FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

PRINCIPLES OF SPEECH DELIVERY

Insights on Public Speaking

After listening to the speeches of the champions, you may have noticed
that aside from the speech content, their delivery was also essential to their
victory. The speakers seemed so natural and at ease that you wonder: Are
effective speakers made, or are they naturally born effective speakers? It is true
that some people are born with special gifts in public speaking, but it is also true
that most of the best public speakers either underwent intensive formal training or
got involved in several speaking situations that, over time, enabled them to hone
the skill.
According to Stephen Lucas (2011), author of The Art of Public Speaking, a
good delivery means that you are capable and able to present your message in
a clear, coherent, and interesting way. In addition to this, he also says:
“Good delivery…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—
directness, spontaneity, animation, vocal and facial expressiveness, and a lively
sense of communication (p. 244).”
As a student of public speaking, you should know that public speaking is
not simply reading your speech or talking about your topic. It requires making
connections with your audience and presenting yourself formally to the public.
There are types of speeches according to purpose and delivery from which you
can choose the best one or the most appropriate in a given situation.

Delivery for Different Situations

Bear in mind that not all speaking situations happen in the classroom. Some
may happen in unfamiliar environments. To illustrate, you may run or be
nominated for a school or local government office, so a room-to-room and public
campaign speech is required; or you may be invited to welcome a visitor in your
school or community, so an opening or welcoming remark is necessary; or you
may be asked to represent your school or community in a literary contest. These
are a few situations where your delivery skill will be simultaneously challenged and
honed.
As a public speaker you need to be ready to deal with the most common
challenges in different speaking environments. Below are some of them.
Whatever speaking situation you are in, the most important thing is you master
your speech. You can only do this by constantly carrying out the right practices.
Tools for Effective Speech Delivery
To be effective in your delivery, watch and emulate people who speak in
public excellently. While observing, take note of the following:
• How they approach their audience (formal, informal, personal, conversational,
intimate, among others)
• How they connect with their audience (using eye contact, body movements,
and facial expressions)
• How they present themselves (stage presence: how they look, stand, walk, use
nonverbal cues, act on and off the stage)
• How they use their voice in terms of volume (loudness or softness), pitch
(highness or lowness), rate or speed, pauses to show emphasis and strengthen the
clarity of the message, vocal variety (effective changes in volume, pitch, rate and
pauses), and pronunciation.
The items enumerated are the tools that can help you develop your
speech. Practice in front of a mirror and observe your own delivery with these
tools in mind. Alternatively, you can practice in front of your family, friends,
classmates, or those who have already done public speaking. You can ask for
feedback or seek advice from them. Explore which tools work best for you and
develop a habit of effective delivery to enhance your public speaking skill. Keep
practicing and engaging yourself in speaking situations. Remember, you already
have the public speaking skill, but you will only improve if you speak in public
constantly

More Tips for Effective Speech Delivery

The following are more techniques and tips to help you deliver your speech well:
1. Use a conversational style more often. This is the style that is more natural; it is
the style that you always use when you express yourself with your family and
friends. Audience members do not like the speaker to sound unnatural or
exaggerated.
2. Look your audience members in the eye so they will feel that they are part of
your speech. Eye contact should be maintained to keep the attention of your
audience and enhance your delivery.
3. Remember to adjust your volume to the size of the audience and the venue.
When addressing a large audience, modulate your voice in such a way that you
speak loudly without sounding like shouting or yelling.
4. Vary your rate or speed to keep your audience interested and to avoid a
monotone pattern. The audience might get bored if you speak very slowly and
they might get confused if you speak very fast. Hence, your rate should be at an
appropriate speed.
5. Master your voice and find your pitch level (high or low). If you have a high
pitch level, modulate or slightly move it down. If you have a low pitch level,
modulate or slightly move it up. Your performance will definitely be affected if you
do not modulate.
6. Use pauses when you emphasize the most important words, phrases, or
sentences. Your pauses should not last for three seconds. Otherwise, it will result in
dead air or a moment of awkward silence.
7. Pronounce and enunciate words correctly. You will confuse the audience if you
mispronounce words, and it could distract them and affect your credibility.
8. Avoid fillers or expressions that substitute actual words in your speech because
these words are distracting. Examples of fillers are “like,” “um,” “ah,” “uh,” and
“er.” To reduce the use of these fillers, detect the instances when you use them:
Do you generally use fillers after each sentence, between different ideas, or
whenever you make transitions? Then, instead of using them the next time you
deliver a speech, simply stop and pause.
9. Start your speech by standing straight and balancing your weight. This will give
a positive first impression.
10. Use precise movements. Avoid distracting mannerisms like swaying back and
forth, leaning on the podium, licking or biting your lips, playing with your
wristwatch or jewelry, scratching parts of your body, frowning, and others.
Observe your mannerisms and learn how to avoid them when speaking in public.
11. Avoid having a poker face or a highly animated face. These facial expressions
appear distracting and may even be annoying. Instead, follow the most highly
suggested tip: smile. However, make sure that the meaning of your speech
reflects in your facial expressions; do not smile if you are talking about something
sad.
12. Dress properly and appropriately. Wearing the proper attire will make you look
more confident and professional. Make sure not to overdress, as this may distract
your audience.
13. Observe ethics by coming prepared, being honest with your words, being
polite, avoiding offensive words and back-biting or talking negative things about
other people, or copying someone’s work without proper documentation.
14. Breathe in and out to relax before your speech. Most importantly, have fun.