What I am going to teach you here is the fact that there is a physical reason for our feeling frightened when put into a position to speak in public. That reason is our body's perception that speaking in front of others is a "threatening situation" that demands the over-creation of adrenalin. And it is the over-creation of adrenalin that gives us our symptoms of feeling frightened.
Not everyone is born with natural public speaking abilities. In fact, most of us really do suck at it when we first start (kind of like snowboarding or playing Halo). So, when walking into your speech class this semester don't go in thinking you're expected to be perfect; most people around you are just as nervous and inexperienced. Just do what's asked of you and aim to get better.Personally I think one of the best ways to prepare for a class like this is to take advice from those who have been through it before. So, prior to giving you my pointers, I'd like to share the thoughts and opinions of some colleagues and former students when I asked what they would say to those of you taking public speaking this semester:
Realistically, a deep-seeded fear may not be "curable" (in the clinical sense of the word). This is because it is a result of our genetic makeup and our external & internal conditioning which is a result of one or more of those incidents I mentioned that created our feelings of anxiety in the first place. But, as I'll explain in a moment - you do not have to cure your fear; you need only to cure the symptoms of that fear in order to be able to function without fear
"Come in with an open mind. Be ready to feel accomplished after you've finally knocked a speech out of the park!" -Jim Vasil, Student, Rider University,"Keep calm when you're presenting and if you lose your place, just try to talk freehandedly about the info.don't apologize or let the audience know you were lost." -Victoria Perniola, Student, Kean University,"Remember that everybody in class is in the same position, so don't be afraid to speak in front of your peers. Be confident, know your material." -Shane Tonery, Student, Rider University,"Relax, have fun with it! If you take the leap and push past the nerves, you will come out the other side with some valuable skills." -Barbara McNair, Student, Brookdale Community College.
Learning all these from the training in public speaking can help you succeed not only in your career but also gaining your self-confidence which can result in enhancing your personality, relationship with other people and building you a clearer perspective in life. Unfortunately not all people do have the luxury of time in attending public speaking classes or training especially the working people. Therefore, the best way to gain the knowledge in the art of public speaking is hiring a coach or a speech coach for personal speech training purposes.
A speech coach can pinpoint to you what you need to enhance, develop, and eliminate in order for you to become better in speaking in public. He or she can be able to identify which aspect in the way you speak you must improve to make you an expert public speaker. Another advantage of having a speech coach is that he or she can always adapt to your preferred time.There is now online public speaking training which your speech coach can be able put you in and do one-on-one coaching. And with the use of the technology, this now becomes easy. However, you pay by the hour or by the project if you hire a speech coach. On the other hand, there are more things that you can gain in attending public speaking classes that a speech coach can't be able to provide and this is practicing with live audience which your classmates or group can help you with.
Read Your Syllabus Carefully.A lot of students go into the first class hoping to get the syllabus and leave early. Some don't even pay attention to what's in it. The syllabus is an important contract between you and your professor. It goes over everything that's expected of you. You can plan ahead for how many speeches you will have to give, and how heavily each will be graded. If you're unsure of something, or an item on the syllabus makes you feel anxious talk to the professor after the first class. Never wait until the end of the semester to bring up concerns that you can address right away.
Test your audio and visual equipment ahead of time. A common reason why presentations can go wrong is with faulty equipment. This will help you focus solely on your speech, without worrying about the visual aids.Make your speech fun for the audience. Presentation skills courses will help you to try to connect with the audience, using humor when necessary or relaying facts that are relevant to their lives. This will help keep them interested in your message.Focus on a strong opener. Courses in public speaking will help you learn how to begin your speech with a way to capture your audience's attention. A startling fact, a personal story, or amusing anecdotes are all good ways to achieve this.Practice your delivery. A good speaking skill is the ability to deliver your speech with a confident, yet conversational tone. You don't want to sound like you are preaching to your audience.Don't forget about body language. Well-placed gestures can draw the audience into your message and help emphasize a point.
Follow Directions.Good professors will let you know what needs to be done and in what fashion you have to do it. Some will even go as far as letting you know exactly what you'll be graded on for each speech. I remember having several students fail because they couldn't follow the simplest directions (like handing in a works cited page or having a folder for materials). Make sure you read any handouts regarding assignments thoroughly, and ask any questions if there's something you don't understand. Also, when you get a grade back from your professor read the comments he or she provides for you, and take them into consideration for the next speech. Here's a little secret: we usually pay close attention to areas we asked you to focus on in our previous comments.
Get to Know Your Classmates.The whole public speaking process will be easier if you become friendly with the others in your class. You can provide each other with tips and support. And when you know them, it will make the class more fun and take some of the pressure off of you. I've noticed students seem to be more successful in classes where the students mesh well together as a unit.Practice and Prepare.Always practice your speeches before you give them. Whether you find a classmate, parent, brother or sister, or stranger off the street, have them listen to you give the speech a few times. This will allow you to time yourself to be sure you're within the proper time frame. It will also help you identify any areas of the speech that might need to be adjusted.Use Your Resources.Many schools have extra help available for speech classes. Professors usually don't mind taking some time to meet with you during the semester to go over any areas of concern. Also, talking to other students in the class might help clarify something.
