2 Simple Public Speaking Activities

Do you want to organize a competition where your participants will speak in public? Or you are a school teacher who wants to make children overcome public speaking fear?

Well, here are 2 interesting public speaking activities that I am a fan of.

Public Speaking Activities 1

2 Simple Public Speaking Activities

Volte Face

In Volte Face, you're given a topic first. You have to start speaking on it right away! But there's a catch. YOU HAVE TO speak FOR the topic for 30 seconds. Then a buzzer sounds. Then you speak AGAINST the topic for 30 seconds. Then a buzzer sounds again. You again speak FOR the topic for 30 seconds. And then you again speak AGAINST the topic for 30 seconds!

Not only does Volte Face give amazing public speaking practice, it actually makes ANYONE who's listening to you laugh and laugh! You see, you are saying something for 30 seconds and then saying EXACTLY the opposite thing for 30 seconds.:)

Now, to make it more interesting, let me do a Volte Face for you. I will speak spontaneously as I would speak on stage. That'll give you a REAL idea of Volte Face.:)

My topic is: " I hate my end term examinations.:)"

START!

End term examinations are the most pathetic things ever discovered. Suddenly you have to gobble so much of text and vomit it out. Session tests are much better. And the freaking thing is - I ALWAYS forget whether I am sleeping or awake during my end term examinations - because it's all a blur. If end term examinations were a mosquito, I would kill it immediately by slapping my hands on it. To hell with end term examinations...

30 Seconds Up!

Whoever said, heroin felt ecstatic was kidding. Nothing beats the bliss of being in the midst of end term examinations. Oh the pleasure of mugging up things at night! If there were no end terms, who would study? I remember my journeys through the fairy tale lands of transformers and generators in my first year. And yes, end terms are much better than classes - you get to write and the professors have to shut up and move around. Better than them talking and you shutting up isn't it? Oh, my end terms rock.:)

30 Seconds Up!

But end term examinations are scary because...

:) Oh, Volte Face is funny.:) Do try it.

And when you do, here are some interesting topics you can use:

The ecstasy of devouring newspapers in toilets

Monday morning is bliss.

I love bed bugs.

:D

What arrangements do you need for Volte Face?

2 Things - a mike, and someone timing and sounding a buzzer after 30 seconds. Or that someone can clap if there isn't a buzzer.:)

Public Speaking Activities 2

Extempore Speech

Maybe you already know it.

You give the speaker a topic and give him one minute to think about it. Then after his one minute of thinking is up - he is to speak non-stop for 2 more minutes on the topic. That's it.

I think it is a wonderful way to let go of any fear of public speaking. After all, you're right in front of an audience and have to think of stuff to say right in the moment!

An extempore where you laugh is even better.:) So here go some topics.

Einstein, me and Newton went out yesterday.

I swear to Drunk I am not God.

I am OK, well almost.:)

..And then the pumpkin came down.

The world is a cuboid.

I was so shy, I did not start talking till I was 1.5 years old

:)

What arrangements do you need for an extempore?

Well, a mike and a guy sounding the buzzer. This guy first sounds the buzzer after one minute to tell the speaker to speak. Then he sounds it after 2 minutes to tell the speaker to stop speaking.

Why not try both these public speaking activities today? I mean, just for the fun of it?:)

2 Simple Public Speaking Activities
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Meghashyam Chirravoori is basically someone like you but with an unreasonable passion for exploring living more. He's written more about his attempts at overcoming his own stage fright here. He's compiled a fascinating e-book called '500 Steve Pavlina Quotes' which is like a friend who keeps telling you, "You can't give up. You have it in you."

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6 Tips to Reduce Public Speaking Anxiety

Imagine you are giving a speech today. Are you already feeling nervous? Is your heart racing?

Public speaking is one of the most dreaded tasks we all encounter at one point in our life. Regardless if you are in school, college or work, Public Speaking is a task we all have to undergo. Fear of speaking in public ranks second among the most common phobias (spiders is number one). To put things in perspective, people are more scared of speaking in public than death, marriage or bankruptcy. This feeling is common among most of us. Everyone shares the anxious feeling when there is a perception of being evaluated.

