1. The Power of Nonverbals in Competitive Speech
“You Can’t Not Communicate”
Try it. . .
-Jen McCarty Eastview Speech

2. Your Communication Impact
Make a guess:
What percentage is:
Language? The words we use
Vocal? How the speaker delivers the message
Visual? What the audience sees
(Answers should equal 100%)

3. Communication Impact
10% Language
35% Vocal
55% Visual

4. Language 10% Obviously WORD CHOICE is important! ~Be Sophisticated
~Think Professional
~Use Style
~Be Grammatically Correct
~Avoid Slang and Tired Language
~Consider Literary Merit in Published Material

5. “It’s Not What You Say; It’s How You Say It”
Vocal 35%
“It’s Not What You Say; It’s How You Say It”
Volume
Rate
Pitch
Quality
Pauses/Silence

6. VOLUME, PITCH, RATE Use volume; rate; and pitch deliberately—
be soft to add emphasis
Pick up speed to show intensity
Raise pitch to show emotion
VARY!
Be aware of how you naturally use volume, rate and pitch

7. QUALITY
Be aware of the quality of your voice and how you can use it to add character
Raspy
Clear
Articulate
Breathy

8. PAUSES/SILENCE DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BE SILENT and TO USE PAUSES
Remember that nonverbals are 90% of communication impact.

9. Facial Expressions/Eyes
VISUAL 55%
Appearance
Gestures
Facial Expressions/Eyes
Movement
Posture and Stance
Proxemics

10. Appearance
See Handbook
ENOUGH SAID!!

11. Gestures/Mannerisms Difficult to teach:
Think about where you can use them deliberately
Watch others
Watch yourself
Be aware of where you gesture and if it is needed or is distracting

12. Facial Expressions and Eyes
Most noticed yet most complex part of the body.
Researchers found:
At least 8 positions of eyebrows and forehead
8 more for eyes and eyelids
10 for lower face
Surprise, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Happiness, and Sadness (plus blends of all these)

13. Movement Blocking Miming Transitional Walks Movement must
1st: always be motivated
2nd: thought out and purposeful.

14. Posture and Stance Characters—(1,2,3 method)
Poise and confidence (before, during, and after your presentation)
Watch yourself
Watch others
Posture as you sit in desks; discussion

15. Practice Deliberate Choices with Nonverbals
Decide what you want to communicate and use nonverbals to help you to:
Repeat
Substitute
Complement
Accent
Regulate
Contradict

16. Repeat Saying “Go North about two blocks” and then pointing north.
Be careful that gestures don’t become too literal: “I can hear the bird” and then putting hand to the ear.
(Repeat nonverbals should be used sparingly)

17. Substitute Replacing the language with a gesture. “What’s Up?”
Shrug of the shoulders as a response.

18. Complement
Nonverbal behavior can conveys relationship between characters:
Low voice, hesitation, shuffling feet, head bowed (embarrassment; inferior)
Many complementing nonverbals consist of illustrators:
Scratching head
Snapping fingers

19. Accent Especially important in Public Address Gesturing on an idea
Pausing before an important idea or point of the script
Stressing certain words with your voice “It was your idea” “It was your idea”

20. Regulate
Especially apparent in Duo—using intonation to show interruption; wanting to gain the floor; turning the floor over to the other character.
Rising and falling patterns to help move the speech; show conclusion; vary delivery. . .

21. Nonverbals in Listening
Nonverbals are important in speaking; but also in listening.
Why?

22. Nonverbals in Listening
Respect your audience. People will never laugh, or cry, or hear what you have to say if you speak as if they're not there. A speech is never about the speaker, it's about the audience and the entertainment or persuasion of that audience. If you respect your audience, they will respect and respond to you. You are at their mercy, never your own.”
~Natalie Sintek; forensics online competitor of the year 2004
State Champion 3 consecutive years 02;03;04; National Humorous Champion 2004

23. Nonverbals in Listening
What are your nonverbals as you listen to your competitors?
Where are your eyes?
What is your posture?
Where are your hands?
Do you nod? Smile? Or otherwise encourage the speaker?

24. The Power of Nonverbals in Competitive Speech
Remember. . .
“You Can’t Not Communicate”