Sunday, September 18, 2011

Public Speaking

During the first part of class this week, we will cover public speaking in order to get you ready for your intercultural GROUP presentations. Here is a link to get you mulling over the do's and dont's of public speaking: Never Ask Does That Make Sense

The author makes some excellent points about how certain words or phrases impact your audience's perception of you and your knowledge of the topic. Now the author does mention how these sorts of words can vary across context and be used as rhetorical strategies. However, it may not be best for you to try that at this point. As we start talking about public communication here are some things to ponder:

1. Do you have public speaking anxiety? Do you know causes this anxiety? What are some tactics, if any, you have used to overcome this anxiety?
2. What are some other public speaking blunders that detract from the speaker's message?
3. What are some effective public speaking techniques that draw you into a presentation or speaker's message?

23 comments:

  1. For me personally, public speaking comes very easily. I do not get nervous in front of big crowds, or if everyone's eyes are on me. I normally don't get too distracted or trip over my words, but in awkward lulls in my speeches I sometimes use filler words like "um" or "like" or i clear my throat.

    One effective public speaking technique is when the speaker makes eye contact with the audience. I think that shows the listener that the speaker is actually trying to make a connection, and not just talk at them.

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  2. Public speaking causes me some anxiety. I don't like being the center of attention, so having all eyes on me during a speech makes me uncomfortable. To help me overcome this anxiety, I try to take a few deep breaths before I begin speaking. This usually helps calm my nerves.

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  3. Public speaking is somewhat difficult for me. For me, the hardest kind of public speaking is always speeches for school because I'm required to stand in front of a bunch of my peers and talk about an assigned topic that I really don't care about. And because I'm not passionate about what I'm saying, I'm worried that everything I say will sound dumb. To calm my nerves, I try to think of public speaking as just another assignment. If I put the same care and effort into it that I would any other assignment, then I'm usually well prepared enough to avoid big mistakes. And it also helps that everyone else has to do it too, so I know I'm not the only nervous person in the room :-)

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  4. I have had to give speeches since the third grade. I was nervous then, but I am not too nervous now. I did three years of theatre in high school, so I have become very used to performing in front of others. Honestly, performing in front of my friends in theatre made me more nervous than performing for kids in my classes. I am very grateful for taking theatre because it has helped me be able to plant my feet and maintain eye contact with other people. Being overly prepared has helped me gain confidence and thus, the willingness to want to speak in front of other people.

    Other public speaking blunders can include picking at one's clothes, looking down, and not smiling. I lost a sixth grade speech competition because I forgot to smile during my presentation; I was too busy focusing on everything I had to remember. Showing emotion (not over-the-top, though) is very important. If you are not interested in your topic, your audience will not be either.

    I find humor and puns to be very effective devices during speeches. I tend to remember whatever it is the speaker is trying to tell me if he or she is able to make me laugh. Using different vocal inflections also helps to move the speech along and engage the audience.

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  5. I am right in the middle on public speaking, I don't fear it but i don't like it ether. I'm fine right up to the moment where I screw up my wording, then I'm done, its really not that big of a deal. I just need to learn to move past it and continue on. Its strange to me because when I'm on a set I talk normal, it's just the idea of everyone focusing in on you and you only. Honestly I just try to look around at everyone as if they were looking at me, i give them attention and it feels like the attention is less on me, i don't know how it works but it works for me. I think too much stress on words and hand motions really throws me off on a speech, its distracting and sometimes its really over done. Keeping the speech light with laughter makes everyone more comfortable and i enjoy making people laugh.

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  6. I wouldn't really call it anxiety, but I do get nervous speaking in front of people. I'm less nervous talking in front of people that I don't know, because I know I'll more than likely never see them again so their opinion doesn't really matter as much. I always worry that I'm going to forget to mention something, so if I can have note cards I feel more comfortable referencing them. When speakers emphasize their point clearly by looking up when talking about it, or saying it louder I get drawn in. I use to have a teacher who was in the marines and when he had something important to say he would bang on the wall with any heavy object he could find, to get our attention and make sure we understood that this was important. It was funny, but it also really worked. Sometimes the trouble is making sure that the audience is in tune with the message you're trying to convey, so finding a way to express yourself and your message is important.

