I get really nervous reading outloud infront of the class... help me please!!?

Question

i'm in the 9th grade & My english teacher always randomly chooses people to read out loud the material we are reading.....
he ALWAYS picks on me......when he does... my heart starts beating really really really fast and i start to tremble and i get really nervous. When i read outloud i have a shaky voice.
i dont know why im getting this.... i used to always read out loud before and i never had this problem..
help me!!
how can i feel comfortable to read outloud without all of these crazy feelings?

Answer 1

You'll get better. You are obviously having a bad year in reading. Maybe you feel threatened because you just KNOW he's going to call on you (pick on you?). It could be a personality conflict. You have to be strong and tell yourself that you will not let it interfere with your performance. That's how you learn. Try role-playing. Pretend that you are Barbara Walters and you have been doing this for years. Do you think this lady is always as cool as she looks? She has some difficult interviews that I'm sure make her nervous. Maybe she does some role-playing herself! When your name is called, take yourself up to a higher plane. This is YOUR studio. Read in a strong voice. Keep your head up and don't put your hand or anything in front of your mouth. Show this teacher what you've got. You can do it. Good luck!

Answer 2

i know how you feel, i don't like reading outloud in front of the class tooo! heres what you can do in preperation. as you guys are reading your materials, make sure you understand what you guys are reading about. scan the page quickly for any hard words you may encounter. practice reading at home. hold up a paper and dont look at it. randomly choose a spot with your finger and begin reading from that spot so it is a sudden situation where you have to read right away. continue practicing this until you get better and confident. before you read in public, imagine your just reading to yourself and tell yourself "i can read this it's so easy!!" read it as if your reading to yourself, not other people. i'm sure other people get nervous too and your not alone! good luck and hope i helped :)

Answer 3

I get the same way when I have to address a room full of people which I have to do quite often. This is what I do...I have to picture an actress that I admire and be her. So this way, I'm not me and I'm an actress like Ashley Judd or Amanda Bynes or Scarlett Johansen or Paris Hilton or whoever. Whichever actress fits the role of the part I need to play I become in my head just to get through the stress of speaking out loud in front of many people. So now, let's say I'm addressing a room full of people in suits, I will be Ashley Judd and speak very confidently and answer questions confidently because I'm looking from the inside out, I can be anyone I want to be. So do this, the next time that bone-head teacher of yours calls on you to read, be your favorite actress, take a deep breath and pretend you are in a movie and that's your part. My daughter does this too to get through spelling bees or be around girls that make her uncomfortable at a party. Try it. Just don't let anyone know....your secret, your personal victory, your moment of fame. Have fun!

Answer 4

I can so relate to you! Many of your peers are probably feeling the exact same feelings you do, if that makes you feel any better. I would practice reading out loud at home so you get familiar with your own voice. Read slowly, don't try to rush through it; that will only make you more nervous. I used to say "whatever" if I couldn't pronounce a word! The teachers would correct me, but it got me through my anxieties easier when everyone laughed! Good luck!
Laurie Lee

Answer 5

I had the same problem. I finally started taking textbook or anything else that I normally would not read and every night I would stand in my room and read out loud. It seemed really wierd at first, but after a while, it started feeling more natural and not as wierd. Then, when I was asked to read in school, it was ok.

Just an idea.

Answer 6

Just breathe and read..

While at home, practice reading the newspaper and different things aloud in your room or in the bathroom.

Public reading can make you nervous.. but remember practice makes perfect and then soon you will be able to read in class or anywhere without being too afraid.

Again, practice, practice and you will be fine! When you come across a word you do not know, have your teacher to tell you and repeat the words and say thanks.. You will be fine..

Remember breathe..take a really deep breathe and read..

Be good!

Answer 7

I think your English teacher is trying to help you improve, that's why he keeps calling on you.
I used to have the same problem.
Take a deep breath, pretend you're the only one in the room, and just concentrate on one word at a time.
Sometimes, it's hard to read aloud because you just wanna get out of the spotlight, so you skip words and your sentences don't make sense or you stutter or something.

It's really not such a terrible thing.
Most of the people who read aloud are nervous too.

Oh. and one more thing...when you mess up[cause you know you will again], laugh at yourself and move on.

Answer 8

well he might pick on u because maybee he thinks u like reading my advice is act like u hate reading thats what i do and the teacher never askes me to read only a few times

to get rid of the weird feelings just think of something else but still read (just dont think to hard just read the thing)

Answer 9

Its your confidence.

Something about your teacher's class makes you feel like a bad reader. Maybe the way he looks at you when you read, or maybe there's someone laughing in the background...whatever.

When you come to grips with whatever it is that is making you loose your confidece, then you will get over your fear.

Answer 10

Take a deep breath and keep a worry stone or something that your hands coud fidget with while you read. That helps me when i have to talk in front of large groups.