Coping with speech anxiety

PUBLIC SPEAKING: THE BASICS

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Public speaking is anytime you have to speak in public!

Speaking in public scares more people.

Public Speaking is an art of facing a group of people and communicating to them in a formal situation your thoughts and feelings by means of effective speech.

Importance of Public Speaking

Personal Benefits Professional Benefits Societal Benefits

What happens when you have to speak

in public?

Did your heart beat faster than usual?

Did you experience a mental blackout?

Did you feel your blood rushing to your head and to your cheeks?

Was there a sensation of butterflies flitting in your stomach?

Were you perspiring more than usual?

Were you at a loss for breath?

Did you lose your voice?

Was your body tense?

Were your hands cold? Were your hands

trembling?

Anxiety

It is an unusual fearful feeling that everyone goes through when faced with an important task.

QUESTIONNAIRE ON SPEECH ANXIETY

1- NONE 2- VERY SLIGHTLY 3- SLIGHTLY4- INTENSE 5- VERY INTENSE

___1. weak voice___2. shortness of breath___3. awkward pauses___4. preference to look up/down___5. rapid heartbeats___6. playing with pen/hanky

QUESTIONNAIRE ON SPEECH ANXIETY

1- NONE 2- VERY SLIGHTLY 3- SLIGHTLY4- INTENSE 5- VERY INTENSE

___7. no eye contact with the audience___8. moving too much___9. trembling hands___10. feeling cold___11. inability to think clearly___12. dry mouth and throat

QUESTIONNAIRE ON SPEECH ANXIETY

1- NONE 2- VERY SLIGHTLY 3- SLIGHTLY4- INTENSE 5- VERY INTENSE

___13. no facial expression___14. wanting to end speech___15. to fast rate of speech___16. feeling dizzy___17. feeling awkward and clumsy___18. perspiring too much

QUESTIONNAIRE ON SPEECH ANXIETY

1- NONE 2- VERY SLIGHTLY 3- SLIGHTLY

4- INTENSE 5- VERY INTENSE___19. feeling nervous___20. shaking voice

Qualitative Interpretation100 – 80: Do not worry; all is not lost.

Speaking skills are required. With your teacher’s help and conscientious efforts on your part you will yet become a good speaker.

79- 59: Good! However, you have to spend more time preparing yourself for public speaking.

Qualitative Interpretation

58 – 38:Very Good! With a little more training, you will become a better speaker

37-20: Congratulations! You are potentially an effective speaker.

Fear of Public Speaking

Population No.1 fear=Public SpeakingFear No.2=Death

Why do we get Public Speaking anxiety?

1. This is a normal reactions of the body to situations that are not usual in your life.

2. The very fact that the spotlight is you is enough to trigger every fear, anxiety and phobia you've ever had about public speaking.

Here's why:

You may be judged by all those people, and judged badly

You may feel like a fool You might make mistakes and

lose your way

Here's why:

You'll be completely humiliated

You'll never be as good as _______(fill in the blank)

'They' won't like you 'They' won't 'get' what

you're trying to say

Anatomy of Stage Fright

Shyness Inexperience Unpreparedness Decisiveness of the

Speech Fear of the Unknown

How to overcome fear of Public Speaking

Focus on positives not negatives

Be confident Get your attention off

yourselfConsider your audience as

your friend

Ten Successful TipsControl the “Butterflies”

Know the room Know the audience Know your material Relaxation Visualize giving your

speech Gain experience

Control the “Butterflies”

People want you to succeed Don’t apologize Concentrate on your

message-not the medium. Turn nervousness into

positive energy

Practice takes you from this..

To this….

Harnessing Speech Anxiety to an Advantage

Self – Improvement Program1.Identify your strengths and

weaknesses in relation to public speaking. Make a list.

Strength/s Weakness/es

Ex: I have a clear voice. I am a bit shy.

Harnessing Speech Anxiety to an Advantage

Self – Improvement Program2. Write a plan on how to

overcome your weakness/es Weakness/es

Action/s Ex: I am a bit shy I will expose

myself more by taking an initiative to always communicate with others

Harnessing Speech Anxiety to an Advantage

Self – Improvement Program3. Closely monitor your

improvement as a speaker through writing it in your journal notebook.

Ex: June 13I discovered today that I can do

something about my weak voice. I chanced upon some exercises in the book for improving the volume of the voice. I shall try doing these exercises so that I can improve my voice.

Ex: July 4Our teacher asked us to deliver our

first speech today. I noticed that my voice had become louder. I should work harder on my speech. I promise to read up on the principles of the speech- making so that my speech will be more interesting next time.