Chapter 10 Managing Anxiety and Apprehension When Delivering Your Speech

Learning Objectives (1 of 2) 10.1 Identify ways you can manage your speech anxiety/communication apprehension. 10.2 Demonstrate appropriate use of the four methods of delivery. 10.3 Analyze your own vocal and physical aspects of delivery and find ways to improve both.

Learning Objectives (2 of 2) 10.4 Construct presentational aids that enhance your speeches and help your listeners attend to the presentation. 10.5 Explore how integrating software programs can aid your presentation. 10.6 Perform your speech delivery in practice sessions to help you gain confidence and practice.

Managing Speech Anxiety (1 of 6) Learning Objective 10.1: Identify ways you can manage your speech anxiety/communication apprehension.

Managing Speech Anxiety (2 of 6) Communication Apprehension Speech anxiety is a fear of speaking before an audience. Communication apprehension is the most severe form of speech anxiety.

Managing Speech Anxiety (3 of 6) Communication Apprehension People with communication apprehension believe their silence offers great advantages than speaking out or that the disadvantages of communicating outweigh potential gains. Among the fears of those with communication anxiety is speaking before a group. Communication apprehension often begins at an early age as a result of negative feedback.

Managing Speech Anxiety (4 of 6) Symptoms of Speech Anxiety Behavioral signs of speech anxiety include quivering voice, awkward pauses, breathing heavily, not making eye contact, fidgeting, pacing, or dry mouth. Behaviors can occur separately or in combination. Speakers with anxiety often overestimate how much the audience notices their behavior. Causes of Speech Anxiety People may develop speech anxiety from constantly hearing of others’ negative experiences speaking to people in public. Speech anxiety is a learned behavior.

Table 10.1: Behaviors Associated with Speech Anxiety Voice Quivering, too soft, monotonous, too fast, nonemphatic Fluency Stammering, halting, awkward pauses, hunting for words, speech blocks Mouth and throat Breathing heavily, clearing throat often, swallowing repeatedly Facial expressions No eye contact, rolling eyes, tense facial muscles, grimaces, twitches Arms and hands Rigid and tense, fidgeting, waving hands Body movement Swaying, pacing, shuffling feet, weight shifts Nonvisible symptoms Feeling too warm, too much saliva, dry mouth, butterflies in the stomach Many communication professors have lists of behaviors such as the ones here. one of the first lists was published more than 40 years ago but is still viable. [A. Mulac and A. R. Sherman, “Behavior Assessment of Speech Anxiety,” Quarterly Journal of Speech 60, 2 (April 1974): 138.]

Managing Speech Anxiety (5 of 6) Communication Apprehension, Anxiety, and Cultural Concerns Because of language and cultural differences, international students and those whose first language is not English have anxieties that go beyond those of native speakers. International students are concerned about translating from English to their own language and back again.

Managing Speech Anxiety (6 of 6) Treating Speech Anxiety and Apprehension Systematic desensitization is a relaxation technique designed to reduce tenseness associated with anxiety. Meditation is a practice of spending time in quiet thought to help relax and focus one on the tasks at hand.

Methods of Delivery (1 of 3) Learning Objective 10.2: Demonstrate appropriate use of the four methods of delivery.

Methods of Delivery (2 of 3) Impromptu Delivery The delivery of a speech with little or no formal planning or preparation is called impromptu delivery. This differs from other methods by forcing speakers to depend solely on their ability to think on their feet. Manuscript Delivery Reading a speech word for word is known as manuscript delivery. Use a manuscript delivery for situations in which every word, phrase, and sentence must be stated precisely.

Methods of Delivery (3 of 3) Memorized Delivery Memorized delivery requires you to memorize your speech in its entirety. The advantage is that you can focus more on delivery and less on what you have to say. Extemporaneous Delivery In extemporaneous delivery, you use a carefully prepared and researched speech but deliver it from notes with a high degree of spontaneity. This is the most commonly used method in speech classrooms.

Vocal and Physical Aspects of Delivery (1 of 5) Learning Objective 10.3: Analyze your own vocal and physical aspects of delivery and find ways to improve both.

Vocal and Physical Aspects of Delivery (2 of 5) Vocal Aspects (1 of 2) Vocal quality is the overall impression a speaker’s voice makes on listeners. A speaker’s intelligibility, the degree to which an audience can hear and understand words, is determined by volume, distinctiveness of sound, accuracy of pronunciation, articulation, and stress placed on syllables, words, and phrases.

Vocal and Physical Aspects of Delivery (3 of 5) Vocal Aspects (2 of 2) The combination of rate, force, and pitch variations that add to a speaker’s overall vocal quality is called vocal variety. Rate is the speed at which a speaker speaks. A pause is a brief stop to gain attention, add emphasis, separate, or otherwise punctuate ideas. The intensity and volume of the voice is called force. Pitch refers to how high or low the voice is on a tonal scale.

Vocal and Physical Aspects of Delivery (4 of 5) Personal appearance refers to what a speaker looks like and the way a speaker dresses, grooms, and presents him- or herself. Body movement includes posture and purposeful movement. Gestures are movements of the head, arms, or hands that help to illustrate, emphasize, or clarify an idea.

Vocal and Physical Aspects of Delivery (5 of 5) Facial expressions are configurations of the face that can reflect, augment, contradict, or be unrelated to a speaker’s verbal delivery. Eye contact is the extent to which a speaker looks directly at audience members.

Presentational Aids (1 of 4) Learning Objective 10.4: Construct presentational aids that enhance your speeches and help your listeners attend to the presentation.

Presentational Aids (2 of 4) Benefits of Presentational Aids Presentational aids are materials and equipment that speakers may use to enhance content and delivery. Presentational aids make a speech understandable and memorable. They enhance speaker credibility. They create audience attention and interest. They provide support. They help with delivery.

Presentational Aids (3 of 4) Choosing and Using Presentational Aids Presentational aids should serve a need. Presentational aids should be planned and adapted to the audience and the situation. Presentational aids should not dominate or take over a speaker’s job. Presentational aids should look as professionally prepared as possible. Presentational aids should be practical—easy to prepare, use, and transport. Presentational aids that are not original or that contain information that is not the speaker’s require documentation. Visuals should contain only one idea—one graph per poster, and so on.

Presentational Aids (4 of 4) Types of Presentational Aids Computer-generated images Video and digitized video clips Real objects Models Photographs, drawings, and diagrams

Presentation Software (1 of 3) Learning Objective 10.5: Explore how integrating software programs can aid your presentation.

Presentation Software (2 of 3) Deciding when to use PowerPoint or Prezi in Your Presentations Neither is always the best presentational aid. You do not have to use software just because it is available. Creating Effective PowerPoint or Prezi Presentations Choose background colors and designs that are clear, clean, and not too busy. Serif fonts are clean and easy to read. Display your presentation only when referring to it. Use graphics and pictures sparingly.

Presentation Software (3 of 3) Using Presentational Aids: Who’s Really in Control? Remember that you are in control of your presentation. If you’ve done what’s recommended in this text, you will feel poised and confident. If you know your topic, have prepared well, and practiced carefully, your chances of recovering from a mishap increases significantly.

Practice Your Delivery (1 of 2) Learning Objective 10.6: Perform your speech delivery in practice sessions to help you gain confidence and practice.

Practice Your Delivery (2 of 2) Practice, practice, practice. There is no magic amount of time to make your delivery perfect. Start with small segments, and then practice the entire speech. If possible, practice in the same room where you will speak (or at least under similar conditions).