While anxiety is a common emotion, it can become a problem when it affects our functioning. In the case of public speaking, we start feeling anxious even before we start talking in front of people. In other words, we brace for impact before the impact. So why does this happen? Cognitively, anxiety serves as a reinforcer to a negative experience. In our minds, we start to associate displeasure with speaking in public. (A friend of mine commented that since childhood, while in school, the punishment was to go the chalk board and write. It could be that we might associate being in front of people as punishment as well). Any time we feel vulnerable, our first reaction is to retreat. The retreat is initiated by generating thoughts regarding our performance.

6 Tips to Reduce Public Speaking Anxiety

We start thinking of multiple fallacies that we need to reject by critical thinking The most common irrational thought is that everything will go wrong like forgetting the material or how people will judge you. This is known as the fallacy of catastrophe. This fallacy triggers our sympathetic nervous system, increasing blood pressure and heart rate. That is why when we are nervous we may have sweaty palms or tremble. Another irrational thought is the fallacy of approval. This line of thinking leads us to believe that nobody will like what we have to say. Well, I have news for you, not everyone will like what you say. Some people will and other people won't. There is nothing you can do about that, but to deliver your message.

Another irrational thought is the belief that people will notice everything. This is known as the fallacy of exaggeration. During a speech, some of us will tremble a little. Because we are in constant self-evaluation during a stressful situation, we believe that people will notice. Finally, the last fallacy is the fallacy of perfection. There is an implied belief that we must execute the most perfect speech ever. We are our own toughest critic. We believe that mispronouncing a word or skipping a sentence will ruin the whole speech.

OK, so we understand what causes the anxiety but how can we overcome it? Below are a few tips to help you in your next public speaking experience:

1. Hello Anxiety!

We all get nervous and you will get nervous before your next speech. Welcome the anxiety! The feelings that you are experiencing is a fear of performance. Tell yourself that it is OK to be nervous and that we are able to function with it. This approach can be accomplished by "breaking the ice" comments. Some people may engage in small talk prior to the official presentation to reduce anxiety.

2. Know the Material

Out of all the tips, this one is crucial. Knowing what you are talking about will help you reduce anxiety. It is recommended to practice your speech. This exercise helps build confidence, and confidence will help reduce anxiety. Practice in front of a mirror if necessary.

3. Organize

How many times have you heard someone talk and you feel lost? Once you know the material, you need to organize it in a coherent way. Ask yourself, what is the goal of my speech? Make sure you present your material in an organized way (beginning, middle and end). This process gives you a map that if lost, can help you find your way back. With practice, if you forget what you where saying will help you gather your thoughts and know where you were.

4. Visualize

Once you have your game plan prepared, imagine yourself giving the speech. Visualization is a technique that helps you become familiar with the event. Imagine you are giving the speech in front of a big group. The more you practice the material and the more you see yourself doing it, the less anxious you will be.

5. Speech Take-Two

It is alright to have an error or two. Many people, as mentioned before, think that every word or every sentence must be perfect. Keep in mind that your audience does not know what you have planned for them. If you omit a word or sentence, they will not notice it. Remember that public speaking anxiety is a self fulfilling prophecy. If you think the speech will go wrong, you will seek for validation of errors. Additionally, if you use visual aid make sure that if it does not work, you are prepared. That is why it is recommended for you to know the material. I have seen many presentations where the presenter relies heavily on the visual aid. Remember, the message is what is important. Everything else supplements your message.

6. Talk

Finally, have a conversation with the audience. When presenters tend to read from visual aids or cards, they are disengaged from the audience. Remember that your speech is not about you, it is about the audience. You are giving them something, a message. Engage them with a conversation. This approach will be and feel more natural. More importantly, it will help you reduce anxiety.

Public Speaking is something we all have to do at some point. The more we do it, the easier it will be for you. Remember that it won't be perfect every time, but with practice you will become much better. The goal is not to get rid of the anxiety, but to learn to control it.

Do you get nervous to speak in public? What do you do to reduce your anxiety?

