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Speaking in public is a crucial skill in both academic and real-world contexts. Many students struggle with overcoming fear and anxiety when attempting to master it. Teaching students how to speak confidently in front of audiences, regardless of size, is a valuable lifelong skill. Fortunately, there exist numerous innovative techniques and approaches to aid educators in this endeavor.
Key Steps
Starting with the Basics
Initiate with Simple Introductions. Developing students' public speaking abilities begins with encouraging them to communicate with their peers. Have students write down their names and share an interesting fact about themselves. Then, facilitate a round of introductions within the class.
- If the group is particularly quiet or large, gradually build up to this by having students introduce themselves to their neighbors.
- An engaging variation of this activity involves students interviewing a classmate and then introducing each other to the group.
Create a Supportive Atmosphere through Positive Reinforcement. As the instructor, it's crucial to set a positive example by offering plenty of encouragement and praise to students for their efforts. Speaking in front of others can be daunting, but it becomes easier in a kind and supportive environment.
- Involve the class more as attentive listeners by encouraging them to recognize 1-2 strengths in their peers' presentations.
Empower Your Students to Lead Group Activities or Discussions. Rotate the responsibility among your students to lead the class in an activity or discussion they've prepared. This approach to speaking alleviates some pressure as it's not a typical presentation. Nonetheless, it requires students to organize content and communicate it to their peers.
- Avoid labeling the activity as “public speaking” to prevent intimidation.
Integrate Casual Speaking Opportunities into Regular Activities. Consistent practice leads to improvement. Rather than focusing on a few major deadlines, incorporate frequent, low-pressure presentations into the routine.
- For instance, start each class by inviting students to share their thoughts on a given question.
- Alternatively, allow students to take turns proposing a question of the day.
- Grant students some autonomy in choosing discussion topics occasionally, as speaking becomes easier when they're invested in the subject matter.
Alleviating Student Anxiety
Teach Relaxation Techniques to Ease Nervousness. Proper breathing and relaxation are vital when facing a stressful presentation. Teach your students this simple relaxation exercise before they speak:
- Encourage students to find a quiet space for concentration. They should shake out their limbs and exhale through their lips.
- Instruct students to stand tall, raise their arms overhead, take deep breaths, and exhale slowly while lowering their arms. Emphasize directing their breath into their abdomen and exhaling calmly and gradually.
PRO INSIGHT
Lynn Kirkham
Public Speaking Coach
Public Speaking Coach
Ease Nervousness by Connecting with the Audience. Arrive early and introduce yourself to several audience members. You'll discover they're ordinary individuals, not intimidating figures. Once you familiarize yourself with some of them, you'll realize that audiences attend speeches to support, not to criticize. They want you to succeed in delivering your speech effectively.
Encourage Visualization Techniques to Enhance Confidence. Guide your students in boosting their confidence before speaking. Before presentations, instruct them to spend a few minutes closing their eyes, taking deep breaths, and envisioning themselves delivering their speeches successfully.
Encourage Positive Self-Affirmations to Build Confidence. Guide students to create concise affirmations highlighting their positive traits and abilities. Encourage them to practice reciting these affirmations in front of a mirror just before addressing the class.
- For instance, an affirmation like, “I am knowledgeable and my words captivate others,” can significantly boost confidence when repeated before a speech.
PRO INSIGHT
Lynn Kirkham
Public Speaking Coach
Public Speaking Coach
Encourage Students to Set Clear Intentions or Goals Before Speaking. Students should define their objectives, such as maintaining strong eye contact, captivating the audience, or delivering their best speech. Visualizing their intentions before speaking shifts their mindset from feeling obligated to speak to feeling privileged to speak, thereby reducing anxiety.
Instruct Your Students on Adopting a Power Pose during Presentations. Encourage students to stand confidently with their feet apart, chin lifted, chest forward, and hands on hips—resembling a starfish. This posture prompts the body to reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and increase testosterone levels. Teach students to practice this stance and advise them to utilize it during their presentations.
- Body language significantly influences self-perception. Provide students with opportunities to practice standing assertively, smiling, and maintaining eye contact.
PRO INSIGHT
Lynn Kirkham
Public Speaking Coach
Public Speaking Coach
Mastery of Eye Contact is Essential for Effective Public Speaking. If students struggle with maintaining eye contact, suggest exercises such as prolonged silent eye contact with a familiar person for several minutes, repeated multiple times. Additionally, encourage them to practice sustained eye contact with their own reflection in a mirror without distraction.
Enhancing Presentation Abilities
Promote Collaborative Presentations. While teamwork can be challenging, presenting as a team alleviates the pressure of solo speaking. Distributing presentation responsibilities among multiple students reduces stress and fosters comfort in public speaking.
- Ensure each student actively participates to prevent quieter students from being overshadowed.
Encourage Video Presentations. Request students to create and share recorded video presentations. Presenting to a webcam can feel less daunting than addressing peers directly. Viewing and critiquing their own videos helps students refine their speaking skills, and hosting a follow-up Q&A session enhances their impromptu speaking abilities.
- Facilitate a follow-up Q&A session where classmates pose questions, requiring students to think quickly on their feet.
Assign Small Group Presentations. Divide students into small groups for presentations. A smaller audience reduces speaking anxiety.
- Progress from small group presentations to larger, full-class presentations gradually.
- Engage students by encouraging constructive feedback exchange within each group.
Encourage Purposeful Mistakes. Task students with intentionally making mistakes during presentations to destigmatize errors and emphasize learning opportunities.
- Addressing mistakes head-on helps alleviate fear and anxiety associated with public speaking.
- Alternatively, challenge students to recite tongue twisters until they stumble, infusing the exercise with laughter to ease tension.
Useful Advice
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Integrate enjoyable and regular class presentations into your teaching approach.
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Avoid focusing solely on major presentations. Starting with frequent small presentations is more effective than occasional large ones.
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Add variety by prompting students to deliver impromptu presentations on random topics, questions, or materials provided by you.
