Question:
I have a presentation to make tomorrow, but i'm a bad speaker?
2008-11-02 16:24:35 UTC
It's only a 3 minute presentation on a geography article. I've wrote out what i'm going to say in my notebook, but I fear people will find my voice very boring because I don't put emotion into my talk, and because of my nerviousness I fear people will think i'm stupid if I stutter or mispronounce words?

It's the first presentation i've made infront of my university tutorial class, and there are some very smart people there.... I think im going to embarrass myself bad

Does anyone have any tips?
Six answers:
music_junkie911
2008-11-02 16:46:56 UTC
practice in the mirror A LOT. this will help you gain confidence if you see what you're doing for yourself. or video tape yourself and try and correct yourself when you actually do it.

calm your self down. the adrenaline is probably getting to you. you may think that this is a big deal, but do you really pay attention to any one else's speeches? i don't mean to be rude, but i don't think anyone will really pay attention to you. it works for me, thinking that.

if you mispronounce words and stutter, no one will think you're stupid. they'll think you're human. don't make a big deal out of it. people will only notice if you do.

it's not about the emotion in your voice. it's about the facts. especially in this class.

maybe write down a few notes in your notebook about keeping a steady pace and not to say "um" or "ah" in your speech. or not to twitch or such. it's what i do when i have a speech and it helps me calm down, so i don't have to remember the speech and my presentation.

before you present, take deep breaths and get yourself together. when you are looking around the class, look at everyone, not just one person or the wall. look at they're forehead. it's less intimidating but gets the listener involved. make arm gestures to get the listener's eyes up on you, instead of their shoes. don't fidget, or shift feet, unless you're allowed to walk around the room. it's distracting to your speech. don't be too quiet or to loud. stand tall. your feet sould be shoulder length apart and your arms at your sides unless you're making gestures or holding notecards.

calming down is the most important. don't make a big deal out of it or you'll over think it. relax. practice, and be confident. perhaps infront or a friend so they can critique you.



i know from experience that the apprehensiveness sucks the most. i hate waiting for my speech. when he's about to call out a name, i get so worked up i start to bite my nails or something. if you look confident, you'll sound confident.

good luck!!!
yolanda
2016-05-25 12:45:55 UTC
That doesn't sound stupid at all. From elementary school through high school, I suffered from an almost crippling fear of giving presentations or speeches. I would forget the words and be unable to speak confidently. Finally, when I was in college, I took a speech class and I realized something strange...I like giving speeches! I may not like the feeling of the spotlight but I love sharing the ideas. It is totally normal to feel nervous in that situation. The first thing to do is try to feel more optimistic. It may not be your first choice for an assignment, but have as much fun with it as you can. If you can feel excited about it, it infects the audience. One thing that works for me is using humor. It's a wonderful feeling to have an audience laughing with you. Could you put on a silly French accent (think the insane French cook in "The Little Mermaid") and make jokes during the speech? Maybe you could use props or draw a "French" moustache on your face. If you use humor and creativity, sometimes it diffuses what might be a stressful situation and makes it easier for you to focus on giving the presentation. Try to think outside of the box. Also, remember that everyone else is nervous about their presentations and that you'll have your partner working with you. It definitely helps to practice what you say until you feel confident saying it. Oh, and I also advise going first because then you get it over with and you can enjoy the feeling of relief when you watch everyone else! Good luck.
samakāmitā
2008-11-02 16:33:13 UTC
well to improve your skills in holding meetings or speeches you can join a group that you can usually find everywhere in the US. They all called toastmasters, and are a super big help when it comes to that. All it takes is practice, practice and more practice.
Bailey's mom♥
2008-11-02 17:49:06 UTC
go over the presentation again and again until it's perfect and while giving it look just over the classes heads it will seem like your the only one there and you'll have no reason to be nervous
Megan
2008-11-02 16:34:17 UTC
I'm quoting my friend here "don't doubt yourself, just be confident." It didn't work for me, but it may work for you.
bananaberry
2008-11-02 16:33:29 UTC
i would say dont care what they think and just do it for the grade


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...