UNIT 1: Speaking and Listening

I. DEFINITION
Public Speaking- it is a way of making your ideas public- of sharing them with other people and of
influencing other people.
The key phrase of the word “Public Speaking” is “make a difference.”
II. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF PUBLIC SPEAKING TO CONVERSATION
SIMILARITIES
1. Organize your thoughts logically
2. Adapting to listener’s feedback
3. Communicating
DIFFERENCES
1. Highly structured
2. Requires more formal language
3. Requires a different method of delivery
III. DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE
Ways to turn nervousness to a positive one:
1. Acquire speaking experience
2. Prepare, prepare, prepare
3. Think positively
4. Use the power of visualization
5. Know that most nervousness is not visible
6. Don’t expect perfection
IV. THE SPEECH COMMUNICATION PROCESS
There are seven elements of speech communication process:
1. SPEAKER. The person who is presenting an oral message to a listener.
2. MESSAGE. Whatever a speaker communicates to someone.
3. CHANNEL. The means by which a message is communicated.
4. LISTENER. The person who receives the speaker’s message.
5. FEEDBACK. The messages, usually nonverbal, sent from a listener to a speaker.
6. INTERFERENCE. Anything that impedes the communication of a message.
7. SITUATION. The time and place in which speech communication occurs.
V. PUBLIC SPEAKING IN A MULTICULTURAL WORLD
Speechmaking becomes more complex as cultural diversity increases. The meanings attached to
gestures, facial expressions, and other nonverbal signals also vary from culture to culture.
AVOIDING ETHNOCENTRISM
Ethnocentrism- the belief that one’s own group or culture is superior to all other group or culture.
To be an effective public speaker in a multicultural world, you need to keep in mind that all the
people have their special beliefs and customs.