I'm so scared to give a presentation. Any advice?

Question

Ok, the reason why I'm scared is because when I am asked to read aloud in class, I get nervous and I stutter. And I am really embbrassed about it, but when I read aloud by myself I don't. Why is that???

And now I will have to give a 10 minute presentation, and I am soo scared that I will make a fool out of myself...any advice?

Please help...any advice would be great...

Answer 1

Ooooh I know how you feel. I'm one of those people that never says anything during class. We stutter in front of other people because we're so worried about embarrassing ourselves that we don't think about what we're reading.
My advice is to practice in front of your friends or family first (force them to sit down and listen if you have to). Then, when you get up there, take your time. Go up, smile, take a deep breath, and forget that they're there. Ask a friend to sit in the front row and talk directly to that person as if you were just explaining to him (or her) and there's nobody else there. Try to force yourself to feel confident. You're going to do wonderfully, you just gotta get past those nerves first. And if you do stutter, just finish the sentence, take another deep breath, then focus on what you're saying and nothing else. Good luck!

Answer 2

I get nervous all the time for public speaking and I know what you're going through. I recently had to do a 7 min. speech in English and i just about died. i got a pretty low score because my teacher said i never looked up. The only thing i can tell you about is to make notecards. Have your entire speech on them so you know exactly what to say. When you get nervous, you can just look at your notecards. That way, you won't stumble trying to think of what to say next and try to put it into words. It always helps to practice. Just do your speech a few times in front of the mirror and time yourself. If you feel comfortable enough to do it in front of a family member or a friend, do it. it will help you keep eye contact and practice looking around the room. About your problem with reading aloud, the stuttering is normal. Just slow down and pretend that you're in your room all by yourself. Good luck with your speech! I know you'll do great! i know it seems impossible now but it does get easier. Don't worry about it too much just make sure to come prepared and you'll do your best! I have faith in you. Go get 'em, tiger!

Answer 3

I have the same problem, just relax, breather and realize, no one likes giving speaches. good luck

Speaking

Face the audience as much as possible. Try to maintain eye contact with the whole audience, not just the instructor.
Speak clearly and deliberately; be careful not to go too fast.
Pay attention to the level of your audience. They may not know as much as you about your subject area.
Organization
Your talk should be structured to have an introduction, body, and conclusion.
The introduction should motivate your subject and outline the presentation.
Summarize key points of the talk during the conclusion.
Use of Visual Aids
When appropriate, consider using transparencies or PowerPoint slides, but use them sparingly.
When using transparencies, be careful not to obscure the view from the audience.
If using transparencies, point to the screen with a pointer.
Minimize wording on transparencies -- use brief phrases and key words rather than complete sentences.
Hand writing on the board and print on transparencies should be LARGE so that the audience can easily read it.
If preparing 8 ½" x 11" transparencies, leave margins at the top and bottom of 2 ½ inches.
Other tips
Rehearse your talk at least three times before presenting to the class. This is critical in making sure you use your allotted amount of time and that you effectively address your key points.
Relax -- nobody is out to get you.

Answer 4

First off, practice, practice, practice.

I have been told in class to memorize the introduction. That helped me.

If time permits, try to make shorter presentations in front of the class....this helped students in my public speaking class. The more times you can get up in front of the class, the more comfortable you will be when it comes time for the longer presentation.

Use a power point or some sort of visual aide, then, for a short period of time, the focus will be off of you.

Have note cards but try not to rely too heavily on them.

Lastly, if making eye contact with everyone freaks you out, pick out a friend in class to look at a few times per minute. Or pick a spot on the back wall and look there.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Answer 5

unwell guess you theres a lot of of scholars on your very classification experience the comparable way. And the cocky ones who think of theyre super...in basic terms wait, theyll slip up on some thing. they are not extra useful than you and you're no longer a moron. i comprehend this may be a end hollow degree, yet google the drug propranolol, medical doctors sometimes prescribe a small dose for people who're frightened approximately public issues like a speech or despite. Works wonders, have faith me! Youll do positive, and if somebody asks a query you dont comprehend the answer to, in basic terms admit it and say "Oh Im sorry, I didnt analyze that distinctive situation, in line with risk i will get lower back to you later with an answer" Breathe deep, have capability!

