Speak with Confidence: Public Speaking & Communication Basics

1. INTRODUCTION: Imagine you're about to discuss your promotion with your HR manager. As you begin to speak, your voice falters, your body language lacks confidence, and you struggle to articulate your thoughts. On top of it, you forget how to structure your speech effectively, and you're about to leave the room having said half the arguments you had in mind originally. And before you go, your HR manager utters the worst sentences ever. We'll definitely consider your request, but as of now, we believe your skills are best suited to your current role. Hey there. Welcome aboard to the world of speaking skills and effective communication. I'm Mariam your guide on this journey. With a background in intercultural communication and experience in teaching, I'm here to help you navigate the ins and outs of English speaking skills. Whether you're aiming to as that presentation at work or simply want to feel more confident expressing yourself in everyday situations, you're in the right place. Whether you're an educator, salesperson, data scientist, or a student practicing English, in the world of effective communication, every word counts, and your voice matters. This course has seven modules. Each one has a video and reading materials with hands on exercises to help you practice what you've learned. Here's what we'll cover. Why improving our speaking skills and overcoming our fear of public speaking is important in our daily lives. Ways to understand and connect with our interlocutors and feel comfortable with them. How to structure and organize different types of talks, understanding body language and its impact, adding variety to our voice and avoiding sounding boring, using audio visuals and hooks to support our speech and presentation. Last but not least, hands on tips for successful presentations. So let's roll up our sleeves and unlock the power of words and discover transforming our professional and personal lives. Let's get down to business. See you in the next video. 2. Why Improve Public Speaking Skills: Hey, there. I couldn't be happier to see you here. If you're watching this, then you're valuing speaking skills which play a pivotal role in various aspects of our professional and personal life. When it comes to delivering our key message in everyday conversations or simply dealing with a target audience during a presentation at work, the ability to convey our thoughts effectively is a valuable skill set. Speaking skills aren't just reserved for a select view. Anyone can excel with adequate preparation and practice. Despite its importance, speaking in public often ranks as a top fear surpassing a lot of fears of heights, flying, or even death. Even the most skillful speakers may experience nervousness and anxiety before addressing an audience. So why do we need to develop competent speaking skills? And what is the relevance of presentation skills? Effective communication skills may come in handy while conveying new ideas to our interlocutors. It can take various forms, being informal or formal, impromptu or prepared, done individually or in a group. To keep things straightforward in our videos, we'll use the term presentation to refer to all types of speeches, talks, and professional presentations. When delivering a presentation, we're evaluated based on what we say, how our audience perceives our voice, and what they see, both us and our visual aids. When we speak, we usually aim to inform, conveying some new information. We aim to persuade, convincing the audience to change their perspective or take certain actions to make a decision, presenting alternatives for the decision making processes. Maybe to report or negotiate, for example, updating our stakeholders on project progress or relevant development. We might want to simply motivate or entertain inspiring the audience to adopt positive attitudes in an engaging manner. And finally, we aim to solve a problem, identifying solutions to the problems within our organizations. We understand these diverse purposes, we ensure a more thoughtful speaking and presentation delivery. In our next video, we will talk about your interlocutor or audience by covering the topics of why you should know your audience, how your audience may memorize the information you are providing, and how to be at ease while working with a diverse audience. Stay tuned for valuable insight and see you there. 3. Before You Take This Course: So you just watched why public speaking actually matters, so it's time for us to jump into our first practical exercise. This activity will help you adequately position your skills. More importantly, identify areas of improvement before you take this course. We'll do the same after you finish the entire course for you to evaluate your growth and hopefully to celebrate the improvement of your public speaking skills. First, think of an upcoming event where you can practice your speaking skills. It can be a pitch, a class presentation, a management or coordination meeting during which we suddenly forget absolutely everything, or even a family gathering where you want to break through and finally express your ideas. This is my favorite, by the way. Whatever it is, make sure you add it to your calendar now to get better prepared by the end of this course. So, here we go. Long before the day, the big day, take a moment, breathe, and do what we call a SWOT analysis. You might even