DEVELOPING SELF-CONFIDENCE
Activity 1
Identify your fears
Identify your fears
Think of five reasons you have presentation anxiety. Use some of the following reasons if they apply, or come up with five of your own personal fears.
- I’ll forget what I want to say
- I’m afraid no one will be interested in my topic
- The audience is too large
- I don’t know anyone in the audience
- I don’t speak well in public
- Everyone will see how nervous I am
- I might not be prepared enough
- Listeners won’t understand me
- My English isn’t very good
- The audience won’t like me
Rank reasons 1 to 5 from the one that causes you more anxiety. Now think of two positive beliefs for each fear you identify.
For example: Everyone will see how nervous I am. (fear)
Nervousness is normal. Besides, I know I don’t look as nervous as I feel. (positive belief)
Speech 1: Self-introduction
Assignment: Give a “Picture Story” speech.
- Prepare a 3 to 4 minute autobiographical speech. Your speech should include information about your:
-Background (early childhood)
-Family
-Present involvements (work, school)
-Hobbies and special interests
-Future goals and dreams
- Prepare five sets of pictures, one set for each of the five areas you talk about. Use a different picture for each piece of information you want to share with your audience.
- Where will you find the pictures? Use any combination of the following:
-Draw your own pictures. (Don’t worry if you are not an artist. Simple stick figures or sketches are fine as long as they represent what you want to say about yourself.)
-Use computer clip art (cartoons or pictures). Choose clip art that reminds you of what you want to say. Be sure to enlarge the clip art so that your audience can see it easily, should you decide to share your pictures with them.
-Use photographs from your photo albums at home.
-Cut out pictures from magazines or newspapers.
- Each of your five sets of pictures should be on heavyweight paper.
EVALUATION
The following aspects will be taken into account:
Delivery:
Posture, Eye Contact, Volume of Voice, Rate of Speech, Intelligibility, Enthusiasm, Adherence to Time Limit.
Content:
Background, Information About Family, Present Involvements, Hobbies, Future Plans, Supporting Details, Clear Organization, Visual Aids.
Speech 2: Give an “Old Bag” Speech
- Organize and deliver a 3 to 4minute speech about yourself using four props. Your bag and the items in it will be your outline and will help keep you organized
a. Choose a bag that is meaningful to you for some reason. It could be a suitcase, a briefcase, a backpack, a handbag, a shopping bag, a duffle bag, etc.
b. Select three items that symbolize something about your past, present and future and hide them in your bag. Choose unique or personally meaningful items to help your classmates learn more about your background, present involvements, special interests, and goals in life.
- Take out your items one at a time. Explain how each item symbolizes your life. Then explain why the bag you chose to hold your item is important or meaningful to you.
EVALUATION
The following aspects will be taken into account:
Delivery:
Posture, Eye Contact, Volume of Voice, Rate of Speech, Intelligibility, Enthusiasm, Adherence to Time Limit.
Content:
Item One (Past), Item Two (Present), Item Three (Future), Your Bag Analysis, Supporting Details, Clear Organization.
Speech 3: A Personal Experience
Assignment: Give a Speech About an Experience you Had as a Child
- Think of an experience you had as a child. The experience can be good, bad, interesting, or funny. Possible topics include:
The time I Got Lost The Day I Played Hooky
My Most Memorable Birthday The Day I Ran Away from Home
My First Bicycle An Important Lesson I Learned
A Terrible Lie I Told My First Pet
My First Day at School My First Childhood Sweetheart
- Using the Personal Experience Speech Preparation Worksheet prepare notes for speech about this experience. Be sure to include all the information that will help your audience relive this experience with you.
- Give a 3 to 4 minute speech about your experience.
EVALUATION
The following aspects will be taken into account:
Delivery:
Posture, Eye Contact, Volume of Voice, Rate of Speech, Intelligibility, Enthusiasm, Adherence to Time Limit.
Content:
Choice of Topic, Introduction, Supporting Details, Clear Organization, Visual Aids, Graceful Conclusion.
Speech 4: Specific fear
Assignment: give a speech about a specific fear.
- Choose a specific fear that you have.
- Using the specific Fear speech preparation Worksheet prepare notes for a speech about this fear. Be sure to include all the information that will help your audience understand your fear and the reasons for it.
- Give a 3 to 4 minute speech about your fear.
EVALUATION
The following aspects will be taken into account:
Delivery:
Posture, Eye Contact, Volume of Voice, Rate of Speech, Intelligibility, Enthusiasm, Adherence to Time Limit.
Content:
Choice of Topic, Introduction, Supporting Details, Clear Organization, Visual Aids, Graceful Conclusion.
PRONUNCIATION TIP
SENTENCE STRESS
Just as it’s awkward to give all syllables in a word equal or incorrect stress, it’s unnatural to stress all the words in a sentence in the same way.
Content words (e.g., nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and question words) or words that convey meaning, are the important words in a sentence. We usually stress them when speaking. On the other hand, function words (e. g., articles and prepositions) don’t carry as much meaning as content words and are less important. We usually do not stress them when speaking.
TONGUE TWISTER
Betty Botter had some butter,
"But," she said, "this butter's bitter.
If I bake this bitter butter,
it would make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter--
that would make my batter better."
"But," she said, "this butter's bitter.
If I bake this bitter butter,
it would make my batter bitter.
But a bit of better butter--
that would make my batter better."
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