Join the discussion and visit Psychbits.com

6 Tips to Reduce Public Speaking Anxiety
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My name is Roberto and I live in Miami, Florida. Currently, I'm finishing my Doctoral degree in Psychology and have a full-time job like everyone else. I have a passion for all things related to psychology and how they help us interact with our everyday world. I believe that the more we know about ourselves and the world around us, the more we will enjoy life.

I have always been curious about the way we do things or react to situations. Even the most mundane things in our lives, I find interesting. Often I find myself sharing my observations with family, friends and co-workers. Their views and comments consistently result in very stimulating conversations.

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Fear of Public Speaking - 10 Tips For Success

A great public speaking statistic was once made on national TV by Jerry Seinfeld, from the TV show Seinfeld, who found a poll that said that the number one fear for Americans was public speaking. Death was at number five. With this he joked that "...at a funeral, people are five times more likely to want to be in the casket than giving the eulogy."

Now forgiving the statistical error Jerry made, public speaking is actually ranked at the top fear of many people, Americans included. From my own personal history, as well as some of the many tips I was able to find online, here are 10 tips for eliminating public speaking fears.

1. Practice right before you go to bed. My best tip to myself by far. Trying to memorize and practice what I have to say right before I go to bed really helps. On a scientific level, your brain works at night and whatever you process last (right before bedtime) sub-consciously becomes more familiar to you the next day! This tip has helped me tremendously, especially for presentations.

Fear of Public Speaking - 10 Tips For Success

2. Be prepared. I envy people who can go up and stir the crowd up without any practice beforehand. But until I get there, knowing the material and speaking with authority on that particular subjects projects confidence, which in turn makes you less nervous while your up on center stage.

3. Use bullet points and do not memorize word for word. If you try to memorize your entire speech or presentation, that will make you more nervous! Instead focusing on memorizing bullet points has helped me since I can be a little more spontaneous, but at the same time, give me direction whenever I feel lost. Trying to memorize what you have to say word for word just makes you think more about what you have to say, which puts more pressure on yourself.

4. As I saw on a shampoo commercial where a guy tells his nervous professor to just imagine him naked to take away his fear of speaking, realize this: whoever your audience is, they want you to succeed. Even if you are very nervous, if you just stand tall you will look 90% confident. The fast heart beat, butterflies, and sweaty palms can't be seen by the audience. In fact, they want to hear a good presentation, and most times, they will like you no matter what.

5. Smile. Smiling makes you happier and makes you more confident. Smile and try to gaze for familiar faces. This allows you to make a positive connection with your audience and takes your mind of of the "I can't do this" thoughts.

6. Be enthusiastic. Even if its a boring business meeting or a boring school presentation, saying your part with fake enthusiasm will rub off...to yourself! Its like smiling except it you can do it for the entire duration.

7. Eat a lot of yogurt and nuts. Some natural chemical inside yogurts and nuts helps to calm you down. I find this works better than a glass of water, and just the fact of me eating it makes me psychologically more confident in myself.

8. Breathe. But don't just breathe, breathe until your lungs are full. Make sure to get enough oxygen inside of you just in case you run into the good old shortness of breath. Rapid breathing is one of my main problems when I am in a public speaking setting, so I always make sure to take a couple big breaths right before I start talking.

9. Project a success image into your head right before you begin talking. I usually like to project myself confidently presenting to my audience, and when the time comes for me to begin, I will follow my projections to a T.

10. As the famous A.I. once said, "Practice? Practice? You want to talk about Practice?" Yes, practice by yourself talking into an imaginary audience, practice to your roommates, your parents, siblings, friends, or even your dog. Practice puts the motion inside your brain, and when the actual time for your speech comes, your brain will already know what to say.

Of course, the best way to overcome your fear of public speaking is through public speaking classes. It is pretty much practice, just in a real setting. There are also many different self-help programs that aim to give you confidence and help you develop techniques to overcome anxiety and panic.

Fear of Public Speaking - 10 Tips For Success
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I have spent all of high school and college in fear of getting up and talking in front of my peers. Its such a simple task, but one that made me extremely nervous and sweaty. There is hope for people like me, and I found how to overcome my public speaking fears. Visit http://www.squidoo.com/fightpanicattacks to read about how I was able to overcome my fears and anxieties.

