on Apr 5th, 2009The Importance of Practice for a public speaker
It takes a lot of practice to sound natural. Although this statement may seem contradictory, it should not be surprising. Speaking before a group is not your typical way of communicating. Even though most people seem spontaneous and relaxed when talking with a small group of friends, something happens when they walk to the front of a room and face a larger audience of less familiar faces. They often freeze or become stilted and awkward. This blocks the natural flow of communication.
The key to overcoming this problem is to practice until you can respond fully to your ideas as you present them. Your voice, face, and body should express your feelings as well as your thoughts. On the day of Four speech, you become a model for your listeners, showing them how they should respond in turn.
To develop an effective extemporaneous style, practice until you feel that the speech is part of you. During practice you can actually hear what you have been preparing and try out the words and techniques you have been considering. What looked like a good idea in your outline may not seem to work as well when it comes to life in spoken words. It is better to discover this fact in rehearsal than before an actual audience.
You will probably want privacy the first two or three times you practice. Even then you should try to simulate the conditions under which the speech will be given. Stand up while you practice. Imagine your listeners in front of you. Picture them responding positively to what you have to say. Address your ideas to them, and visualize your ideas having impact.
If possible, go to your classroom to practice. If this is not possible, find another empty room where the speaking arrangements are similar. Such on-site rehearsal helps you get a better feel for the situation you will face, reducing its strangeness when you make your actual presentation. Begin practicing from your formal outline. Once you feel comfortable, switch to your key-word outline, then practice until the outline transfers from the paper to your head.
Keep material to be read to a minimum. Type or print quotations in large letters so that you can see them easily. Put each quotation on a separate index card or sheet of paper. If you will be using a lectern, position this material so that you can maintain frequent eye contact while reading. If you will speak from beside or in front of the lectern, hold your cards in your hand and raise them when it is time to read. Practice reading your quotations until you can present them naturally while only glancing at your notes. If your speech includes presentation aids, practice handling them until they are smoothly integrated into your presentation. They should seem a natural extension of your verbal message.