Preparation for Speaking—Your Voice
(what you start out with) and the Sound it Makes.
1. Speech Is What You Do With Sound.
Remember where the source of your
voice is--it's not in your mouth! Air is pushed out from your abdomen, not from your throat . Before speaking--and while speaking, take deep breaths that result from diaphragm
movement, not movement of the upper chest.
·
It's
a physical thing. The
muscles between the ribs contract when you take a breath, and the ribs swing up
and out. The diaphragm contracts, then descends and flattens, causing a slight
displacement of abdominal organs and an expansion of the upper end of the
abdomen. The size of the chest cavity increases and air rushes in to fill the
vacuum. When you exhale, muscles relax and return to the resting position and
air is forced out of the lungs.
·
You
can do an exercise. Feel where
the air is coming from. Stand up, put your hand on your abdomen; let air in,
let air out. Count to 5, then 10, on a breath. Feel it? It's relaxing.
·
Speaking
posture: Stand in a comfortable position, not
rigidly straight, not slumped over.
2. Your Voice Creates An Impression.
What Kind Of Impression Do You Want To Make?
(A)
Pitch: The tone of your voice. It is high?
Low? A low voice may carry better. Correct breathing will help you achieve a
lower pitch, to a point. So will relaxing.
(B)
Inflection: Don't sound querulous. That is,
don't end sentences with an upward tone as you do when you ask a question
(unless you want to sound uncertain). Beware of the inflections of sarcasm;
these inflections usually don't play well and can sound whiny and annoying.
(C)
Pace: The speed at which your thoughts are
put together out loud. Normal conversational speech is done with rapid bursts
of sound. Public speaking pace should be slower and more deliberate than
conversational speech. What may seem to be too slow to the speaker is very
likely just right for the audience. The pace you choose may be related to the
kind of audience and content of your material. Aim for a slow pace, with lots
of pauses between ideas.
(D)
Articulation and Pronunciation: Articulation
is the ability to produce individual sounds. Pronunciation is putting sounds
together to make understandable words. Understandability is key. Don't blur
words. Voice complete and distinct sounds. This is not as simple as it sounds.
Articulating plosives is a big help: b. d, g, dz (j in jump), p, t, k, ts, (ch
in child), particularly when they end words as in "white."
Say only words! Don't vocalize,
making sounds like "um, uh, er, aaah." Avoid sounds that only
masquerade as words, like "like," that impart zero information. Learn
to enjoy silence.
3. Get Your Voice Ready!
(A)
Practice breath control. Avoid
upper thoracic (throat) breathing.
(B) Find
your natural standing body position and
be comfortable.
(C) Watch
what you eat before a talk. Avoid
dairy products. Coagulation occurs around vocal chords and makes you want to
clear your throat. Avoid having a large meal beforehand.
(D)
Practice your speech by giving
it to a tape recorder. This will be the harshest test you can give yourself. If
you have no tape recorder, practice it out loud.
(E) Get
your voice to stretch. Make
sure it can reach the back of the room, at least in practice. In reality, you
will probably have a microphone--but what if you don't?
1. You Will Probably Read Your
Speech (or Glance At Notes):
Having notes with you is the safest
way to give a speech, especially a long speech or one filled with important
points. Those notes should be as helpful as possible. They should serve as a
script.
Don't read
everything! Never read: "Hello. I'm happy
to be here." (There goes any illusion of spontaneity!)
Adjust
your notes to the actual situation: "In
Figure Two we can see..." (Can we?).
Write how
you talk. We don't talk the way we write.
Written work can sound stuffy and pompous when being read. Sentences with
numerous sub-clauses may look great in an essay, but aren't easily followed in
a speech. Besides, why should people sit and hear what they could more easily
read? What do you add to prose by speaking it aloud?
Avoid
clichés (they make your speech sound "canned"),
and cumbersome words (What did he say?). Say it simply, straightforwardly, in
your very own words.
Give
yourself written aural hints. It's
a script, after all. Give yourself stage directions. Write down hints like
"pause" and underline words you want to emphasize. Number the pages.
Don't write on the back of pages when you have written on the front.
Write or
type with VERY LARGE fonts and
lots of spacing. It is a script. You will be acting it out. You will not be
able to peer at it closely.
Speed
kills, especially when a talk is loaded
with statistics, technical phrases and complex ideas. Reading statistics is
safer than saying them from memory. You will sound more trustworthy.
