M9 Methods of Delivering Speech (1)

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech UNIT- 9: METHODS OF DELIVERING A SPEECH Structure: 9.0 Learning Objectives 9.1 Understanding eye contact 9.2 Voice during speeches 9.3 Gestures while delivering a speech 9.4 Summary 9.5 Glossary 9.6 References Page 1 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech 9.0 LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this unit, you will be able to understand qualities like:  Eye contact during speeches  Voice during speeches  Gestures while delivering a speech 9.1 EYE CONTACT DURING SPEECHES If there is one simple thing you can do to enhance your impact as a presenter and persuade others to see your point of view, it’s sustained, meaningful eye contact with your audience. Positive eye contact helps you build rapport with your audience and keeps them engaged with your presentation. It also gives them a sense of involvement and conveys your message on a personal level. Here are the key benefits of eye contact followed by tips on how you can improve yours during a presentation. Benefits of great eye contact 1. Establishes a connection with your audience A deliberate look in the eyes of an audience member can communicate how much you care about their thoughts. Sustained eye contact is an invitation to turn your talk into a conversation. It creates a bond between speaker and listener, a connection that is beneficial to both parties. When you look someone in the eye, they are more likely to look at you, more likely to listen to you, and more likely to buy into your message. Page 2 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech 2. Improves your concentration A room full of people, with all the different lighting and sounds, can be very distracting. Deliberately focusing your eyes on different audience members will help calm your nerves and clear your mind. Keep your eye contact steady so you can concentrate on your message. When you look someone in the eye for three to five seconds, you will naturally slow down your speech, which will make you sound more authoritative. 3. Projects authority and confidence Have you ever spoken with someone who averts their gaze every time they talk? It’s hard to believe they know what they are talking about and you might find yourself undermining what they are saying. With sustained, focused eye contact comes authority. If you can’t look people in the eye, you can’t expect them to believe your message or agree with your point of view. Good eye contact can communicate confidence and conviction. 4. Facilitates engagement with the audience People will be more willing to participate in the speech when they see you scanning the crowd. You’ll notice them nodding, frowning and even smiling. As a result, your audience are transformed from passive listeners to active participants. If you don’t focus on different audience members or are looking at the floor (or your slides), the audience are less likely to engage with the presentation and start thinking about something completely different - you’ll have effectively lost that participant as they are no longer listening to what you are saying. Engaged audience with eye contact during a presentation Tips on how to improve eye contact 1. See your audience as individual listeners Before you speak, take a moment to pause and scan the room for friendly faces. Page 3 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech Connect with listeners who you think will engage with you and focus on one audience member at a time. You’ll be more conversational and confident if you do so. 2. Involve everyone in the conversation The key here is to connect with as many people as possible. If you’re dealing with a large crowd and it’s impractical to make eye contact with everyone, divide the audience into sections and just choose one member from each group to connect with. When shifting your focus from one area to another, don’t follow a pattern otherwise you’ll appear unnatural. 3. Sustain eye contact long enough to make a connection, then move on According to Toastmasters, the organization dedicated to developing public speaking skills, it takes no more than five seconds to establish proper contact. Five seconds is usually the time it takes to finish a thought, so there’s minimal risk of losing your focus if you follow this tip. This can also help you slow down your speaking rate. 4. Avert your eyes when a person grows uncomfortable Not everyone appreciates being looked at directly in the eye. While it’s true that eye contact is a universal communication signal, there are certain exceptions that you should consider. Some cultures and norms find eye contact offensive under certain circumstances. 5. Prepare your presentation more Most speakers look to the ceiling or floor when struggling to find the right words to explain a thought. If you do this for long periods of time, you risk disconnecting from your audience. Better preparation means you spend more energy and focus talking, and less time thinking of what to say. 6. Ensure eye contact as you deliver all critical lines Nobody expects you to sustain eye contact for an entire 30 minute presentation. Page 4 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech However, be sure to highlight key points with strong eye contact. This includes your opening, your closing, and all other critical lines throughout. If you combine this with expressing emotion, the impact of your words will be much stronger. 7. Meet audience members before the presentation starts Most speakers have poor eye contact at the beginning of their presentation, improving only as the audience begins to engage with the presentation. This is natural for humans - it’s hard to connect immediately with total strangers. A good tip is to meet as many of them as possible before your presentation begins by greeting people at the entrance. By the time you start speaking, at least some of them will be on your side. Note: Cultural differences in eye contact Cultural differences in eye contact Keep in mind that the length of eye contact varies by culture. Some cultures use eye contact more than others. If you're giving a presentation in a culture other than your own, make sure you investigate the cultural norms and behaviour of the people in your audience. For example, in Middle Eastern cultures, it’s considered inappropriate for people of the opposite sex to look each other in the eye, as that can denote a romantic interest between them. In Asian cultures, however, eye contact is seen more as a sign of disrespect, especially when the contact is made by a subordinate to his or her superior. This is because most Asian countries are largely authoritarian. 