giving a speech in front of a class

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16 Public Speaking Tips for Students

It's normal to be nervous—here's how to relax

• Use Relaxation Strategies

Maintain Perspective

Be confident when speaking.

Public speaking can *really* hard, especially if you struggle with social anxiety or if you don't have a lot of experience talking in front of groups. Research suggests that 61% of university students in the U.S. have a fear of public speaking. Fortunately, many strategies can help you build your confidence and strengthen your public speaking skills.

Public speaking tips for students aim to reduce anxiety that can interfere with giving presentations or speeches in class. These tips aren't just helpful for speaking in front of a big group. If you have social anxiety disorder (SAD) ,  these strategies can also help you feel more comfortable speaking in front of a group or telling a story among friends.

At a Glance

If you have social anxiety and need to give a speech  in elementary school, high school, college, or university, it helps to be as prepared as possible . Beyond preparation, however, there are strategies that you can use to reduce anxiety...without feeling like the urge to fake an illness so you can stay home and skip it.

Practice, preparation, and relaxation strategies are essential for students dealing with anxiety about public speaking. It's also important to maintain perspective; remember, other people get nervous, too! As you practice, you'll start to feel more confident about talking in front of groups, which will help you present your best self with a lot less anxiety.

Practice Your Public Speaking

Even great speakers practice their speeches beforehand. Practice out loud with a recording device or video camera, and then watch yourself to see how you can improve. If you are feeling brave, practice in front of a friend or family member and ask for feedback.

Research has even shown that imaginary practice can be an effective way to combat feelings of public speaking anxiety.

Talk About What You Know

If possible, choose a topic for your speech or presentation that you know a lot about and love. The audience will feel your passion for the topic, and you will feel less anxious knowing that you have a lot of experience to draw from when other students ask you questions.

Talking about things you are knowledgeable about can help you feel more confident and comfortable when you are speaking in public.

Concentrate on Your Message

When you focus on the task at hand, anxiety is less likely to get out of control. Concentrate on the main message of your speech or presentation and make it your goal to deliver that message to the other students in your class.

Grab the Audience's Attention

Most of your fellow classmates will pay attention for at least the first 20 seconds; grab their attention during those early moments. Start with an interesting fact or a story that relates to your topic. Other ways you can generate interest include:

• Asking rhetorical questions
• Inspiring emotion
• Generating curiosity
• Relating an interesting historical event

Have One Main Message

Focus on one central theme, and your classmates will learn more. Tie different parts of your talk to the main theme to support your overall message. Trying to cover too much ground can leave other students (and you) feeling overwhelmed.

Tell Stories

Stories catch the attention of other students and deliver a message in a more meaningful way than facts and figures. Whenever possible, use a story to illustrate a point in your talk.

Preparation Can Reduce Public Speaking Anxiety

Being prepared to speak in public can also be important if you have social anxiety disorder. Feeling confident and prepared to give your speech may help lessen your feelings of anxiety. Some of the things that you can do to prepare include:

Visit the Room

If you have access to the classroom where you will be speaking outside of class hours, take the time to visit in advance and get used to standing at the front of the room. Make arrangements for any audio-visual equipment and practice standing in the exact spot where you will deliver your speech.

Unfamiliarity can often make social anxiety worse. By making yourself more comfortable with the setting and room where you'll be delivering your speech, you'll feel much more at ease.

Rack Up Experience

Volunteer to speak in front of your class as often as possible. Be the first one to raise your hand when a question is asked. Your confidence will grow with every public speaking experience.

Researchers have found that practicing in a virtual format can also be helpful. You might try out virtual experiences that allow you to practice in front of a supportive audience or invite friends and family to watch you practice your presentation in person or through video conferencing.

Observe Other Speakers

Take the time to watch other speakers who are good at what they do. Practice imitating their style and confidence. Consider attending local events or presentations at your school. Watching TED Talks or speeches on YouTube can also be helpful.

Organize Your Talk

Every speech should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Structure your talk so that the other students know what to expect. Then write it down on notecards and spend time practicing what you will say.

Use Relaxation Strategies to Manage Anxiety

Taking steps to deal with your feelings of anxiety can also make public speaking easier. Fortunately, there are a lot of anxiety-fighting relaxation strategies that can help calm your mind and body.

It's a good idea to practice relaxation strategies before you give your speech. The more you practice them, the better you'll be able to use them when they are needed.

Some other things that you can do:

Tell Someone About Your Anxiety

If you are speaking in front of a high school or college class, meet with your teacher or professor and describe your public speaking fears . If you're in elementary or high school, share your fears with your parents, a teacher, or a guidance counselor.

Sometimes sharing how you feel can make it easier to overcome stage fright.

Visualize Confidence

Visualize yourself confidently delivering your speech, feeling free of anxiety, and engaging the students in your class. Although this may seem like a stretch for you now, visualization is a powerful tool for changing the way you feel.

Elite athletes use this strategy to improve their performance in competitions, and research has shown that it can be a helpful tool for combatting speech anxiety.

Proven Anxiety-Busters

Relaxation strategies can be super helpful for fighting speech anxiety. Some that you might try include:

• Deep breathing
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Guided imagery
• Positive self-talk
• Mindfulness

Find a Friendly Face

If you are feeling anxious, find one of your friends in class (or someone who seems friendly) and imagine that you are speaking only to that person.

Press Play for Advice on Finding Courage

Hosted by therapist Amy Morin, LCSW, this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast shares a strategy to help you find courage when you need it the most.

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Remember that other students are on your side. Think about a time when you have been an audience member and the student delivering the speech or presentation was noticeably nervous. Did you think less of that student? More likely, you felt sympathetic and wanted to make that person more comfortable by smiling or nodding.

Remember—other students generally want you to succeed and feel comfortable. If, for some reason, the audience is not on your side or you experience  bullying  or social exclusion, be sure to discuss this with a parent, teacher, or guidance counselor.

Sometimes just knowing what makes a good speech can help you feel more confident. Focus on some of the following elements and practice them before you have to speak in public.

Develop Your Own Style

In addition to imitating good speakers, work on developing your own personal style as a public speaker. Integrate your own personality into your speaking style and you will feel more comfortable in front of the class. Telling personal stories that tie into your theme are a great way to let other students get to know you better.

Avoid Filler Words

Words such as "basically," "well," and "um" don't add anything to your speech. Practice being silent when you feel the urge to use one of these words.

Vary Your Tone, Volume, and Speed

Interesting speakers vary the pitch (high versus low), volume (loud versus soft), and speed (fast versus slow) of their words. Doing so keeps your classmates interested and engaged in what you say.

Make the Audience Laugh

Laughter is a great way to relax both you and the other students in your class, and telling jokes can be a great icebreaker at the beginning of a speech. Practice the timing and delivery of your jokes beforehand and ask a friend for feedback. Be sure that they are appropriate for your class before you begin.

If all else fails, smile. Your fellow classmates will perceive you like a warm speaker and be more receptive to what you have to say.

Don't Apologize

If you make a mistake, don't offer apologies. Chances are that your classmates didn't notice anyway. Unless you need to correct a fact or figure, there is no point dwelling on errors that probably only you noticed.

If you make a mistake because your hands or shaking, or something similar, try to make light of the situation by saying something like, "I wasn't this nervous when I woke up this morning!" This can help to break the tension of the moment.

It's natural to feel frightened the first time you have to speak in front of your class. However, if you fear continues, interferes with your daily life and keeps you awake at night, it may be helpful to see someone about your anxiety.

Try talking to a parent, teacher, or counselor about how you have been feeling. If that doesn't get you anywhere, ask to make an appointment with your doctor. Severe public speaking anxiety is a true disorder that can improve with treatment .

Gallego A, McHugh L, Penttonen M, Lappalainen R. Measuring public speaking anxiety: Self-report, behavioral, and physiological .  Behav Modif . 2022;46(4):782-798. doi:10.1177/0145445521994308

Spence SH, Rapee RM. The etiology of social anxiety disorder: An evidence-based model . Behav Res Ther. 2016;86:50-67. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2016.06.007

García-Monge A, Guijarro-Romero S, Santamaría-Vázquez E, Martínez-Álvarez L, Bores-Calle N. Embodied strategies for public speaking anxiety: evaluation of the Corp-Oral program .  Front Hum Neurosci . 2023;17:1268798. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2023.1268798

Kroczek LOH, Mühlberger A. Public speaking training in front of a supportive audience in Virtual Reality improves performance in real-life .  Sci Rep . 2023;13(1):13968. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-41155-9

Banushi B, Brendle M, Ragnhildstveit A, et al. Breathwork interventions for adults with clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders: A scoping review .  Brain Sci . 2023;13(2):256. doi:10.3390/brainsci13020256

Vogel WH, Viale PH. Presenting with confidence .  J Adv Pract Oncol . 2018;9(5):545-548.

By Arlin Cuncic, MA Arlin Cuncic, MA, is the author of The Anxiety Workbook and founder of the website About Social Anxiety. She has a Master's degree in clinical psychology.

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• 11 Public Speaking Tips

11 Public Speaking Tips: How to Relax, Focus, and Shine at Your Next Presentation

It could be delivering a presentation at work, giving a heartfelt toast at your friend's wedding, or talking to your child's class on career day. No matter how serious or celebratory the occasion, most people experience some public speaking jitters. In fact, researchers continually report that public speaking is one of the top social anxieties. Whatever the event you're speaking at, delivering a speech that is clear, engaging, and gets your point across is key.

Here are 11 public speaking tips to help you excel the next time you have to speak in front of an audience.

1. Write It Out

Create an outline of your speech to organize the content. Even if it's going to be a quick one- or two-minute speech, writing a focus for the beginning, middle, and end can help you hone in on key ideas you want to convey.

If you can write out the whole speech, do it. You may end up improvising certain parts anyway, but the more you can prepare, the more seamless your speech will be. Susan Cain, author of the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking , writes that speech preparation is especially helpful for introverts since you’ll gain a better understanding of how you'll come across — which can increase your confidence.

2. Start Strong

Grab your audience’s attention early. You can do this by starting your speech with a surprising statistic, a joke, or an interesting anecdote. The YPO , a nonprofit global leadership community of chief executives, offers some examples of attention-grabbing speech openers:

• Use a well-known or thought-provoking quote that is relevant to your speech.
• Ask a “what if” question to draw in your audience.
• Get on stage and … wait. The silent pause can draw all eyes toward you.
• Create a one-two punch opener by combining multiple techniques. For example, open with a surprising statistic, then follow that up with a few seconds of silence.

3. Be Yourself

If you get anxious about public speaking, it could be tempting to try to emulate more famous public speakers or even fall back on just reading your speech or notecards. The lack of authenticity will come through.

Instead, Toastmasters International recommends keeping the tone conversational while embracing your own unique style. That means avoiding using overly complicated words when possible and using your written speech as a starting point, not as something you recite.

And if you make a mistake while speaking? Don’t worry and don’t apologize. The audience is rooting for you, so just pick up where you left off and forge ahead.

4. Practice

Practice goes hand in hand with the first three tips. How your speech comes across out loud compared to how it reads in your head can be very different. Practicing a speech enables you to:

• Work out pacing and pauses for optimal impact.
• Make sure you're able to clearly and confidently pronounce your speech.
• Feel more comfortable with the message you're delivering.
• Test drive your opening, especially if you’re going to tell a joke.

Practice in front of a mirror and in front of a friend if possible. If you need to memorize your speech, break it down into chunks and work on memorizing one part at a time. Chunking is a cognitive principle that states information is more easily stored when it is broken down into pieces. For speeches that are several minutes long, use chunking to tackle one section at a time, then weave them together in your preparation.

5. Pace Yourself

In public speaking, pace is the speed at which you speak. Talk too fast and the audience may not be able to understand you or grasp the topic. Speak too slowly and they can become bored or frustrated. The trick, according to Toastmasters , is to vary your pace. For example, speak quickly to convey urgency, or speak slowly to build tension.

You could find yourself speaking quickly even though you didn’t plan to do so. Sometimes speakers do this out of nervousness. To help slow yourself down, try speaking in a loud voice and over-articulate. Both will force you to slow down. Additionally, you can write pauses into your notes to remind yourself to take a breath and vary your pace.

6. Dress for Success

While you can't necessarily control every detail of a speech, you can control how you look. Dress in comfortable clothes that make you feel good about yourself. This helps you feel confident.

That isn’t to say you should dress down. The BBC talked to professionals in human relations and career coaching about clothing in the workplace, and the consensus was that you should observe what others usually wear in the workplace, and then put your personal spin on it. This exudes a sense of belonging while also helping you to stand out just enough to be recognized as a leader.

7. Prepare for the Worst

It might sound counterintuitive, but imagining the worst-case scenario that could happen during your speech could help calm you down. In an article for Mayo Clinic , Craig N. Sawchuk, PhD, LP, suggests that when you’re afraid of something, you may overestimate how bad it will be.

Instead, Sawchuk says, think about the worst that could possibly happen, and then think about your best possible response. Doing this has the effect of minimizing fear, which can increase your poise come speech time.

8. Tour the Space Beforehand

Don't let a surprising venue layout derail your speech. A setup involving a podium (or lack of one), platform, or stage may seem new and jarring if it's drastically different from where you practiced.

Before a speech, walk around the venue if you can. Touch the podium. If you are going to be holding a microphone, hold it and walk around with it before the speech. Look out into the first few rows so you have an idea of where to look as you're delivering the speech.

9. Get the Audience Invested

If you want to keep your audience hanging on every word, get them to be active participants in your speech.

One way to do this may be to ask for some type of physical movement, such as a show of hands if people identify with something. You can even ask for people to shout out answers to a question or ask an audience member to join you on stage as part of the presentation. Just make sure that, whatever you do, it fits the subject and tone of the speech.

10. Make Eye Contact

While it may seem easier to look at the back of the room instead of at your audience, there are a couple of reasons to make eye contact instead.

According to the National Speakers Association , you want to make a connection with your audience. If you’re staring off and away from them while speaking, the connection is never made. Instead, move your eyes across the audience, stopping on individual people every so often.

Looking at your audience will also allow you to gauge the reception to your speech. This can help you figure out when to switch gears or wrap a certain point.

11. Ask for Feedback

Get better at public speaking by asking your audience for feedback. Depending on the setting, this can be done formally (such as a quick email survey at work) or informally (by asking people you trust what they thought of your speech).

Don't get overwhelmed by feedback. Identify the areas you know you can improve, and make small changes in each speech. If you are serious about perfecting your speaking skills, join a group such as Toastmasters International, which gives you the opportunity to practice public speaking and get feedback in a supportive setting.

Become a Better Public Speaker

At some point in your life, you're going to have to speak in front of a group. It's not always easy, but with preparation, practice, and a realistic view of the task at hand, you can approach your next public speaking engagement with confidence and a meaningful message.

If earning a degree is also part of your life goals, learn more about the online degree programs at Purdue Global . An accredited institution, we offer more than 175 online programs at the certificate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels, and our online format is tailored to meet the needs of working adults. Request more information today.

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How to Speak Confidently in Public

Last Updated: September 2, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Deb DiSandro . Deb DiSandro is the Owner of Speak Up On Purpose, an organization dedicated to improving and teaching public speaking. Deb has over 30 years of experience as a national speaker and has presented at the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Conference and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. She was awarded the National Speakers Association Member of the Year 2007 and has been published in Writer's Digest, Daily Herald, Women's Day, and Better Homes & Gardens. There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 791,359 times.

Speaking in public is a fear for a lot of people, whether it's giving a speech, a toast at your friend's wedding, or being called on in class. Fortunately, you can make speaking in public less anxiety inducing by following some of these types. It may never be your favorite thing, but you'll be far less likely to throw up in front of your audience.

Preparing to Speak

• Preparation is key. Take your time when you are planning your speech to make sure that it flows naturally and logically. You'll also need to make sure that you know how you're coming across while giving the speech and heighten your good qualities while downplaying the less good qualities.
• Even if public speaking is something like having to answer a question in class, you will still need to make sure that you know your subject. This can help you feel and present as more confident, which will make a good impression on your listeners.

• Speak from your diaphragm. This will help you to project clearly and loudly so that your audience can hear you without seeming like you're straining or shouting. As an exercise, stand up straight and put your hand on your abdomen. Breathe in, and breathe out. Count to 5 on a breath and then 10 on a breath. You'll feel your abdomen start to relax. You want to be breathing and speaking from that relaxed state.
• Modulate your tone. Figure out what the pitch of your voice is. Too high? Too low? Going into registers only dogs can hear? Relaxing, standing in a comfortable (but upright) position and breathing properly will help you find a more comfortable and more pleasant tone.
• Avoid throat breathing and upper chest breathing, as these both can add to your anxiety and tighten up your throat. In consequence, your voice will sound more strained and uncomfortable.
• Chewing gum for a few minutes before giving a speech will increase blood flow to your brain, making it easier to focus and concentrate. Opt for a sugar-free variety so you don't create a spike in your blood sugar, and be sure to spit it out before you give your speech. [2] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source

• Try to speak more slowly and more carefully than a typical conversational tone. Make sure that you allow for pauses between different ideas, or especially important themes, so that your audience has time to understand and reflect on what you just said.
• Practice proper articulation and pronunciation. Articulation is when you're pronouncing sounds. Focus especially on enunciating these sounds: b, d, g, dz (j in jelly), p, t, k, ts, (ch in chilly). For pronunciation, you want to make sure you know how to pronounce all your words and that you've practiced pronouncing the more difficult ones.
• Eliminate the 'um's and placeholder words such as "like." When public speaking, these words make you sound as if you don't know what you're talking about. If you need to gather your thoughts, you can always pause — doing so will appear deliberate.

• To give a speech, you'll need to either have some sort of note cards or outline. Or you can do it from memory, if that is something that you do well (don't try this if you aren't super confident you can do it).
• You don't need to write down every single thing on your note cards (leave a little room for improvisation), although it can be helpful to make notes of things like "pause after this information" or "remember to breathe" so that you actually remember to do those things.

