In this article one has presented practically used hints and advices for making an effective public speaking activity of higher school students.
Public speaking is a performance that takes place not only in squares and stadiums, on television, but also in front of a large audience. Public speech can also be an appeal to the leadership, and a conversation with a new employer, and communication in a friendly company. Speaking in public is the opportunity to be the most profitable to submit yourself (for example, when a new position is being created) and the opportunity to improve the skill of self-presentation.
A good deal depends on a good public speaking a signed contract, new clients, own rating and recognition in the community. A bright and strong performance is when the public catches every speaker's words, gestures and changes in intonation. This is the ability to inspire and delight the spoken speech [1].
The ability to speak publicly, the ability to attract the attention of the audience to oneself and your performance is a great art that is not subject to everyone. About how to behave during a public speech will be discussed in this article.
So, all the preparatory moments behind, the speech is written and rehearsed, behind a sleepless night. It remains only to open the door to the hall, go in and start talking. Stop it. Now the most important thing begins. The audience is affected by everything, even how you will enter the hall. Pose, gestures all this is perceived by people on a subconscious level. Here are some tips to help you succeed.
The first and the most important hint is a successful start: when you go into the audience, move confidently, do not get sullen and do not make fussy moves. Go with your usual gait, this will convince you those present that you are not worried and do not hurry anywhere. When you are presented, rise, be sure to give the audience a slight smile and enter into direct eye contact with the audience.
In order to show its importance and to cause the respect of the audience, it is necessary to control the maximum allowable space. Do not try to show yourself as a small person and do not hide somewhere in the corner of the stage. Be sure to take a seat in the center or at least direct your eyes to the center from time to time. Straighten your shoulders, raise your head and lean forward slightly, showing something like a bow before the audience, you can repeat this gesture several times later [2].
When you went to the podium, the stage, the podium or took another place to speak, do not rush to immediately start talking. Be sure to pause. You can take every opportunity ask for a glass of water, spread out the papers, move something. Use a pause as much as you think necessary to prepare yourself psychologically and set the audience to communicate with you. If you are very worried, take a few deep breaths and exhalations before the speech. Pause also helps you to explore the space around you in a few seconds, to estimate how you will use it. Remember the theatrical axiom: the more talented the actor, the more pause he can keep.
Next, do not just sweep your eyes, and carefully examine the hall, take a closer look at the entire audience. Stop by looking at a few of those present who will become visual points of support, beacons in your speech. Then, if necessary, you can change them. Try to give your personal attention to as many people as possible, but be sure to stare through the entire space of the hall from left to right, from the first to the last row. Do not stay long in the back rows and again shift your eyes to the front seats. Remember that they are always occupied by the most interested people, in their eyes you will find support for yourself. Having fixed for yourself a few such visual "anchors", start talking.
The next hint is gestures, posture, facial expressions. Your facial expressions and gestures give a person much more impressions than anything you say. With gestures, you will focus on the importance of information. When gesticulating, there are three rules: first do not put your hands in your pockets; the second do not hide them behind your back; the third do not take them with extraneous objects. Hands are helpers who should always be free and ready to unite in one with your thoughts.
You can not use "defensive" or "protective" movements of the body, for example, crossing hands on the chest, laying them behind your back. Crossing hands demonstrates uncertainty about what a person is saying. It is best to take an open pose and occasionally show a smile. Constantly control your posture, keep your back straight, head up, move naturally.
During a public speaking, do not freeze like a monument, and do not throw your head back, as this you push the audience away and detain the flow of psychological energy that should dynamically influence those present. Be sure to move. You need to show yourself alive, energetic, dynamic. Your movements should be short, precise and convincing. When you want to emphasize something, move your body towards the audience or use the gesture of approaching your body to those present. If there is an opportunity to approach the audience, then do it when you want to tell her something important to convey and convince the audience that you are right.
Constantly keep eye contact with the audience. An experienced speaker always follows the attention of listeners, looking from the front rows to the rear. If you use notes, then do it very carefully: with a quick and short glance down look at the text and again raise your eyes, shifting your attention back to the audience.
Consider cultural, national, religious and other characteristics of the audience. For example, in the Chinese and Japanese people, your open eye can cause negative feelings, as in the eastern cultures it is not accepted. In Caucasian peoples, a direct, hard look in the eyes of a man is perceived as a challenge to a duel, etc. Also with great caution you need to use jokes on national or religious topics.
You should not have a frozen, fixed expression. Otherwise, you will cause indifference and boredom among the public. The basis of your attractiveness as an orator is an easy, pleasant smile. Try to jump to each key topic with a special change on the face: raise your eyebrows a little or move your eyes, use slow turns of the head. If you sit, put your hands in the work: translate something or change a little their position. During sitting all the time emphasize the freedom of your posture.
Tone, words, reaction are also items in which we must be careful of. Repeated repetition of simple expressive phrases, vivid word combinations contributes to the success of public speaking. However, try to avoid inappropriate and untimely use. You can not allow the content of phrases to be far from the thoughts that need to be conveyed to the audience.
Do not show excellence or lightheadedness when dealing with an audience, do not broadcast "patronizingly" in a mentor tone. Very seriously approach to the formulation of answers to the questions posed the answers give an opportunity to once again emphasize the main points of your speech. Avoid irritation, hostility or sarcasm, even if the questions are unpleasant for you. Much better is calmness, goodwill and light humor [3].
Perceive philosophically any surprises and awkwardness a breakdown of the microphone, a drop of a glass of water on the floor, a sudden pause, etc. You can not give out your confusion and take a negative attitude to the negative moments that have arisen accidentally or have turned out to be the "home preparations" of your ill-wishers. It is best to react to this with humor, to beat in a profitable for yourself the key. The speaker should monitor the situation, show that all this does not prevent him, and troubles do not knock him out of the rut.
If the speech is interrupted by applause, you must wait for them to finish and then continue so that the beginning of your next phrase is heard by everyone. Also remember that the applause of applause is different. Speech should end before tired and irritated listeners begin to "slam" the speaker.
Completing the speech you need to look into the eyes of listeners and say something pleasant, demonstrating your satisfaction with communicating with the audience. Such a positive information impulse in the finale will remain in people's memory, in their perception of your public speaking.
List of used literature:
- Authentic Communication: Public Speaking for Everyone By Jeffrey Hannan; Travis Kiger; Ganer Newman International Debate Education Association, 2015
- 7 Steps to Fearless Speaking By Lilyan WilderWiley, 1999
- Umm . . .: A Complete Guide to Public Speaking By James O'Loghlin Allen & Unwin, 2006