The art of Speaking Skill

Control Your Internal Monologue

You can learn to control Internal Monologue by a process called cognitive modification in which you identify negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. Think positively in three areas: about the message, about the audience, and about yourself:

• To think positively about the message, select a topic that interests you and is beneficial to your audience. Give yourself enough time for research and organization. Be sure of your pronunciation; check the dictionary to make sure you know how to say unfamiliar words.
• To promote positive thoughts about the audience, remember that other students are probably just as nervous when they speak, and they are not experts in your subject Assume that they want you to succeed, and focus  on the purpose of your speech. (If your first language is not English, think of how your audience would feel if they had to give a speech in your native language.)
• Maintain a positive self-image by focusing oil the things you x111 well Remind yourself that your worth as a person is unrelated to your skill as a novice public speaker and that competence develops will) experience.

How to Control your speech rate

Your speech should be fluent but neither too hesitant nor too gushy. Say your words slowly enough to be understood and fast enough to sustain the audience’s interest. In speaking, this is ordinarily between 130 and 150 words per minute, and in oral reading between 150 and 175 words per minute. The discussion of light subjects and the presentation of simple narrative material and exciting ideas can be carried on at a faster rate than the presentation of complicated instructional material in unfamiliar subject-matter areas.

When a number of listeners are included in the discussion (other things being equal), the rate should be slower than when there are only one or two persons. Situations involving distraction require a slower rate than situations which are free from distraction.

Rate variation is an effective way of suggesting the nature of the thought being expressed and the relative emphasis to be given to it. The timing of the punch line, for example, is very important.

Practice to determine your most effective rate in speaking and oral reading

Your speaking rate should vary with the relative importance of the ideas, and it should never be so fast that your phrasing or emphasis suffers.

If you dependent on such excess vocalizations as “er” and have a friend listen to your speech and signal. You whenever you use one of these sounds. This will be distracting at first but it will help to break your dependence on this habit.

How to control Audience Adaptation During the Speech

No matter how hard you work ahead of time, things may not go exactly as planned on the cay of your speech. For speeches in the classroom you may find that the overhead projector for your visual aids is not available or that another student has the same topic as you. For speeches outside the classroom you might learn that the room for your speech has been changed, that the audience will be much larger (or smaller) than you had anticipated, or even that the amount of time available for your speech has been cut in half because a previous speaker has droned on for too long.

if something like this happens to you, don’t panic. Find another way to present your visual aids. Modify your introduction to mention the other student’s speech on your topic. Adjust your delivery to the changed audience size. And if you find you have less time for your speech than you had planned, don’t simply talk twice as fast to get everything in-that would be worse than not talking at all. Instead, condense your speech to its most essential points and present them in the time available. Your listeners will sympathize with your predicament and will appreciate your regard for their time. This will more than compensate for your lost speaking time.

Finally, be sure to keep an eye out during your speech for audience feedback. If your listeners are sitting forward in their chairs, looking at you with interest, and nodding their heads in approval, you can assume things are going well. But suppose you find them frowning or responding with quizzical looks. Then you may need to back up and go over your point again.

Ten ways to control communication understanding

1. Learn and use speech skills to develop confidence.

2. Practice relaxation exercise to control tension.

3. Replace negative, self-defeating statements with positive statements.

4. Visualize yourself being successful.

5. Select a topic that interest and excites you.

6. Select a topic you know something about and research it thoroughly.

7. Use a visual aid to release energy through movement.

8. Practice, practice, practice!

9. Expect your audience to be helpful and attentive.

10. Act confident, even if you do not quite feel that way.