9.2 VOICE DURING SPEECHES When someone is speaking, most of the information we receive as an audience comes through the speaker's body language, their enthusiasm, and – very importantly – the tone of their voice. Page 5 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech Why is it important to improve the way we use our voice? When we make a presentation or speak to a large group of people, it's important to have an authoritative and appealing tone of voice. This will come from the ability to make your voice resonate, as a resonant voice is more pleasing on the ear and can make you sound more confident. This in turn helps the audience relax and enjoy the presentation. An audience will ‘pick up’ on your voice and respond favourably, potentially affording you a greater deal of respect and attention. Often, the audience won’t know or understand why this is the case, so having the ability to control and improve the way you use your voice can be a useful and powerful skill. There are practical reasons, too. Using your voice skilfully can stop you getting a sore throat. When we shout, our vocal folds (often known as vocal chords) crash together and become swollen and red, sometimes causing damage. So learning how to use your voice by warming it up will prevent soreness in the throat. How does our body produce sound? Breath is the power behind the voice, but this is only the start. As we breathe in, our lungs expand. When we speak, the air comes up through the trachea, making the vocal folds (which are situated at the top of the trachea) vibrate. This creates sound. The ability to control the breath is very important and is the basis of all voice work. We then use the resonators in our throat, nose, mouth and cheek cavities (sinuses) to amplify the sound, and our articulators (tongue, teeth, lips, etc.) to create specific sounds that become understandable words and therefore speech. However, as with any sport or exercise, it is important to warm up before we start. This means first warming up our body from head to toe before we start to work on our voice. Page 6 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech Exercise 1: Check through the body, shaking each part from the toes upwards. Shake your legs and arms. Then, stretch up to the ceiling or sky. Roll the shoulders and lift them up to the ears and then back down again, all the time making sure that they end in a relaxed position. Finally, relax your neck. Gently roll your head by first putting your chin on your chest and roll the head round to the back clockwise and anti-clockwise. Exercise 2: Yawn – this relaxes the throat and all the vocal areas. Then, yawn and stretch at the same time. How do we improve our breath control? The most important thing is to learn how to relax and allow yourself to expand and increase your breath capacity. The natural tendency is to breathe only in our upper chest, so learning to breath down into our lower lungs and using the diaphragm properly is the first step. The diaphragm is a muscle separating the thorax from the abdomen – by finding and exercising this muscle, we can learn to better control our breath during speech. Exercise 3: Lie on the floor on your back with feet on the floor, so that your legs are bent with your knees pointing upwards. Check your posture: you should be relaxed, shoulders down, fists unclenched, etc. Now mentally take a journey through your body from head to toe, making sure you are relaxed. Start with your feet, ankles, legs and work your way up to your head. When you find tension, ask your body to release it. Relax and breathe. Take the breathing deeper, breathing in to a count of Page 7 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech four (in your head). Breathe in through your nose and feel the breath expanding the ribs like an umbrella up and out. Place a hand just below your belly button and feel the belly rise and drop. Remember you must try to be relaxed at all times – always check (see exercise 1) and do not force anything. If the upper chest begins to lift while you are breathing, gently place a hand on it to keep it still and down. Release all the abdominal muscles. Take your time and breath in and out (in through the nose and out through the mouth). Breathe in and release the breath to produce a long 'huh...ahh' sound. Do this a few times. Now, apply tension throughout the body so it is completely tense and then release. Feel your body relax. Go back to your breathing – in through the nose and out through the mouth. Feel your muscles through your back and keep your upper body still, but not tense. Now slowly stand up. Centre yourself with your legs shoulder-width apart, arms and shoulders relaxed, knees unlocked. Your head should be perched upon your neck. Make sure your chin is not jutting out or pulled in. Let your head drop, chin to chest (relaxed) and then let your body roll down vertebrae by vertebrae so your body is hanging, arms loose, and stay like this hanging, relaxed and breathing. Roll back up (make sure your head comes up last). Hug yourself, with your arms, your hands touching your ribs. Roll down again into the hanging position. Breathe gently in and out and feel the rib cage move. Gently roll back up as before (head last). This is a great exercise for feeling the movement needed in the ribcage and to help get the muscles working. Please note: as this way of breathing may feel very different to what you are Page 8 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech used to, you may not notice a great deal of movement to