Page 11 - PUBLIC SPEAKING_Neat

Skills in Public  We organize our ideas to present them in the most
Speaking: persuasive manner.
We steadily build up a compelling case about how the
teacher benefits the school.

 We tailor your message to our audience.
There is no time to talk about the special education for a
country. We must show how the issue is important to
people in that room—to their children and to the school.
 We tell our story for maximum impact.
Perhaps we relate an anecdote to demonstrate how much
your child has improved. We also have statistics to show
how many other children have been helped.
 We adapt to listener feedback.
When we mention the cost of the special teacher, we notice
sour looks on the faces of the school board members. So, we
patiently explain how small that cost is in relation to the

overall school budget.

In many ways, then, public speaking requires the same skill used in ordinary
conversation. Most people who communicate well in daily talk can learn to communicate
just as well in public speaking.

C What to Highlight in Public Speaking

Despite their similarities, public speaking and everyday conversation are not
identical. Imagine that we are telling a story to a friend. Then, imagine ourselves telling
the story to a group of seven or eight friends. Now, imagine telling the same story to 20
or 30 people. As the size of our audience grows, there are three major highlights in
public speaking.

1. Public speaking is more highly structured.
It usually requires strict time limitation on the speaker. In most case, the situation
does not allow listeners to interrupt with question or commentary. The speaker
must accomplish her or his purpose in the speech itself. In preparing the speech,
the speaker must anticipate questions that might arise in the minds of listeners
and answer them. Consequently, public speaking demands much more detailed
planning and preparation than ordinary conversation.

2. Public speaking requires more formal language.
Slang, jargon, and bad grammar have little place in public speeches. Listeners
usually react negatively to speakers who do not elevate and polish their language
when addressing an audience. A speech should be “special”.

Public Speaking | 5