2. If You Insist On Speaking From
Memory...
This is actually an excellent way to
speak if:
·
(A) you have a real talent for it,
·
(B) other people agree you have a talent for it,
·
(C) you relate well to live audiences and like to think on your
feet,
·
(D) you have given the same speech many times before, or
·
(E) the occasion is so informal that you know lapses will be
forgiven.
Don't do a
brain dump. Think about what you're saying;
don't go into automatic gear so that you become unstoppable. Be flexible.
Don't
ramble. When your audience is aware you have
no notes, they may worry where you're going with the subject matter and how
long it will take you to get there. Also be on the lookout for vagueness and
inaccuracy or the appearance thereof.
Have notes
available, just in case. It
never hurts to have notes on hand that you don't need to use.
3. Do What Works Best For You.
Remember:
·
Memorizing has potentially dangerous shortcomings (like going blank).
·
Speaking
impromptu , off the cuff is risky, though
spontaneous. Talent and experience help tremendously. Best done at informal
occasions.
·
Reading a speech can be dull but, with practice, shouldn't be. This
is clearly the safest method.
·
Small
note cards printed with abbreviated notes,
lead-in phrases, important words or statistics and other cues make one of the
best all-around choices--if you practice.
1. The Visible Structure:
The audience should be aware of your
speech structure. It's like knowing where you are on a road map--the audience
will be happier if they know where you are in your speech at any given time,
and where you're headed.
(A) Outline
what will be told. Tell them
what you're going to tell them.
(B) Let
the audience know where you are going. "Next,
I'll describe..." "Then, I'll show you..."
(C)
Count: "There are three ways..."
"I will tell you two stories that illustrate..." Keep track of those
numbers!
(D) Refer
back to what you said earlier. Tie
loose ends together. Remind them.
(E) Use
repetition. Begin similar points with the same
words (but not excessively!).
(F) Use
repetition. Refer to the same things and the
same people in the same way each time. The audience cannot flip back a page to
check a name.
(G) Assign
responsibility. Don't be vague and say, "they
believe..." or "they say..." unless you tell the audience who
they are. If you are speaking of only your own beliefs, take responsibility and
say, "I believe that..."
(H) Give
credit for ideas and quotations you use.
Speeches don't have footnotes.
(I) Create
a motif, if you can ("I have a dream..."),
but know when to do it. Don't create a motif if you--or the occasion--aren't up
to it.
2. Putting One Foot Before the Other
Ask yourself these questions: Is
your order logical? Are you following a route? Are you taking your audience
down a road they can visualize?
(A) Does
the evidence you give lead to the conclusion you intend to draw?
(B) Don't
be preachy (unless you are truly preaching).
Don't throw conclusions at the audience. Work up to conclusions with
information.
(C)
Present events chronologically (or
in some other appropriate order).
(D) Do the
events or data build to a
climax?
3. Be Concrete. Be Metaphorical.
A few specifics are almost always
better than many generalizations.
(A) Make
analogies . Give examples.
(B) Tell a
story that illustrates the point.
(C) Show
spatial relationships .
Visualize things. Use your hands!
(D) Give
details. Only you have this information--what
is it (your subject) really like?
(E) Don't
hang an entire speech on the hook of a single metaphor (i.e. every aspect of a game of football represents a point
you want to make, etc.)
4. In Conclusion...
(A) Check
the time discreetly . Be
prepared to wind up quickly, or compress final stories.
(B)
Reiterate your major points .
Did you tell them what you said you would?
(C) Don't
fade away. The last sentence should be one of
your strongest.
In a Written Piece
How is necessary information given
in a written article?
·
Title of book or article, author's
name and (sometimes) author's position and background:
·
Table of contents:
·
Charts, tables:
·
Underlined words, words in boldface,
exclamation points!
·
Photographs:
·
Paragraphs:
·
List of items in alphabetical,
numerical, or bulleted order:
·
Chapter headings:
·
Quotation marks
·
Footnotes:
·
Page numbers:
·
Names, or other identification
(reader can't turn back a page to check):
·
Ending may be titled
"Conclusions." Final sentence is a strong, summary, or even visionary
statement:
In a Speech
How do you give the same information
when you're speaking out loud?
·
Someone introduces the speaker,
gives information about the speaker that is relevant to the occasion, plus the
title or subject matter of the speech, etc.
