I am quite aware that a lot of people possess a fear for speaking in public but as a teacher, I am also quite aware that effective public speaking competencies are critical to your success as a teacher, and are useful in your social life outside the school setting. The following internet information on "Public Speaking" were posted to help anyone overcome this fear.
INTERNET INFORMATION #1
How do you conquer it?
Well, there really is no wholesale cure, so to speak. But in a way, that’s good news. As big and bad as this fear is, it really only takes a small amount of time, understanding and practice to conquer it. *You see, fear is a natural response to a wide variety of stimuli. As I said before, it’s an ancient survival mechanism. It’s how you interpret it, however, that counts. Courage is recognizing your fear and doing the right thing anyway. You have to face your fear, and that’s where the answer begins.
Well, there really is no wholesale cure, so to speak. But in a way, that’s good news. As big and bad as this fear is, it really only takes a small amount of time, understanding and practice to conquer it. *You see, fear is a natural response to a wide variety of stimuli. As I said before, it’s an ancient survival mechanism. It’s how you interpret it, however, that counts. Courage is recognizing your fear and doing the right thing anyway. You have to face your fear, and that’s where the answer begins.
Face your fear: Admit that you have a problem, seek to understand it, and have faith that you will eventually conquer it. As I said, you’re not only far from alone, but you’re in very good company. Isolation is a big part of this fear. Talk about it with friends and family. Get it out. Then be brave and determined. You can conquer this and you will.
Know your material cold: When you do get an opportunity to present, it’s important to put your best foot forward. You need to know your material backwards and forwards. Be clear on the key points you want to get across and be prepared to converse intelligently on the subject. What we call “thinking on your feet” is really about confidence, knowledge, and preparation, not about any particular skill-set.
Take the pressure off yourself: Most people spend the vast majority of their waking cycles thinking about themselves. Most of the time, they’re not even paying attention to what’s going on around them. You think the whole world can see how nervous you are, but the truth is that nobody will notice a thing. Even if they did, if you consider that half your audience has the same fear you have, they’re likely to be empathetic.
Interact with the audience: This takes us back to isolation, the feeling that you’re standing up there all alone; all eyes are on you; all the pressure is on you. Interact with your audience. Draw them into your presentation by asking leading questions and encouraging interaction. You’ll instantly feel more comfortable, and so will your audience. A great side benefit is it will make you a far more dynamic and engaging speaker.
Ask what’s the worst that can happen? That simple question can diffuse so many life problems it isn’t funny, and it certainly applies here. What if your hands shake? What if you screw up? What if you’re so nervous you pass out? Or your pitch is so bad that you don’t get the funding for your project? First of all, none of that is going to happen; it almost never does. It’s all in your head. *The point is you’re not going to die or lose your loved ones. You’ll always have another chance; there will always be other opportunities to shine. Don’t think of your speech or presentation as an event; think of it as part of the process of life. Fear is part of it. Have courage and faith, you’ll get through it. The absolutely worst thing you can do is ignore your fear and shy away from speaking publicly. Reducing your fear and anxiety is all about reducing your isolation and boosting your confidence. The only way to do that is to understand it, work at it, and get out there and speak.
The Proof is in The Speaking: Some time back I ran one of my exciting sessions for two senior management staff at one of Melbourne’s leading golf clubs. My brief was to give them the confidence and know-how to effectively MC a very important function at which many notable people would be in attendance. Their concerns were very real for this had to work and there was no room for failure. Yet by the end of this life-changing experience they were both able to proclaim that the situation no longer frightened them and they were actually looking forward to this glittering occasion. Before I walked away they shared something very interesting with me. I learnt that after enquiring about my services, they had made further enquiries with other extended public speaking courses. “Boy did they tear shreds off you!” one of these ladies confided in me. She told me that one guy told her: “It simply can’t be done in one session… You need a longer course in which to practise”. He went on to say that he’d been in the business for 20 years and it would be an absolute waste of time and money to even consider it. But your sheer conviction and passion swayed us to believe you could deliver what you promise in one session and that’s just what you’ve done.It goes without saying the evening was an outstanding success and both of these people have since gone on from there. This choice is also yours.