know it. It's a helpful technique to evaluate your strengths, your weaknesses, your opportunities, and any threats or challenges you might face. Let's go through each of them step by step. Start by identifying your strengths. Think about your knowledge on the topic. What do you already know? The skills you already have. Any past experience that can help you? Keep in mind your strengths when speaking because they set the foundation for you to feel confident and feeling confident, as we know it, is half the work. Now let's look at your weaknesses. Do you struggle with lack of confidence? Maybe you get nervous or anxious every time you speak, or do you struggle structuring your speech clearly? Why do we need to know our weaknesses? If we know them, we also know how to improve them. That's it. Nothing special. So, identifying these will help you focus on areas for improvement before your big day. Next, think about the opportunities this event offers. Networking. Can you connect with new people, showcasing your expertise? Do you think you can demonstrate your knowledge there? Feedback and self improvement. Can you learn from this experience? Will there be lessons learned? Give yourself some credits because the opportunities make your effort even more valuable. And finally, let's consider any threats or challenges you might face. Time constraints. Will you have enough time to prepare? Do you need more? Can you dedicate more time? Technical difficulties. Are you using slide or microphone? Are you familiar with using them? Because you don't want to use them for the very first time before you're audience or interlocutor? What if unexpected questions come up? How will you handle surprises from the audience? Lack of experience. All of us start from somewhere, but what if it's your very first time or your recent speech was not a success? In that case, what can you do to boost your confidence? Knowing these risks in advance allows you to prepare and stay in control, and control, ladies and gentlemen, is the keyword. 2 hours later. Now pretend the big event is over. Congratulations. You survived. You have hopefully also concluded this course, but your work is not over yet. Don't forget to revisit your SWOT analysis after the big day. Ask yourself, did I use my strengths effectively? How well did I manage my weaknesses? Did I take full advantage of my opportunities? And how did I handle any threats or challenges? This time, however, the reflection is going to be based on your real life experience, something priceless to learn from. And it will help you improve for your next speaking opportunity. So take a moment. Think of an event and add it to your calendar and start doing your SWOT analysis. You've got this. 4. Connect with Your Audience: Welcome back. So in the previous video, we've covered why we need speaking and presentation skills in our personal and professional lives. In this video, we will talk about the KYA, knowing your audience, covering types of memories, associations, and humor to better connect with our audience. To connect with your interlocutor or larger audience, understanding them is key. Know their demographics, interests, and expectations, like a good book engages readers, a good speaker captivates the audience. The success of both relies on audience reception. You can't force people to engage with content they don't find relevant. Audience attitudes and responses shape the speech's success. While there is no perfect recipe for pleasing everyone, effective communicators and speakers engage audiences, leaving them feeling informed and empowered. Understanding how your interlocutors memory works is crucial in planning effective speeches and presentations. Let's break it down. We differentiate between four types of memory, ultra short term memory. Think of this as the initial gateway to memory. It's fleeting and can only hold a few pieces of information at once. Engage the senses, seeing, touching, smelling, tasting, or hearing to open this gateway. Transition to short term memory. Engage your audiences personally to shift information into their short term memory. Encourage discussion, connect new information with the existing knowledge and stress key points. Medium term working memory. Here, new memories are actively compared with the old ones. Stimulate discussion, present alternatives, and provide examples to reinforce information in the medium term working memory. Long term memory. This is where lasting memories reside. While it's challenging to fix that information directly into long term memory during a speech, you can prompt a call to action sentence to encourage continued reflection and discussion after your speech. The purpose of a call to action is to motivate the audience to further engage with the content or take desired next step. For example, we may use a sentence like be a force for change, volunteer with us to make a difference or speak out against injustice and advocate for human rights. In summary, planning a memorable speech involves understanding how memory functions. Repetition, engagement, a clear communication are key to guiding your audience through the memory process effectively. Here you shouldn't underestimate the power of your audience's associations while memorizing any new information. Associations are things like smell, taste, sound, surroundings, state of mind, and location. The more associations we make when we are learning something, the easier it is to memorize