·
Speaker tells the audience what
s/he's going to talk about.
·
Overheads, slides, the blackboard, a
live demonstration, miming (describing something with gestures), etc.
·
Speaker writes word on blackboard,
lingers on the word and/or repeats it; speaker uses appropriate hand gestures
for emphasis.
·
Speaker tells anecdotes or stories
which illuminate important points.
·
Speaker pauses for a few seconds
between separate sections or ideas.
·
Speaker counts off items in
numerical order ("one... two..," etc.) to help audience keep track.
·
Speaker says s/he is now going to
talk about the following...
·
Speaker says "as X once
said..." or uses the words "quote" and "unquote," (but
does not make quote signs in the air with his/her fingers).
·
Speaker takes a brief moment to
explain words, references, etc. which may not be understandable to everyone.
This is equivalent to making a parenthetical remark.
·
Speaker lets the audience know where
s/he is in the speech. For example: "First I'll describe X, and then I'll
tell you about Y..."
·
Speaker calls people, places and
things by the same name each time so that it is clear to what or whom s/he is
referring. Speaker refers back: "X works in the same way as Y which I told
you about earlier..."
·
Speaker indicates by summarizing
(saying "in conclusion..."), and by tone of voice that the speech is
ending. Final sentence is a strong summary, or even visionary statement.
1. Who
Are They?
(A) What
is the background (knowledge base) of
the people you are going to be talking to? Adjust the level of your talk
accordingly. Try to reach everyone.
(B) What
mood are they likely to be in? What
did they do before your talk? What are they going to be doing after? Is the
atmosphere or setting formal or informal?
(C) Who
are they? Both sexes, more than likely,
probably religiously and ethnically diverse, etc. Therefore:
·
Don't exclude part of your audience
by (for example) referring solely to "men" and telling stories using
only the pronoun "he." On the other hand, don't pander to your
audience by overdoing in the opposite direction.
·
Making a show of your thoughtfulness
by switching genders in every remark you make can be annoying.
·
Don't assume your audience is tuned
into or sympathetic with group "in-jokes."
(D) Be
prepared to update your talk on
the spot as the result of pre-speech encounters with members of the audience.
Value these encounters and mingle, if you can, before you talk. You will have
an opportunity to find out who they are, what they are interested in, and what
they are hoping to hear or not hear. You may be able to add a comment like,
"Someone told me this evening that..." to your talk.
(E)
Questions: If you have the slightest hint that
not everyone has heard the question being asked, repeat it before you proceed
to answer it. It is frustrating to hear only answers.
(F)
Handling disruption: It's
probably best to acknowledge a disruption. But if you do, you will draw
attention to it. So, if it's a minor disruption, it may be wiser to ignore it.
Remember, at the podium, you are in charge, and your attitude will to a large
extent determine the attitude of the audience.
2. Who
Are You , Anyway?
(A) Why
are you the one speaking on this subject? The person who introduced you may not have told this to the
audience or covered all the right points. Fill them in. Make corrections.
(B) Be
honest! Tell the audience how you feel. Make
sure feelings and attitudes you discuss are ascribed to the right person or
group. Remember the difference between "I believe" and "they
believe."
If you don't know the answer to a
question from the audience, admit it. Defer to an expert. Offer to look it up.
If it involves a long (and possibly boring) answer, suggest the person talk
with you afterwards.
(C) Make
eye contact. but don't link eyes with one person.
You will make him/her feel uncomfortable. See everyone; back, front, sides.
(D) If you
make an error, ignore it and seamlessly move on. Or, acknowledge it briefly and then move on. Or, engage the
sympathy of the audience by either confessing the error or making a small joke
about it. (Warning: Jokes are high risk. What if no one laughs?)
(E) Look
friendly. An audience is unlikely to warm to a
speaker who seems unhappy at the prospect of talking to them. Match your
demeanor to your topic, not to your anxieties.
(A) You,
the speaker, are a visual aid. You
are "on stage" the moment you are introduced. You can't pretend
you're not there while you set up your demonstration or check out the podium,
etc. That's one reason it's best to have things set up--and checked out--in
advance, especially when the set-up is complicated.
(B) Talk
while you do stuff. If you
must set up a visual aid while you are delivering your talk, plan to talk about
it while you're doing this, especially if this is a lengthy process. You need
to keep control of the audience; don't let them drift away.
(C) Keep
demonstrations or materials simple .
