I Consider My Informative Speech a Success and Here’s Why

Today, I gave my third speech today. Boy was I nervous. It was a last-minute topic change…literally.  I didn’t like my first topic so I switched to schizophrenia. I think this was a good choice. The only down fall to this was I had to work on remembering my speech,  and creating the power point and actually writing the speech hours before it was my turn to present.

I feel I did well.  I did stumble on a few parts and my mouth got so incredibly dry that I was having trouble speaking and I forgot a part and started to sweat….  BUT I didn’t pass out and I did okay with little preparation, so I am happy.

While giving my speech I realized that it’s okay to be nervous.  It happens to everyone, some just hide it better than others.  I also, decided that visual aids and class participation really helps the audience understand your points and helps them connect to your topic.

In closing: I consider my informative speech a success because I wasn’t afraid to do it, so in my eyes I succeeded.

Hannah

I do not like public speaking, Sam I am

I did my reading for class and contrary to popular belief, judging from the reviews I received, I was freaking out about it. I do not like to be in front of people in a classroom/business setting at all. I do not like to have all the attention on me, as it was this morning.

As I reviewed the reviews of my reading from Candee and my classmates, I realized that I did not do as bad as I thought I would. My reviewers like that I had a good story to go along with the book and examples of how it was actually a part of my life, and many of them had memories of their own with the book.

I was praised for my loud voice, clear speaking and enthusiasm while reading. I have never had a problem with speaking loudly, however I was a little considered about speaking clearly because I have so much of the book in memory I was afraid that my mind would mix things up and I would stumble over the words. It was easy for me to be enthusiastic while reading because of the memories and history I have with the book.

A topic of concern is that I did not make enough eye contact with the audience. Which I already knew. I think it will be easier to make eye contact when I am not reading but reciting from memory with just notes in front of me. Making eye contact makes me nervous. I’m not sure way.  I can do it with my family and friends when I practice, but when its go time I freak out. I am Happy that on a few of my evaluations my classmates said that I seemed like I was as ease up in the front of the class, but I guess that gives me hope.

Nichole

Four Speeches, Good Friends and My Voice

In the entire 28 years I have been on this planet there has never been an occasion where I’ve stepped up to speak in front of a crowd and felt comfortable doing it.  I have never felt like any of my opinions, or my “voice”, was ever important enough to communicate to others at all, and certainly not to an entire classroom or larger group of people.  I have always been the one to sit in the back, keep my head down, and try not to be noticed.  That, however, is not possible in this class.

So I have a problem right? I don’t think so.  At least I tell myself that every Monday and Wednesday before class.  I tell myself that this class will help me become more assertive when speaking in front of a crowd, or just to the director at the agency where I’m doing my practicum.  I tell myself this class will bring me out of my shell and help me be more outgoing.  I tell myself this class just might help me get the job of my dreams.  Only part of that may be true, or maybe even non of it will turn out to be true.  However, I know one thing that is true: I will not graduate in June if I do not pass this class.

That is why I am determined to force myself to communicate more and become a better speaker.  Even though it may be painful at times, I will give a decent speech at some point during this quarter!  I will also try to force my face to not turn various shades of red and purple while giving that speech.  That one, however, may just turn out to be a lost cause.:)

Hopefully by the end of this quarter I will have given 4 decent speeches, made a few good friends, and found my voice.  I am confident that my textbook (which has some really good stuff in it by the way), my peers, and Candee will help me do so.  Good luck everyone! Oh, and sorry this is late candee!

Crystal

Green Eggs and Ham

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss is my daughter’s favorite book and we read it every night before she goes to bed.  That’s why I chose it for my reading for speech class. Enjoy! Meg.

A Recipe For A Speech

It’s easy as pie! Here it is.

6 cups of audience attention and interest

5 cups of topic

5 cups of credibility and goodwill

4 cups of main points of speech

4 Tbsp.of transition

2 Tbsp. of conclusion

Add together and you have a well delivered speech!  For added flavor smile,make eye contact and relax.   Serving size yields enough for everyone!

Joan

It’s Not That Bad

From what I’ve read of the other blogs, what I see and read is that everybody is worrying about little or small things in their blogs or speeches. I’m a little different from this. I’m not one to worry about or “sweat the small stuff”. Although there is one thing that does kind of get to me, which is speaking to my peers. To me this is one of the harder things for me to do speaking wise. Whether or not this is the case for other people I don’t know, but for me it is. Hopefully I’ll end up taking something away from this class that I’ll be able to use for a long time. So my take from here is don’t sweat the small stuff and see you guys next class.

brent25

Welcome Winter Quarter Students

Learn the Art of Public Speaking hosts the writing, images and ideas of students enrolled in Fundamentals of Effective Speech at the south campus of Southern State Community College.  And, because we are just beginning winter quarter forty-six students from two different classes will soon start contributing to this blog.  Please join me in welcoming them.