the new information. So making your speech environment as interesting and memorable as you can will bring out a set of associations that will fix it in their minds. So how do you contribute to forming new associations while you deliver your speech? Use bright pictures, big letters, and a lively voice to make it more exciting. Speak louder or softer to grab attention. Sometimes pause to make them think. Move around the stage if you can to keep them interested. Ask them questions or let them join in to make them think. Switch up what you show them. Use videos or drawings, not just slides. Take short breaks so they can think about what you said. Bringing someone interesting to talk, it helps your message. So how to connect with your audience. Equally important, stay positive and practice empathy all along. Humor may lighten up the environment when suitable. For this, understanding your audience's preferences and culture, reading the room and adjusting your approach based on audience reactions may lighten up the mood. Avoid humor that may be offensive, controversial, or divisive and aim for inclusive and light hearted jokes that everyone can enjoy. And remember, if it didn't work the first time, you can always learn from experience. Reflect on past experiences and observe successful speakers to refine your comedic timing and delivery style. Finally, don't underestimate the power of encouraging interaction. When we foster engagement through questions and discussions, jokes, books, and props, it may deepen understanding and cultivate a sense of shared involvement among participants. Great. So we've learned about the audience's memory, their associations, and how to connect with them through humor and interaction. You can find more detailed techniques and practical exercises in this unit. In our upcoming video, we'll delve into organizing and structuring our speeches in a way that caters to our interlocutors needs and conveys key messages in an easy to digest manner. See you there. 5. Strategies to Boost Your Confidence : In a world where everyone speaks about boosting your confidence, when it comes to the practical part, the slogan, do it doesn't work anymore. People need certain techniques, certain strategies to make confidence tangible and measurable. Here are some strategies to help you build confidence and improve your connection with the audience. Start with small sections. Focus on small sections of the audience at a time. Instead of singling out, let's say, three individuals only, try to engage with different sections of the room periodically. This will help you cover a broader area and make more people feel included. Gradually, make sure to look at different parts of the room, including the front, the middle, and the back. Practice active scanning, where you slowly scan the room while speaking. This involves making eye contact with various individuals for a few seconds before moving on to others. You can practice 180 degree rotation of your posture to ensure equal allocation of your attention. This creates the impression that you are engaging with everyone. Use the three second rule when making eye contact. Try to hold it for about 3 seconds because this duration is long enough to establish a connection, but not too long to make anyone uncomfortable. Move your gaze naturally to another person and hold it for 3 seconds. Then go back to someone else. Engage with friendly faces, identify them. These people are going to be your partners in crime. They often smile or nod providing positive feedback that can boost your confidence. Use them as anger points, but remember to distribute your gaze to avoid neglecting other parts of your audience. And finally, visualize success. Before your speech, visualize yourself confidently making eye contact with the audience. Positive visualization can help reduce anxiety and improve your performance. It's like watching horror movies. Some of us. And by saying some of us, I mean me, watch them to get prepared for similar situations in real life. So why shouldn't I visualize myself having fun and being at ease with my audience mentally? To sum it up, start with small sections, practice active scanning, and use the 3 seconds rule, engage with friendly faces, and finally visualize success. You've got this. 6. Oops, forgot again? Memory Techniques!: Now that you have more knowledge about memory, it's time for you to start playing with your audience's memory for more desirable results. What will you need? You'll need a presentation with its slides, audience participants. Don't worry. It can be anyone. It can be your friends, your family members, your nephews and nieces, use them. Tir or clock. Prepare your presentation before your participants arrive. Choose a topic relevant to your participants, preferably a recent one from your work or classes. It could also be a topic on which you recently struggled to deliver an impressive speech or presentation. Now that you have the topic in mind, structure it into clear sections or points. It's time to invite your participants over. They take their seats, having no idea that they're about to become part of your scientific experiment. In simple terms, they are your guinea pigs, but we love them, we cherish them, and we're grateful for their help. Remember our know your audience video. You might also remember that we usually have four stages of memory. Now let's start presenting your topic to them while applying these four stages