• Write out your speech over and over. This method helps you to remember the speech. The more you write it out, the easier it will be to recall it. Once you've written it multiple times, test yourself on how well you remember it. If there were parts you couldn't remember, write those specific parts over and over again.
• Break your speech down into smaller parts and memorize each of those parts. It is really hard to memorize an entire speech in one go. The best thing to do is memorize it in small chunks (start with each bullet point, and then move up to memorizing your 3 different main points, etc.).
• Practice your speech as you walk through your home. Begin in the entryway and recite your introduction. Move to the next room as you begin the body of your speech. Continue moving through your home as you progress through your speech. Then, do it all over again. Moving into each room will remind you of the part of your speech that corresponds with that area, helping you to memorize the words.
• Use the loci method. Break down your speech into paragraphs or bullet points. Visualize a picture for each bullet point (like imagining a Harry Potter if you're talking about J.K. Rowling's influence on children's literature). Determine a location for each of the points (like Hogwarts for Rowling, a meadow for Stephenie Meyer, etc.). Now you'll progress through the locations (you fly on a broomstick from Hogwarts to the meadow, for example). If you have multiple things to say about each specific point, then put them in specific places around the location (like a point about Harry Potter's popularity in the Main Hall, or the effect she had on revamping the genre in the Quidditch field).

• Before you give your speech, interview 3-5 people who will be in the audience, if possible. This works best if you will be speaking to a specific association or group. Ask if there are any buzzwords relating to their industry or group that you can incorporate into your speech.
• Humor is a great way to loosen yourself and your audience up. There's usually a type of humor that fits most public speaking situations (but not always!). It's good to start off with a little humor to lighten the atmosphere and give the impression of confidence. Telling a funny (and true) story can be a good way to do this.
• Figure out what it is you're trying to get across to the audience. Are you trying to give them new information? Rehash old information? Are you trying to persuade them to do something? This will help you focus your speaking around the main point that you want to get across.

• Try to visit the space you'll be speaking in and practice there. This will give you greater confidence because you're more familiar with the area.
• Video your practicing and find your strengths and weaknesses. Although it can be daunting to watch yourself on video, it's a great way to see where your strengths and weaknesses are. You'll notice what your nervous physical tics are (shifting from foot to foot, running your hands through your hair) and you can work on eliminating them or keeping them to a minimum.

Honing Your Message

• An informative speech's main purpose is to give facts, details, and examples. Even if you are trying to persuade your audience, it is still about the basic facts and information.
• A persuasive speech is all about persuading your audience. You will employ facts, but also emotion, logic, your own experiences, etc.
• The purpose of an entertaining speech fulfills a social need, but often uses some of the aspects of an informative speech (like a wedding toast, or an acceptance speech). [8] X Research source

• Start your speech by giving your main, overarching idea, and the 3 (or so) main points you have to support and elaborate on it. Your audience is going to remember your opening and your closing better than they remember any other part of the speech.
• Aim to connect with your audience and comment about them in your opener. Keep in mind that the speech is about benefiting your audience, not about you.
• Open it in a way that gets your audience's attention right off the bat. This means offering up a surprising fact or statistic, or asking a question and blowing your audience's preconceptions out of the water.

• Have one overarching idea. Ask yourself what are you trying to get across to the audience? What do you want them to take away from your speech? Why should they agree with what you're saying? For example: if you are giving a lecture on national trends in literature, consider why your audience should care. You don't want to just spit facts out at your audience.
• You'll need several main points that back up your overarching idea or point. The best number is usual 3 main points. For example: If your overarching idea is that national children's literature is becoming more diverse, have 1 point showing the new trends, have a second point showing the reception of this new diversity by the public, and a third point talk about why this new diverse children's fiction matters.

• Use striking adverbs and adjectives. You want to enliven your speech and your audience. For example: instead of "Children's literature offers a range of diverse perspectives" say "Children's literature offers a new range of exciting and diverse perspectives."
• However, avoid overusing adverbs and adjectives. It's often better to choose a concrete verb, like trudged, than to use and adverb and a verb together, such as “walked slowly.” When using adjectives, ensure they support the noun. It's more impactful to say the man's skin was as worn as leather than to say he was an old man.
• Use images that make your audience sit up and take notice. Winston Churchill used the phrase "the iron curtain" to describe the secrecy of the Soviet Union. Striking images linger in your audience's consciousness (as seen by the fact "the iron curtain" has become a household phrase).
• Repetition is also a great way to remind your audience why your speech is important (think of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I had a dream..." speech). It hammers home your points and makes it so they can't forget the overarching theme.

• Use short sentences and short phrases. These can be used for great dramatic effect. For example the phrase "never again." It is short and to the point and packs a powerful punch.
• Keep in mind that you should vary the sentence lengths, rather than only using short sentences. Your speech will flow better if there is variety in it. And, rambling sentences can be useful if they have a purpose, such as expressing a stressful situation you encountered.
• You can also use short, pithy quotes. Lots of famous people have said funny, or powerful statements in a very short amount of space. You can Try to make your own or utilize ones that are already in place. For example: Franklin D. Roosevelt said "Be sincere; be brief; be seated."

Speaking in Public

• Rid yourself of adrenaline by doing a few jumping jacks, lifting your hands above your head, or clenching and unclenching your hands several times. Take 3 deep, slow breaths. This will clear your system and get you ready to breathe properly during the speech.
• Stand confidently in a relaxed and upright posture, with your feet shoulder-width apart. This will trick your brain into thinking that you're confident and make it easier to give the speech.

• Smile even if you feel like hurling (especially if you feeling like hurling). This will help trick your brain into feeling confident and at ease.

• Tell a story. Part of your performance is giving the speech or speaking like you're telling a story. People love stories and it will make it easier for them to connect with you, even if you're talking about something factually based. use your overarching theme or subject as the basis of the story. Why should the audience care about your topic? What's the point? [15] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source
• Try to have a balance between your rehearsed speech and some spontaneity. People don't want to sit there and watch you mumble through your note cards. It's a good idea to give yourself space to expand on your subject free of the note cards and to add a few side stories to give interest.
• Use your hands to help you make points. You don't want to be flailing about onstage, but neither do you want to be standing stock still while you talk. It's good to use controlled gestures to make points as you speak.
• Vary your voice while you're speaking. Your audience will be asleep in 10 seconds flat if you only speak in one long monotone. Get excited about your subject and show that in your inflections.

• Look at your audience. Mentally split your room up into sections and make eye contact with one person in each section on a rotational basis.
• If you have time, ask your audience questions during your speech. You could open up each different section of your speech with questions that people can answer before you show them your information. It will make them feel as if they are part of your speech. Keep in mind that this could be distracting, though, so you may want to stick with rhetorical questions.

• Take a drink of water if you find yourself whipping through your speech. It will help give your audience a second to catch up and it will let you take a moment to slow down.
• If you do have a friend or family member in the audience, arrange a signal with them so they can let you know if you're going too fast. Glance their way occasionally throughout your speech so that you know you're on track.

• Make sure that your audience knows why this subject is important and why they should have this information. If you can, end with a call to action. For example: if you're giving a speech about the importance of art classes in schools, end by giving your audience something that they can do about the fact that art electives are being cut.
• End with a story that illustrates your main point. Again, people like stories. Give a story of a way this information benefited someone, or the dangers of not having this information, or how it specifically relates to your audience (people are more interested when things are about them).

Sample Persuasive Speeches

Sample Informational Speeches

Expert Q&A

• Listen and watch great public speakers and try to analyze what is it that makes them successful. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Don't be embarrassed by your faults. Demosthenes was a prominent orator in ancient Athens even though he suffered from speech impediments. A good public speaker can overcome these difficulties. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you truly believe in the message you are delivering, your confidence will shine through. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Watch what you eat before you're about to do public speaking. Dairy products and highly sugary products can make it difficult to speak, because of the phlegm they generate in your throat. Likewise, highly smelly goods (like garlic or fish) should be avoided so you don't asphyxiate your audience. Thanks Helpful 61 Not Helpful 4

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/19102/22119
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4449949/
• ↑ https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/professional-development/teachers/planning-lessons-and-courses/articles/public-speaking-skills
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/writing-speaking-resources/speech-delivery
• ↑ https://www.acalanes.k12.ca.us/cms/lib/CA01001364/Centricity/Domain/210/Memorization%20Tips.pdf
• ↑ https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/10-tips-for-improving-your-public-speaking-skills/
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/18-1-understanding-entertaining-speeches/
• ↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/structuring-speech
• ↑ https://faculty.washington.edu/ezent/el.htm
• ↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/02/tips-speaking
• ↑ https://www.beyondblue.org.au/mental-health/anxiety/treatments-for-anxiety/anxiety-management-strategies
• ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/speaking_with_confidence_go_ahead_and_smile
• ↑ https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/social-anxiety-disorder/treatment/conquering-stage-fright
• ↑ http://hbr.org/2013/06/how-to-give-a-killer-presentation/ar/1
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/quiet-the-power-introverts/201107/10-public-speaking-tips-introverts
• ↑ https://www.amanet.org/articles/seven-principles-of-effective-public-speaking/

About This Article

To speak confidently in public, prepare a topic and outline, memorize it, and stick to it. Keep the outline brief and to the point so it’s easy for you to remember and for your audience to follow. To make sure your audience will be able to hear you, practice speaking with your diaphragm so you speak more loudly and clearly. Then, practice speaking very slowly and enunciating so it is easier for people to understand you. For more tips on preparing for and giving public speeches with less anxiety, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Give a Speech: 10 Tips for Powerful Public Speaking

When we start preparing to give a speech, it can be a nerve-wracking experience. It’s completely normal—most of us feel a combination of excitement and nerves when we’re about to take the stage.

However, with some strategic planning and practical advice, you can make sure your speech is powerful and effective. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to give a speech that will leave your audience engaged and inspired.

We’ll examine 10 tips to help you build a powerful speech, from outlining your points methodically to crafting captivating introductions . Whether you’re a beginner or experienced public speaker, these nuggets of wisdom will help you take your next speech to the next level. Let’s get started!

Quick Review of Key Points

Preparing ahead of time is the key to giving an effective speech. Make sure to structure your speaking points, rehearse your delivery, and be aware of the needs of your audience for maximum impact.

How to Prepare for a Speech

Preparing for a speech is an essential step to public speaking success. It can help to build your confidence, create content that reaches the audience, and reduce performance anxiety.

Although it can be time-consuming in the beginning, preparation will ensure less stress and more comfort during delivery. Here are some tips to consider when preparing for a speech:

Practice : Before delivering a speech, practice it out loud several times. This will allow you to gain experience in speaking without an audience and increase your confidence when you do have one.

Practicing also helps to identify awkward moments in the speech or any difficult phrases which then can be changed or removed altogether. Additionally, it helps you determine where to pause for effect. Research : Depending on the topic of the speech , research should be done beforehand to gather information that is relevant and interesting for the audience. It is important to get acquainted with the language typically used by audiences to ensure a clear understanding of what is being said.

Additionally, relevant statistics and stories concerning the topic are a great way to draw in listeners and make the presentation more engaging .

Know Your Audience : When preparing your speech, be sure to consider who will be listening. For instance, if giving a presentation at work, include industry jargon that members would understand and include relevant topics from publications that might be familiar to the employees.

On the other hand, if consulting business professionals in their field then technical language may be easier for them to comprehend than laypeople or students.

By gathering valuable information about the topic and getting comfortable with a speech’s content and delivery through practice, speakers will gain more assurance during their talk as well as respect from their audience.

Preparing beforehand not only gives insight into how to engage listeners but also encourages more meaningful conversations after the event. Now that we have discussed how to prepare for a speech let us move on to creating an outline which will provide structure during delivery.

Create an Outline

After determining the audience and purpose of your speech, the next step to effective public speaking is to create an outline .

An outline serves as a roadmap to ensure that your speech has a logical flow and contains all important points. It also can help keep you on track during the speech itself, allowing you to stay focused and organized.

When constructing an outline, consider drawing up both a main point and sub-points for each portion of the speech. Both should be relevant to the goal of the presentation and backed up by facts and research.

Brainstorming can help in this process; try grouping your ideas together in clusters to make sure you cover all possible angles.

Furthermore, writing out exact quotations or figures can prove beneficial in forming a cohesive argument. At this stage, it is also wise to decide where transitions, humor, stories, or other engaging techniques will be included.

While there are differing opinions as to whether outlines should be memorized or simply used as a reference while speaking, many agree that they should serve their purpose – not only articulate the main thoughts of the speech but also assist the speaker with maintaining focus and preventing distractions.

The debate between those who advocate for memorization versus casual consulting touches upon issues such as rehearsal time, risk of errors in delivery, ease of practice versus actual performance and more.

Each side has valid arguments that should be weighed prior to deciding what type of approach best suits your needs.

Having a firmly constructed outline acts as a valuable tool when it comes time to deliver a powerful public speech. By actively utilizing this tactic, speakers may not only enhance their clarity and coherence, but also add structure and vibrance to their presentations.

Now that we have explored what goes into crafting an effective outline, let’s dive deeper into how we can best collect resources and research our topics for maximum impact.

Collect Sources and Research

Collecting sources and research is a crucial step for any public speaking engagement. It ensures that you have the necessary information to make strong points and back up your statements.

Before writing your speech, take time to research your topic to gain familiarity with different perspectives, facts, and counterpoints. This will help you to craft an argument that can stand up to scrutiny while also adding a breadth of knowledge to your speech.

Interviews can be a powerful source of evidence and anecdotes, so try to include one or two relevant interviews in your research process. Relying solely on secondary sources such as books and articles can lead to a narrow scope of understanding.

Interviews provide an opportunity to hear directly from an expert and create an interesting dynamic in your speech by adding personal experiences as well as commentary from a professional.

In research it is important to stay objective. Gather a variety of perspectives and be open-minded about their merits. Don’t forget to consider both sides of the argument when researching for your speech.

Doing this allows you to understand the opposing perspective and enables you to anticipate potential counter arguments from your audience.

By acknowledging them beforehand, you may increase the persuasive power of your speech by showing confidence in the points you make.

Once you have collected all sources, review them carefully and separate the most pertinent information from the less useful material.

Synthesising this information into concise yet impactful points is a critical part in delivering powerful talks without overloading your audience with too much data or going off track during your speech delivery.

Organizing Your Speech

Before you start putting your words together, it’s important to consider how the different parts of a speech fit together. By taking the time to organize the ideas in your speech , you’ll be able to deliver a presentation that is well-constructed and easy to understand.

One way to help with organizing your speech is to write an outline . An outline is like a map or plan that will provide you with a framework for each section of your speech.

Start by writing out your main points and then include additional details underneath each one. This will help keep your speech focused and provide direction for where you are going next.

Another approach for organizing your speech is known as the “inverted pyramid” method. This structure starts with your conclusion at the beginning of the speech, and then works backward by providing more explanation and detail as it moves toward the introduction.

This method can be helpful when speaking about topics that are unfamiliar to the audience since it doesn’t require them to wait until near the end of the presentation to learn what you’ve been talking about.

No matter which organization approach you choose, make sure to practice it before giving your speech so that you are comfortable with its flow. Lastly, remember that it’s ok to adjust things while you speak if they don’t seem or feel quite right.

Now let’s take a look at how we can use these organizing techniques to actually put our speeches together – starting with structuring our speech.

Structure Your Speech

Creating a strong structure for your speech will ensure that the audience stays engaged and understands your main points. As you are developing an outline, map out how you want to begin and end your speech.

Break up the information into smaller sections with either verbal or visual cues so that your audience can clearly see how you are transitioning between topics . Consider adding humor judiciously throughout your presentation as this could help engage the audience and lighten any tension.

The length of your presentation is also important. You will want to make sure that you include all of the necessary information without going over time.

Oftentimes less is more; if you can say it in five minutes why use ten? Make sure that you practice timed rehearsals so that you can gauge how long you’re actually speaking.

In contrast, avoid trying to pack too much content into one presentation as this could overwhelm both you and the audience. If needed, offer supplemental reading materials for those who may be interested in delving further into the subject matter.

Paragraphs can also be helpful when organizing large amounts of content within the body of your presentation. Utilizing paragraph breaks gives your audience a break and helps to highlight key ideas or summaries before moving onto a new topic area.

Finally, it is crucial to remember what your desired outcome is from the presentation; plan accordingly by ensuring that the beginning, middle, and end serve their respective purposes and adhere to that goal.

With careful deliberations, structuring a successful presentation can be achieved with relative ease.

Having established a solid structure for your speech, it’s important to focus on another key element: rehearsal. The next section will discuss the benefits of practicing before delivering a powerful public speaking performance.

Rehearse Your Speech

Rehearsing is integral to giving a successful speech. When you rehearse your presentation, you give your mind an opportunity to become familiar with the notes and concepts that you are presenting. It also increases your confidence and reduces anxiety or self-doubt.

In fact, studies have found that those who rehearsed their presentation had higher scores in public speaking performance and language proficiency evaluations.

When it comes to how much rehearsal is enough, opinions are divided. Some people believe that over-rehearsing can lead to a more robotic speech with less natural emotion and connection with the audience .

On the other hand, others argue that no matter how well-versed someone is on the topic, additional rehearsal time improves both the delivery of the speech and memorization of key points and facts.

Ultimately, it’s important to practice until you personally find the most comfortable level for yourself, as this will ultimately result in a more engaging delivery.

Finally, if at all possible, try to practice in front of a friend or colleague for honest feedback on any elements that need improvement before the big day. Rehearsal dedication may be tedious, but it results in big rewards on stage–enabling you to deliver your content with clarity, confidence, and poise.

With thoughtful preparation complete, it’s now time to step into the spotlight and give your speech!

Giving Your Speech

The key to success when giving a speech is to be well prepared and confident. Every individual’s preparation process will vary, but the basics should stay the same.

Start by studying your content, understanding the material and being able to repeat it in your own words. Clarify any potentially difficult points. Create visual aids like PowerPoint slides or handouts that supplement the key ideas in your speech.

Practice your public speaking skills with informal conversations with friends and family or rehearse it alone in front of a mirror. Use visualization; imagine yourself confidently delivering your speech. Consider addressing a practice audience if possible to become more accustomed to a live size group.

