Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing to speak
• Part 2 of 3: Sharpening your message
• Part 3 of 3: Public speaking
• Tips
• Warnings

Public speaking is a fear of a lot of people. Whether it's giving a speech, making a toast to a friend's wedding, or being called to the front of the classroom. Fortunately, you can learn to improve public speaking by following the tips below. It may never become your favorite activity, but at least you will be less likely to throw up when addressing an audience.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Preparing to speak

1. Know your topic. Making yourself an easygoing and dynamic public speaker is knowing what you are going to talk about. If you lack the knowledge on your subject, you will appear nervous and insecure when you talk about it. Your audience will immediately notice it.
   • Preparation is the key to success. Take the time to plan your speech to ensure that your speech flows naturally and logically. You should also be aware of how you come across when you are speaking. Try to emphasize your good qualities and mask your less good ones.
   • Even though public speaking is just answering a question in class, you still need to know your topic by heart. It can help you feel more confident and appear as such. It will make a good impression on your listeners.
2. Train your body. While public speaking is not the same as a marathon, there are things you can do to make sure your body is working with you. This goes beyond not switching feet every time you are talking (keep your toes still, and you will find that you will no longer do this). It has to do with breathing and making sure you speak clearly.
   • Speak from your diaphragm. This will help you articulate loudly and clearly so that your audience can hear you without you appearing to be shouting. As an exercise, you can stand up straight and place your hand on your stomach. Breath in breath out. Count to 5 per breath, then to 10 per breath. You will notice that your abs will relax. You want to breathe and speak from that relaxed state.
   • Modulate your tone. Find out what the pitch of your voice is. Too high? Too low? So high that only dogs can hear it? By relaxing, standing comfortably (yet upright), and breathing well, you will strike a finer tone.
   • Avoid breathing through the throat and chest. This ensures that you sound more nervous and that your throat tightens slightly. As a result, your voice will sound uncomfortable and tense.
3. Practice your temporization. People usually speak a lot faster when they are having regular conversations. But that type of speech will not work if you are speaking to a large group. Your audience needs to be able to follow what you say and needs time to process your words.
   • Try to speak slower than you do during normal conversations. Make sure to pause between ideas or important themes. Allow the audience time to understand and process what you have just said.
   • Practice proper articulation and pronunciation. Articulation concerns the pronunciation of sounds. In particular, focus on these sounds: b, d, g, dz (as in jazz), p, t, k, ts (as in chilling). Regarding pronunciation, make sure you know how to pronounce all your words. Practice the trickier words.
   • Get rid of words like "um." And pantonyms like "thingy", "stuff". You can of course keep saying these words in normal conversations, but when you speak in public it seems as if you don't know what you are talking about.
4. Know your speech. Knowing your speech well is just as important as knowing enough about the topic of your speech. There are several ways to give speeches, so choose the one that works best for you.
   • In order to give a speech, you will need notes or an outline of your speech. Or you can do it by heart, if you can. But don't try that if you're not super confident about it.
   • You don't have to write everything on your cheat sheets (leave a little room for improvisation), but it can be helpful to jot down things like "pause after this information" or "remember to breathe" so you can do that too. is doing. Memorize your speech. While you shouldn't memorize everything, it can help you appear more confident and seem like you really know what you're talking about. Make sure you have set aside enough time for this.
   • Write your speech, and again, and again. This method will help you remember your speech better. The more you write it out, the better you will remember it. If you've rebooked it a few times, quiz yourself. Check how well you remembered it. If there are any parts you couldn't remember, rewrite those specific parts. And again, and again ...
   • Divide your speech into smaller parts and try to memorize them. It is very difficult to learn to memorize an entire speech in one sitting. It is best to learn to memorize small pieces (such as each agenda item, then 3 agenda items, etc.)
   • Use the place method (Method of Loci). Divide your speech into paragraphs or agenda items. Visualize an image at each agenda item (such as "a bottle of wine on the coffee table") when talking about a shopping list. Determine a location for each agenda item ("baguette at the front door", and "cheese in the kitchen"). Now you will move from one location to another. If you have several things to say, make up several specific locations (like "cheese on the shelf in the kitchen".
5. Know your audience. You need to know who you are talking to. Some things work for a certain target group, but not at all for another. For example, you don't want to be too casual when you're giving a business presentation, but you don't want to sound too corporate when you're speaking to a group of classmates.
   • Humor is a great way to warm up yourself and the audience. There is usually a certain type of humor that is suitable for most speaking situations (but not always!). It's good to start with a little humor to break the ice and show that you are confident. Telling a funny (and true) story can be a great start.
   • Find out what message you want to convey to the audience. Does she want to provide you with new information? Do you want to let them ruminate on old information? Are you trying to get them to do something? If you know which message you want to convey, then you can more easily focus on what you actually want to tell.
6. Practice. This is extremely important if you want your public speech to be appreciated. It is not enough to know your material well and to know what message you want to convey. You must have done the speech enough times to be comfortable with it. It's like walking in shoes. You will blister for the first few times, but they will soon be comfortable and fit properly.
   • Try to visit the location of your speech and practice there. This will give you more confidence, as the location is already familiar territory to you.
   • Film your practice session and find out what your strengths and weaknesses are. It can be a bit daunting to look at yourself, but it's an excellent way to find out what your strengths and weaknesses are. You will notice your nerve tics (switch feet, run your hands through the hair, etc.), and then try to keep them to a minimum.

