion.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but being able to control it allows you to make sure that you are effectively communicating.

We all encounter situations that are frustrating or upsetting.

Allowing that to change our tone from calm and professional to curt, short, or rude is always a mistake.

Tone conveys a lot of information to the listener about how the speaker views them.

To build positive interpersonal relationships in an office environment, we should all endeavour to speak in a professional and respectful tone.

Of course, content is the most important part of verbal communication. What we say, and the words we choose to use, are crucial.

While most office communications tend to be more formal than, for example, meeting a friend for coffee, we should make sure that we leave space for personal chats and relationship building.

Think also about how technical your content is. If you are talking with developers about specific aspects of code, you should use different terms than when talking to the marketing team about new developments within the app.

3. Written communication

Effective communication by writing is a massively important skill, especially as more people are working remotely and keep in touch throughout the workday through Skype, Slack, or other digital mediums.

From a Slack message to an email to a customer to a new employee’s training guide, we write every day and it is crucial that we understand how to do so effectively.

In fact, as we increasingly rely on written communication, we are all faced with just how easy it is to create misunderstandings when using this medium.

Unclear messages, the information gone missing, or an incorrect understanding of tone or content are all problems that happen with written communication every day.

Sometimes the reader will misread the tone of a message because they are having a bad day, or just had a run-in with an unpleasant person.

No matter what, one important skill to have when relying on written communication is knowing when you need to stop using it. A simple call, in almost all cases, can solve these communication problems.

If you sense that there is a miscommunication happening, or just starting, nip it in the bud with a quick verbal chat and you’ll save a lot of time and frustration for all parties.

When writing, it is important to think about how you are presenting the information. Using paragraphs and line breaks are necessary.

Creating an impenetrable wall of text will disengage the reader – understanding and applying a proper structure will let the reader take in the information in digestible chunks.

Present your argument or thesis, take the time to back it up with clear proof, add in the relevant information to make sure that the reader understands the point fully, then close with a conclusion. 

It is a hard balance to strike between over or under explaining concepts. If you are writing instructions for a new employee, how detailed should you be?

Of course, this depends on the person, but over-explaining a little bit is much better than leaving the reader clueless.

Be thoughtful about your audience, what will they know and what do you need to explain in more detail? 

Written content tends to be a bit more formal than verbal.

Leave out the slang, use proper punctuation and spelling, and remember that anything written – especially in the digital age – will remain, even if you delete it.

Err on the side of professionalism every time you write something. Messages on Slack, for example, do not need to be written as formally as a cover letter, but they should be polite, professional, and well-written.

Be aware that written jokes can fall flat without the added context of tone or facial expressions.

4. Visual communication

Visual has become the most used type of communication, driven by social media, YouTube, and other platforms of the digital era.

As more and more people and organisations use these channels of communication, the more we are used to, and even dependent upon, using visual communication to stand out in a crowded platform.

Understanding that your visual communication must be in line with your brand and marketing, and knowing that there must be a developed and cohesive strategy for that, is crucial.

We rely heavily on visual communication.

There are many ways that visual communication, like charts, photographs, sketches, video, graphs, and even emojis and GIFs, can help improve the understanding of your message.

Think about how charts can bring data to life, making it much easier to understand than presenting a long stream of numbers, or how a sketch of a new UX is much more effective than a text description.

We rely on visuals to elevate our understanding of complex ideas.

While it is tempting to include visuals to add a bit of diversity and interest, you should consider what they bring to the table.

• Are they helpful?
• Are they necessary?
• Do they add to the overall message?

Not all communications need to have visuals added, and in some cases, they might detract from what you are trying to communicate.

You should endeavour to make sure that you are not adding fluff to your message, but rather strengthening your audience’s understanding of it.

As with all communications, make sure that you are meeting your audience where they are.

If you are presenting complex data, include the relevant descriptions, at the right technical level, so that your audience can follow.

Don’t use images that are graphic or could be upsetting, and remember the same rule applies to visual communication as does to writing: don’t create anything that you wouldn’t want to have associated with you in the future.

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Types of AAC Devices

Communication is a fundamental tool that we use to express ourselves, understand others and build social connections. Having the means to communicate is especially essential for children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or non-speaking individuals (commonly referred to as non-verbal).

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices play a critical role in improving speech and communication skills for those who have trouble vocalizing. AAC devices work by replacing or supporting spoken language to allow individuals of all abilities to express their feelings and participate in daily life. Parents and speech-language pathologists can take advantage of these user-friendly devices to help anyone with functional needs (commonly referred to as special needs) interact more effectively with others and engage with the world in new ways.

