Cypress College Practice Speech Essay
Description
- Delivery – Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication refers to the ways people can communicate without using language. This can include their facial expressions, how they dress, their use of touch, and even their posture. Various communication studies have shown that audiences take more meaning from a person’s nonverbal communication than they do from the actual words being used. Why is this important? If your nonverbal communication contradicts the words you are saying, the receiver will believe your nonverbal message. For an example of this, let’s go digital. Pretend a friend of yours sends you the following text: “I had a great date tonight.” Well, sounds like good news, right? Except they then follow it up with the eye roll emoji. Suddenly the meaning of the message was no longer that the date was great, instead the eye roll communicates that it was quite the opposite. For an excellent summary of nonverbal communication relating to public speaking, check out the video below. Below are just some of the concepts we should be focusing on while giving a speech in terms of our nonverbal delivery styles: - Physical Appearance: What we look like communicates something to our audience. This could be good or bad. It could also be completely unintentional. Regardless, what we wear, what we look like, and how we are groomed all communicate something to other individuals. Even your height can communicate something. Interesting enough, voters tend to vote for the taller presidential candidate. (Links to an external site.)
- Physical Space: How we use our physical space can communicate our sense of power to the audience. For example, if I stand up to give a speech in a classroom and my back is against a wall I am communicating to my audience that I am fearful and want to stand as far away from them as possible. On the flip side, if I am hovering over the audience members in my front row I may communicate aggression that would make my audience feel uncomfortable.
- Body Language
- Posture: Remember the Power Posing video from last week? Our posture can communicate dominance and confidence.
- Gestures: You may want to include gestures to emphasize the points youre making in your speech. Gestures can be emblematic (giving a thumbs up sign), or illustrative (raising your hand up when talking about an increase). It is important to make sure that you vary your gestures throughout your speech. When not purposefully gesturing, you can leave your hands down by your sides (not in your pockets!). Finally, avoid tempo hands, or bouncing your hands in sync to your speech tempo.
- Facial expressions: incorporate various facial expressions throughout the speech to signify to the audience how they should feel. For example, when speaking about unjust laws make a concerned face. When giving the audience positive steps they can take you can smile to encourage them.
- Feet: Unless transitioning between points, your feet should be planted during your speech. Avoid nervous pacing, swaying, or shifting your weight as it can be distracting and may communicate nervousness. When transitioning between points, avoid turning your back to any audience members and maintain eye contact in the direction youre walking. Although we havent spoken on structuring your speeches yet, in a 5 part speech you would want to be centered to the audience for your introduction, walk left for your first main point. In your second main point walk back to the center, while you can walk to the right on your third main point. Finally, walk back to the center for your conclusion.
- Basic speech organization
- Hook
- Social significance statement
- Thesis
- Preview
- Body point 1 problem (include a internal preview of problems)
- Transition to cause (internal review of problems and internal preview of causes)
- Body point 2 causes
- Transition to cause (internal review of causes and internal preview of solutions)
- Body point 3 solutions
- Review
- Restate thesis
- link back to hook
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