To speak or not to speak

Everyone wants to speak and be heard, especially by a lot of people. The problem is how to speak correctly.

Before delivering a public speech, let's take a look at some of the key term for speaking:

1. Articulation:

       In order to make it easier for the audience to understand the speech, as well as making it more memorable, the speaker needs to articulate, that is, to pronounce each word clearly. A good speech begins with good articulation. Bad articulation would only lead to confused, perplexed audience after the speech.
       I tend to quickly and unclearly pronounce hard words so that it wouldn’t create a gap in my speech but it seems to backfire. My goal is to get away from this habit and articulate every word I say so my audience would understand better what I want to convey.


2. Projection:
      What is projection? In speaking, projection is how loud you speak and it varies depend on the situation.

      Now, you don't want to shout into everyone's ears your speech nor do you want to speak so quietly that people find it impossible to figure out what you are saying. Projection is important because proper voice projection would help audience to keep up and stay with the speech as well as having a good impression of the speaker, thus creating a more favorable feeling.

     My public speaking class is a good place to practice my projection because I have received my peers and my teacher opinion about it. Hence, I could control my projection better and I hope to enhance that skill in the future. Speaking with the right projection helps me feel more confident in front of the crowd.

1    3. Diction:

      Diction is the choice of words and is vital in public speaking. In the worst case scenario, a wrong word can ruin the whole good speech. On the other hand, a normal speech can be more memorable if its author throws in some suitable and highlighted words. Therefore, when giving a speech, people need to pick their words aptly and carefully.

      At the class, I have received some feedbacks about my use of words during my speech or my writing and I found those feedbacks very helpful. It would help me to develop my ability to express myself further.

2.      4. Pacing:

     A public speech is neither a rap song nor a slow motion movie. If you go too fast, the audience would not have a slightest sense of what you are talking about. If you go too slowly, the audience would get bored. Public speaking is about conveying what you want to say and keep the audience interest. Therefore, a good pace is indispensable.

      In my Public Speaking class, having seen people giving speech and also have spoken myself, I have learned how to pace each part of my speech suitably. A reasonable pace allows me to express more efficiently and be more confident.

3      5. Purpose and Audience:

      Who are you speaking to? Why are you speaking? To deliver a good speech, speakers must answer these questions. The answers would shape the style, the tone and the language of the speech. After all, you can’t speak to an old man the way you talk to your friend.

      Always remember your purpose and your audience. Otherwise, the speech would fail to reach to them.

     Through in-class activities, I have learned to adjust my speech accordingly to the audience and the goal. This is one of the steps on my road to improve my oral and written expression.

So, are you ready to speak your mind?