On the day of the event, arrive early and plan for any potential obstacles: What if my computer doesn’t work? What if I forget something? Allow sufficient time for setup and check-in.

When you are ready to give your speech, take some deep breaths, focus on the positives, and distract yourself from any anxious thoughts with positive affirmations. Remember you have prepared diligently for this moment, you are well prepared and you will succeed!

Start strong by engaging the audience immediately with an attention grabbing opening statement. Speak clearly and make sure that everyone can hear and understand your message.

Slow down and emphasize points as needed throughout your presentation. Be aware of pace, volume, and tone of voice: too fast/monotone can confuse/bore listeners while pauses add a dramatic effect that keeps their interest piqued.

Ultimately, giving a successful speech will depend on knowing your material well enough to speak confidently in front of your audience without hesitation or missteps.

When you do make a mistake (and they happen!) don’t panic – know that mistakes are inevitable but don’t be discouraged; get back on track as soon as possible and continue at the same energy level you had before the mistake occurred.

Having successfully given your speech, take a moment to reflect on what went well and what could be improved upon for next time before transitioning into the next step: mastering delivery.

Master Your Delivery

Mastering your delivery is the key to an effective speech. Without purposeful body language and careful emphasis on certain words , your speech may lack wow-factor and prevent listeners from tuning in. Following these simple tips can help you get started with delivering an engaging and memorable speech:

The most important part of delivery is practice. Rehearse and perfect your speech ahead of time – this allows for more natural flow and confidence during your presentation. It also helps to create pauses between sentences for clarity, emphasize key points, and not be too casual or stiff.

Practicing inflections and varying tones adds interest to your speech by keeping listeners’ attention.

Additionally, it’s important to project your voic e so everyone in the room can hear you; make sure you’re speaking loud enough but don’t feel pressure to shout or yell at any point unless that’s part of the atmosphere of the event.

It’s also crucial to maintain good posture while speaking – stand tall with both feet on the ground, keep your back straight, hold yourself up without gesturing too much or leaning against a podium if applicable.

To further engage listeners, use purposeful hand gestures as they help emphasize certain points and add visual interest – however, avoid overusing them as it can hinders communication.

Make meaningful eye contact with audience members throughout the presentation – otherwise you might come across as unenthusiastic or bored with what you’re saying which deters attention away from the content itself.

By mastering your delivery, you can boost the impact of your presentation considerably – providing a memorable experience for your audience that stands out from others’. As such, it’s worth investing time into practicing ahead of time until delivery feels comfortable and second nature.

Having said this, making use of visual aids such as PowerPoint slides can greatly improve the impact of a speech once delivery has been mastered – let’s look into that next.

Use Visual Aids

Using visual aids can help presenters express concepts more clearly and engage the audience.

Visuals are particularly useful when conveying complex information, such as data, trends, or statistics — they impart meaning at a glance. But some public speakers may wonder if visual aids can be distracting or unnecessary.

Even though visuals can attract attention away from a presenter’s verbal delivery, carefully designed visuals can actually support the speech and help provide clarity. If done well, visuals are effective for capturing an audience’s interest and helping them to better understand the content being presented.

For example, a graph or chart should relate to the points made in the speech and should be discussed in more detail during its appearance onscreen. The presentation can also include larger images that effectively reinforce the ideas conveyed in the speech.

Videos and sound clips are other powerful forms of multimedia that could be employed to make the speech more meaningful.

To ensure that visuals enhance the message of the presentation, key factors to consider include relevancy to topic, good graphic design or aesthetics, accurate size to prevent distortion or blurriness, and seamless integration into the keynote slides or printed handouts .

In this way, visuals offer an opportunity for presenters to demonstrate their creativity and keep their audiences interested in what is being said. Thus, used wisely and aptly, visuals can add tremendous value to speeches by presenting arguments more efficiently and driving home important points. Now let’s explore effective techniques for speech giving that will allow you to craft and deliver your speeches with confidence.

Effective Techniques for Speech Giving

There are a number of effective techniques for giving a speech that will help you deliver it with confidence and poise.

First, practice your delivery in advance. You should practice both in front of a mirror or recording device to check for any distracting habits such as talking too quickly or mispronouncing words.

Second, use simple, clear language and short, concise sentences. Avoid overly technical terms and jargon that may leave your audience confused.

Third, work to establish a connection with your audience by using appropriate facial expressions and hand gestures while speaking.

Fourth, utilize effective persuasive techniques such as presenting evidence, strong arguments supported by facts, personal anecdotes and vivid metaphors.

Finally, articulate an organized structure for your speech. Your speech should have an introduction, body and conclusion to clearly communicate the main point and provide the audience with the necessary context to understand it better.

While these techniques may sound intimidating at first, they can be learned over time with practice and will make all the difference in how successful your speech delivery is received by your audience.

To build on these skills further , the next section will provide tips on how to build confidence when giving a speech.

Building Confidence

Building confidence is key when giving a powerful speech, as it will enable you to deliver the speech in a more poised and credible manner.

To create this confidence , start by understanding that any hesitation or butterflies prior to your speech are completely normal and should not be feared. Instead, view them as natural states of anticipation for something exciting, knowing that you are about to give an amazing speech.

Next, understanding who your audience is and tailoring your speech to meet their expectations will help build your confidence.

Familiarizing yourself with their interests and knowledge on the subject matter ahead of time can equip you with the understanding needed to respond appropriately if questions arise or objections surface during the speech.

Further, practice is key when building confidence for a public speaking engagement . Rehearsing with friends or colleagues before hand will give you an opportunity to learn where problem areas are within the content of your speech, as well as help solidify your delivery by becoming more comfortable with each step.

Checking sound levels in the room you’re presenting in coupled with learning where exits/emergency locations are located within that space can also help alleviate stress levels and boost self-assurance while delivering the speech.

Finally, wearing comfortable clothing and dressing professionally adds an extra layer of confidence when speaking in public.

If possible, bring an additional outfit on hand during the presentation in case of spills or accidents that would require a quick change between sections of the talk. Having this back-up plan in place can aid in keeping peace of mind at ease throughout the speech.

In conclusion, building confidence prior to a public speaking event can mean the difference between a good and great delivery of your message.

By taking into account each of these tips you can ensure that this part of your preparation runs smoothly and sets you up for success when delivering powerful speeches.

With a well-crafted note card of talking points and strong sense of self-assurance, it’s time to start speaking with passion!

Speaking with Passion

As a public speaker, your audience expects you to engage not only with your words but also with your emotions. To share the most impactful message, it is important to speak passionately about your subject.

Doing so will make your speech more memorable and thereby more effective in convincing your audience of its legitimacy.

The power of speaking authentically with emotion lies in its relatability and connection. Showing feelings allows people to connect with you as a person rather than just a speaker. It opens the door to understanding through empathy and active listening .

Examples might include adding personal stories , telling jokes, or displaying your feelings openly during the delivery of your message.

However, not all topics lend themselves easily to expressing emotion. If the subject matter is overly complex or technical there may be less opportunity for emotional expression—but this doesn’t mean those conversations can’t incorporate emotion.

Even if faced with a difficult situation such as death or financial turmoil, emotions can still be conveyed in a respectful way that keeps audiences engaged.

Remember that how much emotion you show depends on the type of audience you’re sharing it with—using sensitivity when delivering passionate speeches helps avoid awkwardness or embarrassment for any attendees who may find opinionated language uncomfortable for whatever reason.

Striking the right balance between being straightforward and showing compassion takes practice, so take the time to develop a style that works best for you and improves upon each performance.

Finally, incorporating passion into a speech gives it life and makes it relatable and engaging—which are essential elements to speaking effectively.

Having passion means giving ourselves permission to take ownership over our stories, making them deeply personal in order to reach our goals and touch people’s hearts in meaningful ways. With that said, let’s move on to discussing how we should tackle dealing with challenges while giving a speech.

Dealing with Challenges

The process of delivering a speech can be challenging, but it is also rewarding. Difficulties can arise during the process that may threaten to derail your success. To ensure you are adequately prepared for these possible pitfalls it is important to consider strategies for proactively mitigating the risk of encountering these challenges. 1. Public Speaking Anxiety: Many people experience some form of anxiety when asked to speak in public. There are a number of techniques available to combat this fear and increase confidence, such as deep breathing exercises, mental rehearsal, positive self-talk and visualization of success.

Learning about the audience, creating an engaging presentation and using props or visual aids can also help reduce anxiety levels and create a better overall experience for both the speaker and the audience. 2. Unfamiliar Topics or Audiences: When presenting on unfamiliar topics or to an unknown audience it can be difficult to prepare effectively.

In this situation it is important to conduct research on the topic and familiarize yourself with the needs of your audience so that the content is tailored accordingly. It is also helpful to use humor or stories related to the topic in order to engage your audience and make them more receptive to your message. 3. Lack of Support: If you lack support from family, friends, colleagues or mentors, it can be difficult to push through difficult conversations or speeches without any additional motivation.

To overcome this challenge, seek out peer mentorship opportunities or find compatible online communities where people discuss similar topics or objectives. Here you can share ideas, provide feedback and learn from others who have experienced similar issues. 4. Time Constraints: One of the biggest challenges when giving a speech is managing your time effectively in order to deliver an effective message without going over allotted timeslots and boring your audience .

To successfully address this challenge try setting manageable goals for each section of your speech and practice regularly. Replicating real-time conditions as closely as possible will help you stay within time constraints when delivering your speech on the day itself. In conclusion, there are many potential challenges you may face when giving a speech or taking part in a public speaking event – but with proper preparation and practice they are easily managed if approached correctly.

With knowledge of techniques for dealing with such scenarios comes increased confidence when stepping up to the podium – further improving your chances of delivering an effective speech that resonates with your audience members.

Responses to Frequently Asked Questions

How should i end my speech to leave a lasting impression.

The best way to end your speech is by reinforcing your main point and summarizing the key takeaways. You should also encourage the audience to take action, whether it be to sign up for a newsletter, make a donation, or visit your website for more information. This final call to action will not only leave a lasting impression on the audience but will also help you achieve any goals you might have had when making your speech in the first place.

What techniques can I use to keep my audience engaged during my speech?

One of the best techniques for keeping an audience engaged during a speech is to keep it interactive . Ask questions throughout the presentation, as well as allowing for audience input and discussion. This can help to keep people’s attention and create a more engaging experience.

Another great tip is to use humor. Even if you don’t consider yourself a natural comedian, sprinkling in a few jokes here and there can break up the monotony of long speeches and keep people interested. Humor can also help to make points stick in people’s minds, making them easier to remember.

Finally, try to be enthusiastic about the content of your speech. If you show too much indifference or lethargic behavior, it will discourage your audience from paying attention and taking your message seriously.

Instead, be passionate about what you are saying so that the energy of your words carries into the room and engages your audience with excitement.

How can I use storytelling to make my speech more interesting?

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can be used to make any speech more interesting. Telling stories in your speech will help engage the audience and make your message stick. Here are some tips for using storytelling in your speech:

1. Choose stories that are relevant to your message and audience. Think about stories that will best illustrate the point you are trying to convey, or evoke emotions in your listeners. 2. Use vivid descriptions and visuals when telling your story. Be sure to include details such as setting, character descriptions, dialogue and plot points. This will help to bring the story to life for your audience. 3. Make sure the story you are telling has a strong conclusion or moral at the end. This will help add emphasis to your message and make it memorable. 4. Practice telling stories out loud before delivering a speech with them. Rehearsing will help you deliver your story more effectively and with more confidence in front of an audience. By using these tips, storytelling can be an effective tool to make any speech more interesting, engaging, and persuasive!

How can I prepare for my speech effectively?

Preparing for a speech effectively is essential to delivering an impactful and memorable presentation. Here are some tips: 1. Have a clear goal in mind. Before starting to prepare, ask yourself what the purpose of giving the speech is: what message do you want to convey? Defining this will help to structure your content and focus your research. 2. Research thoroughly. Make sure you understand the subject matter well, so that your delivery sounds confident and inspiring. Using facts and data will strengthen your arguments and make your talk more convincing. 3. Outline your speech. Make a rough outline of how you want it to go – from beginning to end – well in advance of the actual presentation. This will give you a strong foundation upon which you can craft an engaging talk with an effective narrative arc that keeps audiences interested and engaged. 4. Practice regularly. Rehearsing your speech out loud several times is key to ensuring that you know it well enough to feel comfortable when delivering it live in front of an audience.

5. Time yourself. Record how long it takes for you to go through your entire speech, so that you can adjust the length as needed before delivering it live – remember that most speeches should last no more than 10-15 minutes. 6. Identify potential questions from the audience and prepare answers before hand. Knowing ahead of time what kind of questions people may ask can help reduce the anxiety of not knowing what comes next, enabling you to stay confident when speaking in public. 7. Work on building up confidence levels before delivering a speech. Visualize yourself succeeding in delivering a great presentation; practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or positive self-talk; or use props during practice sessions such as water bottles or stress balls if needed to remain calm during the real thing!

What strategies can I use to reduce my anxiety when giving a speech?

1. Plan Ahead: Create an outline of your speech beforehand and practice it multiple times to become familiar with the content. Doing a trial run with the audience can also help you get used to speaking in front of people.

2. Visualize Success: Positive visualization is a great way to reduce anxiety before giving a speech. Imagine yourself confidently delivering the speech while feeling relaxed and composed.

3. Get Organized: Make sure you have all the materials necessary for your presentation, including notes, slides, etc., to reduce any additional stress that may come from not having what you need when you speak.

4. Take Deep Breaths: Before and during the speech, take a few deep breaths as this will help calm nerves and make sure your breathing is regulated throughout the duration of your presentation.

5. Speak Slowly: It is common to feel anxious while giving a speech and try to rush through it too quickly. Speaking slowly helps maintain composure while delivering your message effectively and clearly.

6. Pay Attention to Your Body: Your posture, stance, movements , facial expressions can all influence how confident you appear to your audience and how nervous you may be feeling inside. Check in with yourself frequently throughout the presentation and correct any tense body language or physical actions if needed.

7. Focus on the Audience: If you notice that your anxiety levels are growing as you present, shift your focus onto the audience instead of yourself as this will help refocus your attention away from negative thoughts that may arise from fear or insecurity.

8. Make Eye Contact: Establishing eye contact with your audience is a key confidence-builder for public speakers—it shows that you’re strong, engaged with them, and receptive to feedback or questions they might have regarding your speech topic .

9. Practice Positive Affirmations: Positive thoughts will boost your self-confidence as well as your mood which can help increase performance quality significantly during speeches or presentations in general—so don’t forget to tell yourself “you can do it!” several times throughout the day leading up to the event!

10. Seek Support of Friends & Family: Many experienced public speakers suggest seeking support of close friends & family members prior and during their speeches—not only does it allow helpful critique regarding content but it also creates a more comfortable atmosphere while speaking which can reduce pre-speech jitters drastically.

10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills

Few are immune to the fear of public speaking. Marjorie North offers 10 tips for speakers to calm the nerves and deliverable memorable orations.

Marjorie North

Snakes? Fine. Flying? No problem. Public speaking? Yikes! Just thinking about public speaking — routinely described as one of the greatest (and most common) fears — can make your palms sweat. But there are many ways to tackle this anxiety and learn to deliver a memorable speech.

In part one of this series,  Mastering the Basics of Communication , I shared strategies to improve how you communicate. In part two, How to Communicate More Effectively in the Workplace , I examined how to apply these techniques as you interact with colleagues and supervisors in the workplace. For the third and final part of this series, I’m providing you with public speaking tips that will help reduce your anxiety, dispel myths, and improve your performance.

Here Are My 10 Tips for Public Speaking:

1. nervousness is normal. practice and prepare.

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice — a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

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2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.

3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.

5. Let Your Personality Come Through.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head — in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.

6. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.

8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

10. Use Audiovisual Aids Wisely.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

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About the Author

North is a consultant for political candidates, physicians, and lawyers, and runs a private practice specializing in public speaking, and executive communication skills. Previously, she was the clinical director in the department of speech and language pathology and audiology at Northeastern University.

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Planning Your Speech

Being confident in your speech making and your public speaking means that you should fully prepare for your speech! Here are some tips to write a great speech!

1. Determine the purpose of your speech.  Whether it is a persuasive essay, argumentative essay, or just an informative one you need to know why you are giving the speech. Generally you may be told what kind of speech to write for your assignment, but if you have a choice on what type of speech you need to give it's important to know what you want to tell your audience. 

2. Identify your audience.  This may depend on your assignment but you need to know your audience to know what type of the information you are giving to them. Are you giving a speech to people who don't have any knowledge on the subject? Experts in the field? Or are you just speaking in front of your professor and fellow classmates? Understanding your audience helps you determine the scope of the detail in your speech and how you can keep the audience captivated. 

3. Create your claim (or thesis).  Just like writing a paper, your speech needs a thesis. Your claim is the main idea for your speech, and you will spend your speech providing evidence that supports your claim. 

4. Collect your evidence.  You need to support your claim with evidence. Evidence may include: surveys, statistics, anecdotal evidence, or even your own experience. 

5. Start determining how you will organize your speech.  Just like an essay, a speech has a similar structure. Your introduction, body, supporting evidence, and conclusion. It's helpful to write down your speech in a similar way you would write an essay. 

Giving Your Speech

Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is very common. Below are some speech-giving tips that can help reduce your anxiety!

1. Talk to someone if you are feeling stressed.  Talk to a counselor, your professor, or just a friend. It's always helpful to talk about your worries and get support from people around. 

2. Know what you're talking about.  You will be more comfortable reciting your speech when you have some knowledge on the subject. While you are researching and preparing your speech, get some preliminary background information so you feel more confident with the subject. This also helps if you get any surprise questions from your audience!

3. Practice.  Practice, practice, practice. In the mirror, in front of some friends, in front of your classmates. Be comfortable with the words, the structure of your speech, and knowing the order in which you will present your main ideas. 

4. Organize your materials.  Disorganization the day of your speech can worsen your anxiety! Prepare the night before by setting out all of your demonstrative items (poster, powerpoint, pictures), make sure any notecards are in order, and set aside your clothes if you are dressing up for your speech. It's also important to make sure the technology in the room you are presenting in has everything you need (check with your professor)!

