Though public speaking involves numerous components, I believe that creativity is the most vital element. Creativity separates the good speech from the phenomenal speech, and is attainable through a variety of ways, one of which is the use of effective visual aids. The visual aid works for as the same reason story books appeal to children, the same reason the teachers write on the chalkboard in lessons, the same reason television programs have become more popular than radio programs. We are a visual society, yet often college professors, politicians, and the like, often do not follow this trend.
Visual aids come in all sizes, shapes, and forms, and range from traditional to bold to humorous.
I also used a video of a hula performance to teach the class as I spoke. In a speech concerning racial harassment on campus, I obtained a quilt that students created as a collection of incidences, and draped this bold emblem over a table directly between myself and the audience. Other well-used and effective visual aids are simple drawings, photos, charts, graphs, or lists either on poster board or pictured on an overhead projector. This, of course, did not replace actual demonstration by myself and the audience, as we all stood up and danced together. The audience s physical participation also counts as a visual aid, because they aid themselves through motion, whether it is to dance, stand up, or raise their hand.