SPEAKING 2: DELIVERING YOUR MESSAGE

William Shakespeare wrote that all speakers give two speeches at the same time: the one that is heard and the one that is seen.  Believe it or not, most people are frequently more influenced by what they see than by what they hear.  Facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and posture can either hurt or help speakers. 

What is body language? Body language means posture, eye contact, facial expressions and gestures.  Your body language, as well as your speech patterns reflects how you feel about yourself.  It also affects how others react to you.  It can help you convey an aura of confidence, or it can make you appear uncertain before you even open your mouth.

People will pay attention to you and your words if you look them in the eye, improve your posture and use of gestures, and use decisive-sounding speech patterns. 

POSTURE TALKS

Your posture tells how you feel about yourself.  It can say, “I’m timid and afraid of my own shadow.  “Don’t listen to me; just ignore me” On the other hand, your posture can send the message, “Listen to me. I know what I’m talking about”

When giving a speech, here are five ways you can radiate confidence and strength of character even before you open your mouth:

• Keep your spine stright and rotate your shoulders back.
• Keep your head erect
• Keep your hands at your sides with your fingers open or slightly curled.
• Keep both feet flat on the floor and slightly apart.

Activity 1

Build your confidence

1. Come to class prepared with a favorite saying, proverb, or piece of advice your grandmother always told you.
2. Walk to the front of the class with your head up, your spine stright, and your shoulders back.
3. Spend a few moments looking directly at your audience.
4. Say “Good morning” or “Good afternoon”. Deliver your quote or saying
5. When you finish, look at the audience and smile.
6. Walk back to your seat with your head up.

LOOK THEM IN THE EYE

Good eye contact...

• shows that you are open and honest
• is more effective than words you say
• encourages listeners to pay attention to you, to respond to you and to respect you
• indicates that you have confidence in yourself and what you are saying
• allows you to read your listeners faces to get feedback

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND GESTURES

If you smile before you speak, you give your listeners the impression that you are confident and looking forward to speaking.  Don’t fake a big politician-type smile!  A small, natural smile will be fine.  A smile is a good way to establish rapport with your audience and to help put both you and your audience at ease.  Other facial expressions can be used to convey different emotions.  Try to change your facial expressions during your speeck to convey the emotions that you feel.

MOVEMENT

Listeners find it extremely distracting to watch speakers nervously twirl strands fo hair with their fingers; fiddle with earrings, necklaces, or constantly push slipping eyeglasses up on their noses. 

While speaking, don’t hide your hands in your pockets and jingle your keys or loose change.  Keep your hads at your sides.  On the other hand, don’t stand “frozen” in one place for your entire speech.  If you’re nervous, take a few steps to your right or left while speaking.  This will help you to relax and move naturally.

Activity 2

Communicate through body language

The following are different messages that can be expressed through body language without speaking.  This activity will help you lose your inhibitions aobut using nonverbal gestures.

I don’t know                                                 I’m starving

Take it easy                                                 Wait a moment

You’re late                                                   Go away

You’re crazy                                                Stop

See you later                                               Don’t do that

I’m full                                                          That’s OK

It’s getting late                                             Absolutely not

Come here                                                   You’re right

1. Your teacher will call you to the front of the room.  Select any message from the box on page 31.  Don’t tell the rest of the class which one you chose.
2. Express the message using nonverbal gestures.  The messages may be expressed through different gestures in different cultures.  Use the gestures that you feel most comfortable with based on your culture and experience.
3. Call on a classmate to guess which message you demonstrated.

ARE YOU ASKING ME OR TELLING ME?

Your voice has a natural upward inflection when you ask a question such as, “Would you like some water?” If you use the upward inflection too much, you’ll sound like you’re asking a question rather than making a statement.

Activity 3

Think about your intonation

Practice saying the following pairs of sentences aloud

1.         a. We need a better cafeteria!

b. We need a better cafeteria?

2.         a. I’m going to get a 10 in this class!

            b. I’m going to get a 10 in this class?

3.         a. I deserve a raise!

            b. I deserva a raise?

4.         a. I’m a good student!

            b. I’m a good student?

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

Expressions and noises such as “You know?” “You know what I mean?” “Um!” “Er!” are called “vocal fillers.” They distract from the speaker’s message and signal that he or she is uneasy.  They cause the speaker to appear nervous.  Assertive, confident speakers know the importance of deliberate silences when they speak.  You can use a moment of silence to think about what you want to say next.  These pauses also give your listeners time to consider what you’ve just said.

EFFECTIVE USE OF NOTES

When talking extemporaneously, speakers depend on good notes that allow them to maintain their connection with the audience through continuous eye contact as well as use of a conversational, natural style of speech.

The following guidelines will help you to use note cards effectively:

1. Buy a packet of large index cards. One card slides easily behind the other when you are finished with it.
2. Write only key words or short phrases on the cards to help you remember your main ideas
3. Use one card for introduction, one for your preview, one for each main point, one for each transition, one for the summary, and one for the conclusion.
4. Be sure not to put much information on each card
5. Write your notes in dark ink using a very large font size.
6. Write on only one side of each card
7. Practice your speech using the note cards in order to become familiar with the information.
8. Number each card so you don’t lose their place.

Activity 4

Presenting a Speech

1. Prepare a speech with the title “The Importance of Body Language” following each of the tips provided in this sheets.
2. Present it to your group.
3. Teacher and classmates will give you feedback.

Tongue twister

When a doctor doctors a doctor, does the doctor doing the doctoring doctor as the doctor being doctored wants to be doctored or does the doctor doing the doctoring doctor as he wants to doctor?