5. Study other speeches.  You don't need to study the great orators of the world to learn how to improve your speeches. TED Talks, interviews from people you look up to, and even watching YouTube videos can help improve your public speaking skills. 

6. Don't rely on Powerpoints/posters.  Items like Powerpoints and posters that you use for your speech are meant to support you and not be something that you read off of the entire time. If you can do without visual aids or if they are not required for your speech, you may decide not to use any at all. Try to have as little text as possible on them--you won't be able to read off of them and your audience will not be distracted reading the slides. 

7. Focus on your message.  Don't get caught up in little details, your stories, or any jokes you may have in your speech. Focus on your claim so your message is understood by your audience. 

8. Don't apologize.  Everyone makes a mistake. Technical difficulties can happen to every one. Don't let minor issues such as forgetting a part of your speech or getting a little mixed up derail your presentation. Your audience may not even notice the small mistake. If you feel like you need to make an apology, make a small one and continue on. You've got this!

9. Look around the room.  You should always give your audience your full attention. It might be a small classroom of a few students or a massive auditorium but your audience is very important. Focus on different parts of the room that you can spend a few seconds on during the speech. If you can't decide where to look, focus on a specific person. 

10. Be yourself.  You can reduce your anxiety by just being yourself. Involved your personality in how you present information; use your pitch and create a style that's meaningful and allows the audience to relate to you. And don't forget to smile!

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How to start a speech for students (Ultimate opening lines)

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Topics , Speech Writing

Schools and their love for speeches is an affair we are all quite aware of. Now if you are looking to move beyond the mundane way of delivering speeches in school and are in search of some amazing speech openings for students, you are at the right place!

Speeches are the most common form of public speaking that is encouraged in schools . Be it for a competition, assignment, presentation, or even as a punishment (oops), speeches are everywhere in a student’s life.  

To get a quick idea on speech opening lines for students , don’t forget to check out our video on 3 speech opening lines for students!

But before we dive into understanding how to go about your speeches, it is important to first understand why educational institutes focus so much on speeches or public speaking in general that they begin introducing us to speeches as early as primary sections.

Why is speech encouraged in Primary school?

It is a common practice to give the students a little idea about giving speeches as early as primary school. Part of the reason is that these are the foundational years and form as a stepping stone for the students to get a little more used to public speaking as they move to higher classes .

A couple of ways students in primary schools may be asked to give speeches would be to introduce themselves or at competitions like fancy dress competitions.

What is the use of speech in high school?

In high school, as students gain more understanding about the world at large and develop their opinions, giving speeches is encouraged in school to help them navigate their thoughts to their peers. Further, speeches as a form of public speaking also help build the student’s soft skills .

A few ways giving speeches in high school can help in developing their soft skills are:

1. critical thinking.

Speeches aren’t about blurting out your ideas or opinions, rather it requires you to research and find evidence to back your point of view, or to think critically to deliver a speech that effectively reaches the other students.

2. Problem-solving

Speeches could be framed around a popular or controversial issue that the student wishes to provide their insight into. This would encourage them to come up with solutions. Apart from that, even coming up with a speech can be a task sometimes, and overcoming those challenges too can be counted in as a way of problem-solving

3. Time-management

With a huge number of students in high school, speeches are almost always time-bound. This also means that the students have to structure their speeches in a way that fits the time given, further inculcating time management skills in them.

4. Active listening

Speeches are not only about delivering or conveying your ideas or findings but also about listening carefully to what others have to say in terms of questions that may ask.

Why is speech required at college?

Speeches in college have an entirely different goal than the one that schools have.

In college, it isn’t always mandatory to give speeches or to participate in public speaking. However, a few reasons why giving speeches or public speaking is encouraged in colleges is because:

• It helps in developing communication and public speaking skills that can be very beneficial to their professional life later.
• Speeches may also be a way to meet new people and make new connections.
• It improves the student’s leadership skills. How? We have all heard how a good speaker carries with him or her the potential to influence and lead the crowd, and that is how practicing public speaking in college helps improve a student’s leadership skills.

When can students be asked to give a speech?

As we just discussed that the purpose of giving speeches changes as we progress in our school. However, there are a couple of situations where mostly all students are expected to present their speech. And they are:

Classroom/section speeches

Classroom or section speeches are the ones you give in front of your classmates or people from your age group. Generally, the presentation of assignments and competitions comes under this category.

Graduation Speech

Students may also be expected to present a graduation speech . However, the big difference here is that not everyone gets the opportunity to present a graduation speech or commencement address as it is known.

What type of speech is a graduation speech? Or what type of speech is a commencement speech?

Graduation speeches or commencement speeches are parting speeches wherein the focus is on reflecting on the good times in the institute and motivating others for their bright future ahead. Depending on the purpose as selected by the speaker, these speeches could be persuasive, informative, or entertaining in nature . 

How to start a speech as a student 

Giving speeches as a student, even if you have been doing it for the past few years can still end up being a little challenging.  But rather than giving you tons of tips on things you can focus on while coming up with your speech or speech openings for students, we have got one ultimate tip . If you follow that, you should ideally be able to reach your audience more effectively.

Ultimate tip when writing speeches or speech openings for students

Write how you speak, not how you write.

When I came across this tip, I was surprised too. Because is indeed true that we write very differently when we have to show the speech to someone in written form but if asked honestly, do we speak in such a highly polished, extra professional vocabulary?

The idea is not to write the speech or speech opening riddled with slang but rather in a way that you’d feel comfortable listening to and understanding easily had you been the listener.

So in short, prepare the speech with the listener in mind, not the reader .

What is a good opening line for a speech?

Most opening lines for speech in school begin with a good morning.  We usually follow it with greetings or addressing the audience and the guests.

Wondering how you greet everyone in a speech?

Here is a list of ways you can begin with a simple good morning:

• Good morning everyone presents here today. I’m delighted to present my views and understanding on a very delicate yet overlooked topic; Gender sensitization in the workplace.
• Good afternoon esteemed members of the jury, my friends and peers, and everyone present in the room today.
• Good morning to the faculty, the non-teaching staff, and the class of 2022!!

Now it is a good practice to begin your speech with your usual greetings. However, in this blog, we are trying to look beyond the usual.

It doesn’t mean that you will not be saying good morning or your basic greetings; the only difference is that you’ll not be opening your speech with it but addressing these basic formalities later in the speech.

How do you start a speech without saying good morning?

There are a couple of ways you can start a speech without saying good morning. Here are some of the ways we will take a look at in this blog:

• “Imagine” scenario
• “What if” scenario
• Rhetorical questions
• Statistics and figures
• Powerful statements

Quotes are phrases or things spoken by someone influential . Quotes as speech openings for students can not only help them go beyond the widely popular way of beginning any speech but will also help them establish credibility right in the very beginning!

Now if you have ever wondered,

How to start your speech with a quote?

Here are a couple of examples of using quotes as speech openings for students:

Lon Watters had said that “A school is a building with four walls, with tomorrow inside.” And it would be wrong if I said that I didn’t agree with every bit of what he said. As we come to an end of our journey with this school that has provided us with tons of opportunities to learn, grow, interact and make memories we sure will cherish forever…

“If you don’t have a plan for your life, somebody else does.” This is a quote given by Michael Hyatt and isn’t it something we have all been experiencing all these years of growing up as our parents or guardians make plans for us right from the way we dress to the school we go to and sometimes even the careers we choose. Good morning everyone, I am Myra, a student of XYZ school standing here to voice my opinion on “Factors that influence your career decisions.”

 2. “Imagine” Scenario

This happens to be a personal favorite of mine when it comes to speech openings for students. A very simple yet beautiful way to engage your audience right at the beginning of your speech while at the same time allowing them to relate to what you’ll be saying next is what the image” scenarios are all about.

Before we begin, I’d like you to take a moment and imagine walking through a trail. You see the lush greens and pretty sky above you, the most dynamic clouds following everyone you go. Try sniffing the smell of wet soil and a hint of flowery fragrance as you walk towards the edge of the hill expecting to take a glimpse of the utter beauty that these hours of walking would lead you to, but you find something else. You see something that sends chills down your spine. There are some strange men performing rituals right in the very heart of these dense greens. You wonder what it is all about until it hits you; you have just uncovered a cult.

For the next example, I’d like you to take a look at the video below and check for yourself how wonderfully the speaker (although not a student) has made use of the “imagine” scenario to share his tragic experience with his audience.

Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.

3. “What If” Scenario

What if I told you that the best speech openings for students are actually the ones wherein they come up with an opening that best represents their style and comfort at delivering speeches, be it with a joke or a story?

Do you see what I did there?

That is an example of a “what if” scenario. It is similar to the imagination scenario we discussed above but the only difference here is that “what if” speech openings for students focus on providing an alternative idea to the audience while the imagined scenarios provide the audience an opportunity to relate to the speaker.

4. Rhetorical question

Rhetorical questions are questions the speaker includes in his/her/their speech that doesn’t necessarily require the audience to come up with an answer but are posed to get the audience thinking on the same.

Using rhetorical questions as speech openings for students can work wonders especially when you are looking for either a very quick speech opening or have very little time to deliver the speech.

An example of using rhetorical questions for speech opening is given below:

Talking about the new policy that makes it illegal to check the gender of the child before birth, do you think that it will curb the issue of female foeticide? Or will it simply take the activity underground?

The art of silence is phenomenal. Opening your speech in silence can help enhance your speech in two ways.

First, it will give the audience some time to settle in , post which you can expect to grab their dedicated attention. And secondly, silence would give you some time to understand the room and calm your pre-stage anxiousness .

6. Statistics and figures

Want to begin your speech on a hard-hitting and eye-opening note?

Show the numbers, the figures, and any statistics that serve your purpose for giving the speech.

It is very common to overlook the seriousness of any situation when you aren’t aware of the real extent of its seriousness. But when we have numbers in front of us, there is no more room for being in denial.

Examples of using Statistics or figures as speech openings for students

• According to the 2019 WWF report , on average, we consume about 1,769 microplastic particles every week. 1769 microplastic particles every single week, can you imagine that?
• 3.2 million teenagers between the age of 12-17 were depressed in the US as of 2017. Now you can only assume the number has increased over the past 5 years.

7. Powerful  Statements

Powerful statements are statements that try to break any common ideologies held by the public. Another example of a powerful statement is stating a fact or idea that isn’t openly spoken .

The video below is one such example of how the speaker tries to break a perception generally held by the people.

How often have we been told to include stories in our speech?

Almost every time isn’t it? So here we are to bombard you yet again by saying that stories are extremely fun and engaging forms of speech openings for students.

You can either share your experience or someone else’s story.

You can also refer to a Recent Conversation by starting your speech with something like “Just the other day as I was walking out of my Philosophy lecture, I asked Mr.Dee about his philosophy on life, and what he said was so eye-opening that I could not wait to share with all of you.”

An adorable example of how to begin a speech with a story is given below to help you get a clearer idea.

Examples of speech openings for students

Speech opening lines for public speaking competitions.

When it comes to public speaking competitions like elocutions, speech competitions, or even presentations, it is almost always recommended to begin with self-introduction . The reason is quite simple; there is a high chance that your audience might not know you .

But if you don’t want to begin with a self-introduction, you can start by using any of the alternatives we discussed earlier. Click here to go back and take another peek at it.

Speech Opening Lines for Self-introductions

Speech openings for self-introductions need to be simple, to the point yet descriptive.

Wait a minute? Wasn’t I contradicting myself in that line?

Yes, but that is how opening lines for self-introductions would ideally work. As people expect you to talk about yourself in depth in the rest of your speech, your opening lines would just be a teaser about yourself.

2 most important things to add in your self-introduction opening lines for students

• What do you do?

Other things that you can talk about in these opening lines include:

• Where are you from?
• What is your goal?
• What does your organization do?
• A little bit about your family

Examples of opening lines for students

Good morning, I am Reini. I recently graduated from BMU college and have since been working as a Design intern at Desgynopedia. 

Hello and good evening everyone. I am Nicole and this is my team, Alina, Tim, Harold, and Noman. We are in our senior year majoring in Organizational psychology. Today we would like to talk about the 5 main Psychological factors that impact any organization’s overall performance.

Hey, I am Nizan. I am a nerd for Political Science and Greek Philosophy and am currently majoring in the same. My love for the subjects is also the reason why I am here to present a topic I found very intriguing “The injustice behind socrates’ death.”

Funny speech opening lines for students

If you are giving a speech for a competition, one of the most fun ways of opening your speech could be to say “Good morning to the faculty, my friends, and (look at the opponents) others.”

Other funny opening line examples:

• I almost bunked school today until I realized that this speech carries marks and I sure don’t want to be in a class with our juniors. Just imagine! Who could do that?
• Hello and good morning to everyone, except the ones who are well prepared for their speeches today.
• Hello everyone, I’m excited to present my speech on XYZ’s topic today. I mean come on, what could be better than waking up at 7 am on a Monday morning to give a speech?
• Today I’ll be talking about XYZ because I was told to!

Best Speech Opening Lines by students

1. chase dahl.

In one of the funniest speech opening lines by students, Chase Dahl opens up by saying “You know I have never understood how imagining the audience naked was supposed to make you less nervous. Honestly, I’m just uncomfortable right now.”

2. Kyle Martin (The King’s Academy)

Yet another Valedictorian speech that has caught our eye is the one given by Kyle Martin. The reason we would suggest you take a look into the opening lines of his speech is so that you can take notes on how beautifully he has described the efforts taken by every department of the institute as he tries to thank them for their efforts.

Presentation Opening Lines

Presentation speeches are a little different compared to your usual speeches and the major reason for that is because now you have access to visuals or your PPT.

Besides some of the ways already discussed above, you can begin the presentation by pointing out a particular slide. You can show your audience a graph, table, pictures, or any other creative and eye-catching ideas that can also turn out to be an amazing presentation opening.

How to start a presentation speech example for students

A few common ways you can open your speech are:

• Hello everyone, I am Miya. I would first like to thank you all for your time.
• For those who don’t know me, my name is Nazia, and if you do know me, hello again!
• Good afternoon to all you wonderful people present here. I am Ryan and as you can see on screen, today I’ll be speaking on “The hazards of drinking from plastic bottles.”

For more examples of opening lines check out 50 Speech Opening Lines .

You might also like to know:

How to start a speech for the student council.

Speeches for student council are usually persuasive. They are your pitch to convince your fellow students to vote for you and help you get the position you are looking for.

So ideally, you should start by addressing everyone in the room . Then make a point to introduce yourself. Once you have introduced yourself, remind the audience why you are speaking which means let them know the position you are campaigning for. Bring up at least 1-2 issues that the students are most concerned about and tell them how if elected you’ll provide solutions to their issues.

Try to end it on a high note and don’t forget to add your campaign slogan .

You can also begin by stating your campaign slogan .

Yet another way to begin your speech for the student council is by challenging your opponent’s point of view or campaign . However, this would work only f you have a better strategy or solutions to the issues raised by your opponents.

Lastly, do something that no one expects from you . Let me share a story here to help you understand this point better. During one of the student council speeches, one candidate asked the audience to stand up, move a step in the front then go back to their seats and settle down. Following this, she said, “My parents told me if I could move the audience, I’d win.” And so she did win!

What is a speech class?

A speech class in high school or college is usually a short course or 1-semester course wherein the student is expected to improve on their public speaking skills along with critical thinking and active listening skills.

It essentially enhances their oral communication skills.

This also reminds me to introduce you to our courses that help enhance your public speaking and communication skills. If you are interested, head to Frantically Speaking .

But if your appetite for learning more about opening speeches isn’t satiated yet, we suggest you go check out our Video on the Powerful speech opening lines.

To Conclude

There are tons of ways to get creative with speech openings for students. From saying a simple good morning to adding stories, quotes, statistics, rhetorical questions, and even silence!

Get creative with your speech openings. As we always say, there are no right or wrong ways of public speaking as such, only a way that suits perfectly for you is the one that is right for you.

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How to Speak in Public

By Adam Bryant

Illustrations by Timo Kuilder

Public speaking can tap into a viper’s nest of dread with seemingly infinite possibilities for messing up and creating scar-tissue embarrassment in front of a crowd. If you do a Google search with these four words — “public speaking scarier death” — you’ll get more than 50 million results, many of them about surveys noting that people list speaking in public as their No. 1 fear, with death coming in second. If you find yourself agreeing with those surveys, even reading these words may be causing your pulse to quicken or your palms to sweat (apologies for that). But here’s the good news: You can do this. We’ve broken down the art of public speaking to make it less overwhelming and potentially even rewarding. (Seriously.)

Before you can get onstage, you need to think about your presentation.

Preparation will ensure that you can effectively deliver a speech that relays the message you want to deliver.

One of the best insights I’ve ever heard about speaking to large audiences came from Marcus Ryu, the C.E.O. of Guidewire Software. In my Corner Office interview with him, he explained what I’ve come to refer to as the “Einstein Theory of Communication.”

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• 11 Tips for Giving a Great Speech

Chances are you’ll be asked to give speeches or presentations in classes at school. If you get involved in volunteer groups, brief speeches to open events or thank participants are a must. Then there are the speeches at events such as weddings, as well as speeches that you might have to give in the workplace. That amounts to the average person being required to give quite a lot of speeches, even if they don’t get involved in an area such as politics where the ability to give a good speech becomes even more important. You might also have suffered through quite a number of bad speeches from other people – whether that’s at family events where the microphone squeaks the whole way through or a school presentation where the headteacher can’t quite make the jokes work. If you don’t want to inflict the same sort of experience on others, here are our top tips for giving a great speech.

1. Practise your microphone technique

2. Keep it short

Particularly at something like a party or a wedding, no one will be unhappy if your speech runs a little short; it’ll just give them more time to investigate the canapés. If you are giving a speech for a class in school, and it’ll be assessed, you need to prioritise keeping it within the required time limits. But even under these circumstances, if you’ve been tasked – say – with giving a 10-15 minute speech, it’s usually better to come in nearer the 10 than the 15 minute mark. Put simply, even if your speech is terrible, your audience can probably tolerate it for 10 minutes. Much longer, and they’ll be struggling. This shouldn’t limit what you can cover; in the film Up , the whole of Carl and Ellie’s heartbreaking love story is told in under 12 minutes. Do you really need longer to make your points? Achieve brevity by writing out the speech you would give if you had all the time in the world, and then cut anything that seems extraneous or boring.