Answer 6

Start by practicing at home -- focus on the material. Is there anyone you can use as an audience -- someone you already trust enough that you don't get flustered? Use that person to practice, practice, practice.

When you get to class, you know your material, you know your organization, and you pretend your trusted audience is in the back of the room. Flit eye contact around the room, but the only person you really care about is your trustee, invisible in the back. Keep your voice pitched to her, even when you're looking in the front row. Everyone else is merely an attentive rhesus monkey, someone who's been trained to listen quietly for ten minutes, and then they'll all get bananas form the keeper. Sure, a couple of them will break training and chatter, but they're merely reducing their share of bananas.

Finally, what's the worst that can happen? Really -- imagine it, work through it, and realize that even if that *does* happen, you're now ready for it. So, what's the worst: you blow your speech, say something really stupid, and wind up as the topic of conversation at lunch for the week? Yes, I've been there -- but if you admit your mistake and roll with the humor, it turns into positive attention and a good learning experience. Help make fun of yourself. The two times I really screwed up, I got more attention than I thought I'd ever see form a couple of cute ... well, it was the start of nice friendships.
As for the worst, I'll relay a story from a highly-paid, motivational speaker, whom I heard on this very topic. His worst experience was pretty bad. He was in the wings at a fancy hotel, about to be introduced for his four-hour series of sessions in a highly-charged business topic. The people out front were division heads, CEOs, marketing leaders for large companies. Their employers had paid over a thousand dollars each for this seminar, and this guy was the brand-name speaker. He had a little gas from breakfast, and decided he'd better let it out before he got on stage, so he carefully relaxed the appropriate muscles ...
... and had to tell the person introducing him that he *had* to go upstairs and change his pants -- he'd be 15 mintues late with the keynote address, delaying the entire seminar by that much.
He survived -- in fact, he started the keynote address by telling the audience exactly what had happened. We're all human. This means that we make mistakes, we survive, we admit things to each other, we help each other, and we learn.

Answer 7

I used to have this problem! I would freeze and worry about what people thought of me. But over time the more presentations I did, I actually feel comfortable now. Bottom line who cares what people think of you. Everyone has to do this, so don't be shy. Just breathe slowly and just focus on one spot of the room...or look over their heads. Just have some cue cards to keep you focused...and practice lots...in front of your plant, a pet or a relative.

You will overcome this eventually...and you'll do great! You have nothing to lose...and dont' care too much about what people think of you!

Answer 8

I am the same as you. I get really nervous in front of crowds. Went through highschool and 4 year college like that. I did a million presentations in college but still never really got over the nervousness. I only learned how to hide it better, hehe. Good luck and just think of it as a practice for presentations that will actually matter during your job or career. Do alot of ummms and remember to breath.

Answer 9

Ok well when I have to publically speak I ...

1. Try to read and think about what I am going to say and how you are going to present it!

2. Talk to yourself and tell yourself you WILL do a good job, make yourself feel confident!

3. Always look up at people espiecially at your friends. (set up your friends around the room so when you look up it looks like your looking at everyone and not just them!

4. Just relax and talk deep breaths and DONT stress! Just think about other thing like what you are going to after the presentation!
Dont worry im sure you will do fine, GOODLUCK!!!

Answer 10

I had to give one also, and I turned out to be fine.
For a couple minutes beforehand, breathe deeply and slowly with your eyes closed.
Think about being in your favorite place in the world.
Pretend you're a talk show host and you're just sharing a funny story that happened on the way to the supermarket.
Relaxxxxxx.
Don't stress and worry.
Speak clearly and slowly.
Hope I helped!