begin with. However, as with anything new, 'practice makes perfect'. How do we articulate sound into speech? Articulation creates the specific sounds that make up words. By using our tongue, teeth, palate and lips (our articulators), we create recognisable words. In order to be clear in our speech, we need to exercise our articulators by going through the vowel sounds. The following exercises 4-6 will help improve your articulation: Exercise 4: Make a 'hum' sound with your lips together but not tight – feel your lips tickle or vibrate. Move the 'hum' sound around inside your mouth from the lips to nose and back to the lips. Feel the vibrations in the different areas. Chew some imaginary gum. Imagine it is growing and growing. Now, imagine you have toffee stuck in your mouth and use your tongue to get it out. Exercise 5: Always from a relaxed and centred position, say out loud: 'pah paw poo pee pay...pah paw poo pee pay' 'lah, law, loo lee lay...lah law loo lee lay' 'gah gaw goo gee gay...gah gaw goo gee gay' Use these structures to go through different sounds and, in particular, sounds that you find difficult. For the 'lah' sound, the tip of the tongue should be behind the front teeth before flicking out to an open mouth. Exercise 6: Say out loud: 'ba da ga...ba da ga' (making the sound of the consonants, i.e., 'buh' not 'baah', Page 9 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech 'duh' not 'daah', etc.). Repeat. 'pa ta ka...pa ta ka' (again make the sound of the letters 'p', 't' and 'k'). You can do this anywhere, but try to use your full voice and also whispering (which should always be voiceless). Tongue twisters are also a good way to exercise the articulators and help improve fluency of articulation and diction. You can find many on the internet, for example: 'She sells sea shells on the sea-shore' and 'Peter piper picked a peck of pickled pepper'. Exercise 7: Place your hand on your chest and yawn. Feel the vibrations and resonance in your chest. Now say 'hello, hello, hello' from deep down in your chest. Why is the ability to project our voices important? If you want to be heard, you need to learn how to project. Projection comes from taking control of the breath. If you can, arrange to visit the room you are going to be speaking in and walk around it. Use your speech and play with it, walking around while speaking, playing with the volume. Ask a colleague to listen to you – can they hear you clearly? Does your voice resonate? Try speaking very slowly. Now try singing your speech. Now 'throw' your voice to the farthest wall. This should always be done from a place of relaxation. Check that your shoulders are down. Wriggle and roll them to check for tension. Check your posture. Finally, make sure you check your pace – we always speak much faster than normal when we are nervous. Practise speaking very slowly. You will feel that it's too slow, but it almost certainly won’t be. The dictionary defines extemporaneous as: Composed, performed, or uttered on the spur of the moment Page 10 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech Carefully prepared but delivered without notes or text 9.3 GESTURES WHILE DELIVERING A SPEECH Gestures are what you do with your hands to emphasize words. An inexperienced speaker may not know what to do with their hands, and might find that their hands seem to have a mind of their own. Just as we rehearse our words for the best effect possible, we also need to think about and practice gestures that will convey the meanings and emotions that we intend. The best gestures to use are ones that are natural and that emphasize what you’re saying. Be careful not to repeat the same gesture too many times, however, as that can be tiring for an audience. Make sure your hands are out of your pockets and available for use during the speech. If you find making a natural gesture difficult, try putting notecards in one of your hands and using the other to gesture with. For some speakers, moving in the space they are speaking in can feel intimidating. However, having some movement in your speech can provide variety for the audience and keep their attention. The amount of movement depends on the size of the space you’re speaking in. If you’re speaking in front of a room, such as a classroom, consider having three spots to land on: the middle and both sides. Always start and end the speech in the center position. When you walk to one side of the room or the other, plant your feet and stay still for a few minutes. Resist the urge to pace! Pacing makes the audience feel nervous and is distracting. Movement should always be purposeful and to help to engage the audience, not to take away from the speech. Watch for other nervous habits such as shifting weight from side to side, tapping a leg or a foot, etc. If you have a nervous habit, moving to different parts of the room throughout the speech will actually help you. Don’t be afraid to try it. The most confident speakers use the space they are Page 11 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech in and aren’t afraid to be near their audience. Your hands can speak volumes. But are they saying what you want them to say? Have you ever thought about how your hands — and what you do with them when you speak in front of an audience — can give more meaning to your message? Your hands are an important tool in your speaker’s toolbox. Here are some do’s and don’ts for hand gestures when public speaking that will help you discern what to do — and what not to do — the next time you speak. 1. Where are they now?  DO pay attention to where your hands are and what you’re doing with them.  