step by step for you to feel the difference of audience engagement during each stage. Start with practicing ultra short term memory. Begin your presentation with a captivating visual or anecdote related to your topic. Then ask your audience to recall what they saw or heard in the first few minutes. Now, practice short term memory. Engage the audience personally by asking a thought provoking question. Highlight key points using visuals or interactive elements. After some time, again, ask your audience what they remember from your short presentation. Dive deeper to apply medium term working memory. For this type of memory, facilitate a brief discussion or activity where participants compare the new information with what they already know. Again, after some time, ask your audience what they remember or what stood out most in your discussion. And finally, practice their long term memory. Conclude with a summary of the main points in a memorable way, for example, using an analogy. Issue a clear call to action sentence for participants to apply the information in their daily lives. Now you might ask, what is a call to action sentence? We will cover it in our next section in the speech structure video. For the last time, ask your audience what stood out most in their discussion. So good luck applying all four stages of memory to feel the difference when the audience reacts differently. You've got this. 7. Speech Structure : Hey, do you want to know how to structure your speech? This is the right video. Here, we will break down your speech structure into pieces, bringing examples for each part. Whether you want to persuade your manager of something or simply let your parents know that you're finally moving out. Following this structure will foster your voice and strengthen the impression you will leave on your manager or parents. A typical speech structure often includes the following components. An intro, body, and a conclusion. We all know it, but there is more to that. Let's break it down. They say that introduction consists of introductory, relevant sentences and a thesis statement. But what are they? The relevant statement explains why the topic is important or relevant to the audience. Suppose our topic is AI and labor market transformation. A good introductory relevant statement could be the following. Imagine a world where artificial intelligence not only shapes our daily lives, but also revolutionizes the job markets, as we know it. Now, this was a relevant statement. It can be followed by more similar sentences. For example, AI is not just a buzzword, but a transformative force that is reshaping industries and redefining career landscapes worldwide. Now, this should ideally be followed by or preceed with a thesis statement, which should clearly state the main idea or purpose of our speech. Then comes an outline that will introduce the structure of the body parts. An example of a thesis statement and an outline would be the following. In this speech, we will explore the profound impact of artificial intelligence on the job market, examining how AI technologies are altering job roles. By understanding the dynamics of the transformation, we can better navigate the evolving job landscape. Before we discuss the body part, it is high time we delve into hooks that should decorate our entire speech at the beginning, during and at the end of our speech. Now, everyone says you should use hooks, but what exactly are hooks? Well, they are the attention grabbers, for example, a compelling anecdote, a quote or a question. More types of hooks will be provided in the unit of audio visual aids and hooks. Props, on the other hand, are wonderful hooks, too, especially when it comes to making our entrance more impressive. A prop can be any inanimate or live object, for example, a rose or a snake. Both can help illustrate or emphasize our key points. Here's a short example from a 2014 public speaking world champion using a rose as a prop. You and I are not very different from this flower. Just like this flower is unique. You are unique. All of us has something special that makes us as beautiful. Do you know what makes you special? Now, the answer to that can be a little difficult to find because sometimes life has a cruel way. Of picking out your petals, breaking you into and throwing you into the trash. And when you're broken, it's very difficult to feel special. Impressive, isn't it? Next up, the body part. It consists of main points which can vary from a simple sentence that introduces our key idea or argument to an entire paragraph with deeper supporting details, illustrations and evidence. Remember our topic, AI and labour market transformation. Now, our main point number one could be about automation and job displacement. Main point number two could be emerging job opportunities. And finally, our last point could be about ethical considerations. All along, don't forget about using the transitional sentences and linking words to smoothly move from one point to another. You can find a list of the most used transitional phrases attached in this unit. The speech should be completed with a concluding paragraph, which includes the summary of the main points, a restatement of the thesis by reaffirming our main idea, and a closing sentence ending with a memorable call to action statement or a thought provoking question. We have already covered the call to action statement in the audience video, which is video