BBB3102 Public SpeakingIntroduction to Public Speaking

Learning outcomesStudents should be able to

• Explain the value of a course in public speaking• Discuss the history of public speaking• Identify the similarities and differences between public

speaking and everyday conversation• Explain why it is okay to be nervous before giving a

speech• Discuss how to control nervousness• Identify the elements of the speech communication

process.

What is public speaking?• Public speaking is a way of making your ideas

public.

• You may share your ideas with people or you may try to influence people to agree with you

• Many renowned men and women in the world have spread their ideas through public speaking.

What is public speaking-cont’d• Public speaking is everywhere around us.

The Prime Minister giving a speech in Parliament. A police officer giving a speech on road safety at a

school A doctor explaining a new method of surgery A salesman talking about a new product A teacher showing how to solve mathematical problem

• You may have been doing public speaking in informal setting Making announcement in front of class Leading a group discussion Giving final year project presentation

• Hence, public speaking is not something foreign to us after all.

Benefits of a public speaking course• Can learn and improve your public speaking skills

May need to give a speech in public at one point in your life, whether at university, work, or a social gathering

• Employers want people who have public speaking skills. Accountants, architects, technicians, scientists,

stockbrokers, engineers

• Students should take a public speaking course because __________________________________________________

History of public speaking• Public speaking has been

taught and studied for thousands of years.

• Every culture has a word that means orator in English.

• Oldest handbook on effective speech was written on papyrus in Egypt 4,500 years ago

• In ancient India, Africa, China, Aztecs, pre-European cultures of North and South America, public speakers were highly respected.

• In classical Greece and Rome, students were taught public speaking. Many principles from

Aristotle’s Rhetoric (third century B.C.E) have been used by speakers and writers up until now.

Which of these came first?

A. Facebook

B. Twitter

C. Yahoo Messenger

D. Public Speaking

How long has Public Speaking been practiced?

A. 4 years ago

B. 40 years ago

C. 400 years ago

D. 4000 years ago

Similarities between public speaking and conversation

Daily conversation

1. You organize your thoughts logically

2. You tailor your message to your audience

3. You tell a story for maximum impact

4. You adapt to listener feedback

Public speaking

Organizing your thoughts logically

Version A

When you see a junction near my house, turn left. But before that, go straight for 3 kilometers. Remember to take a right turn at the UMT gate and turn left at the first junction.

Version B

First, take a right turn at the UMT gate. At the first junction you see, turn left. Then go straight for 3 kilometers. When you see a big signboard, turn left again. You will see my blue house.

How do you tell a friend the direction to your house?

Similarly, when giving a speech, you organize your speech into logical format ie. introduction, main point 1,2, 3, conclusion.

Tailoring your message to the audience• When phoning home to ask for some money, you plan on

how to ask for it depending on who answers the phone. If your caring mother answers the phone:

If your fierce, hot-tempered father answers the phone:

• When giving a speech, you modify your language to suit the audience. For example, your topic is “where do babies come from?” and

your audience is year 4 pupils from SK Tok Jembal. Will you use the scientific terms e.g. fertilization, chromosome,

etc.?

Mother, need money. Waaahhh!!!

Hello father. How are you? Even though I cannot see you now, I think you look very handsome. By the way, I need to buy….therefore..money…

Telling a story for maximum impact

Version A

You’re not gonna believe this. I saw a lady’s body flying 20 meters in the air. It started like this. I was walking …….

Version B

You’re not gonna believe this. I was walking to campus just now. There was this old lady trying to cross the street. A sports car was coming very fast. ….boommm! I saw the lady’s body flying 20 meters in the air…..blood all over..

How do you start telling some friends about an accident you just saw?

When giving a speech, you do the same. For example, your topic is about the effects of smoking. You order the effects accordingly. You save the worst effect as the last main point (i.e. main point 3)

Adapting to listener feedback• Whenever you talk with someone, you get feedback

through the person’s verbal, facial, and physical reactions and quickly adapts your message.

• Example: Your girlfriend: Darling! Please try this cake. You: (while eating the cake) Yuk! Tastes like garbage. Your girlfriend: (looking sad) I made this cake myself,

and you said it tasted like garbage? Waaaahhhhh!!!! You: But if you sprinkle 2 cups of sugar on

top, I think your cake will taste good.

When giving a speech, you also adapt. As you give your speech, you notice some people in the audience can’t hear you, so you speak louder. Some people look confused, so your rephrase your sentences.

Differences between public speaking and conversation

Daily conversation

1. Unstructured

2. Informal casual language

3. Informal method of delivery

Public speaking

1. More highly structured

2. Formal language

3. Different method of delivery not the same as in daily conversation

Public speaking is more highly structuredDaily conversation Public

speakingTime limitation

One way communicationSingle topic

Must plan in advance

No time limitation

Two way communicationVariety of topics

Spontaneous

Public speaking requires more formal language

Daily conversation Public speaking

Formal-majority of you, current situation, impressive

Colloquial-you guys, what’s up, that’s so cool

Public speaking requires a different method of deliveryDaily conversation Public speaking

Speak audibly

Formal language

Speaker stands in front

Speak fluently

Close to each other, whisper

Phrases “like”, “you know”

Casual postures

Vocalized pauses uh,er, hmm..

Which of the following skills as used in daily conversation can also be applied in speeches

A. organizing thoughts logically

B. asking for feedback from listeners

C. adjusting the language to suit the audience

D. saving the best points for last for maximum impact

E. speaking as loud as possible

F. telling jokes to break the boredom

G. adapting the message to listener’s feedback

Is it okay to be nervous when giving speeches?• Yes! It’s okay.

• Almost everyone is afraid of public speaking. 70% respondents selected

public speaking as one of the greatest fears.

• Nervousness is normal 76% of experienced

speakers have stage fright before speaking in public.

How to be less nervous?• Gain a lot of speaking

experience

• Prepare your speech fully

• Think positively

• Use the power of visualization

• Know that most nervousness is not visible

• Don’t expect perfection

• Why is it normal for you to be nervous before giving a speech?

• How can you control your nervousness?

The speech communication process

Speaker: the person who is presenting an oral message to a listener.Message: Whatever a speaker communicates to someone else. Verbal message is accompanied by nonverbal message (tone, facial expression, ..)Channel: the means by which a message is communicated (face to face, phone, TV, radio, internet…)Listener: the person who receives the message. Feedback: the messages, usually nonverbal, sent from a listener to a speaker.Interference: anything that affects the communication of a message. Can be external (noisy place) or internal (listener is thinking about something else).Situation: the time and place in which speech communication occurs (lecture, talking during dinner, meeting..)

• Identify the elements in a speech communication process

1. S_________

2. M_________

3. C ___________

4. L ____________

5. F ____________

6. I ________________

7. S ______________