Don't get yourself caught up running a three-ring circus. There will be too
much for you to do; too much can go wrong, and you may trip over all your
electrical cords (especially if they were not taped to the floor).
(D) Keep the
visuals simple. If you are showing something on a
screen, one idea per slide or overhead is about right. Avoid complicated
slides/overheads. Don't show pictures of things you do not intend to explain.
Lead your audience through diagrams, even if you think they are simple.
(E) Avoid
annoying the audience:
·
Don't read to them. If a slide has a
great deal of writing on it, give them time to read it; they can read faster
than you can speak.
·
Use a pointer when you can, not your
hands. Stay away from a light beam pointer unless you can hold it steady (most
people can't, especially when they're nervous).
·
If you are RIGHT-handed, stand on
the RIGHT
side of a visual display from the audience's perspective (If you're writing on the blackboard this will be your
LEFT.) It will force you to keep your body somewhat turned toward the audience
even while working on the blackboard; you can talk to the audience over you
right shoulder if you talk while writing.
·
Look at the slides you are showing;
make sure they are showing what you say they are showing.
·
If you use an overhead projector,
practice laying transparencies right-side-up and turning the projector on/off.
Keep your hands off transparencies while they are being displayed.
·
Be certain that equipment works;
check it out in advance. Number slides, and make sure they are facing properly.
You should have checked the room in advance.
·
Make sure everyone can see your
demonstration or slides. And listen to your audience: if people indicate they
cannot see, find a way they can.
(F)
Heighten interest. If you
have a number of objects to display, reveal them one at a time. Don't show your
audience all your tricks before you begin. When you're finished with an object,
put it away. Don't play with it.
(G) Chose
the right time to give out handouts .
Do you want people to look at them while you talk? Will the handouts heighten
interest in your talk? Or diminish it?
(H)
Practice your speech with all the visuals. Time them as they are integrated with your speech, and get
comfortable with the way they fit in. Including visuals will magically lengthen
the time it takes you to give your speech.
Check everything! Pretend to be
confident!
1. Did you
preview the site? Check room
size, acoustics, lighting (and how to control it, if it's controllable),
microphones, availability of a blackboard, chalk, electrical outlets, where people
enter and exit, etc.
2. Do you
know where your equipment is? Confirm
your order for an overhead, etc. Plan where to locate your handouts. Consider
whether you should have them available in advance or after your talk.
3.
Establish where you will situate yourself with relation to your graphics and
equipment. Will you block the view? How will
you point things out? Where should your notes rest?
4. Don't
eat heavily before your talk, and avoid milk products. The reasons for avoiding a heavy meal may be obvious. Milk
products coat your larynx and may cause you to do a lot of throat-clearing.
5. Mingle
with the audience before you speak, if you have the opportunity. You may learn some relevant things that you can incorporate
into your talk. Or make a last minute adjustment to what you were going to say.
6. How are
you being introduced? Did you
tell the person who will introduce you what to say? And how to pronounce your
name? Listen carefully to your introduction and take note so that when you
speak, you don't repeat what was said. Make a mental note to add to it or make
a minor correction if you think it's necessary.
7. Once
you've been announced, you are on stage. From the moment you were introduced you have been the focus
of the audience's attention. It has no one else to look at but you. Move
confidently.
8. When
you're ready to begin- don't. Wait! Take
a moment to catch your breath. (Remember- abdominal breathing!) Make a pleasant face at the audience. Take a comfortable
stance. Breathe. Look at everyone before you
start.
9. Keep an
eye on your equipment as you move around or move things around. Avoid lengthy silences while you adjust equipment or arrange
visuals or write on the blackboard. Talk and do. Watch where you're walking.
Don't get tangled up in electrical cords. Keep your overheads in order as you
use them. Don't get too close to the microphone.
10.
Questions: the inaudible, the complex, the unanswerable, and the hostile. Repeat questions to the rest of the audience. Feel free to
comment, e.g., "That's a good question!" Break complicated ones into
simple components; tell the person asking a question you can't answer that
you'll get back to him/her later or that you don't know. Don't respond to
hostile questions by repeating the accusation; answer positively.
11. Head
up when you're done! End
naturally, without a "thank you." Look at the audience and
acknowledge to them that you are done. Save your "thank you" for the
roar of applause. Smile. Leave the podium as slowly as you walked to it. Don't
look as if you're escaping. Head up all the way back to your seat!
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