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  7. Me personally I've never really had a problem with speaking in front of groups of people. I've never been the type too volunteer but, I don't mind doing it. I was in theater for 4 years in High School, so it's not really that big of a deal. However when I'm not really prepared for some kind of speech I usually add in the word "like" alot I guess as some kind of filler for not being well prepared. It's been a habbit, even in theater if I forgot a line, or didn't memorize it was just natural to say '.. Like .."

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  8. I dont really public speaking. I actually enjoy standing up in front of people and presenting, talking or whatever I need to do.
    The only time I get nervous is when I am not prepared. OR when my audience is of "higher intelligence." When I feel like my audience is superior I tend to struggle a little bit. However, the way I overcome it is to prepare even more for those types of audiences. For example, my senior year I prepared a very well organized argument for the existence of God. I took a class my junior year of high school called apologetics that prepared me to debate at any point in life. While I was personally convinced, I had to come up with a logical argument for higher thinking adults. The more research I did, the more confident I felt standing up in front of them.

    Suggestions to those who aren't so confident:
    -what do you have to lose?! If you make a few mistakes here and there its okay! We are all human and no where near perfect.
    -find three points on the back wall and move your eyes from one point to the next.
    -deep breaths and RELAX!
    -prepare as much as possible. If you know what you are talking about and are confident in it, then you are set :)

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  9. i dont really mind*.... wow sorry guys. I blame it on being sick :)

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  10. I have anxiety with public speaking because I don't like being up in front of a crowd. I feel like everyone is judging me. My mom has always told me that if I'm nervous, to walk in like I own the place and just be confident. I have to psych myself out. Also, I try to remind myself that most of the people in a classroom setting probably aren't paying attention anyways. I'm guilty of not really paying attention myself when classmates are presenting something.

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  11. I have anxity with public speaking because talking infront of big or small groups makes me nervous. I'm not sure what causes this anxiety because I don't have any problem talking one on one with another person. The only tactic I have been able to use is just to tell myself that everyone is in the same position as I am, and to not be nervous. Some things that detract from a speakers message is when he or she uses words like um, or like alot which causes the speech to sound choppy. Some positive tactics that draw me to a speech is when the speaker appears confident, and doesnt speak straight from note cards.

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  12. Public speaking is all about confidence, at least for me anyway. I get just as nervous as everybody else, but all I have to do to get rid of the fear is a good pep talk. I literally tell myself that my speech is going to kick butt and that I can deliver it perfectly the way I want it. No one is going to know if I mess up! As long as I walk away feeling accomplished, I'm satisfied with it :)

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  13. I've never had anxiety with public speaking, but I have heard a common way to be more comfortable with the audience is to picture them all in their underware. That's scarier to me than public speaking though. For me the biggest speaking blunder is stumbling over words. Ususally whenever I trip over my words my biggest come back is to laugh it off. Whenever I really get in my zone I use hand motions to make my points.

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  14. Public Speaking does not cause much anxiety for me, but I do have some fears about making a presentation in front of large audiences. I sometimes worry that I will mess over my words, or worse, maybe trip and fall on stage. Some tactics that I use to get rid of my anxieties are to practice, practice, practice my speech repetitively. Another method I use is to recite my speech in front of family members so that I may get use to the idea of speaking in front of people.

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  15. I don't completely freak out when I have to do a little public speaking, but it's definitely not something I enjoy or go out of my way to do. I think my biggest fear is that the audience will be completely bored or that I will blank out and not make any sense what so ever. Neither of these should be huge causes for concern...it's not going to kill anyone if they ARE bored for a couple minutes! Nor is it likely that I won't remember anything...and usually I have an outline or notecards to go off of as well.
    One of the biggest distracting factors in a speech for me is when some one uses a particular phrase multiple times. Usually they are using it as a filler, so they tend to use it more often because they're nervous. "You know what I mean?" and "yeah" are ones that were particularly bad in the last Comm class I took.
    Eye contact is something that really draws me into a speech. I'm way more likely to pay attention to the speaker if I think they might look at me. I would hate for them to look at me and see that I was bored, perhaps yawning.