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Public Speaking 101 - Speaking Secrets of the Superstars

All of us recognize that public speaking ranks among one of the greatest fears for most people. Whether speaking at a meeting or before a group of 400, many people get nervous just anticipating giving a presentation. A comment I frequently hear in my public speaking seminars is, "What's the best way to overcome nervousness and gain confidence with public speaking?" Here are some proven secrets many great public speakers practice:

1. Your audience will know if you're not prepared. They'll pick up on subtle clues in your body language. 95% of your success is determined before the presentation. Rehearsing minimizes 75% of your nervousness. No one likes to rehearse. Instead, see if you can have a friend or colleague videotape you. Yes, I realize no one likes seeing themselves on video either! Still, the camera will be your most objective ally.

2. Once you've fine-tuned your presentation, rehearse and practice in front of family members, colleagues, friends, or a public speaking coach. Ask for honest feedback. What did they like most? What did they think of your energy level, passion and commitment to what you're saying? What do they think could be improved? Also practice in front of a mirror. This will help you rehearse standing up and let you see what needs to be improved. The more you rehearse standing up, and the more familiar you become with your material, the more comfortable you will be with your public speaking. This one tip alone can dramatically improve public speaking skills.

Public Speaking 101 - Speaking Secrets of the Superstars

3. Put your presentation as a "rough draft" on a micro cassette recorder. Listen to it while you're driving to and from work, picking up the kids, or driving to the supermarket. I know what you're thinking. "I don't like how I sound on audio tape!" I realize that. But this is a convenient way to learn material quickly. Again, where do you sound convincing, passionate and interesting? What parts of your presentation do you think need work? The audio cassette recorder is another objective ally.

4. Visualize yourself giving a successful presentation. Better yet, if you know the exact room you'll be speaking in visualize that, too. Olympic athletes practice visualization. It works for public speaking as well.

5. To improve public speaking skills, do a dress rehearsal. Before I conduct a keynote speech or breakout session at a conference, I take a peek inside the ballroom. If the room's empty, I'll go in and practice a "dry run." This is something I try to do in full dress rehearsal mode. If the ballroom is being used until morning, I go in that morning.

Rehearsing in the exact room will give you an edge in feeling more comfortable and conquering fear of public speaking. This is one of the biggest public speaking secrets of many great public speakers. Guaranteed! If you're usually presenting in small meetings or groups these same techniques work.

6. Are your notes and visual aids large enough print that you can see them standing up? Your notes should be "fast food for the eyes." Never read your presentation. You're the presenter. Your audience expects you to be the expert. You want that connection with them. A secret to effective public speaking is bonding with your audience through stories, activities, appropriate humor and understanding their needs ahead of time.

7. Stand up when speaking in public. Even if only three people attend, it sends a signal that says, "You're so important that I'm going to stand even for the three of you." According to a University of Minnesota study, when you stand in presenting your ideas, you are more believable, credible and persuasive.

8. Stand "center stage" when presenting your most important point. It grabs the audience's attention. The rest of the time you can move around as long as you aren't nervously pacing like a lion. Again, that's where the videotaping helps!

Visual Aids and Public Speaking: Less is More

9. With public speaking and visual aids, less is more. Don't use more than three or four colors per slide. Otherwise, people start focusing more on color and less on content. Use graphs for sales figures or sets of numbers showing a trend over a period of time. Graphs are pictures that increase retention and comprehension. No more than two or three lines on a graph. Use pie charts for market share, budgets, expenses analysis, income sources and the like.

10. Avoid slides with yellow, pink or orange print. They don't show up well. Dark blue, black or any other dark color is better. White is okay with a darker background. Red stands for negatives like "danger," or "warning." Only use red to indicate problems, your competition, stopping or something similar.

11. Public speaking and eye contact: Approximately three to five seconds of eye contact per person with a small or medium sized group. Many public speakers make the mistake of using their visual aids AS their presentation. A key point in persuading your audience is establishing connection and credibility.