3. Consider what your audience wants to hear

If you are giving a speech in class because it’s your assignment, what your audience wants to hear is likely to be “the bell ringing for lunch”; you can’t help them there. But under other circumstances, consider what your audience wants to hear and what you want to say, and strive for there to be as much overlap as possible. In the context of a political speech, for instance, what you want to say might be why your party should receive votes; what your audience wants to hear is what your party would do for them, if they won power. Hopefully it should be possible to write a speech that meets both sets of needs, rather than focusing solely on whatever it is that you want to say and leaving your audience disappointed.

4. Pick a theme and stick to it

Here’s a goal for giving a speech: someone sitting near the back, who’s messing around on their phone for at least two-thirds of it and focusing mainly on how long it will be until lunch, should nonetheless be able to give a reasonably accurate answer to the question, “what was it about?” If you’re supposed to be giving a speech in defence of the nuclear deterrent, for example, both the topic and your position on it should be clearly identifiable. This means – to stick with the nuclear deterrent example – not talking for a while about jobs, and then the wider economy, and then the North-South divide, and then Scottish independence, and then Ukraine with a brief digression into South Ossetia before rounding off by squeaking out “and that’s why we should renew Trident!” seconds before you run out of time – no matter how relevant that cornucopia of topics may feel (and they are all relevant, albeit tenuously). It means that even if you do have to take a while to explain a more complex idea, you need to be concise, and bring it back to your theme as quickly as you can.

5. Speak slowly

Most people speak more quickly than they realise when they’re on stage, especially if they’re nervous. But no one will be able to follow your speech if you’re jabbering it out. Thankfully, this one is easy to fix with a little effort and practise. First of all, figure out how quickly you’re actually speaking: do a word count for your speech and then time yourself saying it. A fast speaker will speak at maybe 160 words per minute, a slow speaker at 100 wpm and an average speaker at 130 wpm. For a formal speech, you want to be speaking on the slow side. While this will vary by culture and environment, 120 wpm is a reasonable target to aim for; slow enough that everyone should be able to understand you, and fast enough that you hopefully won’t be sending them to sleep.

6. Tell a couple of jokes

This is a tricky tip because there are lots of pitfalls in the world of telling jokes. For instance, there’s the temptation to include an in-joke that three of your friends will understand and find hilarious, that is utterly baffling to everyone else in the room. Avoid this – if you include any jokes, witty references or anything along those lines, make sure they are accessible to everyone present. All the same, if you can manage a joke or two, it can be a useful way to break up a speech and retain the audience’s interest. A little self-deprecation (not too much!) or the use of classic joke formats such as “the scene was chaotic; it looked as if a bomb had hit and we didn’t know where to start on repairs – but that’s enough about the hen party…” work nicely even if you’re not very confident. Don’t turn it into a stand-up comedy sketch if you’re not a comedian, don’t wait for ages for laughter that’s not showing up, and don’t make jokes at the expense of anyone who you don’t know for sure can take it.

7. Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself if you need to

If you follow US or UK politics at all, you’ve probably heard some of these phrases recently: take back control, make America great again, long-term economic plan, son of a bus driver. Three of these have already led the party or people they’re associated with to electoral victory; the fourth remains to be seen. To take the ‘son of a bus driver’ as an example, this refers to Sadiq Khan, now Mayor of London. There can be hardly anyone in London who doesn’t know what their Mayor’s dad did for a living. Meanwhile, many of them probably can’t remember his rival Zac Goldsmith’s name, let alone anything he said during the campaign. The point is that repetition works. In pursuit of point 4, if you want people to remember your key theme, you’re going to have to say it more than once. Don’t assume that everyone will have paid attention to everything you’ve said, unless you’re in a classroom setting where they’ll get told off if they don’t.

8. Only use the visual aids you need

This tip applies to two things: PowerPoints and notes. If you can do without either (and your assignment allows it), then do. Every time you’re glancing over your notes or up at the screen, fiddling with the laptop to get the slide to move on, fighting with a video that isn’t working or struggling to read your own handwriting, is time that you’re not spending engaging with your audience. A well-written, clear speech delivered without notes is always going to be better than someone awkwardly reading aloud the bullet points on their PowerPoint slides. If you must do a presentation – for instance, because there are photos that need to be included – have as little text on it as possible, preferably none. That way, if there are people at the back who can’t really see the screen through the sea of heads in front of them, they’ll still be able to follow what you’re saying.

9. Get a friend to check for awkward mannerisms

Mannerisms that are entirely fine in normal life become awkward and strange when you’re speaking in public. Perhaps you’re inclined to fiddle with your hair or your cuffs, you rock back and forth on the balls of your feet, or you have a habit of reaching your hand to your cheek when you’re talking. No one would notice in everyday conversation, but when you’re on a stage, it’ll become all they’ll see. Some of this is easily avoidable – for instance, if you have long hair that you’re inclined to twirl or otherwise fiddle with, tie it up. For other mannerisms, get the critical friend who helped you sort out your microphone technique to tell you what they are, and do your best to suppress the more annoying ones.

10. Look around the room

Talking about eye contact usually has the effect of making normal eye contact a lot harder, and so does giving a speech. All of a sudden, you’re up on stage, and you have no idea what a normal way to look at a group of people is. Some speakers deal with this by picking a point in the middle distance and speaking to it; others by picking a particular person near to the back and addressing their entire speech at them. This is obviously no fun for that person, who probably spends the whole thing feeling extremely uncomfortable, but it’s not too weird for everyone else. Better still, though, if you can manage it, is to look slowly and steadily around the room, trying to make eye contact with a decent range of people, before returning to the middle distance for a while, rinse and repeat. This needs to be slow and steady, or you give the impression that you’ve just smelled smoke and are casting about for a fire exit before the stampede beings.

11. Don’t be scared of a good reaction

If your speech is genuinely engaging, funny, inspiring or any of the other things you might hope it would be, your audience will react to it. There might be laughter, or applause, or even a bit of cheering depending on the setting. This can be daunting because when you’re practising your speech in front of your bedroom mirror, there’s no way to prepare for it. And it’s where even the best speakers can go wrong, by launching straight into what they were going to say next without waiting for the laughter or applause to stop, or by looking painfully awkward while it’s going on. It’s a pitfall that’s mostly solved by being aware it might happen. If your audience is applauding you or otherwise reacting well, it’s OK to smile, look up, wait for them to stop and then keep going with your speech – it’s as simple as that. You could even throw in a “thank you” before you continue in the knowledge that it’s all going well. Image credits: microphones ; audience ; boy with microphone ; clock ; winding road ; enjoy a joke ; sticky notes ; 

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How to Survive Speaking in Front of Your Class

Did you know that about 25% of people claim to experience a fear of public speaking ? Whether it’s speaking at a ceremony, giving a presentation at a conference or speaking in front of a class, public speaking can result in stomach butterflies for even the most outgoing people.

Discussing your ideas with 20 or more classmates staring at you can be a nerve-wracking experience. Believe it or not, you can get through it and even improve your skills over time. Check out these tips that can help you survive speaking in front of your class.

One of the main challenges people face when public speaking is the fear of getting nervous and losing their place. You can minimize this risk by making early preparations that will help you keep track of all your points. Try creating notecards or slides or practicing in front of friends. If you do forget something, don’t panic. Move on and try to come back to it later.

Use Humor and Anecdotes

It’s okay to sprinkle in a story or a bit of humor to break the ice and connect with your audience, but moderation is important. You don’t want to fill your presentation or lesson with jokes and asides, but you do want to make your points in a way that impacts your class. Feel free to surprise them every once in a while — within reason.

Remember Anxiousness Is Normal

If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed or anxious before speaking, keep in mind that this is common and nothing to feel ashamed of. Take a few deep breaths and remind yourself you’ll survive. And even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly, you’ll feel much better once it’s over.

Practice, Practice, Practice

As challenging as it can be, the only way to improve at public speaking is to practice. Practicing your skills often can help you find the tactics that work best for you. Each time you speak in front of your class, it’ll become a little easier. You may or may not continue to feel some nervousness beforehand, but experience can protect you from some of the more overwhelming emotions that come along with it.

Implement Feedback

Use previous public speaking experiences to your advantage by using suggestions or feedback improve your techniques. It can be hard to take criticism, but it’s often the most powerful way to make changes for the better. Implementing feedback may help you become more confident talking to your class, which can help you engage more.

Speaking in front of a room full of people is an understandable fear, but it doesn’t have to hold you back from success in the classroom. Use these tips before your next presentation, and you might do more than survive it. You may also nail it.

~Here’s to Your Success~

Copyright 2019, HigherEducating.com

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Public Speaking Unit

Looking for a public speaking bundle ? I can provide you with an overall picture of how to teach public speaking. 

EDIT: This blog post about a public speaking curriculum has turned into a monster post! It is easily three times as long as my normal blog posts. That’s ok because I know how intimidated I was when I taught speech the first time. All of the lessons and activities mentioned below are in my Public Speaking Bundle . BUT?! I think you could still use these ideas as a springboard into speech if you aren’t looking to buy a bundle. 

I get lots of emails. Most emails pertain to grammar. The second most emails? Public speaking. Teaching public speaking is challenging. 

I have taught public speaking; I teach in Illinois and hold a teaching endorsement in speech. Additionally, I have coached a speech team and substitute-taught public speaking. I understand the challenges and rewards. 

Students have ambivalent feelings about public speaking. They understand the power of speeches, but they are nervous as can be. Our goal as teachers is to harness that range of feelings and get students speaking comfortably in front of crowds. That is my overarching goal as I organize and create these activities.

A few notes about this blog post:

• This public speaking outline took me years to develop, and I still add pieces every semester that I teach. The order and the activities have reasons for placement, and I’ll explain those as we continue. For your needs and students, you may wish to rearrange these procedures. Please! Personalize as necessary! I purposefully left room for teacher personalization.
• ALL of these activities are in my Public Speaking Bundle —BUT!—if you aren’t looking to purchase anything, I hope you can still use this outline to get started, to know what to expect with a public speaking course.
• When I mention a “Discussion Starter,” I am referencing an activity in the bundle. The topic is a recurring question students have, so you should be aware that students will need that information.
• The “weeks” are general guidelines. Don’t stress if you finish early or run a day over—I do too. Flexibility and compassion help nervous students.
• Please, please feel free to contact me. I will happily answer any question about public speaking. It may be the most difficult class I’ve ever taught, but it certainly is rewarding.

My biggest belief with teaching public speaking: students need time to practice their speeches while providing structure and diverse speaking opportunities. We spend days practicing our speeches alone, with peers, and with me. Professional speakers practice intensely, and students should see that practice prepares them.

How can I develop a public speaking unit?

Teaching public speaking requires flexibility and pep talks. It also takes layered activities and student buy-in. By providing a framework with room for personalization and adaptation, students can thrive in a safe and supportive environment that nurtures their communication skills.

Emphasizing the importance of practice, both solo and in various group settings, is key to instilling confidence in students. Encouraging them to engage in discussions and activities that address common concerns allows for a deeper understanding of the challenges they may face.

Week One: Introduction.

How to teach public speaking? Connect with your students and their parents. We complete introductory speech activities . (Download for free. ) Part of teaching public speaking should be building a community to set young public speakers at ease. Giving a speech in front of others can be nerve-racking, and I have never regretted spending time discussing communication and the multiple factors of public speaking with students. General conversations and fun activities help build a supportive community; you really will be setting the room for success.

Discussion Starter: “In the Beginning”

I email parents/post to the classroom website the note for parents about public speaking. (Note in bundle.)

I cover the role of audience members with students (worksheet in bundle). When I give students this expectation, it helps because they know they have a role in class even when they are not speaking.

We read an overview of giving a killer presentation . This takes an entire class period; we discuss how powerful speaking is.

I define the differences between interpersonal and intrapersonal communication. We write about how our intrapersonal communication influences our interpersonal communication.

Week Two: Baby Steps.

Audience Analysis. Who is your target audience? For every speech, students must recognize their audience. We complete the Audience Analysis activity which normally takes two class periods.

Write a radio commercial . Students must realize that their audience cannot read the message; they can only hear and see. I practice “hear” first with a thirty-second speech. Students write and deliver a radio commercial.

This helps because students understand that public speaking holds power—in fact, that is probably why they are nervous about speaking to an audience! I want to harness that excitement and power but not scare students. With the radio commercial, students can “ease into” public speaking. It is quick, short presentation, but it allows me to outline my expectations for speeches.

The radio commercial also allows students to focus on verbal communication without focusing on hand gestures, positioning, etc.

Weeks Three – Four: Narratives: writing and presentations.

Teaching public speaking is a personal endeavor because students will share personal information. Narrative speeches are a great way to build relationships with students.

Discussion Starter: “Where do I stand during my speech?”

I choose a narrative topic for students. I have done numerous, so I have plenty of samples and instructions .

Goal setting sheets help student, and I devote time explaining the process and reasons for planning goals in life. I want them to set goals so that the information is important to them, so they are invested in the process. Setting goals also allows me to differentiate without students asking about their classmates’ plans. After the narrative speech, students create their first goal sheet.

Students deliver a speech without researching and citing sources. The narrative is about them, so they can write and deliver it rather quickly. This gets students in front of an audience without immense pressures.

Week Five:   Informative : research and writing.

For the first researched speech, I have students complete a biography. I do this because they are so easy to organize—students use a timeline of a person’s life. When I question how to teach public speaking, I believe starting students with confidence pays off later.

Additionally, with researching and citing sources, students can become overwhelmed. When they start with a biography, they do not yet have to worry about organizing information. We use the brainstorming sheet as we research these speeches.

Discussion Starters:

• “How do I research my speech?”
• “Citing sources”
• “Outlining your speech”

We research and write the speech outlines. During this week, we practice extensively. Students have completed several smaller speeches at this point, but this speech is different since students research the topics and cite sources. My sample speech is about Kate Chopin. Showing students this speech allows for me to demonstrate organization while not stealing a potential topic. Most students won’t write about Chopin!

Weeks Six – Seven: Practice, prep, and planning . Presentations.

This week, students will make a visual aid, decide on their goals, and practice their biographical speeches. I often have students work with peers and provide feedback. I rotate around the room these days. Students often put too much information on their visual aids, and this is a correction I work with them.

To differentiate, students choose their own goals. A goal can be to speak loudly, to minimize “um,” or to move hands purposefully. When I grade, I keep each student’s goal sheet by me and watch if they have improved on what their focus was.

Students often want to write their speech and deliver it the next day. To prevent this, I make the outline due a week before we start speeches. Students get points for having their outline done, which they appreciate. This forces them to practice.

I cannot stress enough that students will need lots of prompting and encouragement to practice. Students sometimes tell me that they perform better if they don’t practice. This is not true! Rarely have I given a class too much time to practice and had them bored. Students can always perfect their speeches.

We have many discussions and classroom conversations. Our worksheets start reflection and provide talking points.

• “When Does My Speech Begin?”
• “Using a Visual Aid”
• “Where Do I Stand During a Speech?”

Presentations take about a week (of course, this depends on the size of your class). I encourage proper audience behavior. Students should be engaged and check statements from presenters. Part of a speech class is learning to be a good audience member.

I record students as they speak. As we finish presentations, students watch their presentations and reflect. They write what they should improve, how to improve—taking their goals into account. We wrap up by having a class discussion about concerns and strengths. Students can become overwhelmed or unmotivated, so I always acknowledge the difficulty of giving speeches and how they are succeeding in certain areas.

Weeks Eight – Eleven: Argumentative research and writing.

At the start of this process, students are still watching and reflecting on their previous speeches. Students do this alone, so the rest of the class is often researching and outlining their new speeches.

We repeat the informative layout, but we cover more information as a persuasive/argumentative speech. To me, this is the type of speech students will most often deliver in life. It’s important for them to take it seriously and do well. I don’t have this as the final large speech because when I did that, winter break or the end of the school year (whenever the semester ended) took away from serious speech practice.

I add another week into this speech because I typically increase the time requirement. Students need more practice as this speech is a new format and typically longer.

Decide ahead of time what format you want students to use. I typically use Monroe’s Motivated Sequence for persuasive speeches.

Two days are spent completing the Ethos/ Pathos/ Logos Activity .

Discussion Starter: “Diving deeper with your topic”

Students are familiar with the creation process, so the speech creation and practice process normally is better.

Week Twelve: Impromptu , narrative.

Students have worked hard so far, and I give them a slight break from preparation while teaching them valuable skills: thinking, organizing, and speaking quickly. Plus, students often have habits that need broken: fillers (um, yeah, so) or unnecessary hand gestures. These short and relaxed impromptu topics require students to speak, but at the same time, they can focus less on the content and more on what they should improve.

We also study a famous speech by Susan B. Anthony . These activities are important, but they also give students a rest.

Weeks Thirteen – Fifteen:  Informative , non-biography.

Returning to an informative speech is difficult for students, and I do this on purpose. Students must understand the different expectations of speeches. They will try to persuade during this speech, and that is something of which they must be aware. Part of teaching public speaking is challenging students in new ways.

Informative speech topics can include different types of technology, careers in a certain field, or roles of government branches. I have a sample informative speech included in my speech unit. The speech is on modernism, and I stress to students that they should not border on persuading their audience.

• “Adding emphasis in your speech”
• “Elevating your rhetoric”

We repeat the speech preparation format that the other speeches followed. I also show a presentation about figurative language and show students speeches with samples of the figurative language. Then, students brainstorm figurative language to put in their own speeches.

Weeks Sixteen – Seventeen: Impromptu/Argumentative, how-to .

(Again, you can download these public speaking lesson plans PDF in my library. The impromptu activity is included.)

We practice persuasive speeches again, only this time in impromptu format. Students need to present their point of view logically and persuasively. Many “speeches” will be in front of a college professor or boss when called on to present their case for or against something.