number two. An example of a call on action sentence for our topic could be the following. Let's dance with the changes AI brings to our job markets, bringing innovation and collaboration into our shared tomorrow. Again, don't forget about the hooks, props, audio visuals, and transitional sentences all along. In conclusion, remember that mastering speech structure is like putting together a puzzle. Each piece from the introduction to the conclusion plays a vital role in creating a clear and a compelling message. By understanding the basics of organizing your speech, you can better connect with your listener and get your point across effectively. So let's keep practicing and refining our skills, one speech at a time. Again, see the reading materials and the hands on exercises below, and I'll see you in the next video. 8. Structure Your Raise Request: Now that you know how to structure your speech, you can climb mountains, conquer space, travel to Mars. But most of all, this skill can come in handy when convincing someone of something. Let's say, persuading your manager to give you a salary raise. Now let's consider the situation from your perspective. You need a raise because first of all, you need money, like we always do. Then second of all, you need money. And third of all, you know how good you are, the industry is evolving. Your skills are worth more now and so on. Now let's consider the situation from your manager's perspective. You're a good employee who already does the job well, but you're not irreplaceable. Let's be honest. No one is in their eyes. And frankly, justifying a salary increase to HR takes effort and a lot of energy. And usually, unless you have another job offer, your manager won't be naturally motivated to push your request forward. So what should you do? More importantly, what can you do? Focus on the justification part why you deserve a raise. We can, let's say, help your manager by providing ready made arguments that they can use in the big conversation with the HR later, and we'll do it in a way that leaves a strong impression. So your manager is coded with the keywords and expressions that make your case stronger. And all of this can be done in a fun and quick way, let's say, in a coffee break. If, of course, your manager drinks coffee. If not, maybe forget about a race. Remember, we always start with an introduction. The best way to grab your manager's attention and get immediate eye contact is to start with a compelling anecdote, a quote, question or statistic, but don't overdose. Just pick one hook technique to begin with. Explain why discussing a race is important. This will make up your relevant sentences. After a couple of relevant sentences, drop the bom, finalize your introductory paragraph with this statement by clearly stating your main argument for why you deserve a race. And the rest of this video, we'll break down the body part in detail, but I won't give you a ready made thesis statement. You'll need to write it on your own. Head to the time frame my Ras assignment right after this video and write a thesis that introduces the key points recovering from this momentum. Immediately after making the big move, continue your mini speech mentioning the key points which come to support what you just stated in your thesis statement. Main point number one, demonstrate value. What do you think this can include? Pause the video, think, take notes, and whenever you're ready for spoilers, come back and continue watching the video. One eternity later. Demonstrating your value can include detailing your contribution and achievements in your role, providing specific examples and metrics that highlight your performance and using linking words or a sentence to naturally move to the next point, which can be about market comparison. Main point number two. Here you can compare your salary to industry standards and seminar roles. You can highlight any disparities and explain why a raise would bring your compensation in line with the market. And again, don't forget about using transitional words to move to the next point. Main point number three could be about future contributions. Think of your own future contributions you can bring to the company you work at now. Pause the video, again, think, take notes, and whenever you're ready, come back. 2 hours later. Main point number three is your last bom, and here you can outline your plans for future contributions on how you will continue to add value to the department or the institution in general. Provide examples of upcoming projects or initiatives you plan to take part in or lead. And again, the last round of transitional words to move to the next part, which is conclusion. And it consists of the summary of the main points, restatement of the thesis why you deserve a raise and a closing sentence with a hook. You may end with a memorable call to action statement or a thought provoking question. And again, don't exaggerate with hooks. You can do it. Good luck. 9. Body Language Essentials: Hey, guys, congratulations. You're halfway through this journey. Let's take a minute and celebrate it. But before you do that, every wondered where some people effortlessly attract attention and influence while others struggle to connect. It's all in the subtle art of the body language, which is an important part of our communication and which constitutes around 55% of our interactions. If you wish to communicate well, then it makes sense to understand