As an instructor, I’m learning that a class blog, like this one,  encourages students to find their voice, express their fears and their insights. Students write about things that happen in class or share what helps them feel supported. Blogging is a bit like stepping out in front of an audience. So, it’s good practice for finding one’s voice, for gaining confidence and trust.

And, according to George Siemens at the Learning Technologies Centre at University of Manitoba, when students blog, and read each others’ blogs, a network of interactions forms.”

This is exactly what I’ve witnessed here.  And, I think many of my students and readers of this blog would agree.

There IS one thing that would take Learn the Art of Public Speaking to the next level -

YOU!  (and that includes speech class alumni)

Please share your comments.  Join us.

Candee Basford

Adjunct Instructor

Southern State Community College

Believe Me

Watch Jim Valvano acceptance speech (ESPY Awards)

Well, as most of you know I love sports. If there was ever a class on sports I would love that one. People who know sports know Jimmy Valvano. Jimmy is a college basketball coach. he started his career at Rutgers were he was the freshman coach. Later in his years he went to North Carolina State were he won the national championship in 1983 on a last minute shot. Jimmy was diagnosed with cancer after he retired with coaching. ESPN holds the espy awards once every year were they give out awards to the top athletes and coaches that year. Jimmy V was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. The fact that he was a good coach or won a national championship doesn’t make him a great person, but the speech he gave on that night in 1993 was what made him a great person. Jimmy V gave on of the best speeches i know of. He’s a great speaker and a great person.

I’m not going to tell you what he said because I want you guys to watch it for yourself. Believe me,  it will give you a better out look on life.

Thank you,

Adam

Rewired Demonstration Speech

There have been some really interesting demonstrations. I thought that Derrick and Taryn did a good job of adapting when they used the stuffed cow for their demos. Maybe it worked out better than if they had used the real thing! There have been some tasty food dishes. I don’t need the extra calories, but the dishes tasted really good. My favorites were the Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight and the German Chocolate Caramel Brownie.

Mogul Bulb (on the left)

I was upset with myself about my Rewiring Demo. I didn’t check thoroughly enough on the lamp socket. I have wired and rewired lamps before and never had a problem. I had never encountered the “Mogul Socket” before and I thought that I could just attach the regular socket in it’s place. I either have to do some serious adapting or order another Mogul socket and a mogul-to-medium adapter for it.

The “Mogul Lamps” were used around 1940, so it is an antique lamp. I believe that keeping the integrity of the lamp intact will be my priority. If I buy a “Mogul” bulb also, then I can use it as a Mogul or a regular lamp.

I was trying to impress the importance of checking your electrical cords for breaks, bare wires, bad plugs, and shorts. I’m not sure if that came across or not. When I was young, (yes! I was young at one time!) I was almost electrocuted by a short in a Pole Lamp. I think that I was a Freshman in high school. My brother was

Speech Under Construction!!

We're Busy Building a Speech

Viola!

Less is More When it Comes to Public Speaking

Jill

Last week I gave my first speech and I am happy to say I still have most of my fingernails left! I think it went fairly well. I got a lot of good feedback. Everyone also told me I needed to go slower but I went a lot slower than I normally do when I am nervous. I guess that is why we are in speech class…to learn how to be better speakers!

This week in our speech book (The Art of Public Speaking by Stephen E.Lucas) we are learning about informative speeches. I read that instead of having several points to talk about it is better to combine them into a few points. I think this is a great idea! Fewer points make it easier for the listener to understand what the speaker is talking about and it will not seem as if the speaker is rambling on and on.

Helpful Blog about Public Speaking

An interesting blog that I have looked at is Great Public Speaking. A man tells how he delivered a speech. He would look over them while showing a film, while pushing buttons on his lap top. He made it so it wasn’t noticeable to any one but also so that he could deliver his speech in a good manor. What I liked about this blog was the tips- like make your point with humor, use interesting visuals and check your seat. This gives great advice for someone who may have stage fright like me.

Marissa

Seven Inspiring Communication Techniques

Lyndsey's Noah

I found this on Academic Search Complete and when I read it, I thought yeah let’s look at one of the best public speakers around right now! It reminded me to speak to my audience with passion for my topic and really draw people in. I guess this could really help for any kind of speech, but to me it really got me thinking about my persuasive speech. I’m not quite sure what my topic will be but whatever it is I will make sure that I pull my audience in and help them hear my point of view. I hope this article gets you thinking like it did me!!!

