Public Speaking For Students

For students to succeed in their education, they must learn how to speak in public. One of the major challenges so many kids face is dealing with their anxieties. Everyone experiences public speaking anxiety. In fact, there is a well-known study from Motivational Speakers that finds that most people would rather face death than speak in public.

While the exact cause of fear of speaking in public is unknown, it is a perfectly natural ‘fight or flight ‘instinct that everyone experiences. So if you are afraid to get up in front of people to speak you are not alone.

Even the most seasoned speakers and performers experience a fear of speaking in public which is commonly called ‘stage fright.’ Although public speaking anxiety may seem like a bad thing, it can actually work to your advantage.

When you are nervous, your reactions are much sharper and you are much more alert. Your posture straightens up automatically and you naturally become more animated. These are all good things to have happen when you are going to address an audience.

There are however, public speaking anxiety symptoms that are not desirable. The main symptom that most people experience is shaky hands and buckling knees. These symptoms are also the most noticeable and hard to control.

Here are some other public speaking anxiety tips to help you remain calm:

• Don’t focus on the number of people that will be in the audience, or if someone decides to record your speech.  Pretend as if you are chatting with a group of friends.

•Arrive at least one-half hour early.  This will give you time to get used to the space and take a breather to focus.

•Warm –up before you speak.   Head rolls, neck stretches, and even stretching your legs will help you get over your public speaking anxiety.  You can also yawn in order to relax your throat.

While these are some suggestions to get you started, there are many other ways to get over public speaking anxiety and deliver a great speech.

Do not memorize the presentation. Not only will it cause you to lose your place or your patter if you forget a word along the way, but it will lead you to sound robotic and “rehearsed”. There is something unsettling and unsatisfying for an audience to hear a speaker who is so honed and practiced that it all feels like he’s practiced 100 times in front of a mirror. Instead have notes (well rehearsed notes of course), which will give your speech structure, but not a straight-jacket.

Stick as close as you can to areas you feel knowledgeable about. This is a terrific self-confidence booster. The audience can tell if you know what you’re talking about or if you’re bluffing.