GE ELECT- Public Speaking

CHAPTER 1

“Communicate to express and to impress”

Nervousness is Normal

Nervousness

>it is a healthy sign that they are getting “psyched up” for a good effort

>perfectly normal-even desirable- feeling at the start of the speech

Adrenaline

>a hormone released into the bloodstream in response to physical and mental stress

The Power of Public Speaking

Public Speaking is a way of making ideas public- of sharing them with other people and of influencing
other people.

 vital means of civic engagement

 a form of empowerment
 offers opportunity to make a difference

Great Speakers around the World

 USA - Franklin Roosevelt, Billy Graham, Cesar Chavez, Barbara Jordan, Ronald Reagan, Martin
Luther King, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama.
 Great Britain – Margaret Thatcher
 South Africa – Nelson Mandela
 Myanmar – Aung San Suu Kyi
 Kenya – Wangari Maathai

The Tradition of Public Speaking

 Almost all cultures have an equivalent of the English word “orator” to designate someone with
special skills in public speaking.
 The oldest known handbook on effective speech was written on papyrus in Egypt some 4500
years ago.
 Aristotle’s Rhetoric, composed during the 3rd century BCE, is still considered the most important
work on its subject, and many of its principles are followed by speakers and writers today.
 The great Roman leader Cicero used his speeches to defend liberty and wrote several weeks
about oratory in general
  The principles of public speaking are derived from a long tradition and have been confirmed by a
substantial bod of research.
 The more you know about the principles, the more effective you will be in your own speeches –
and the more effective you will be in listening to the speeches of other people.

Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation

 Organizing your thoughts logically.

 Tailoring your message to your audience.
 Telling a story for a maximum impact.
 Adapting to listener feedback.

Differences Between Public Speaking and Conversation

 Public speaking is more highly structured.

 it usually imposes time limitations,
 does not allow listeners to interrupt with questions or commentary
 speaker must anticipate questions that may arise
 PS demands more detailed planning and prep
 Public speaking requires more formal language.
 it avoids slang, jargon, and bad grammar
 uses elevated and polished language when addressing the audience
 a speech is considered to be “special”
 Public speaking requires a different method of delivery.
 it avoids interject stock phrases
 speakers adjust their voices to be clearly heard
 assume a more erect posture
 avoid mannerisms and verbal habits

Developing Confidence: Your Speech Class

 Stage Fright
 one of the concerns of students in any speech class
 the anxiety over the prospect of giving a speech in front of an audience

“Given a choice, at a funeral, most of us would rather be the one in the coffin than the one giving the
eulogy.”

- Jerry Seinfeld

Effects of Sudden Adrenaline Shot

 it makes your heart race

 your hand shakes
 your knees knock
 your skin perspire
Dealing with Nervousness

 Rather than trying to eliminate ever trace of stage fright, you should aim at transforming it from
a negative force into what one expert calls positive nervousness.
 Positive Nervousness 
 controlled nervousness that helps a speaker for his or her presentation

Positive Nervousness
“a zesty, enthusiastic, lively feeling with a slight edge to it…. It’s still nervousness, but it feels different.
You’re no longer victimized by it; instead, you’re vitalized by it. You’re in control of it.”

Turning Nervousness from a Negative Force into a Positive one

 think of it as “stage excitement” or “stage enthusiasm.”
 think of it as a normal part of giving a successful speech.
 Here are the six (6) ways to turn nervousness from a negative force into a positive
one:
 Acquire Speaking Experience
 You are enrolled in this course to learn about speechmaking and gain speaking
experience.
 The part of stage fright is fear of the unknown.
 The more you learn, the more speeches you give, the less threat of nervousness it
will become.
 Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
 pick speech topics you truly care about
 one minute of speaking time requires one to two hours of preparation
 this will depend on the amount of research needed for the speech
 Think Positively
 confidence is mostly the well-known power of positive thinking
 if you think you can do it, you usually can
 mind over matter

Turning Nervousness from a Negative Force into a Positive one

 Use the Power of Visualization

 Visualization – mental imaging which a speaker vividly pictures himself or herself
giving a successful presentation
 create a vivid mental blueprint in which you see yourself succeeding in your
speech
 Know that Most Nervousness is Not Visible
 do not look tense and insecure
 only a fraction of the turmoil you feel inside is visible on the outside
  your nervous system will give you a thousand shocks, but your audience can only
see a few of them
 Do not Expect Perfection.
 know that there such thing as a perfect speech
 if you made mistakes, just proceed as if nothing happened
 do not view speechmaking as a performance, instead, view it as an act of
communication

Tips to Dealing with Nervousness in Your First Speech

 Work especially hard on your introduction.

 Make eye contact with members of your audience.
 Concentrate on communicating with your audience rather than worrying about your
stage fright.
 Use visual aids.

Public Speaking and Critical Thinking

 Besides building your confidence, a course in public speaking can develop your skills a s a
critical thinker.
 Critical Thinking - it is a matter of logic – of being able to spot weaknesses in other people’s
arguments and to avoid them in your own.

Critical Thinking

 It involves related skills such as distinguishing fact from opinion, judging the credibility of
statements, and assessing the soundness of evidence.
 It makes your speech structure clear and cohesive.
 It plays an important role of shaping ideas.

Cultural Diversity

-the existence of a variety of cultural or ethnic groups within a society.

CHAPTER 1 QUIZ
True

 Public Speaking demands more detailed planning and preparation

compared to conversation
 It's important to dress properly and look good in Public Speaking
 One should aim at transforming a negative force into what one expert calls
positive nervousness.
 Culture can be included in the frame of reference of a person.
 Physical setting affects the mood of the audience in a speech
  Your goal in public speaking is to have your intended message
communicated.
 You can empower others by making your opinions heard by other people.
 You have to consider mind over matter in Public Speaking.
 The more you learn, the more speeches you give, the less threat of
nervousness it will become.

False

 It's okay to repeat your speech from the start when you make a mistake
 Audience should accept and recognize all the speaker's has to say.
 A speech should be backed by a research if it is an informational speech
but persuasive speech doesn't need to be backed by a research because it
will solely depend on how the speaker persuade the audience.
 A speech should be perfect/flawless all the time because you present in
front of many people.
 Over confidence is okay if it will help you surpass your nervousness.
 Concentrate with yourself rather than worrying about your stage fright.
 Public Speaking is a performance
 It's definitely okay to bash other people if they try to oppress the
marginalized people.
 It's okay to have mannerisms while delivering a speech because the
audience will understand it.