INTERNET INFORMATION #2
Public speaking
"Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening".
Know the room.
"Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening".
Know the room.
Be familiar with the place in which you will speak. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
Know the audience.
Greet some of the audience as they arrive. It's easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of strangers.
Know your material.
Practice your speech and revise it if necessary. If you're not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase.
Relax.
Ease tension by doing exercises.
Visualize yourself giving your speech.
Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear, and assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful.
Realize that people want you to succeed.
They don't want you to fail. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative, and entertaining.
Don't apologize.
If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you have with your speech, you may be calling the audience's attention to something they hadn't noticed. Keep silent.
Concentrate on the message -- not the medium.
Focus your attention away from your own anxieties, and outwardly toward your message and your audience.Your nervousness will dissipate.
Turn nervousness into positive energy.
Harness your nervous energy and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm.
Gain experience.
Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need.
INTERNET INFORMATION #3
Presentation Tips for Public Speaking
1. Body language is important.
Standing, walking or moving about with appropriate hand gesture or facial expression is preferred to sitting down or standing still with head down and reading from a prepared speech. Use audio-visual aids or props for enhancement if appropriate and necessary. Master the use of presentation software such as PowerPoint well before your presentation. Do not over-dazzle your audience with excessive use of animation, sound clips, or gaudy colors which are inappropriate for your topic. Do not torture your audience by putting a lengthy document in tiny print on an overhead and reading it out to them.
2. Speak with conviction as if you really believe in what you are saying. Persuade your audience effectively. Do not read from notes for any extended length of time although it is quite acceptable to glance at your notes infrequently. Speak loudly and clearly. Sound confident. Do not mumble. If you made an error, correct it, and continue. No need to make excuses or apologize profusely.
3. Maintain sincere eye contact with your audience.
Use the 3-second method, e.g. look straight into the eyes of a person in the audience for 3 seconds at a time. Have direct eye contact with a number of people in the audience, and every now and then glance at the whole audience while speaking. Use your eye contact to make everyone in your audience feel involved.
Speak to your audience, listen to their questions, respond to their reactions, adjust and adapt. If what you have prepared is obviously not getting across to your audience, change your strategy mid-stream if you are well prepared to do so. Remember that communication is the key to a successful presentation. If you are short of time, know what can be safely left out. If you have extra time, know what could be effectively added. Always be prepared for the unexpected.
Speak to your audience, listen to their questions, respond to their reactions, adjust and adapt. If what you have prepared is obviously not getting across to your audience, change your strategy mid-stream if you are well prepared to do so. Remember that communication is the key to a successful presentation. If you are short of time, know what can be safely left out. If you have extra time, know what could be effectively added. Always be prepared for the unexpected.
4. Pause.
Allow yourself and your audience a little time to reflect and think. Don't race through your presentation and leave your audience, as well as yourself, feeling out of breath.
5. Add humor whenever appropriate and possible.
Keep audience interested throughout your entire presentation. Remember that an interesting speech makes time fly, but a boring speech is always too long to endure even if the presentation time is the same.
6. When using audio-visual aids to enhance your presentation, be sure all necessary equipment is set up and in good working order prior to the presentation. If possible, have an emergency backup system readily available. Check out the location ahead of time to ensure seating arrangements for audience, whiteboard, blackboard, lighting, location of projection screen, sound system, etc. are suitable for your presentation.
7. Have handouts ready and give them out at the appropriate time.
Tell audience ahead of time that you will be giving out an outline of your presentation so that they will not waste time taking unnecessary notes during your presentation.
8. Know when to STOP talking.
Use a timer to time your presentation when preparing it at home. Just as you don't use unnecessary words in your written paper, you don't bore your audience with repetitious or unnecessary words in your oral presentation. To end your presentation, summarize your main points in the same way as you normally do in the CONCLUSION of a written paper. Remember, however, that there is a difference between spoken words appropriate for the ear and formally written words intended for reading.
9. Terminate your presentation with an interesting remark or an appropriate punch line.
Leave your listeners with a positive impression and a sense of completion. Do not belabor your closing remarks.
10. Thank your audience and sit down.
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