Taking a public speaking class?

Question

It's one of the requirement for transfering to a Cal state or UC... through out my entire school life I've avoid doing oral presentation assignments. I'm an awful public speaker, too nervous and too shy. Refuse to do it. But now in order to get a transfer I would have to get a C or better in Speech.. Can anyone give me advice on how to improve myself with public speaking. And how to keep myself from being too nervous and shy?

Answer 1

I used to hate public speaking cause I thought everyone wanted to make fun of me.

But as Theresa said pick something you feel passionate about.

When I had to do an oral presentation in order to obtain my Associate Diploma of Business, I picked a topic I felt passionate about. My topic was feminism and how women were never given the same chances as men. I felt so passionate about this topic I did not have to think about my actions at all. Everything fell into place and the teacher even said it was the best he'd seen, and used my presentation as an example for the rest of the class.

A few years after this episode I was a volunteer tour guide. And discovered another helpful tip. If you look at your audience as wanting information that only you can provide, this will boost your confidence.

Here's another one. (I don't know if this actually works because I have never tried it. I have been afraid that I won't be able to stop laughing) Try and imagine your audience in their underwear or, if they are cute, naked.

Answer 2

I really can sympathize. Public speaking is said to be the most common fear among people in the U.S. I had to take it as an undergrad (at a Cal State, in fact), and the first time I had to speak, I hyperventilated, stopped breathing altogether, and thought I was going to die in front of the class! It was truly horrible, but the next time was easier, and now I've been teaching and speaking in public for almost 30 years.

Know that everyone else is pulling for you; they want to see you do well. Look at the bridges of people's noses - that way it looks like you are looking into their eyes, but you really aren't. Be well prepared; one of the best student presentations I ever saw involved a guy who was so nervous that he choreographed his entire talk - where he would be standing, and at which point in the talk he would move from one area of the room to another.

Take the class with a friend, who can encourage you when you are speaking, or find a partner in the class who is as nervous as you are (there will be many), and make a pact to smile encouragingly at one another. It really helps to know someone in the audience (I still get stage fright on the first day of class if I don't have any familiar students in the class).

Focus on them, rather than on yourself. If you think too hard about what you are doing or how you are coming across, you will be more nervous. If you think about them, and whether they are understanding and enjoying things, it keeps the focus off of you and you become less nervous. Practice really does help. Good luck; I'm sure you will do just fine, and don't let this obstacle get in the way of your successful future!

Answer 3

The only way to "get better" on public speaking it to desensitize yourself from exposure and get consequences reinforcing to you which also involves speaking in front of a hoard of people. If you want to get real good you should get people you don't know and have them smile and applaud while you speak to them. Even if you say something dumb ect. Or try people you know. Then have them ignore you and say rude things too you. And continue to speak. But if you take the class as I have you will find out that everyone is shy in public speaking and it's one of the most feared things right up there with death for most people.
Learn logos, ethos, and pathos, rhetoric in class too if you want. it won't help you one bit.
it would make you all better.
-From a shy guy.

P.S. You can either get wonderful or bad feelings being on stage. Play the hero or the villain.

Answer 4

My advice to you is to be extremely well prepared and think of yourself, as you are doing the speech, as an expert on the topic you are speaking about. You will feel much more confident. I had to take a speech class too as a requirement and using that technique made me very comfortable speaking in front of audiences.

To help you feel like an "expert" on the topic, as I mentioned, I suggest choosing speech topics that you are passionate about. For example for the persuasive speech, my topic dealt with persuading people to listen to my favorite band. I got an A.
Good luck and don't dread the class! :)