12. What if someone in your audience doesn't like what you have to say because they don't like the product or service you're selling? Or what if you fear public speaking because you often have to deliver bad news? Know and research your audience ahead of time. What will be their biggest objections? THINK AHEAD when planning your presentation how you're going to handle those issues.

13. Never lose emotional control. Often, these difficult people are trying to rattle your cage. They want control. And they want it in front of others. What if they continuously discount what you're saying? Tactfully respond to them at first. After a while, say something like, "You bring up a good point, and yet, due to time constraints see me at the break and we'll discuss that privately." Your audience will be looking to see how you handle the situation.

"When speaking in public, you are your own best visual aid." Colleen Kettenhofen

Public Speaking 101 - Speaking Secrets of the Superstars
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Colleen Kettenhofen is a leadership and change management expert, award-winning speaker, media veteran, and speech coach. She has delivered more than 1,100 entertaining keynotes and seminars in 48 states and five countries. Topics: leadership, managing people, difficult people, improving public speaking. Colleen is available for keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars by calling toll-free(800)323-0683, or in Phoenix (623)340-7690. She is the author of two books and 10 audio programs available on her website http://BounceBackHigher.com

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Public Speaking Tips: How to Learn to Articulate Clearly

You have a raging passion for your subject. Or you have a strong financial motive to speak on your subject. Or maybe you simply want everybody to like you!

Whatever your Cause, people must be able to understand your speech--your physical speech--before they are able to give you the response you're working for.

Consonants and vowels are the building blocks of intelligible speech. It's the breath that supports and carries these consonants and vowels to our listeners.If we focus on these three elements of speech--consonants, vowels, breath--we'll have an excellent basis for clear, understandable presentations.

Public Speaking Tips: How to Learn to Articulate Clearly

Here're some pointers:

Consonants must be well-articulated and crisp. To achieve this, say each of the words below by itself, slowly. Use your tongue and lips to shape each consonant clearly. Exaggerate! Speak every syllable.

1.wash 2.washing 3.Washington 4.definitely (all 4 syllables) 5.accessible (ak sess i buhl) 6.Antarctic (ant ark tik) 7.residing (Make the "s" a definite "Z" sound.) 8.treatise 9.not 10.non-native

Now speak the sentence below, breaking it up into smaller segments, if you like, until you can say the entire sentence very clearly at a normal pace.

"The treatise on the Antarctic was definitely not accessible to the non-native speakers residing in Washington."

You may notice that you run out of breath before you can get the whole sentence said. If not, congratulations! If so, mark a place or two where you can sneak a breath without interrupting the flow. Try this:

"The treatise on the Antarctic (breath) was definitely not accessible (breathe here only if you absolutely must) to the non-native speakers (breath) residing in Washington."

Vowels should be given the true vowel sounds. We Americans are becoming increasingly lax in differentiating between the vowel sounds--so much so that "uh" has become the vowel of choice for A, E, I, O and U! I believe it's a blend of pure laziness and a cultural deficit of actual listening to sounds. We're so cruelly bombarded with noise of all sorts that we take refuge in turning off our active hearing.

Breath! Ah, the breath!--the fundament for all speaking. This is not the place to give you exercises to strengthen and lengthen your breath; that must go in other articles.

However, this will help:

Think of your breath as being released on a steady, constant stream. That stream continues steadily during the tiny silences between words, connecting one word to the following word. Think On-going and Easy.

Avoid giving an explosion of breath for a few words, then letting the breath drop before the next little explosion of breath. You lose a great deal of breath by breathing too frequently and too shallowly.

THINK: CONSONANTS. VOWELS. BREATH.
THINK: MY BREATH IS ON-GOING AND EASY.

Public Speaking Tips: How to Learn to Articulate Clearly
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Carole McMichaels, Speaker, Coach, Author: "Fearless Public Speaking: How to Get Rid of Your Stage Fright and Prepare and Deliver a Winning Presentation", invites you to join her free newsletter on speaking in public. You may also get your free report, "7 Valuable Tips on Writing a Mind-Gripping Speech". http://www.getridofpublicspeakingfears.com

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