Learning Objectives

1.

Assess your level of speech anxiety. Anxiety or fear affects all speech makers. One of the best ways to cope with speech fright is to design and rehearse your presentation carefully. In addition, you should learn to recognize the causes of fear, as well as the physical and mental sensations that accompany it, so that you can learn to control your reactions with appropriate behavior modification techniques.

2.

Use deep-muscle relaxation, thought stopping, visualization, and other techniques to reduce speech anxiety. Among the techniques you can use to reduce speech anxiety are thought stopping and visualization. Both of these techniques help to eliminate the thoughts and symptoms associated with fear; the first by stopping the fear inducing process, the second by boosting confidence.

3.

Discuss four types of delivery: manuscript, memorized, impromptu, and extemporaneous. There are four general options for delivery: (1) A manuscript speech is written out word for word and then read aloud.
(2) A memorized speech is a manuscript speech committed to memory. (3) An impromptu speech is delivered on the spur of the moment. (4) An extemporaneous speech is researched, outlined, and delivered after careful rehearsal.

4.

Identify how the speaker can use visual and vocal cues to advantage. In delivering the speech, you have three basic kinds of tools at your disposal: verbal, visual, and vocal. Far too often, the verbal component is overemphasized while the nonverbal aspects are underemphasized. Effective speech making requires that you pay attention to the visual aspects of your delivery, such as your clothing, posture, gestures, movements, and use of eye contact, and that your vocal cues reinforce-rather than sabotage-the content.

5.

Analyze a speech maker's performance (including your own) in terms of content, organization, language, and delivery. Careful rehearsal of your presentation can help you develop the confidence and competence required to deliver an outstanding speech. To ensure continued improvement, you should conduct postpresentation analyses, which will enable you to profit from each speaking experience.

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