Part 2 of 3: Sharpening your message

1. Choose the correct type of speech. There are three types of speeches: informative, persuasive, and entertaining. Although there may be overlap between the different types, each type has its own specific function.
   • An informational speech is intended to provide facts, details, and examples.Even if you are trying to convince your audience, this type of speech serves to provide basic facts and information.
   • A convincing speech serves to convince your audience. You will give facts, but also use emotion, logic, your own experiences, etc.
   • An entertaining speech fulfills a social need, but it also often uses parts of an informational speech (such as a wedding toast or a reception speech).
2. Avoid a rattling opening. You've no doubt heard intros like, "When I was asked to give this speech, I wondered what to say ..." Don't do it. It's one of the most boring ways to start your speech. It rattles on and on about personal life, and is rarely as interesting as the speaker thinks.
   • Begin your speech by clarifying your main subject or overarching theme. Also name the three (or less / more) most important points you want to make, and continue on this. Your audience will remember the opening and closing of your speech better than any other part.
   • Open up a way to instantly gain the public's attention. You can name a surprising statistic or a striking fact, or you can ask a question and refer your audience's presuppositions to the realm of fables.
3. Provide a clear structure. To prevent your speech from getting anywhere, you need to choose a clear format. Remember not to try to overwhelm your listeners with facts and ideas.
   • Make sure you have one overarching theme. Ask yourself what you want to convey to the audience. What message do you want to convey? Why should your audience agree with what you're saying? If you are lecturing on national trends in literature, ask yourself why the public should care. There's no point in blowing tons of facts to your listeners.
   • Make sure you have some key points that support your overarching idea or theme. Three main points is usually best. If your overarching theme is the increasing diversity of national children's literature, then choose the following plan: Be the first to show the new trends, second, show how this new diversity is received by the public, and the last to mention why matters.
4. Use the correct language. Language is incredibly important in written and spoken work. You want to refrain from difficult, wordy words. No matter how literate your listeners are, the interest will quickly disappear if you slap them with a dictionary.
   • Use striking sayings and adjective nameplates. You want to revitalize your speech and your audience. For example, don't say "Children's literature offers a range of different perspectives", but rather choose "Children's literature offers a wide range of exciting and diverse perspectives."
   • Use imagery that puts your audience on the edge of the seat. Winston Churchill referred to the "iron curtain" when describing the secrecy of the Soviet Union. Striking imagery remains in the consciousness of your audience longer than everyday language. After all, "the iron curtain" is still a frequently heard term.
   • Repetition is also a great way to remind your audience why your speech is important. Consider, for example, Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech "I had a dream ..." It hits the nail on the head, and ensures that the overarching theme is not forgotten.
5. Keep it simple. You want your audience to be able to easily follow your speech and remember it just as much afterwards. This means that you have to use surprising facts and striking imagery, but also that you work in a simple and business-like manner. If you try to plunge into the depths of closely related topics, you will lose your audience.
   • Use short sentences. This can be used to create dramatic effect. Consider, for example, the American "Never Again", after the attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York. It's short, it gets to the point, and has a powerful ring to it.
   • You can also use short, concise quotes. A lot of famous people have made funny or powerful statements in fairly short sentences. You can try to create one yourself, but of course you can also choose a famous quote. Consider, for example, former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt: "Be sincere, be concise, and be seated."

