Public Speaking Notes 1

Public Speaking Notes 1

Why do we need to cover Public Speaking in English?

• In the past, Public Speaking was its own class entirely - it was required to graduate!

• Now, we've decided to remove it as a graduation requirement and spread it across your first three years of English.

Open Ended

Take a few minutes and list what you believe are the FIVE most important characteristics of effective public speakers.

Open Ended

Now, take a few minutes and list what you believe are the FIVE most apparent characteristics of ineffective public speakers.

Poll

What are your biggest concerns regarding public speaking?

• Stage Fright/Nervousness

• Stuttering

• Filler Words

• Worried about making mistakes

• I'm actually pretty comfortable speaking in front of people

Importance of Public Speaking

• Statistically speaking, employers (today) find the ability to speak publicly more important than the undergraduate degree itself. 

• Employers consistently rank the ability to communicate above technical knowledge when hiring and making promotions within a company.

• The interview process for jobs has also changed as interviewees are being asked to make presentations as a part of the interview process.

Open Ended

Take a few moments and list different types of jobs that might require one to speak publically.

Stage Fright

• How many of you suffer from stage fright?

• Now, ask yourself what makes speaking in public so frightening?

Let's go back to the numbers...

• Think about this, 42% report that public speaking is greatest fear.

• Only 28% of people said that they fear dying!

• What is the worst thing that could actually happen during a speech? Keep that in perspective.

Strategies for Overcoming Stage Fright

• Practice and gain experience - that's what this unit is about!

• Prepare! Be over prepared! General rule: approximately half hour of prep per minute of speech.

• Think positive thoughts!

Strategies for Overcoming Stage Fright

• Visualization - let your audience experience the same thing that you are!

• Most nervousness on a basic level is not really noticeable. Only when you let it become a physcial act does it become noticeable.

• Not all speeches are perfect.

• Conversational tone vs. Performance-like tone

Poll

Do you get nervous when speaking in public or in front of other people?

• Yes

• No

Nervousness

• Harness it! There is such thing as positive nervousness!

• Think of Jennifer Lawrence's speeches at awards shows

• Use the nervousness as energy

Remember

• Mistakes are not usually evident to the audience!

• They won't know you made a mistake unless you make it obvious to them!

• Nervousness is not always visible.

• Sometimes an error or two can actually enhance a speaker's appeal by making him or her seem more human.

• Think of your teachers.

The Objective

• Every speech or instance of public speaking should have an objective. We will focus on 5 main components.

• Choosing a narrow topic (How to throw a baseball vs. How to play baseball)

• Ensuring you do adequate research and use convincing support

• Organizing your ideas so tht the listener does not get lost

• Using words tht are accurate, clear, vivid, and appropriate

• Tone of voice, appearance, gestures, etc.

Frame of Reference

• What does your audience already know?

• What references do I make on a daily/weekly basis?

• Frame of reference: Sum of person's knowledge, experience, goals, values, attitudes

• Speak to the audience in a manner that they can relate to!

• Mike Smith, the motivational speaker.

• However, not everyone has the same frame of reference.

Practice

Grab a piece of scratch paper. I'll name something in the room and we'll take a minute to write down what that looks like to you and what you know about that object. We'll compare each other's frames of reference.