I have students create the topics which normally include ideas like, “sell me this pen” or “explain why your work schedule should change.”

Finally, if I have a large class, students might complete the impromptu speeches the entire week. If I need another speech topic, we complete the other how-to speech we did not do earlier. (I have two how-to speeches included, one for food and one for non-food.)

Week Eighteen: When I taught seniors, this was the most exciting time for my speech class. Students wrote a graduation speech, and administrators judged who would give the speech at graduation. (Students not in my class could participate too.) It was an authentic audience, it was meaningful, it had everything for the end of a public speaking course.

I do not give students a list of rules for their graduation speeches; I make students develop them. This is more meaningful because it shows me if they understand what it takes to create and deliver a great speech, if they understand that not all speeches are the same, and if they can take the initiative in delivering a speech. I use the rubric that is included in the bundle.

Sometimes, schools require that each class have a final exam. The public speaking bundle has a test, which I give if required. Other times, I use the graduation speech as the culminating activity. Then, we complete a final evaluation sheet so that we can close the class.

When I began teaching, I had fifty-year-old books that my students hated. (I didn’t love them and struggled to build a public speaking unit with them.) I had my speaking experiences, and not much else. Teaching public speaking takes dedication and effort, but you can succeed. My hope is that this outline of a public speaking curriculum saves another teacher stress and pain.

I developed this order, these processes after mistakes, reflection, and more reflection. I hope this public speaking unit helps other teachers.

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Thanks for stopping by my blog! I’d love to connect with you after you download the public speaking lesson plans PDF. Join me on Facebook to meet other educators who discuss best practices for how to teach pubic speaking, how to develop high school speech lesson plans, and how to create a speech curriculum for high school.

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1.2 The Process of Public Speaking

Learning objectives.

• Identify the three components of getting your message across to others.
• Distinguish between the interactional models of communication and the transactional model of communication.
• Explain the three principles discussed in the dialogical theory of public speaking.

Looking4poetry – megaphone head man – CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

As noted earlier, all of us encounter thousands of messages in our everyday environments, so getting your idea heard above all the other ones is a constant battle. Some speakers will try gimmicks, but we strongly believe that getting your message heard depends on three fundamental components: message, skill, and passion. The first part of getting your message across is the message itself. When what you are saying is clear and coherent, people are more likely to pay attention to it. On the other hand, when a message is ambiguous, people will often stop paying attention. Our discussions in the first part of this book involve how to have clear and coherent content.

The second part of getting your message heard is having effective communication skills. You may have the best ideas in the world, but if you do not possess basic public speaking skills, you’re going to have a problem getting anyone to listen. In this book, we will address the skills you must possess to effectively communicate your ideas to others.

Lastly, if you want your message to be heard, you must communicate passion for your message. One mistake that novice public speakers make is picking topics in which they have no emotional investment. If an audience can tell that you don’t really care about your topic, they will just tune you out. Passion is the extra spark that draws people’s attention and makes them want to listen to your message.

In this section, we’re going to examine the process of public speaking by first introducing you to a basic model of public speaking and then discussing how public speaking functions as dialogue. These models will give you a basic understanding of the communication process and some challenges that you may face as a speaker.

Models of Public Speaking

A basic model of human communication is one of the first topics that most communication teachers start with in any class. For our focus on public speaking, we will introduce two widely discussed models in communication: interactional and transactional.

Interactional Model of Public Speaking

Linear model.

The interactional model of public speaking comes from the work of Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver (Shannon & Weaver, 1949). The original model mirrored how radio and telephone technologies functioned and consisted of three primary parts: source, channel, and receiver. The source was the part of a telephone a person spoke into, the channel was the telephone itself, and the receiver was the part of the phone where one could hear the other person. Shannon and Weaver also recognized that often there is static that interferes with listening to a telephone conversation, which they called noise.

Although there are a number of problems with applying this model to human communication, it does have some useful parallels to public speaking. In public speaking, the source is the person who is giving the speech, the channel is the speaker’s use of verbal and nonverbal communication , and the receivers are the audience members listening to the speech. As with a telephone call, a wide range of distractions ( noise ) can inhibit an audience member from accurately attending to a speaker’s speech. Avoiding or adapting to these types of noise is an important challenge for public speakers.

Interactional Model

The interactional model of communication developed by Wilbur Schramm builds upon the linear model (Schramm, 1954). Schramm added three major components to the Shannon and Weaver model. First, Schramm identified two basic processes of communication: encoding and decoding. Encoding is what a source does when “creating a message, adapting it to the receiver, and transmitting it across some source-selected channel” (Wrench, McCroskey & Richmond, 2008). When you are at home preparing your speech or standing in front of your classroom talking to your peers, you are participating in the encoding process.

The second major process is the decoding process, or “sensing (for example, hearing or seeing) a source’s message, interpreting the source’s message, evaluating the source’s message, and responding to the source’s message” (Wrench, McCroskey & Richmond, 2008). Decoding is relevant in the public speaking context when, as an audience member, you listen to the words of the speech, pay attention to nonverbal behaviors of the speaker, and attend to any presentation aids that the speaker uses. You must then interpret what the speaker is saying.

Although interpreting a speaker’s message may sound easy in theory, in practice many problems can arise. A speaker’s verbal message, nonverbal communication, and mediated presentation aids can all make a message either clearer or harder to understand. For example, unfamiliar vocabulary, speaking too fast or too softly, or small print on presentation aids may make it difficult for you to figure out what the speaker means. Conversely, by providing definitions of complex terms, using well-timed gestures, or displaying graphs of quantitative information, the speaker can help you interpret his or her meaning.

Once you have interpreted what the speaker is communicating, you then evaluate the message. Was it good? Do you agree or disagree with the speaker? Is a speaker’s argument logical? These are all questions that you may ask yourself when evaluating a speech.

The last part of decoding is “responding to a source’s message,” when the receiver encodes a message to send to the source. When a receiver sends a message back to a source, we call this process feedback . Schramm talks about three types of feedback: direct, moderately direct, and indirect (Schramm, 1954). The first type, direct feedback, occurs when the receiver directly talks to the source. For example, if a speech ends with a question-and-answer period, listeners will openly agree or disagree with the speaker. The second type of feedback, moderately direct, focuses on nonverbal messages sent while a source is speaking, such as audience members smiling and nodding their heads in agreement or looking at their watches or surreptitiously sending text messages during the speech. The final type of feedback, indirect, often involves a greater time gap between the actual message and the receiver’s feedback. For example, suppose you run for student body president and give speeches to a variety of groups all over campus, only to lose on student election day. Your audiences (the different groups you spoke to) have offered you indirect feedback on your message through their votes. One of the challenges you’ll face as a public speaker is how to respond effectively to audience feedback, particularly the direct and moderately direct forms of feedback you receive during your presentation.

Transactional Model of Public Speaking

One of the biggest concerns that some people have with the interactional model of communication is that it tends to place people into the category of either source or receiver with no overlap. Even with Schramm’s model, encoding and decoding are perceived as distinct for sources and receivers. Furthermore, the interactional model cannot handle situations where multiple sources are interacting at the same time (Mortenson, 1972). To address these weaknesses, Dean Barnlund proposed a transactional model of communication (Barnlund, 2008). The basic premise of the transactional model is that individuals are sending and receiving messages at the same time. Whereas the interactional model has individuals engaging in the role of either source or receiver and the meaning of a message is sent from the source to the receiver, the transactional model assumes that meaning is cocreated by both people interacting together.

The idea that meanings are cocreated between people is based on a concept called the “field of experience.” According to West and Turner, a field of experience involves “how a person’s culture, experiences, and heredity influence his or her ability to communicate with another” (West & Turner, 2010). Our education, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, personality, beliefs, actions, attitudes, languages, social status, past experiences, and customs are all aspects of our field of experience, which we bring to every interaction. For meaning to occur, we must have some shared experiences with our audience; this makes it challenging to speak effectively to audiences with very different experiences from our own. Our goal as public speakers is to build upon shared fields of experience so that we can help audience members interpret our message.

Dialogic Theory of Public Speaking

Most people think of public speaking as engaging in a monologue where the speaker stands and delivers information and the audience passively listens. Based on the work of numerous philosophers, however, Ronald Arnett and Pat Arneson proposed that all communication, even public speaking, could be viewed as a dialogue (Arnett & Arneson, 1999). The dialogic theory is based on three overarching principles:

• Dialogue is more natural than monologue.
• Meanings are in people not words.
• Contexts and social situations impact perceived meanings (Bakhtin, 2001a; Bakhtin, 2001b).

Let’s look at each of these in turn.

Dialogue vs. Monologue

The first tenet of the dialogic perspective is that communication should be a dialogue and not a monologue. Lev Yakubinsky argued that even public speaking situations often turn into dialogues when audience members actively engage speakers by asking questions. He even claimed that nonverbal behavior (e.g., nodding one’s head in agreement or scowling) functions as feedback for speakers and contributes to a dialogue (Yakubinsky, 1997). Overall, if you approach your public speaking experience as a dialogue, you’ll be more actively engaged as a speaker and more attentive to how your audience is responding, which will, in turn, lead to more actively engaged audience members.

Meanings Are in People, Not Words

Part of the dialogic process in public speaking is realizing that you and your audience may differ in how you see your speech. Hellmut Geissner and Edith Slembeck (1986) discussed Geissner’s idea of responsibility, or the notion that the meanings of words must be mutually agreed upon by people interacting with each other (Geissner & Slembek, 1986). If you say the word “dog” and think of a soft, furry pet and your audience member thinks of the animal that attacked him as a child, the two of you perceive the word from very different vantage points. As speakers, we must do our best to craft messages that take our audience into account and use audience feedback to determine whether the meaning we intend is the one that is received. To be successful at conveying our desired meaning, we must know quite a bit about our audience so we can make language choices that will be the most appropriate for the context. Although we cannot predict how all our audience members will interpret specific words, we do know that—for example—using teenage slang when speaking to the audience at a senior center would most likely hurt our ability to convey our meaning clearly.

Contexts and Social Situations

Russian scholar Mikhail Bahktin notes that human interactions take place according to cultural norms and rules (Bakhtin, 2001a; Bakhtin, 2001b). How we approach people, the words we choose, and how we deliver speeches are all dependent on different speaking contexts and social situations. On September 8, 2009, President Barack Obama addressed school children with a televised speech ( http://www.whitehouse.gov/mediaresources/PreparedSchoolRemarks ). If you look at the speech he delivered to kids around the country and then at his speeches targeted toward adults, you’ll see lots of differences. These dissimilar speeches are necessary because the audiences (speaking to kids vs. speaking to adults) have different experiences and levels of knowledge. Ultimately, good public speaking is a matter of taking into account the cultural background of your audience and attempting to engage your audience in a dialogue from their own vantage point.

Considering the context of a public speech involves thinking about four dimensions: physical, temporal, social-psychological, and cultural (DeVito, 2009).

Physical Dimension

The physical dimension of communication involves the real or touchable environment where communication occurs. For example, you may find yourself speaking in a classroom, a corporate board room, or a large amphitheater. Each of these real environments will influence your ability to interact with your audience. Larger physical spaces may require you to use a microphone and speaker system to make yourself heard or to use projected presentation aids to convey visual material.

How the room is physically decorated or designed can also impact your interaction with your audience. If the room is dimly lit or is decorated with interesting posters, audience members’ minds may start wandering. If the room is too hot, you’ll find people becoming sleepy. As speakers, we often have little or no control over our physical environment, but we always need to take it into account when planning and delivering our messages.

Temporal Dimension

According to Joseph DeVito, the temporal dimension “has to do not only with the time of day and moment in history but also with where a particular message fits into the sequence of communication events” (DeVito, 2009). The time of day can have a dramatic effect on how alert one’s audience is. Don’t believe us? Try giving a speech in front of a class around 12:30 p.m. when no one’s had lunch. It’s amazing how impatient audience members get once hunger sets in.

In addition to the time of day, we often face temporal dimensions related to how our speech will be viewed in light of societal events. Imagine how a speech on the importance of campus security would be interpreted on the day after a shooting occurred. Compare this with the interpretation of the same speech given at a time when the campus had not had any shootings for years, if ever.

Another element of the temporal dimension is how a message fits with what happens immediately before it. For example, if another speaker has just given an intense speech on death and dying and you stand up to speak about something more trivial, people may downplay your message because it doesn’t fit with the serious tone established by the earlier speech. You never want to be the funny speaker who has to follow an emotional speech where people cried. Most of the time in a speech class, you will have no advance notice as to what the speaker before you will be talking about. Therefore, it is wise to plan on being sensitive to previous topics and be prepared to ease your way subtly into your message if the situation so dictates.

Social-Psychological Dimension

The social-psychological dimension of context refers to “status relationships among participants, roles and games that people play, norms of the society or group, and the friendliness, formality, or gravity of the situation” (DeVito, 2009). You have to know the types of people in your audience and how they react to a wide range of messages.

Cultural Dimension

The final context dimension Joseph DeVito mentions is the cultural dimension (DeVito, 2009). When we interact with others from different cultures, misunderstandings can result from differing cultural beliefs, norms, and practices. As public speakers engaging in a dialogue with our audience members, we must attempt to understand the cultural makeup of our audience so that we can avoid these misunderstandings as much as possible.

Each of these elements of context is a challenge for you as a speaker. Throughout the rest of the book, we’ll discuss how you can meet the challenges presented by the audience and context and become a more effective public speaker in the process.

Key Takeaways

• Getting your message across to others effectively requires attention to message content, skill in communicating content, and your passion for the information presented.
• The interactional models of communication provide a useful foundation for understanding communication and outline basic concepts such as sender, receiver, noise, message, channel, encoding, decoding, and feedback. The transactional model builds on the interactional models by recognizing that people can enact the roles of sender and receiver simultaneously and that interactants cocreate meaning through shared fields of experience.
• The dialogic theory of public speaking understands public speaking as a dialogue between speaker and audience. This dialogue requires the speaker to understand that meaning depends on the speaker’s and hearer’s vantage points and that context affects how we must design and deliver our messages.
• Draw the major models of communication on a piece of paper and then explain how each component is important to public speaking.
• When thinking about your first speech in class, explain the context of your speech using DeVito’s four dimensions: physical, temporal, social-psychological, and cultural. How might you address challenges posed by each of these four dimensions?

Arnett, R. C., & Arneson, P. (1999). Dialogic civility in a cynical age: Community, hope, and interpersonal relationships . Albany, NY: SUNY Press.

Bakhtin, M. (2001a). The problem of speech genres. (V. W. McGee, Trans., 1986). In P. Bizzell & B. Herzberg (Eds.), The rhetorical tradition (pp. 1227–1245). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s. (Original work published in 1953.).

Bakhtin, M. (2001b). Marxism and the philosophy of language. (L. Matejka & I. R. Titunik, Trans., 1973). In P. Bizzell & B. Herzberg (Eds.), The rhetorical tradition (pp. 1210–1226). Boston, MA: Medford/St. Martin’s. (Original work published in 1953).

Barnlund, D. C. (2008). A transactional model of communication. In C. D. Mortensen (Ed.), Communication theory (2nd ed., pp. 47–57). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

DeVito, J. A. (2009). The interpersonal communication book (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Geissner, H., & Slembek, E. (1986). Miteinander sprechen und handeln [Speak and act: Living and working together]. Frankfurt, Germany: Scriptor.

Mortenson, C. D. (1972). Communication: The study of human communication . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Schramm, W. (1954). How communication works. In W. Schramm (Ed.), The process and effects of communication (pp. 3–26). Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

Shannon, C. E., & Weaver, W. (1949). The mathematical theory of communication . Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2010). Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application (4th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, p. 13.

Wrench, J. S., McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (2008). Human communication in everyday life: Explanations and applications . Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, p. 17.

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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High-Stakes Communication: How to Manage Anxiety Speaking in Front of Others

In this podcast episode, Matt Abrahams shares research-supported techniques for gaining confidence in high-stakes communication situations.

May 07, 2020

Most people feel nervous in high stakes speaking situations such as speaking in front of a class, pitching a big idea, or giving a toast, yet research-backed techniques can help manage both the symptoms and sources of our speaking jitters.

Matt Abrahams sits in the interviewee chair and talks with the podcast’s producer, Jenny Luna, to share his backstory with public speaking anxiety and how by recognizing the causes of our nervousness, and applying mitigating techniques, one can gain confidence in their communication.

Think Fast, Talk Smart is a podcast produced by Stanford Graduate School of Business and hosted by Matt Abrahams. Each episode provides concrete, easy-to-implement tools and techniques to help you hone and enhance your communication.

Full Transcript

Matt Abrahams : Your mind is racing. Your palms are sweaty. Your heart is pounding. Your legs are shaking. If you’re like most of us, this is what you experience when you’re about to speak publicly. Research tells us that 85% of people feel nervous in high-stake speaking situations. And quite frankly, I think the other 15% are lying.

In this episode we’re going to explore specific techniques you can use to manage both your symptoms and sources of anxiety so you can feel more comfortable and confident when communicating in front of others.

My name is Matt Abrahams, and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Welcome to Think Fast, Talk Smart , the podcast.

Today we’re going to mix things up a bit, and rather than having me ask the questions, I’m going to slide over and sit in the other chair so I can answer questions about communication apprehension. This means we need someone to step in and host. And luckily we found the perfect person.

Allow me to introduce Jenny Luna. She’s our executive producer of Think Fast, Talk Smart and an all-around amazing person. Hi, Jenny. I’m really excited to have you here to share your thoughts and questions about speaking anxiety.

Jenny Luna : Hey, Matt. I’m really excited to be here. You know, I was asked to give a toast at a friend’s wedding recently.

Matt Abrahams : Oh.

Jenny Luna : And I was so nervous up until the reception, I didn’t even get to enjoy the event.

Matt Abrahams : Oh, I’m sorry.

Jenny Luna : And since we’ve been working on this podcast, I’m excited to think about how I can look at my anxiety, especially in just little situations like team meetings or one-on-one with my supervisor and how I can get rid of that anxiousness.

Matt Abrahams : Well, I got bad news for you. I don’t know that we can ever truly get rid of it. But certainly we can learn to manage it so that it doesn’t manage us.