The Three Categories of AAC

AAC devices fall into the following three categories:

1. Assisted Communication Systems

Assisted devices, also called aided communication systems, require some form of external support. They can include computers, AAC devices or speech synthesis machines. Assisted devices are designed to help non-verbal individuals express themselves using low-tech aids like paper and pencils or high-tech aids like speech-generating devices (SGDs).

These systems may also include other means of transmitting and receiving messages, such as:

• Handheld devices
• Photographs
• Communication boards with symbols
• Text-to-speech software

2. Unassisted Communication Systems

Unaided or unassisted options rely on non-spoken means of communication, such as:

• Facial expressions
• Body language
• Sign language
• Drawing pictures

Unaided AAC methods do not call for supplemental materials or special tools. Even so, unassisted communication generally requires an adequate level of motor control and a communication partner to interpret messages.

3. Electronic Communication Systems

Electronic aids enable users to create messages using letters, words, phrases and picture symbols. Some electronic AAC devices with more advanced processors can be programmed to produce spoken language.

Types of Communication Devices

As a parent, speech-language pathologist or therapist, you can find a variety of mid-tech communication devices for individuals with special needs. The right AAC device depends on the setting where it will be used as well as the user’s abilities, preferences and developmental goals.

Here’s an overview of the diverse types of AAC communicators that help give children and adults more agency:

• One-message communicators: As the name suggests, one-message communicators are simple devices that play one message at a time. This communicator type is a user-friendly way to introduce basic messages, such as “hello”, “help” or “hungry.” These messages can be changed and re-recorded as needed.
• Two-message communicators: As users become comfortable with the one-message communicator, they can advance to two-message communicators . These AAC devices encourage self-expression by combining simplicity with a bit more versatility.
• Progressive communicators: Progressive communication devices grow with your student or child’s skills as they work their way up from one or two messages to as many as 32. These communicators record and retain messages and display interchangeable icons that allow the user to refine their communication choices and strengthen their ability to express themselves.
• Wearable communication devices: Individuals with disabilities, speech difficulties or ASD can use wearable AAC devices on their wrist, arm, leg or hip to enable simple communication on the go.
• Classroom communication devices: Students can benefit from using classroom AAC devices in educational settings to get more involved in activities. Communication kits allow for greater classroom participation and social interaction for non-speaking students.

Who Qualifies for an AAC Device?

Generally, any individual who struggles with speech and communication can use an AAC device, particularly when interacting with family members, friends, teachers and therapists. People affected by the following conditions can benefit from communication devices regardless of their actual and development age:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Apraxia of speech
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Cerebral palsy
• Intellectual disabilities
• Hearing impairments
• Dual sensory impairments
• Genetic syndromes
• Head injury

AAC devices can assist people of all abilities, as there are no specific skills, test scores or milestones they need to reach before AAC can help.

How Much Does an AAC Device Cost?

An AAC device or communicator can cost anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the type of device, features and customization options for the user. Low-tech and unassisted AAC devices are generally less expensive, while high-tech communicators tend to cost more. Certain devices may also require maintenance, repairs and software updates.

How Do I Get an AAC Device?

There are no specific cognitive, linguistic or motor requirements for needing assistance with an AAC device. They can assist children and adults in low-demand and high-demand contexts, regardless of the presence of speech. With that in mind, individuals with functional needs — including ASD, physical disabilities and vision impairment — may be well-served by receiving a thorough assessment by a qualified speech-language pathologist to determine the most appropriate AAC device for their unique abilities and needs.

Generally, if your child or student’s school district performs an assistive technology evaluation, they will be responsible for covering the cost of the device. If you’re interested in purchasing an AAC device for an adult, some nonprofit organizations and government programs may provide funding assistance.

We recommend consulting with a speech-language pathologist, AAC expert or occupational therapist to help you decide which AAC or communication device is the best fit. At Enabling Devices, we work with specialists who can connect you with the right AAC device for an individual’s needs.

What Is the Best Communication Device for Individuals With ASD?

Those with ASD have varying communication and self-expression needs, which can include delayed speech development and challenges with social interactions. This means there is no one specific device, toy or activity that will be applicable to all children and adults with autism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder kits can support communication skills in both children and adults with a range of abilities. These kits feature many different products and toys for increasing sensory awareness, providing vibro-tactile feedback and developing simple communication.

Support New Ways of Communicating With AAC Devices From Enabling Devices

At Enabling Devices, we’re committed to providing AAC devices and assistive technology  and other solutions that give individuals who are non-speaking more agency and a deeper way of engaging with the world. Shop online or contact our team to learn how our products can enable new means of communication.

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