[Public Speaking Classes]
Not everyone is born with natural public speaking abilities. In fact, most of us really do suck at it when we first start (kind of like snowboarding or playing Halo). So, when walking into your speech class this semester don't go in thinking you're expected to be perfect; most people around you are just as nervous and inexperienced. Just do what's asked of you and aim to get better.Personally I think one of the best ways to prepare for a class like this is to take advice from those who have been through it before. So, prior to giving you my pointers, I'd like to share the thoughts and opinions of some colleagues and former students when I asked what they would say to those of you taking public speaking this semester:
Realistically, a deep-seeded fear may not be "curable" (in the clinical sense of the word). This is because it is a result of our genetic makeup and our external & internal conditioning which is a result of one or more of those incidents I mentioned that created our feelings of anxiety in the first place. But, as I'll explain in a moment - you do not have to cure your fear; you need only to cure the symptoms of that fear in order to be able to function without fear
"Come in with an open mind. Be ready to feel accomplished after you've finally knocked a speech out of the park!" -Jim Vasil, Student, Rider University,"Keep calm when you're presenting and if you lose your place, just try to talk freehandedly about the info.don't apologize or let the audience know you were lost." -Victoria Perniola, Student, Kean University,"Remember that everybody in class is in the same position, so don't be afraid to speak in front of your peers. Be confident, know your material." -Shane Tonery, Student, Rider University,"Relax, have fun with it! If you take the leap and push past the nerves, you will come out the other side with some valuable skills." -Barbara McNair, Student, Brookdale Community College.
Learning all these from the training in public speaking can help you succeed not only in your career but also gaining your self-confidence which can result in enhancing your personality, relationship with other people and building you a clearer perspective in life. Unfortunately not all people do have the luxury of time in attending public speaking classes or training especially the working people. Therefore, the best way to gain the knowledge in the art of public speaking is hiring a coach or a speech coach for personal speech training purposes.
A speech coach can pinpoint to you what you need to enhance, develop, and eliminate in order for you to become better in speaking in public. He or she can be able to identify which aspect in the way you speak you must improve to make you an expert public speaker. Another advantage of having a speech coach is that he or she can always adapt to your preferred time.There is now online public speaking training which your speech coach can be able put you in and do one-on-one coaching. And with the use of the technology, this now becomes easy. However, you pay by the hour or by the project if you hire a speech coach. On the other hand, there are more things that you can gain in attending public speaking classes that a speech coach can't be able to provide and this is practicing with live audience which your classmates or group can help you with.
Read Your Syllabus Carefully.A lot of students go into the first class hoping to get the syllabus and leave early. Some don't even pay attention to what's in it. The syllabus is an important contract between you and your professor. It goes over everything that's expected of you. You can plan ahead for how many speeches you will have to give, and how heavily each will be graded. If you're unsure of something, or an item on the syllabus makes you feel anxious talk to the professor after the first class. Never wait until the end of the semester to bring up concerns that you can address right away.
Test your audio and visual equipment ahead of time. A common reason why presentations can go wrong is with faulty equipment. This will help you focus solely on your speech, without worrying about the visual aids.Make your speech fun for the audience. Presentation skills courses will help you to try to connect with the audience, using humor when necessary or relaying facts that are relevant to their lives. This will help keep them interested in your message.Focus on a strong opener. Courses in public speaking will help you learn how to begin your speech with a way to capture your audience's attention. A startling fact, a personal story, or amusing anecdotes are all good ways to achieve this.Practice your delivery. A good speaking skill is the ability to deliver your speech with a confident, yet conversational tone. You don't want to sound like you are preaching to your audience.Don't forget about body language. Well-placed gestures can draw the audience into your message and help emphasize a point.
Follow Directions.Good professors will let you know what needs to be done and in what fashion you have to do it. Some will even go as far as letting you know exactly what you'll be graded on for each speech. I remember having several students fail because they couldn't follow the simplest directions (like handing in a works cited page or having a folder for materials). Make sure you read any handouts regarding assignments thoroughly, and ask any questions if there's something you don't understand. Also, when you get a grade back from your professor read the comments he or she provides for you, and take them into consideration for the next speech. Here's a little secret: we usually pay close attention to areas we asked you to focus on in our previous comments.
Get to Know Your Classmates.The whole public speaking process will be easier if you become friendly with the others in your class. You can provide each other with tips and support. And when you know them, it will make the class more fun and take some of the pressure off of you. I've noticed students seem to be more successful in classes where the students mesh well together as a unit.Practice and Prepare.Always practice your speeches before you give them. Whether you find a classmate, parent, brother or sister, or stranger off the street, have them listen to you give the speech a few times. This will allow you to time yourself to be sure you're within the proper time frame. It will also help you identify any areas of the speech that might need to be adjusted.Use Your Resources.Many schools have extra help available for speech classes. Professors usually don't mind taking some time to meet with you during the semester to go over any areas of concern. Also, talking to other students in the class might help clarify something.
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