Jenny Luna : Awesome. Okay, well, I’ve got questions for you, so let’s jump in.

Matt Abrahams : All right. I’m ready.

Jenny Luna : You’re an expert on helping people feel more confident and less anxious when they communicate. How did you get interested in this?

Matt Abrahams : You know, there are very few people I know who can point to one event in their life that put their life on a specific trajectory in terms of the work they do. But for me, one morning when I was 14 years old, it all comes down to that.

I was a freshman in high school. The very first day, Mr. Meredith, our English teacher, had all of us stand up and give a real quick speech about ourselves. Since my last name is Abrahams, I went first. And after I was done, he came up to me and said, “Matt, you’re really good at this speaking thing. You got to go to this speech competition this coming Saturday.”

So I woke up super early. I’d spent a little bit of time putting a speech together. I show up. It’s foggy. It’s cold. The room is full of other students, parents of my friends who are supposed to judge this thing. The girl I like is sitting in the room. And I’m about to give my speech. And the nerves were just coursing through my body, totally freaked out.

I am giving a presentation on karate, because I was told to do something that is important to me, and I was and still am interested in martial arts. I was so nervous, I forgot to put on my special karate pants. So you can tell where this is going, Jenny.

Jenny Luna : Oh, no.

Matt Abrahams : The first 10 seconds of my 10-minute speech, I start with a karate kick to get people’s attention. I ripped my pants from belt buckle to zipper. And in that moment, I learned the impact anxiety can have on people when they speak. And from that moment on, I’ve dedicated my life to trying to understand what that anxiety is all about and how to help people feel better and more comfortable when they speak.

Jenny Luna : Oh. That is, like, a teen’s worst nightmare.

Matt Abrahams : It was pretty, pretty bad. I still wake up sometimes dreading that moment.

Jenny Luna : Oh, wow. Well, you’ve written a book and your TEDx talk is called Speaking Up Without Freaking Out . So I have to ask you, Do you still freak out when you speak up?

Matt Abrahams : I wish I could say I don’t, but, in fact, I do. It’s very normal and natural for people to feel nervous. Now, thankfully, after years of working on my anxiety, I feel much more confident.

But there’s one time every year that I get super nervous. There is a convention of professors of communication who teach at business schools. And whenever I have to present in front of these folks, I get super nervous. And, by the way, Jenny, if you ever want to see really bad presenting, you should watch a group of professors of communication present to each other. We don’t do a very good job of it.

But, yes, I still do get nervous in certain situations. But I’ve learned techniques to manage that anxiety. And I know you’re going to ask me some questions about those techniques, and I’m happy to share with others so they can feel less nervous.

Jenny Luna : And why is anxiety so pervasive? We know what we’re going to say. Oftentimes we know who we’re speaking to. Why do we get anxious?

Matt Abrahams : So many of us who study this believe it’s evolutionary. It’s part of being human. It goes back to when our species was evolving. We would hang out in groups of about 150 people. And your relative status in that group meant a lot.

And when I’m talking about status, I’m not talking about who drives the fancy car or who gets more likes on their videos. I’m talking about your position in a hierarchy where the higher the status you had, the more access you got to things like food and shelter and reproduction. And if you were low status, that meant your life was in jeopardy.

So anything that puts your status at risk should make you nervous. And that’s ingrained in us. And we see speaking anxiety in all cultures. It tends to develop when children become teenagers, which is when we become much more socially aware and part of a culture. So a lot of people believe this is ingrained in who we are, and we just have to learn to manage it.

Jenny Luna : That’s fascinating. I had no idea it went so far back in being human.

Matt Abrahams : Yeah. It is part of our condition.

Jenny Luna : So let’s get into the nitty-gritty and talk about how we can actually manage this anxiety when we’re speaking.

Matt Abrahams : Yeah. And there are lots of ways to do it. There are many academically verified techniques. When we look at managing anxiety, I like to break it up into two different buckets. There are the symptoms that we experience as well as the sources of anxiety.

So we need to focus on both to become more confident. The symptoms are what we experience. The sources are what make our anxiety even worse.

Jenny Luna : Mmm, interesting. So your thing is kind of holding a cold bottle of water. I’ve seen you do it. I’ve heard people refer to this. Can you tell me more about that?

Matt Abrahams : So when I get nervous, the big thing that happens to me is I perspire and I blush. And this is a very normal symptomatic response to anxiety. When you get nervous, your heartbeat goes up, your body constricts so your blood pressure goes up. And this drives up your core body temperature. It’s like you’re working out, you’re exercising.

So holding a cold bottle of water in the palm of your hand actually can cool you down. Your palms, just like your forehead when you have a fever, are thermo-regulators for your body. So holding something cold can reduce your core body temperature.

I’m sure on a cold day, Jenny, you’ve seen this work in reverse. If you’ve ever held warm coffee or tea, you’ve felt how it warms you up. Holding a cold bottle of water can cool you down. So I do that religiously.

There are other types of techniques we can use to manage our symptoms. So if you’re somebody who shakes a lot, doing big, broad gestures or moving when you speak can give that adrenaline a place to go. If you’re somebody who gets dry mouth, drinking something warm or sucking on a lozenge or chewing gum — before you speak, not while — can help reverse those symptoms.

So the bottom line is there are things we can do to manage the symptoms. And by far the most important is taking a deep breath. By taking a deep belly breath, like you’re doing yoga or tai chi or qi gong, it really slows down your heart rate, which is the impetus and initiator of many of the anxiety symptoms that we find. So things we can do to manage our symptoms absolutely exist.

Jenny Luna : I love those. They’re really practical tools that I can use: deep breath, cold bottle of water, just really kind of centering in the moment. I’m going to use the big-gesture thing, too.

Matt Abrahams : Another source of anxiety that makes people really nervous is their fear of what might happen in the future. So my students are afraid they might not get a good grade. The entrepreneurs I coach, they’re afraid that they might not get the funding or support that they need. You might be concerned that your idea isn’t supported and acted upon.

Those are fears that come from a future state, a potential negative future outcome. So the way to short-circuit that is to become present-oriented. If you’re in the moment, you can’t be worried about the future, by definition.

So how do you get present-oriented? Many things you can do. I like to do something physical. Maybe walk around the building. I love to shake hands with people before I speak, because I have to engage with them. I can’t be thinking about all these things that could go wrong if I’m asking somebody how they’re doing. You can do what athletes do. Listen to a song or a playlist. That can get you present-oriented. I often encourage my students to start at 100 and count backwards by 17s. You can’t do that without being in the present moment.

And finally–and this is a little silly, Jenny–my favorite way of getting present-oriented is to say tongue twisters. You can’t say a tongue twister right and not be in the present moment. So before I ever give a presentation or contribute to a meeting where I’m really nervous, I’ll be holding a bottle of water, standing in the corner saying a tongue twister. Nobody sees me do it, and it gets me in the right place to be able to communicate confidently.

Jenny Luna : Those things probably feel silly when you’re doing them, but I imagine they’re well worth it if it’s going to help you get through a presentation confidently.

Matt Abrahams : You’re exactly right. Not only does it sometimes feel silly, but it also gives you a sense of agency. You feel like you can do something in the situation where you feel nervous. Many people just feel like they’re swept away by their anxiety. And this actually gives you something to do that helps you feel better.

Jenny Luna : Cool. Well, there’s something else I’ve been wanting to ask your advice on, going back to this toast that I had to give at a friend’s wedding. My biggest fear when I got up there and I had the microphone was that I was going to completely blank out, and I was going to forget everything I had prepared.

So what do you say to that?

Matt Abrahams : That is, by far, the number-one fear I hear from people when I do the work I do is I’m afraid I’m going to blank out.

And blanking out can happen. If you really think about it, the likelihood of totally blanking out is pretty low. So just doing that rationalization can help.

There are three things I want to suggest about blanking out. First, a great way to avoid blanking out is to take time to really map out your content. I’m not saying word-for-word memorize. Memorizing actually can work against you. It can make you more nervous. But if you have a map, a structure, that can help.

Now, if you’re in the moment and you blank out, two bits of advice. First, just like if you were to lose your keys, go back to go forward. Even if we can’t remember what we want to say next, we typically can remember what we just said. And simply by repeating what you just said, it will often get you back on track. And some people feel like, oh, that’s going to be weird to repeat what I just said, but, in fact, your audience benefits from you repeating things.

So the first thing to do if you blank out in the moment is to repeat what you just said. The second thing: In advance of speaking, always have what I call a back-pocket question, a question you can pull out to ask your audience to get them engaged in something else so you can collect your thoughts.

So I’m going to let you in on a little secret. And if any of my former students are listening, you’re going to learn something that you saw play out in class, but you didn’t know was a trick I was using.

There are times when I am lecturing, where I’ll forget what I need to say next. So I have a back-pocket question. I will simply stop when I blank out, and I’ll ask my students to think about how what we just covered could be applied to their life.

And when I do that, my students actually just take a moment to think. Some of them have told me it’s really helpful, because they’re really applying this stuff. What’s happening in the background is in my head, I’m, like, oh, my goodness, what do I need to say next? I’m buying myself some time.

So all of us in our communication can think of a question or two that we could ask in most places in what we’re speaking about to get our audience to think about something so we can buy ourselves time.

So by simply knowing things you can do in advance and during blanking out, it actually reduces the likelihood you’ll blank out, because we get so nervous about blanking out, it makes blanking out more likely. So having those things at the ready can really help.

Jenny Luna : It’s so great to hear that even though you’re an expert in communication, you still blank out, and you have all these little techniques. It’s not so black and white, whether you’re good at speaking or not good at speaking. It’s about using those techniques to really rise above.

Matt Abrahams : You’re absolutely right. I think everyone can learn to manage their anxiety. And it is so important to do. So many people have important things to contribute at their work and their personal lives, in public discourse. And if anxiety is getting in the way, we need to do something about it.

Jenny Luna : So like you always do, I’m going to ask you the same three questions at the end of this episode. And I’m really curious to hear your answers —

Matt Abrahams : Uh-oh.

Jenny Luna : — because I’ve heard you ask so many people.

Matt Abrahams : Uh-oh. All right. I’m ready. Bring it.

Jenny Luna : If you were to capture the best communication advice you’ve ever received as a five- to seven-word presentation slide, what would it be?

Matt Abrahams : So I mentioned this before on an earlier podcast, when Lauren Weinstein and I were talking. But this, I think, is really critical. “Tell me the time. Don’t build me the clock.”

And the reason this is so powerful is it contains so many important bits of advice. First, be concise. Be clear. Be focused. And in order to be concise and clear and focused, you have to know who you’re speaking to. So you have to reflect on who’s my audience.

So in that statement — and I heard that first from my mother years and years ago — “Tell me the time. Don’t build the clock.” It really focuses us on the key elements of what I think it takes to be successful in your communication.

Jenny Luna : And who is a communicator that you most admire and why?

Matt Abrahams : This is so hard. I used to say any of the amazingly brave young students who survived the Parkland shooting in Florida. I was so in awe of their ability to communicate. And I still am.

But I recently heard an amazing TED talk on the topic of confidence by a young woman named Brittany Packnett. And her presentation just floored me, not just because the topic is near and dear to my heart regarding confidence, but her execution of the communication was phenomenal.

Did you notice how I snuck in a couple things there, Jenny? So I gave you two, not just one.

Jenny Luna : I’m going to have to look up that TED talk. And finally, what are the first three ingredients that go into a successful communication recipe?

Matt Abrahams : Yeah. So I did a lot of work looking into this. When my business partner and I formed our consulting practice about 10 years ago, we scoured the literature to try to find what are the essential ingredients to successful communication.

And we came down to three, and we call them the three Cs. The three Cs are being confident, being connected — that is, making your content relevant, being present with your audience — and then finally being compelling. There are lots of ways to say things, but if you can say things in a compelling way that touch people, that are vivid, that use emotion, it can really, really help.

So it’s about confidence, connection, and being compelling.

Jenny Luna : Awesome. Thank you so much. I’ve learned a lot, and I’m kind of ready to go out and give another toast or speech now with all these skills.

Matt Abrahams : I hope you do. And thank you so much for asking these important questions. And you’re a pretty darn good host. I got a lot I could learn from you. Thanks for sitting in the hosting chair.

Jenny Luna : Thanks, Matt.

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100 Ways on How to Greet Your Classmates When Presenting a Speech

100 Ways on How to Greet your Classmates When Presenting a Speech:

Greeting your audience before delivering a speech in class is a crucial component of effective communication. A well-crafted greeting sets the tone for your presentation and establishes rapport with your classmates, making them feel acknowledged and valued. Engaging your audience from the outset helps to create a positive atmosphere conducive to learning, as it promotes attentiveness and receptiveness to your ideas. Moreover, a warm and personable greeting humanizes the speaker, fostering a connection between you and your audience , which is essential for maintaining their interest and encouraging active participation. In summary, a well-thought-out greeting lays the foundation for a successful speech, as it captures the audience’s attention, builds trust, and fosters an environment that encourages meaningful interaction and learning.

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#100 Ways on How to Greet Your Classmates When Presenting a Speech

The quick guide below is very useful for the following:

• greetings for reporting in class
• greetings for group reporting in class
• greetings for the speech in school
• formal greetings for speeches in school

A simple but effective way to greet your audience in a speech in class is to start with a “Good [morning/afternoon/evening],” followed by “ladies and gentlemen,” or “fellow students,” and then briefly introduce yourself. Here’s an example:

“Good morning, fellow students. My name is [Your Name], and today I’ll be talking to you about [Topic].” Source: Distinctionpass.com

Remember, your opening sets the tone for your entire presentation, so make it engaging and relevant to your audience.

Here are 100 examples of ways to greet your classmates, each followed by a brief introduction to help you begin your speech:

• Good morning, everyone! Today, I’d like to share with you some insights on…
• Hello, dear classmates! Let’s dive into the fascinating world of…
• Hey there, friends! Are you ready to explore the topic of…
• Greetings, fellow students! Join me as we discuss…
• Salutations, my peers! I’m excited to present my findings on…
• Hi, classmates! I’ve prepared something interesting for you about…
• Aloha, everyone! Let’s take a journey through the history of…
• Bonjour, mes amis! Today, we’ll be delving into the captivating story of…
• Hola, compañeros! Allow me to introduce you to the amazing world of…
• Ciao, amici! Let’s take a closer look at the fascinating aspects of…
• Namaste, dear friends! Together, let’s uncover the secrets of…
• Howdy, folks! Gather ’round as we explore the ins and outs of…
• G’day, mates! Today, I’ve got some intriguing information on…
• Hey, everyone! I can’t wait to share with you some of the latest developments in…
• Greetings, esteemed classmates! I’d like to present my research on…
• Hello, fellow scholars! Join me today as we delve into the topic of…
• Warmest greetings, dear colleagues! I’m here to share my perspective on…
• Good day, classmates! Today, we’re going to explore the many facets of…
• Hi there, fellow learners! I’m eager to discuss the concept of…
• Greetings, comrades! Let’s take a look at the ever-evolving field of…
• Hello, everyone! Are you ready to dive into the wonders of…
• Hi, fellow students! Let’s take a moment to discuss the importance of…
• Greetings, peers! Today, I want to introduce you to the incredible world of…
• Hey, friends! I’m excited to share my knowledge on…
• Good morning, everyone! It’s time to explore the remarkable story of…
• Hello, fellow classmates! Let’s dive into the topic of…
• Hey there, colleagues! Are you ready to embark on an adventure through…
• Greetings, fellow thinkers! Let’s take a closer look at the various aspects of…
• Salutations, classmates! I’m excited to discuss the latest advancements in…
• Hi, everyone! Today, I’d like to talk about a subject that’s close to my heart:…
• Hey, dear classmates! Let’s dive into the fascinating world of…
• Hello, friends! Are you ready to discover the secrets of…
• Greetings, fellow knowledge-seekers! Let’s take a journey into the realm of…
• Salutations, esteemed classmates! Today, I’ll be discussing the intriguing world of…
• Hi there, peers! Let’s embark on an exploration of…
• Hey, everyone! I can’t wait to discuss the amazing world of…
• Greetings, fellow adventurers! Join me as we delve into the captivating story of…
• Hello, classmates! Today, we’ll be discussing the incredible impact of…
• Hey there, fellow students! Are you ready to explore the significance of…
• Greetings, peers! Let’s take a moment to delve into the fascinating aspects of…
• Salutations, dear classmates! Today, I’m excited to share with you some of the latest discoveries in…
• Hello, fellow learners! Let’s take a closer look at the ever-changing world of…
• Greetings, everyone! Today, we’ll be examining the many challenges faced by…
• Hey, friends! Let’s take a deep dive into the exciting realm of…
• Good morning, fellow students! Join me as we explore the fascinating world of…
• Hello, dear peers! Today, we’ll be discussing the importance of…
• Hey, classmates! Are you ready to uncover the mysteries of…
• Greetings, fellow enthusiasts! Let’s take a journey through the intricacies of…
• Salutations, colleagues! I’m excited to present my thoughts on…
• Hi, everyone! Today, we’ll be looking at the remarkable achievements of…
• Hey, dear friends! Let’s dive into the fascinating realm of…
• Hello, fellow classmates! Are you ready to learn about the wonders of…
• Greetings, fellow explorers! Let’s embark on a journey through the world of…
• Salutations, peers! Today, I’d like to discuss the intriguing aspects of…
• Hi, fellow students! Let’s take a closer look at the remarkable world of…
• Hey, everyone! I can’t wait to share my experiences with…
• Greetings, colleagues! Join me as we discuss the captivating story of…
• Hello, classmates! Today, we’ll be delving into the amazing world of…
• Hey there, fellow learners! Are you ready to explore the fascinating realm of…
• Greetings, dear friends! Let’s take a moment to examine the various aspects of…
• Salutations, esteemed classmates! Today, I’ll be discussing the incredible world of…
• Hi there, peers! Let’s embark on a journey into the realm of…
• Hey, everyone! I can’t wait to share my insights on…
• Greetings, fellow thinkers! Join me as we delve into the captivating story of…
• Hello, classmates! Today, we’ll be exploring the inspiring world of…
• Hey there, fellow students! Are you ready to discover the importance of…
• Greetings, peers! Let’s take a closer look at the fascinating aspects of…
• Salutations, classmates! I’m excited to present my findings on…
• Hi, everyone! Today, I’d like to share some of the latest developments in…
• Hey, dear classmates! Let’s dive into the exciting world of…
• Hello, friends! Are you ready to explore the incredible realm of…
• Greetings, fellow knowledge-seekers! Let’s take a journey through the history of…
• Salutations, esteemed peers! Today, I’ll be discussing the intriguing world of…
• Hi there, fellow learners! Let’s embark on an exploration of…

Self-introduction greetings for speech in school

For a school speech, here are a few friendly and engaging self-introduction greetings you can use:

• “Good [morning/afternoon], everyone! I’m [Your Name], and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with you all today.”
• “Hello, [School Name]! I’m [Your Name], and it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to share some thoughts and ideas.”
• “Greetings, fellow students and teachers! I’m [Your Name], and I’m excited to dive into today’s topic with you.”
• “Hi everyone, I’m [Your Name]. I’m one of you, a student here at [School Name], and I’m looking forward to discussing something really important with you today.”
• “Welcome, everyone! I’m [Your Name] from [Your Grade/Class], and I can’t wait to get started and explore our topic together today.”

