Oral Communications Fridays 10am-2pm Ms. McDaniel and/or

Course Description This course is designed to develop students’ ability to communicate effectively. Emphasis is placed upon the basic elements of communication in order to strengthen students’ interpersonal and professional speaking skills.

Foundations of Public Speaking Aristotle’s Rhetoric Cicero and the Five Arts Storytelling

Public Speaking Is a Life Skill Developing transferable skills ◦ Becoming more confident and managing speech anxiety ◦ Becoming a better listener ◦ Adapting to different audiences and building your credibility ◦ Finding and using reliable information ◦ Organizing ideas and information effectively ◦ Presenting ideas and information effectively

Transferable Life Skills

Public Speaking Is a Life Skill Cont. Speaking effectively in common public communication contexts ◦ In classes ◦ In the workplace ◦ In communities ◦ At social events ◦ Online

Public Speaking and Human Communication Today Cont. Models of human communication ◦ Mass media ◦ Information technology ◦ Personal communications technology ◦ Face-to-face

The Elements of Public Speaking Speaker Message Channel Audience Noise Feedback Context Environment

Key Issues for Today’s Public Speaker Ethics Critical thinking Cultural awareness Using presentation software

Speech Anxiety The fear of speaking in front of an audience

What Causes Speech Anxiety? Temperament Introvert? Extrovert? Response to uncertainty ◦ Uncertainty reduction theory

The Uncertainties of Public Speaking Your role as a speaker Your speaking ability Your ideas The audience’s response The setting Technology Evaluation

Visualization, Relabeling, & Relaxation

Building Your Confidence Before the Day of Your Speech Start planning and preparing your speech early Choose a topic you care about Become an expert on your topic Research your audience Practice your speech Know your introduction and conclusion well

Building Your Confidence on the Day of Your Speech Before presenting your speech ◦ Keep all your notes and materials organized ◦ Arrive early ◦ Take calming breaths ◦ Warm up your voice ◦ Make sure all technical aspects of your speech are ready to go ◦ Concentrate on the other speakers

Building Your Confidence on the Day of Your Speech Cont. During your speech ◦ Display a confident attitude ◦ Expect to experience some anxiety ◦ Turn your anxiety into productive energy ◦ Avoid overanalyzing your anxiety ◦ Never comment on your speech anxiety ◦ Focus on your audience, not yourself ◦ Pay attention to audience feedback ◦ Make no apologies or excuses

Building Your Confidence on the Day of Your Speech Cont. After you’ve presented your speech ◦ Listen carefully to audience members’ questions ◦ Recognize that speech anxiety can occur even after you finish your speech ◦ Reinforce your confidence ◦ Identify useful strategies for managing speech anxiety ◦ Develop a plan for managing anxiety to use in future speaking situations

Building Your Confidence Table

Relevant Web sites American Rhetoric Public speaking tips What causes some to panic? Toastmasters International The Moth