A lot of people feel a sense of fear and anxiety about having to speak in public. If you're reading this, then you probably have the same fears. It has been said that the fear of public speaking can be stronger than the fear of death. This means that the most people who are afraid of speaking in public would literally rather die than have to do a presentation. People are afraid, because they are worried about embarrassing themselves. Embarrassment is a huge social deterrent. You have visions of looking or sounding stupid, not knowing what you're talking about, or being challenged by an audience member and not having any good reply.
Public speaking doesn't come easily to everyone. Math didn't come easily before you had your first math class either, did it? You can take classes to learn just about anything. Even seasoned speakers seek courses to improve. If you want to improve your presentation skills, then you should take a public speaking course to develop the true art of public speaking.Everyone can benefit from a good course in presentation skills. Most of you don't have to speak in public often, but the chance that you will have to at some point is high. It can be very confusing and difficult to choose the right course. To insure you're taking the right one, here are a few things you should consider:
"Have realistic expectations. Don't expect to be perfect because we as teachers don't expect that. What we do expect is that you try, practice, research, and come prepared. But we realize that everyone gets nervous and makes mistakes, it's totally normal! It seems like the students think that they have to be perfect during every speech and that stresses them out more." -Professor Gina Herrmann, Bergen Community College
"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.
Thinking back to my first speech class I wish I had a few tips like these to ease my anxiety. The suggestions above are excellent, and I thank all of the individuals who were kind enough to contribute to this article. I have taken their suggestions and added some of my own thoughts based on my own experiences as both a student and professor. I hope you find them helpful: Pick the Right Professor.Notice this doesn't say pick the "easiest" professor. You want to pick the professor that has a style best suited to your learning ability. Some professors are a little bit more laid back in their approach, but if you know you need more of a push to get things done, then that kind of person probably isn't best for you. If you're anxious and uncomfortable, pick a professor that makes you feel at ease in some way. The first day of the semester is key for deciding if the teacher and environment is a good fit for you; so make sure you pay attention, listen to details about the class and what is expected of you.
Get a feel for the professor's personality; does it match what you're looking for? Also, ask any questions you have after class to see how they respond. I have worked with many different public speaking professors and most of them are very good at what they do-but they are all have different approaches. Don't just pick someone who other students say is an easy grader, because while you might get a good grade, you'll still be an uncomfortable speaker at the end of the semester and beyond. Choose wisely. If you get a bad vibe during the first meeting then try to drop the class, switch sections, or see if the professor will work with your needs.
A public speaking school comes to serve not only to rid of nerves but also as a vital part of putting your other skills into better and more practice. Even when at most times a traditional class could aid many people in eliminating nervousness in some cases it can't. A case that is most serious could be one having very serious nerves particularly when trauma is there already buried deep within. One such case could be best addressed via therapy like hypnosis and it is only when this has been resolved can one effectively attend classroom teachings.
People with excessive nerves when it comes to social interactions may also find a classroom setup in a public speaking school quite tough to deal with. Perhaps these people have attempted to speak publicly before yet failed to materialize. Being one with such a case should cause you to remember that trying too much too soon is not wise because should failure become a recurring pattern it is only likely to cause further damage. You can instead try making small speeches and practice them in front of a mirror. By doing this you can better connect with your inner mind in convincing it that you can indeed make a public speech even in a gradual manner.
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 doesn't come easily to everyone. Math didn't come easily before you had your first math class either, did it? You can take classes to learn just about anything. Even seasoned speakers seek courses to improve. If you want to improve your presentation skills, then you should take a public speaking course to develop the true art of public speaking.Everyone can benefit from a good course in presentation skills. Most of you don't have to speak in public often, but the chance that you will have to at some point is high. It can be very confusing and difficult to choose the right course. To insure you're taking the right one, here are a few things you should consider:
"Have realistic expectations. Don't expect to be perfect because we as teachers don't expect that. What we do expect is that you try, practice, research, and come prepared. But we realize that everyone gets nervous and makes mistakes, it's totally normal! It seems like the students think that they have to be perfect during every speech and that stresses them out more." -Professor Gina Herrmann, Bergen Community College
"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.
Thinking back to my first speech class I wish I had a few tips like these to ease my anxiety. The suggestions above are excellent, and I thank all of the individuals who were kind enough to contribute to this article. I have taken their suggestions and added some of my own thoughts based on my own experiences as both a student and professor. I hope you find them helpful: Pick the Right Professor.Notice this doesn't say pick the "easiest" professor. You want to pick the professor that has a style best suited to your learning ability. Some professors are a little bit more laid back in their approach, but if you know you need more of a push to get things done, then that kind of person probably isn't best for you. If you're anxious and uncomfortable, pick a professor that makes you feel at ease in some way. The first day of the semester is key for deciding if the teacher and environment is a good fit for you; so make sure you pay attention, listen to details about the class and what is expected of you.
Get a feel for the professor's personality; does it match what you're looking for? Also, ask any questions you have after class to see how they respond. I have worked with many different public speaking professors and most of them are very good at what they do-but they are all have different approaches. Don't just pick someone who other students say is an easy grader, because while you might get a good grade, you'll still be an uncomfortable speaker at the end of the semester and beyond. Choose wisely. If you get a bad vibe during the first meeting then try to drop the class, switch sections, or see if the professor will work with your needs.
A public speaking school comes to serve not only to rid of nerves but also as a vital part of putting your other skills into better and more practice. Even when at most times a traditional class could aid many people in eliminating nervousness in some cases it can't. A case that is most serious could be one having very serious nerves particularly when trauma is there already buried deep within. One such case could be best addressed via therapy like hypnosis and it is only when this has been resolved can one effectively attend classroom teachings.
People with excessive nerves when it comes to social interactions may also find a classroom setup in a public speaking school quite tough to deal with. Perhaps these people have attempted to speak publicly before yet failed to materialize. Being one with such a case should cause you to remember that trying too much too soon is not wise because should failure become a recurring pattern it is only likely to cause further damage. You can instead try making small speeches and practice them in front of a mirror. By doing this you can better connect with your inner mind in convincing it that you can indeed make a public speech even in a gradual manner.
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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