Choose one that feels the most natural to you, and it will surely set a positive tone for your speech!

Remember, the key to an engaging introduction is to connect with your audience and create a sense of excitement about your topic. The more interested your classmates are in your subject, the more likely they are to listen attentively and learn from your presentation.

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Tips for High School Students to Give a Great Speech in Class

Sooner or later, everyone will have to deliver a speech. For some people, the setting may be formal, such as a wedding, fundraising event, or political rally. For others, the occasion will be smaller and more casual, like a family reunion, a sports banquet or a club meeting. Whether the presentation is short and amusing or long and inspiring, the speaker should know how to engage the audience. By following time-honored tips for giving a speech in class, high school students can build their communication skills and gain confidence when they stand before an audience.

This article will describe five important tips that help high school students conquer their nerves so they can speak with passion and poise:

• Know the Audience
• Stick to the Topic
• Honor Time Limits
• Rely on Natural Strengths
• Ask for Feedback

Why Do High School Students Need to Practice Giving a Speech in Class?

Teachers frequently assign oral presentations, either individually or as part of a group project. Accordingly, the goal is twofold: to disseminate information clearly and to engage the audience.

Learning to communicate well takes time and effort, so high school students should take advantage of opportunities to speak in public. Indeed, students can draw from many helpful tips for giving a speech in class.

Additionally, giving a speech in class can help high school students develop essential interpersonal skills, or “soft skills.” Young people need these skills as they enter adulthood, especially when they enter the workplace. Increasingly, employers expect their workers to be competent communicators; in other words, all professionals should practice active listening, critical thinking, problem-solving, and time management.

Although giving a speech in class may seem like a relatively minor task, it enhances the students’ soft skills, especially active listening, critical thinking, problem-solving, and time management. 

Whenever high school students craft a speech, they must plan every part of the presentation. They will evaluate their topic critically and organize their thoughts logically. They should anticipate objections, and they must respect time limits. 

Additionally, students must consider whether they will incorporate visual aids, when and how they will gesture or move, and when to modulate their voice. Consequently, giving a speech in class encompasses far more than a single assignment; it becomes a path to personal growth and responsibility.

As an independent, single-sex school, Marlborough encourages high school students to give speeches in various subjects. For instance, students in our History and Social Sciences classes have recurring opportunities to present their views in culturally-relevant courses, such as Honors Humanities Seminar: Theories & Politics of Race, Contemporary Asian Studies, and Presidential Elections .

Tips for Giving a Speech in Class

As often as possible, high school students should embrace challenges, and public speaking is an excellent way to do just that. Giving a speech in class forces students out of their comfort zone, especially if they must take a stand on a social issue. 

With practice, students learn to face their insecurities, quell their anxiety, and respond articulately to opposition; as a result, they develop resilience, conviction, and eloquence.

Thus, the following tips for giving a speech in class can empower and embolden high school students.

1.    Know the Audience

Before diving into piles of research materials, high school students should consider the audience and the occasion for the speech. Prudent students should ask a few questions:

• Am I speaking to peers, adults, or both?
• How big is the audience?
• What is the context for my speech?

One of the most important tips for giving a speech regards the size of the audience. An intimate setting may lend itself to a relaxed, conversational tone; by contrast, an auditorium generally requires more structure, increased volume, and deliberate, visible movement so that people in the back of the room can follow the presentation easily.

At Marlborough, high school students give a series of speeches in advanced classes, such the Honors Capstone Program in Entrepreneurship . These students research and launch products or services to target markets after developing a business plan; then, they pitch their idea to a panel of investors during Marlborough’s SPARC Tank.

2.    Stick to the Topic

Young orators will not have time to cover every aspect of the topic; instead, students should narrow their focus and compose an articulate thesis statement that serves as a roadmap for the entire presentation.

Then, the speakers should identify two or three central points they can explain within their allotted time. High school students must remember that every part of the speech must support their thesis, which means that the presenters must stay on topic. While it may be tempting to include interesting backstories or humorous anecdotes, students must discern whether those details advance the argument.

Although tips for giving a speech in class vary, the Dale Carnegie adage works for many presentations: “Tell the audience what you’re going to say, say it; then tell them what you’ve said.” The idea behind this maxim is that the audience has a short period of time to hear and process what the speaker is saying. The speaker should follow a logical outline, repeat crucial points, and direct the audience towards a clear objective; that way, the audience can track the argument and form an opinion about the topic.

At Marlborough, high school students present speeches in classes that prepare them for life in the 21st century, including The Honors English Seminar: Gender & Sexuality, Social Psychology, Computer Science Projects, and Computer Science Projects Honors.

3. Honor Time Limits

In 2006, TED Talks took the world of public speaking by storm, and their prototype altered the way people make presentations. TED organizers limited speeches to 18 minutes, the ideal time that audiences can process information without feeling overwhelmed; today, many TED Talks come in under six minutes.

According to an analysis of the TED Talk model , high school students can easily streamline presentations and still connect to the audience. Here are four essential tips for giving a speech in class:

• Tell three stories that stir the imagination and rouse the heart.
• Practice relentlessly. One TED speaker rehearsed her speech 200 times before presenting it.
• Introduce something new, whether it be an unusual fact, a new application, or a fresh perspective.
• Let photographs, art, animations, and graphics help tell the story; avoid copy-heavy slides that no one will read.

At Marlborough, we encourage our students to give speeches and presentations in classes and at school-sponsored activities, including Modern World History Honors, AP Art History, Improvisational Techniques . In addition, students can join our award-winning Debate Club , where they learn the art of negotiation and persuasion.

4.    Rely on Natural Strengths

In researching the TED Talk phenomenon , Forbes contributor, Carmine Gallo, concluded that efficacious speakers rely on their humanity to win over an audience. Here are three more tips for giving a speech in class:

• Be willing to elicit a range of emotions, including joy, fear, shock, or surprise.
• Understand that respectful humor surpasses the common joke; anecdotes and personal experiences often ease tension and create a powerful bond with the audience.
• Embrace mistakes; vulnerability and imperfection help the audience relate to a speaker.

When high school students lower their guard and speak from the heart, they allow their audience to join them on a journey of discovery.

During a speech, the audience might laugh, stand, applaud, even cry. If that happens, speakers should pause briefly. If necessary, students can thank the audience or gesture that they are ready to continue the presentation.

At Marlborough, students have opportunities to develop their public speaking skills in extracurricular activities, such as Class Council, All-School Council, the Student Equity & Inclusion Council, the Arts Council, and the Community Outreach Council .

5.    Ask for Feedback

Perhaps one of the most important tips for giving a speech in class involves feedback. High school students should rehearse the presentation in its entirety before an audience of one or two people.

If possible, students should practice in the venue where they will be speaking; that way, they get a feel for the size and acoustics of the room.

The listeners should sit at the back of the room to gauge whether they can hear the speaker clearly. They should not interrupt the speaker; instead, they can use hand signals to indicate when the student needs to speak louder or slow the pacing.

When high school students fidget, pace, or sway back and forth, their listeners can indicate that they need to modify the behavior. Normally, rocking, tugging on sleeves, playing with hair, jingling keys, or thrusting hands in pockets are signs of nerves, and ample practice can train the student to notice — and correct — distracting habits.

Furthermore, listeners can cue the speakers regarding eye contact and gestures. High school students should avoid gazing above the heads of audience members. Eye contact holds the audience accountable for listening and gives a speaker the chance to check if the audience is tracking the argument properly.

High school students should mentally divide the audience into thirds, scanning each section as they speak. The movement should feel deliberate. During the rehearsal, listeners can prompt the speaker to look at each part of the room.

Lastly, listeners should also help high school students avoid “filler words,” such as “uh, um, like, or you know.” These phrases and other, vague references to “stuff” and “things” can hurt credibility. Since teenagers frequently default to “fillers” when they speak, they must train themselves to filter their speech in a formal presentation. Listeners can raise a hand each time the student uses a distracting word or phrase, helping the speaker become more self-aware.

At Marlborough, our students understand that public speaking skills prepare them for adulthood. Thus, they give motivating speeches in class; one exciting example is the Honors Capstone Program in Justice , where high school students urge peers and adults to advocate for positive and lasting change.

Why Choose Marlborough?

Marlborough serves girls in grades 7 through 12. We are a private, college-preparatory secondary school, conveniently located in the heart of Los Angeles, California.  

Our goal is to ignite intellectual inquiry and to build the problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills that our students will need to innovate, invent, and lead in college and beyond.

If you want your daughter to become a curious, agile thinker, consider Marlborough. Our innovative program can help your daughter build confidence and poise. By offering tips that promote public speaking skills in high school, she can feel prepared for college and beyond.

Want to know more about the Marlborough experience?

Contact us today

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How to Teach Students to OWN that Speech

April 9, 2017 by Jeanne Wolz 5 Comments

I don’t remember gleaning much from going up and giving speeches during school, other than that I hated it.  I know it’s the same for my students.  Literally the ONLY thing I remember from my 8th grade social studies class was the nausea I felt as I walked up to give a speech one day.  This traditional method of one-chance speech-giving is not only traumatic, but it’s not effective.  

Before I talk about how I changed the way I teach speeches, I need to tell a little story about how I learned to give speeches in high school.  In high school, a few friends and I became passionate about raising awareness about depression and suicide in our school.  It was a serious problem in our high school, and we were able to convince the powers that be to let us present to the entire student body, each grade level a different day, one class period at a time.  I remember giving my speech 8 times each day that we did this, and by the end, I absolutely rocked that thing.  Each time I gave my speech, I memorized it better, honed my content and delivery, and cut out parts that did not go over well.  

Many of us, especially secondary teachers, do this same process on a daily basis with our lessons.  We teach the same lesson to multiple class periods–our poor first hour getting our first run at it, and our last hour receiving the polished product of practice.  We know that repetitive practice makes our teaching better.

Why, then, is the traditional way to teach speeches a one-shot deal?  Why do we force students to go up in front of a room full of eyes boring into them, tell them we’re grading them on their performance, and expect them to get something meaningful out of it?  We can do a better job teaching speeches.

 My memories of speeches in high school, as well as my teaching experience, was my inspiration in developing the gallery walk speech marathon lesson plan.  I have done it every year I’ve taught, and without fail, it has moved mountains in terms of student anxiety and quality of speeches. You can adapt this lesson plan for any sort of performance-based activity: speeches, poetry slams , presentations, or interviews.  I’ve even used it to help students write fiction–which I will be writing about soon.

Basic Idea of Gallery Walk Speech Marathon Plan:

Students will give their speeches to each other and receive feedback in a “speed-dating” format.  They sit in a circle and half the students rotate each round.  For each round, partners take turns giving their speech, while the other partner listens and marks feedback.  By the end of the class, every student can have practiced their speech 4-5 times in front of just one person, and had a chance to respond to feedback.

Why it benefits students:

• It gets students to practice their speech multiple times in front of a real audience, without the intimidation of ALL their classmates watching.
• Students internalize the speech checklist and standards we’re working on.
• Students anxiety reduces DRASTICALLY–and I know this from their reflections, which I talk about below.
• I get way better speeches out of students.
• I have a chance to give feedback before the big speech day.
• Students can watch their own growth over the class period.
• Students that do not come in prepared walk away at the end of class with their speech “written.”  I force all students to participate, regardless of preparation (and this is a MUCH less traumatic way to do that than in front of the whole class). I LOVE THIS. After a few weeks of preparing in class, students can come up with some things to say on the fly, even if they hadn’t written any of it down before class like they were supposed to.  I’ll even give these students notecards after a couple rounds so they can write down points they came up with while they were winging it.  This also makes it so that they have to feel the pain of un-preparedness, rather than throw up their hands and get out of it, but also gives them a last-second chance to prepare and feel comfortable to do it in front of the class and learn something.  Win-win.

Gallery Walk Speech Marathon Lesson Plan

• Also, print out some speech feedback/reflection sheets for kids.
• Have a power point visual for gallery walk instructions .  

Directions:

• I have kids complete the first question of the reflection before class starts–it’s about how nervous they are about speeches.
• Explain each feedback category on sheet.
• Afterward, go through each feedback category and ask students to hold up their fingers to represent the rating they gave you–invite the lowest grade to explain their answer, and be humble–this can be so powerful with kids.  It’s important for kids to witness how to take feedback graciously and thoughtfully.
• Explain that outside-circle students (I have them raise their hands so they tune in) will always stay put.
• Explain that inside-circle students (have them raise their hands again) will be the ones that rotate.
• First, students switch papers.
• Inside circle people stand up, give speech.
• Outside circle: mark feedback on THEIR PARTNER’S sheet.
• Once done, outside circle give one positive and one thing to work on.
• I will then say SWITCH. They switch roles and repeat.
• At the end of this round, I say, “Stop. Give papers back. Stand up. Point clockwise to the seat you will go to (I check they know where they’re going), now ROTATE.”
• Tip: Since there are a lot of moving parts for this lesson, I make sure that they go through the motions once without giving the speeches as I explain. It tends to go MUCH more smoothly if I do and I save a lot of re-explaining.
• As they are going, I watch partnerships carefully.  I will go over to partnerships and give real-time coaching, and look for things that students are struggling with across the board. It’s like a writing workshop for speech-giving!
• Half-way through, I give a mid-check lesson about what I notice people are doing well and one thing they should improve upon.
• At the end of class, I have them look at their feedback sheet and reflect on how they improved–which you can see on the second page of the feedback sheet here.  I have them think about how the process helped them, and how they’d like to prepare for future speeches, knowing what they know now.

I hope this helps your students hone their speech-craft, and helps save you some head-ache.  If you try it, leave a comment to let us know how it goes.  And if you have other ways of helping students get through speeches, we’d also love to hear from you!

You may also be interested in:

Want to see this lesson plan in action?

Want even MORE slam poetry lessons?  This  Slam Poetry Unit Plan  includes a full 3 weeks of lessons similar to this one, taking students through drafting and revising multiple poems with a student-planned performance at the end.  It uses a variation of this lesson plan to help students prepare for their performance at the end.

You’d probably also like this  Peer Conference/Feedback lesson plan .  It’s good to use for ANY type of writing and designed to lift both student’s academic conversations and writing.  Swoon.

20 Ways to Help Reluctant Writers in your Classroom –a list of ways you can make your classroom more friendly to students reluctant to write, as well as trouble-shooting ideas for students who refuse to write.

Teaching Writing Pinterest Board –My spot to collect all the most useful resources I can find for teaching writing–if you like this post, you’re sure to like this collection.

ELA Resources Pinterest Board –A collation of engaging, best practice resources for ELA teachers.

My Teachers Pay Teachers Store –I’ve taught writing to grades 6-8, 10, and 12, so that’s my store’s specialty!

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I was wondering, how have you adapted this lesson plan for slam poetry? What criteria do you have students evaluate for that? How would you do this if some students worked in groups and others worked by themselves? How many days before the actual presentation dates do you do this plan?

Thank you! 🙂

Hi Heather, Great questions.

For slam poetry, I would have a day or two before this where we would study great slam poem videos and make a class anchor chart on good slam poem performance techniques. Then, I give kids time to make notes on their poem about what they’d like to do at different parts (gestures with their hands, talking fast or slow, pauses, etc.). I would definitely model making these annotations on my own poem before having them do it. Then, on the day of performing, I follow this plan pretty closely, just demonstrating my own poem in front of them (if you don’t have your own poem, you could demonstrate with one that’s already written).

For criteria–entirely up to you and your students. You could make it based on what kids noticed the slam poets doing, which I’ve done before, or write the criteria for them (eye contact was consistent, gestures helped meaning, volume and pace were varied, volume and pace were understandable, etc.). For performance criteria, I try to just make it based on performance, and leave content for later.

Great question about groups. You could still have them follow this plan, but don’t switch each round–just have inside circle perform, rotate, perform, rotate–then when they’ve done it so many times, have them spread around the circle and have outside circle perform, rotate, perform, rotate. That way you could just have the groups act as individuals when they’re spectators. If that makes sense? You would probably have a few kids “off-duty” each round, but you could have them make notes/plan for their own poem while they’re off-duty–which has been really effective for me in the past.

I usually do this the day before presentations, that way it’s fresh and they’re well-practiced.

Good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions. I hope it goes well for you and your students 🙂 Reply

I’m curious if you ever used video platform similar to Vosaic Connect ( https://vosaic.com/products/vosaic-connect ) to get/provide feedback using the feedback sheet layered on top of a video of the student. Just an idea.

I was wondering, do you use the same feedback sheet for all the types of speeches you have your students give/assess?

Also, how long does this lesson last? I teach 51-minute periods every day.

Thanks, Kelsi Clark

Thank you for pointing out that students anxiety reduces drastically when they are involved with speech coaching. I think my son may need some help when it comes to his speech> I’ll have to look into programs that I can get him into. http://www.speechlanguageliteracy.com/

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