how you can and you cannot use your body language to say what you mean. From confident postures to genuine smiles, mastering our body language can define our communication level. But wait, what is body language? It is the non verbal communication expressed through facial expressions or gestures, posture, and other physical cues. It complements verbal communication and often reveals emotions, attitudes, and intentions. So how to be aware of your body language while speaking. Number one, observe yourself. Pay attention to your body language during conversations. Film yourself, record your own speeches. Are you making eye contact? Are your arms crossed defensively? Self awareness is the very first step to improvement. Number two, practice active listening. Maintain open body language to show engagement and receptiveness. Face the interlocutor, not occasionally, and avoid distracting gestures. Number three, control nervous habits. When you observe yourself, did you notice that you are fidgeting, tapping, or maybe playing with some objects? Be mindful of nervous gestures. Practice relaxation techniques to manage your anxiety. Number four, maintain eye contact. Establishing and maintaining eye contact conveys confidence and sincerity. However, be mindful of cultural differences regarding eye contact norms. Number five, watch your posture. Stand or sit upright with shoulders back to convey confidence and authority. Avoid slouching or crossing your arms which can signal defensiveness or disinterest. Number six, regulate facial expressions. Be conscious of your mimics as they can reveal your emotions. Smile genuinely, but avoid excessive smiling, which may appear insincere. Number seven, seek feedback. Ask for feedback from trusted friends and colleagues about your body language during conversations. Use constructive criticism to refine your non verbal communication skills. By being mindful of your body language and continuously honing your non verbal communication skills, you can enhance your ability to connect with others, convey your message effectively, and build stronger relationships. So far, we have discussed the relevance of speaking skills, the KIA, that is knowing your audience, and the speech structure. Now that we have covered the nuances of your body language, too, we can delve into the layers of our voice. Let's do it. 10. Body Language Scenarios: Turns out that your body language can tell much more than you would like it to. But it also means that you can make it serve your content even better. This exercise helps you observe your gestures and facial expressions, trying to manage them in three different scenarios for the same topic. Now, do you have a memorable childhood experience, whether positive or negative doesn't really matter. Do you also have a phone to take a video of you completing this exercise? Wonderful. So stop the video now, try to remember your childhood memory, positive or negative. And whenever you have it in mind, continue watching this video. One eternity later. Welcome back. Keep in mind that the exact details of your memory are not as important as how you convey them through your body language. You will re experience and describe the same childhood memory in three different rounds. Each will be a different scenario for not more than 60 seconds. I will be silent giving you the floor for 60 seconds to perform the exercise. Just follow my instructions and you'll be fine. Mm. Let's start recording yourself. Do you have the camera on? Let's do the first round. Imagine you are on a stage or in a theatrical performance. While you are telling about your memory, exaggerate your gestures and facial expressions to convey your excitement or hate for your memory. Make your body language as dramatic as possible to match a theatrical setting. Now, I'm going to allocate 60 seconds for you to experiment. I'm going to be here on mute, behind the camera. Three, two, go. I know it was a bit weird, but let's confess, it was also a bit fun. Now, let's imagine you are on a date, but you don't like your date. So your task is to sound as boring as possible to make them lose their interest in you. Suddenly switch to a tone of zero interest, tell your memory in a monotone voice, and bring your gestures and facial expressions to a minimum. Act as if you are a really boring person with the most boring voice and boring gestures. Good luck. You can do it three to go. Okay, do you think this was much harder than using exaggerated body language? Let me know in the Q&A section because I'm truly interested. Personally, for me, showing zero interest is the hardest thing ever. Now, let's be normal again. And this time, during the third round, be the best version of you, showing genuine but moderate interest in your memory. Use natural gestures and facial expressions, and this time include key details or reasons why this memory is important to you. Three, two, go. M. Well done, time to review your recordings. Watch your videos, focusing on the following aspects. Number one, observe your body language in each round. Note the parts that you like and where you effectively convey your emotions through gestures and expressions. Number two, identify the areas for improvement, such as matching your body language with your verbal content. And most importantly, make sure no one has access to your majestic videos. Unless you wish otherwise, see you. 11. Eye Contact Scenarios: You've now had a chance to experiment