Part 3 of 3: Public speaking

1. Dealing with your nerves. Almost everyone who has to speak to a group of people is a bit nervous beforehand. Hopefully you are already prepared for your speech, and you already know how you will convey it. Fortunately, there are ways you can calm your nerves.
   • Before you get up to speak, you can squeeze your hands firmly a few times and open them again. This way you can deal with the adrenaline that runs through your body. Take three good, deep breaths. This will prepare your body to take a good breath during the speech.
   • Stand confident, relaxed, and upright. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. This fools your brain. You act as if you are actually very confident. This makes it easier to deliver the speech.
2. Smile at your listeners. Smile at them when you walk into (or out of) the room, or smile at them when you stand in front of them. This will make you seem confident, and will ease tension for both you and your audience.
   • Smile even if you feel like throwing up (especially if you feel like throwing up). Again, you are fooling your brain by pretending that you are so confident and comfortable.
3. Give a performance. Public speaking, in any way, is all about the performance. You can make your speech interesting or boring, and it can all depend on your performance. You have to convey a certain charisma when you are speaking.
   • Tell a story. Part of your performance is speaking as if you were telling a story. People love stories, and it will be easy for them to connect with you. Even if you are talking about something that is purely factual. Use your overarching theme or topic as the foundation of your story. Why should the public care about your topic? What's the importance?
   • Try to find a balance between the speech you practiced and the right dose of spontaneity. People don't want to sit and watch you read your cheat sheets. It's a good idea to give yourself the space to continue on a particular topic without the notes. Perhaps you can tell a few side stories to keep the attention.
   • Use your hands to make your point. You don't want to walk around swinging, but you don't want to look like a stiff rake either.
   • Alternate your voice a little while speaking. Your audience will fall asleep in ten minutes if you keep talking in a dull, monotonous tone. Be enthusiastic about your topic, and make it known through your inflections.
4. Involve the audience. You want your audience to be in your hands as wax. So try to involve them in what you are saying as much as you can. From here, it's more about being an interesting speaker than telling an interesting topic.
   • Look at your audience. Mentally divide the room into sections, making eye contact with at least one person from each section each round.
   • Ask your audience questions during your speech. You can start each different part of your speech by asking people a question. Let them provide you with answers before you provide the actual answers. It will make them feel like they are part of your speech.
5. Talk more slowly. One of the things people often forget when speaking in public is that they are talking too fast. Your normal conversation speed is much higher than your speed at your speech. If you think you are going too slow, then you are probably going just fast enough.
   • Take a sip of water every now and then as long as you keep rattling on. It will allow your audience to process the information for a moment, and give you a chance to unwind.
   • If you have a friend or acquaintance in the room, arrange a sign in advance. Make sure they show you this sign if you're going too fast. Every now and then, look in the direction of your friend / acquaintance to see if you are maintaining a good pace.
6. Provide a good lock. People remember the opening and the end of a speech the best. They rarely remember the centerpiece. This is why you need to provide a suitable final piece - a final piece that will be remembered.
   • Make sure the audience knows why the topic is important and why they should have the information you provide. If possible, end with a call to action. If you are giving a speech about the importance of arts subjects in schools, conclude with something that the audience could do themselves about the fact that the arts subjects are going to be cut back.
   • End with a story that illustrates your main point. Again, people love stories. Tell them a story about someone who took advantage of this information, or the dangers of not knowing this information, or how your speech relates specifically to your audience (people are often more interested in things about them).

Tips

• Listen and watch great public speakers speak. Try to understand why they were so successful.
• Don't let your mistakes embarrass you. Demosthenes was a prominent orator in ancient Athens, but suffered from speech impediments. A good public speaker can overcome these obstacles.
• Try to put someone you know in the audience. It is even better if you have practiced in front of him / her / them. It will make you feel more comfortable.
• If you ask your listeners a question to keep them engaged, try asking them something they can easily answer. Confirm and reinforce their answer, then move on by sharing your opinions and thoughts about it.

Warnings

• Pay close attention to what you eat before speaking in public. Dairy products and foods containing a lot of sugar can make speech difficult because they create extra mucus in the throat. Strong smelling products (such as fish or garlic) should also be avoided. You don't want to let your audience down.