Section: Top News

COMMUNICATIONS

To rally employees shaken by the bad economy, borrow a page from President-elect Barack Obama’s public-speaking playbook

As the global financial markets plummet and pink slips fly, workers are facing a crisis of confidence. They crave leaders who command respect and make them feel better about themselves and the world in which they live. Unfortunately, gifted communicators who can do this are scarce [BusinessWeek.com, 10/21/08]. If you are looking for ways to rally your employees through the turmoil we are facing, consider borrowing a page from President-elect Barack Obama’s public-speaking playbook. He’s a good example of a leader who has mastered seven techniques common to inspiring communicators [BusinessWeek.com, 10/10/07].

Exude passion. Great oratory begins with passion. From the moment he steps on stage, Obama shows enthusiasm for his ideas. If you don’t have passion for your ideas, you’ll never convince anyone else to share your excitement.

Have a clear, concise vision. The most captivating vision is strikingly clear. Whether or not you agreed with it, there was no mistaking Obama’s vision in the general election: Bush got us into this mess. McCain is Bush. I’m not. Now let’s move this country forward together. What is the central theme — or vision — behind your company? Once you determine what it is, make it concise, and repeat it relentlessly.

Sell the benefit. It’s impossible to persuade your listeners on a course of action if they fail to understand how taking the action will benefit them. In his Democratic Presidential nomination acceptance speech Obama said, “Let me spell out exactly what change would mean if I am President ” He then outlined several key issues which he repeated consistently during the campaign: taxes, oil, education, energy, and health care. Your listeners are asking themselves one question: What’s in it for me? Don’t leave them guessing.

Paint pictures. Great speakers tell stories in vivid language. In his Nov. 4 acceptance speech, Obama told the story of 106-year-old Ann Nixon Cooper, a woman he described as “born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.” Obama could have easily said: “Mrs. Nixon wasn’t allowed to vote.” Instead, he transports listeners to the time and place he’s describing using specific, visual language.

Invite participation. Inspiring communicators invite their employees and customers to be part of the solution. In his speech, Obama acknowledged the people who “participated” in the historic moment: “But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you.”

Radiate optimism. Inspiring leaders are more optimistic than average leaders. Obama once said that to inspire people, one must “always act confident.”

Encourage potential. You will never be recognized as a true leader until you inspire others to reach beyond their perceived limitations. Obama encouraged his audience in Chicago on Nov. 4 by saying: “Let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.”

Now substitute Obama with yourself in each of the above examples. By incorporating these seven techniques into your own routine at your company, you’ll start to increase your employees’ confidence. At the same time, you’ll create a workplace environment that is inspiring, motivating, and energizing. Good luck!

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/nov2008/sb20081111 _018468.htm

Stop Trying to Be Perfect

 

Jasmine

Today I was thinking of what to write my blog about and then I remembered a quote that I read.  “They tell me no one is perfect and then they tell me practice makes perfect. I wish they’d make up their minds.” I think that this quote relates to everything that people do.  In speech class we practice our speeches at school and at home but when we start to talk in front of the class it’s like all we think about is trying not to make a mistake but in the end we do. I think if we don’t worry about making mistakes and stop trying to be perfect we will be perfect in the end.

Getting Butterflies to Fly in Formation

Ashley

Do you ever get butterflies in your stomach before giving a speech? I do! I found some helpful information Thursday night. As usual, I attended The Theocratic Ministry School at The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in West Union, Ohio. The Theocratic Ministry School is a progressive training course on how to teach the Bible. It is, in effect, a speech course. When commending a volunteer for his public reading, a Brother brought out some interesting points about nervousness. He took this information from page 138 of the book “Benefit From The Theocratic Ministry School” (Published by Jehovah’s Witnesses). I’d like to summarize what it said -

We should not expect all of our feelings of nervousness to disappear, but we can learn to control it. Many experienced speakers still feel nervous in front of an audience. The book quotes one such speaker as saying, “‘I still have butterflies in my stomach, but now they fly in formation.’” Try to eliminate outward appearances of nervousness, even if you are nervous the audience will not be aware of it. The book also states, “The surge of adrenaline that causes symptoms of nervousness also brings increased energy. Use it to speak with feeling.” So, nervousness can actually be a good thing!

I have had several parts in the Theocratic Ministry School and I have given two speeches in class. Though each time it is a little bit easier, I remain nervous. It is helpful to know that I am not the only one and that, if I learn to control it, my nervousness can be a good thing. Next time I get “butterflies in my stomach” I will aim to make them “fly in formation”!