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  16. I love public speaking depending on the audience. If im in front of a room of less then 30 people Im more nervous than when im in front of a larger audience. When I graduated High School I had to give a speech in front of 3,000+ people and I was not nervous at all, however when it comes to a smaller audience I tend to feel more anxiety. I think that when we are in front of an audience we tend to be more aware of our surroundings, and being on high alert makes every little thing we do or say feel akward.

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  17. Personally I enjoy public speaking as it's a way to convey my message to an audience. I don't often feel anxious when speaking to a group, but it does occur from time to time. I often just imagine the audience as a group of people I know very well, this helps me act more of myself and allows my message to flow easier. I believe a restless or tired audience is less likely to become involved in your message. Talking, texting, or gazing off into wonderland are all distractions the speaker must deal with from an audience. I believe the best way to capture the audiences attention is to get them involved. Asking questions and drawing from there own personal experiences helps them relate to the material and captivates them rather than pushing them away with a lackluster monotone presentation.

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  18. I love the idea of public speaking but when it comes to actually speaking in front of a group of people I tend to be on edge. I wouldn't say I'm jittery or a nervous wreck but on occasion I do stumble on my words. This only happens when I take into consideration all the eyes starring straight at me. For me it's harder to give a speech or presentation in front of people I know well like my close friends or family. I don't know why this is but it's easier and comfortable for me to speak in front of complete strangers. I have, however, come a long way in speaking publicly from being overly terrified to slowly finding a rhythm. For me it just depends on the topic and how well I am familiar with it to determine whether or not I'll deliver a good speech or if my nerves will get the best of me.

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  19. i dont really get nervous to talk in front of people. i dont like having to memorize a speech or something and then do it in front of people where i could mess up and thats where the embarassment comes in. i guess then only tips i give to my self is to relax and stay calm during the speech, make it smooth throughout, and stay confident.

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  20. I don't have a speaking anxiety, but i do however get a little nervous anxious when i have to speak or do a presentation. Not so much because of the people that I am speaking to but because I am worried that i will come off as not prepared or bore them. I tend to get less nervous when I am speaking in front of a large group of people, because its less intimate, and personal. Speaking in front of a smaller group like less then 20 people makes me a lot more nervous and anxious due to the fact that it is more intimate, and theres a greater chance that they all know you.
    The things i do to help my anxiousness and nervousness is, as corny as it sounds, picture them in their underwear and that helps to ease the gut feeling i have... Or i stop and realize that they all have to speak too, and that some of them are probably more scared then i am, and that tends to help. Another thing is that my mom always makes me do my speech in front of her, which helps me practice and help me spot where my faults are and then work and improve on them,
    some other public speaking blunders that detract from the speaker's message in my opinion are when the speaker uses fillers, like "um, and uh", or when the speaker has no personality, and is very dry.
    The techniques that a speaker can do that can draw me into the speech or presentation, is be animated, and make what they are presenting more interesting then what it actually is, include funny things and maybe a video so it wont be completely boring, and not interesting.

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  21. oops i misunderstood the second question! my answer to that is mainly when people keep getting up, or are looking down, doodling, texting, sleeping, or making some kind of noise.

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  22. Public speaking freaks me out because I'm afraid that I will mess up or stumble over my words. I am also afraid that they will not pay attention because i am not a good speaker. When i get up in front of people to give a speech my throat closes up and I can't swallow. I think that is one of the main reasons why I'm such a loud and obnoxious person. if i'm not making a fool of myself, and if people aren't laughing or at least rolling their eyes, i feel like they are just judging me for something that i'm not! I doubt that actually makes sense but it does to me.
    Something that has helped me has been to make jokes and interact with the crowd. Being confident is the only thing that will get you by though--so practice practice practice!

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  23. 1.It depends on the circumstances whether or not public speaking causes anxiety. The size of the audience plays a huge roll. If the audience is large, I am more likely to be anxious.
    2. Some speaking blunders that detract from the message could be the use of fillers such as "um" and "uh." These things take away from what the speaker is trying to put across the audience.
    3. Some techniques that draw me in are the use of eye contact. Other things are be voice variation to make it more interesting.

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