English PT 1st Quarter

6 Important Elements To
Perfect Public Speaking
Introduction
For many, public speaking is a daunting
challenge. Dealing with the attention of so many
people coupled with the stress of articulating
correctly and understandably makes most
people nervous. But like every other activity,
public speaking to requires skill and practice.
All you need to know is the art of managing
your thoughts while also connecting with your
audience.
Identify your audience
Understand and analyze who your audience is.
Most likely, you will change your tone and
choice of words basis the audience you are
catering to. For example, your speech to a group
of college students will vary significantly from a
speech at a professional congregation, analyse
who your audience is. Most likely, you will
change your tone and choice of words basis the
audience you are catering to. For example, your
speech to a group of college students will vary
significantly from a speech at a professional
congregation.
Establish your personal credibility
As a speaker, you only have the first few
seconds to capture your audience’s attention;
they should want to hear you out until the end.
How do you do this? In most cases, the host of
the event introduces the speaker to the
audiences. If you have not been introduced
aptly, be sure to take a few seconds to establish
your credibility. While explaining your
authority over the subject is a great way to start,
humour also has its way of getting you all the
attention you want.
Contemplate different methods of
presentation
Despite your knowledge and expertise over a
subject, you may not be able to get or sustain
your audiences’ attention. This is because,
generally speaking, the attention span of most
people is limited to a few minutes at the most.
So what can you do to capture their attention?
Think different. The more interesting your
method of presentation, the more people are
going to listen to you. Sharpen your observation
skills and constantly attempt to give your talk
the creative edge.
Rehearse well
This is possibly one of the oldest tricks of the
trade, but definitely among the most effective.
Rehearsing helps you understand what you are
trying to say, which makes it easier when you
speak in public as you do not have to worry
about the content anymore. Rehearsals also give
you the confidence to speak better; you know
where are you falling short and can give
yourself ample chance to improve. But be sure
to rehearse exactly as you would on stage; try
not to do it in your casual clothes.
Warm-up
One of the worst ways to start your speech is by
clearing your throat. To avoid this, be sure to
warm up your voice before you get on the
podium to make your presentation.

Manage your anxiety

Most public speakers feel anxiety and
nervousness before they get on stage. If you
want to become a good public speaker, you need
to learn to manage that anxiety. In fact, it is
often not as bad as you’d think. The first stage is
to accept anxiety, then channelize it into the
confidence and energy you need to present
better. Until you have learned to manage your
fears, be conscious of your body language,
leaving no scope to let your audiences know
what you truly feel.