Turning my Fear into a Positive Experience

Travis

I think that my public speaking class will have the biggest impact on my life, because I have always been terrified of speaking in front of a group of people I have never meet before. And I hope in my new career that I will not be nervous to get up and speak in meetings. The book I have been reading (Fearless and Flawless Public Speaking with Power, Polish and Pizazz).  I believe will help me through my fears of public speaking. The book states that most people have a fear of speaking in public, only a handful of people enjoy it. So I hope to change my fear of speaking in public into a positive experience.

My Thoughts on Blogging and Classmates

I’m really starting to like this blog site.  It allows you to see what other students think about the class and the speeches and it provides great insight to help you out.  I recognize some names from class and I remember their first presentations.  In my class, a girl named Kaitlynn did a great presentation.  She read a poem that she wrote and I was blown away.  I also liked the poem that Brandi read about the ocean.  Although I’ve never been there, I felt like I was seeing the ocean for the first time and it was just a great poem.  Everyone did a great job and I was very impressed.  I’m still not quite used to Mrs. Basford dancing through the aisles as class is beginning, but it definitely lightens the mood .

So anyways, that’s what’s been going on and I’ll keep ya posted!

Alex

Topic Finder

I think that this demonstration speech has been really hard to decide on a topic to do.  So I decided to use the topic finder book that came along with the textbook, “The Art of Public Speaking” 9th edition.  I have finally narrowed down my topic and am actually excited about getting up in front of everyone and presenting it.  I’m sure I’ll be nervous, but I have to say that my classmates and Candee does make it a lot easier.  There is definitely a warmth and welcome feeling about this class.  So good luck to everyone I am looking forward to hearing your demonstration speeches.

Christian

QuickSand

Have you ever watched the movie The Replacements?  It’s about a football team made up of players replacing the old players because they were on strike.  Some of the replacement players had actually never played football but had talents that would help the team win. Others had made bad calls during their pro years and had stopped playing. Some could not even hear.  All these different men came together to play as a team and they had a hard time at the beginning.  The coach asked then after a game what they feared. What did they fear when they were out on the field?  Some jokes were made about the bugs and spiders; but the quarterback made the comment of one word -QuickSand-.  One of the players just looked at him with a questioning look.  The coach asked him to explain.  He said -and I am not writing it word for word- that once you make a mistake you feel like you can’t breath and you keep making mistakes.  After awhile of making these mistakes you feel like you can’t stop making mistakes and it keeps pulling you down like QuickSand.


So when I had watched this movie that part of the whole movie really stood out for me. When we get up to talk in front of the class and we make a mistake we feel, or at least I feel, like we are in QuickSand.  We feel like we can’t get any air and we can’t move.  We want to fight back but nothing works.  I would tend to speed up with my speech and not be able to keep from swaying.  Although, I’ve never been in QuickSand I have a feeling that the way I feel when I make a mistake would have to be the same feeling I would get if I were being pulled down by QuickSand.


After reading chapter eight and nine in The Art of Public Speaking I found many ways to be fully prepared so as to not be pulled down by mistakes.  Having main point, devoting the right amount of time to each point, and then numbering your ideas.  Ways of grabbing the attention and interest of your audience by relating a topic, asking a question, tell a story, or even letting your audience know what to look for.  These are just ways that I can keep myself form be caught in the QuickSand and hopefully they will help you.
 


Alicia

Demonstration Happens even Without Acknowledgment

Kaitlynn's dog Riley

Since I didn’t have the experience of giving my reading speech yet, I started looking for tips about giving a demonstration speech. A demonstration speech can be a fun experience because you get to show other people something that you enjoy doing and something that you are good at. Many of us probably have given demonstration speeches whether or not we have acknowledged it.  For example if you are in 4-h and have shown at the fair then you’ve done a demonstration speech in a way. This is because you showed the judge how much you know about an animal or a special interest and how well you can present it.

We demonstrate our personality to people everyday; even though that is a natural one it’s still a form of demonstration. So there’s no need to be nervous about a speech if you prepare, practice, relax and just remind yourself that the audience is there for your entertainment; meaning you can show off yourself to them. For me it’s easier said than done. For extra help and ideas I found a few websites that go over the whole process of giving a demonstration speech.  Just remember it’s not what they think of you but what you think of yourself in the end.
Here are the web sites:

Demonstration Speech Topics: 50+ Ideas

How to Develop Demonstration Speech Topics

Presentation Skills:   Do’s and don’ts when giving a demonstration speech

Demonstration Speeches Explained