Public Speaking

1) Public speaking isn’t about standing up and saying the first thing that pops into your head. What role does planning play in public speaking? What other skills do you think you need to be an effective public speaker? Which of these skills are you already strong in? Which might you need to practice some more?

2) Listeners learned that strong public speakers take their time and speak slowly. Why might it be important to speak slowly and clearly when talking in front of others? What could happen if you spoke quickly or rushed through your ideas?

3) A role model explained that becoming a strong public speaker takes practice. She said, “It’s really about speaking up. So, start wherever you are… if it’s raising your hand to ask the question that makes you nervous, try to do that more often. If it’s reading out loud that makes you nervous, read and do more things and say things out loud. If it’s standing in front of a classroom that makes you nervous, try to do more of that.” What “makes you nervous”? How could you try to do more of that to become a stronger public speaker?

4) Listeners learned that, if you’re prepared, you can talk to anyone. Think of a time in your life when you were prepared. How did the interaction go? Now, think of a time in your life when you weren’t prepared. How did that interaction go? How exactly does being prepared help you have successful interactions with others?

5) One role model told us that even though she speaks in public frequently, she still feels nervous. She squeezes a water bottle cap as a “trick” to help remind herself to slow down and relax. How did you feel the last time you had to speak in public? What “trick” could you try while speaking to help remind yourself to slow down and relax?

6) One role model told listeners to “take up their space” and “feel confident”. This is great advice for public speaking. But it’s also great advice for all parts of your life. What do you think it means to “take up your space”? How can “taking up your space” and feeling confident help you achieve your goals?

One of the skills that I would recommend is the art of public speaking. Regardless of the career path that you choose, I guarantee you’ll probably have to speak up in front of at least one other person and perhaps a large room of people. And learning how to communicate your ideas effectively is going to take you so far in your career.

Any kind of opportunity you can take to get up in front of a group to practice, whether you’re in class and you’re doing oral presentations, always try to volunteer for that. As much as you hate it, that means you have to volunteer for it even more. So you just feel comfortable and you’re able to really do it.

It’s really about speaking up. So start wherever you are, meaning if it’s raising your hand to ask the question that makes you nervous, try to do that more often. If it’s really reading out loud that makes you nervous, read and do more things and say things out loud. If it’s standing in front of a classroom that makes you nervous, try to do more of that.

But just being prepared and being calm and being comfortable in your preparation, and then just having a conversation. If you’re prepared, you can talk to anyone.

Take your time. Speak slowly and enunciate well. I always give the example of Dr. Martin Luther King, who is one of the greatest orators that we’ve seen in our lifetime. And if you listen to any of his speeches, he doesn’t rush through them. He always pauses at those very important moments, and then he comes to a crescendo on those very, very important points.

I do public speaking all the time. I get up on a podium in front of groups of people, and I still get nervous. I hold a bottle cap in my hand from a water bottle, because everywhere I go, we’ll have them, and I squeeze it when I’m talking. And if I get nervous, I squeeze it a little harder, and it slows me down. Because I think often one of the difficult things is that your heart can race because you’re nervous. And so that makes it hard to breathe, it makes it hard to speak. And so making sure to have some trick that you use, be it a paper clip, be it a water bottle cap, be it a glass of water that you take sips from, can help kind of calibrate your speaking pattern.

Whether you’re on a camera or you’re talking to 200,000 people, it doesn’t matter. Just make sure you feel that you’re only talking to just one person. Just see that person smiling at you, and I think that will always make you feel more comfortable.

Don’t shy away from eye contact. And it’s important to bring your whole self to the moment. So to be present. The other thing that’s important is posturing, is your actual physical presence. Take up your space. When you’re sitting, sit up straight. Don’t bend over. Don’t cow over. Feel confident in who you are.

The fear you feel before you speak is excitement. And so just renaming the butterflies as excitement can help you rethink. What you’re feeling is just adrenaline. That’s a good thing because you’re ready and now’s your time and you’re going to step out on a stage and you’re going to rock it.

Public Speaking Independent Learning Guide: This all-purpose guide can also be used by educators, parents, and mentors to jumpstart a valuable discussion about public speaking.

Public Speaking Classroom Lesson Plan: This step-by-step lesson plan is available to guide a more in-depth “before, during, and after” learning experience when viewing the video with students. This lesson plan is also suitable for use in after-school programs and other educational settings.

Use Empowerment Activities as a fun way to reinforce the video topic and build community with your students.

• Mirror Decoration

Fun Page Activity:What is the difference between someone who appears nervous and unsure while speaking in public and someone who looks confident? Do they feel different? Is one more prepared than the other? Think about what it means to be a strong public speaker in this thought-provoking fun page activity!