DON’T stuff them in your pocket, run them through your hair, hide them behind your back or clasp them together in front of you. Moreover, don’t scratch your head, touch your face, put your hands on your hips or adjust your clothing with your hands. If you use distracting hand gestures when public speaking, you will prevent your audience from absorbing what you’re saying. Instead, be purposeful with both of your hands. Let your audience see your hands — don’t just keep them robotically at your side — and let your hands speak. For example: If you are talking about a big fish, move your hands far apart to illustrate just how big that fish was. If you are comparing this year’s results with last year’s results — and profits went up — move your hand in an upward motion to indicate this increase. If you are explaining two options, cup your left hand to help the audience “see” option 1, and then contrast that by cupping your right hand to help the audience Page 12 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech “see” option 2. While some people are used to “talking with their hands,” others are not. As you rehearse your presentation, practice these kinds of deliberate movements with your hands until they become smooth and spontaneous. Start to become conscious of your hand gestures when public speaking so you can help your audience understand, process and remember what you’re saying. 2. Can your audience even see your hands?  DO keep your hands visible.  DON’T make your hands disappear. Otherwise, your audience will spend their time trying to figure out where your hands are instead of what you are saying. Case in point: I once attended an event with several speakers moving on and off stage. One speaker emerged with a fashionable shawl wrapped snugly around her shoulders and arms, right above her elbows. The shawl was certainly pretty, but as I looked closer, something was not quite right. Once she was in the spotlight, both her arms and her hands appeared to be missing! I focused harder on the drape of the shawl and kept looking. After a few moments, it was clear what was going on: Because she was clasping her hands so tightly behind her back, her arms had completely \"disappeared\" from her shoulders with the shawl. (Unfortunately, since my attention was so fixated on why she looked so uncomfortable and wooden on stage, I do not remember anything she said.) In general, your hands should “speak” to the audience in an area where they can be easily seen: roughly from your shoulders to right above your hips. Both your arms and your hands should remain visible to your audience. 3. Are your hands moving your message forward (or backward)? Page 13 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech  DO use your hands in a manner that conveys confidence.  DON’T wring your hands because that tells the audience (rightly or wrongly) that you are nervous or worried and possibly unsure about what you are saying. You can use your hands to confidently punctuate a definite point you are trying to make. For example, if you are stating in no uncertain terms that “this is the truth,” use your hands in a downward striking motion to nail your unwavering belief of that truth. This technique is effective when used — but not overused. So reserve it for only the most important couple of points or truths. If you punctuate every point you’re making along the way, you’ll not only lose credibility but also begin to confuse or even bore your audience. 4. Are your hand gestures convincing?  DO use your hands to convey emotion.  DON’T tell an emotional story and expect your audience to feel what you feel if you allow your hands to remain stoically at your side.  For example, when sharing a story about someone who did something that touched your heart, get the audience to feel that emotion by putting your hands on your heart as you make that emotional point. Or, if you’re talking about a change that’s “very big and very bold,” use your whole hands — and whole arms — to exaggerate that bigness and boldness for all to see. 5. Are your hands sending the right signals?  DO position your hands to send the right subtle message. Page 14 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech  DON’T confuse your audience by sending the wrong subtle message with your hands. Here’s a for-instance: If you need the audience to like you, trust you and believe wholeheartedly that you have an open mind about a topic, make sure these people see the palms of your hands. Why? Because if you unintentionally show the audience the back of your hands, you’re introducing a divide or a barrier that will subtly block them from believing that you truly want to hear and consider what they have to say. On the other hand, if you are absolutely certain about something — there is no room for debate — be clear about that by “pressing” your palms in a subtle, downward motion as you state that certainty. Palms that move downward mean “case closed” and send that subtle but convincing message to the audience. Think in advance about your hand gestures when public speaking Are you preparing now for an upcoming speaking engagement? If so, consider what you’ll do with your hands. Half the battle is simply being aware that your hands can speak and then thinking deliberately about precisely what you want your hands to say. If you can use your hands in purposeful ways that enhance your message with more meaning, you will more successful in winning over your audience the next time you speak in public. 9.4 SUMMARY  Good delivery speech conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly, interestingly, and without distracting the audience.  Most audiences prefer delivery that combines a certain degree of formality with the best attributes of good conversation Page 15 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022

Art Of Public Speaking: Methods of Delivering a Speech  Good delivery speech relates to directness, spontaneity, animation, vocal and facial expressiveness, 9.5 GLOSSARY  Speech: the expression of or the ability to express thoughts and feelings by articulate sounds.  Gesture: a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to express an idea or meaning.  Pitch: the quality of a sound governed by the rate of vibrations producing it; the degree of highness or lowness of a tone. 9.6 REFERENCES  https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_stand-up-speak-out-the-practice-and- ethics-of-public-speaking/s17-delivering-the-speech.html  https://virtualspeech.com/blog/importance-of-eye-contact-during-a- presentation Page 16 of 16 All Rights Reserved. Vol. TLE001/03-2022