with your body language in three distinct scenarios. Hopefully, you have also reviewed your recordings of the previous practical exercise, and you know that your body language can drastically change how others perceive your emotions and your words. You also know that eye contact, though challenging, is an important component of clear and effective communication. Now I'm talking. I'm here. You hear my voice, and technically, I'm having my speech, but since you cannot see me, you are starting to feel a bit anxious because human beings are normally seeking eye contact with their conversation partner. So no wonder that you would get quite tired and bored pretty soon. No worries. I'm back with an idea how to help you enhance your ability to keep extended eye contact and control your body language while doing it. For this activity, you will need a partner or a friend to practice with. Preferably, your partner also understands English so that both of you can follow my instructions while practicing this exercise. I'm not going to lie. This might be a bit uncomfortable, or as some of my students would say, this exercise is extremely weird for them. But isn't it discomfort that helps us grow? The point is, it will help you train yourself to control distractions and to gradually manage the discomfort you may experience while looking at someone else's eyes. So enough talking. Let's do it. Find a comfortable place where no one can disturb you for the upcoming 15 minutes. Sit comfortably facing each other and simply follow my instructions. Are you sitting face to face? Okay. Begin by looking into your partner's eyes for one entire minute. Do not break your eye contact. Do not look away or start to laugh. Simply look at each other's eyes for one entire minutes. In the meantime, focus on closely observing their eyes. Notice the color, shape, and any subtle movement or expressions. Do not pause the video. We'll put some nice and relaxing background music for 1 minute so that you know when it stops your 1 minute is over too. Let's go. Welcome back. How was it? Not that difficult, right? Yet. Now, briefly discuss how you felt and what you noticed about your partner's eyes. After the discussion, continue watching the video. Now, pause the video, discuss, and come back. 2 hours later. Now it's time to extend duration to 2 minutes of continuous eye contact. This time, concentrate on observing their body language, too. Notice their posture, gestures, and any changes in expression. Try to maintain a comfortable and engaged behavior. Again, do not pause the video. You already know about the music. This time, however, it'll play for 2 minutes straight. Three, two, go. Oh How was it this time? A bit uncomfortable or maybe even funny, right? Now, please discuss what you observed about their body language and how you felt maintaining longer eye contact. After the discussion, continue watching this video. To hours later. The last round is the most uncomfortable, but the most informative challenge. 4 minutes of uninterrupted eye contact. This time, however, concentrate on different aspects each time. Focus on their eyes, then their body language, and in the final minute, try to communicate non verbally. Try to have a conversation without words. The music will play for 4 minutes. Good luck. B I know, I know, but you survived, and it also means you have more things to discuss now. Please share the thoughts and emotions both of you had during the extended eye contact. But most importantly, discuss the non verbal conversation you just had. Try to figure out what each of you was trying to express without words. Sometimes people unknowingly convey messages that the other person doesn't expect, which can be both funny and interesting to notice. After the discussion, continue watching the video. So why did we practice maintaining eye contact in three different rounds, each for a different duration? What do you think? And yes, you're absolutely right. This exercise trains you to maintain focus and deliberate eye contact, making you more comfortable with it over time. By gradually increasing the duration from 1 minute to four, you learn to control distractions, gradually managing discomfort, and using eye contact more effectively while speaking. A little tip, if I may, practice this exercise regularly to build more confidence when looking at your partner's eyes. Let me also quickly remind you about the body language handout in the resources folder, where you can find recommended video links about body language for further insights and more practical tips. See you and good luck. 12. Colors of Your Voice: Hey, you do know that your voice matters, right? Your voice is more than just a sound. It's a powerful tool that can greatly impact your speech and communication effectiveness. Your voice influences your speaking skills. The tone, pitch, changes in tone and pitch, breath control, and diction can enhance the message you're delivering. In this video, we're concentrating on some of them while you will find more details in the reading resources attached below. Let's start with the pitch. Pitch refers to the perceived frequency of a sound. In the context of the human voice, it's how high or low a person's voice sounds. To train your pitch, practice vocal exercises that help you explore and control your pitch range. Experiment with speaking or singing at different pitches to develop flexibility. Number two, is the tone that refers to the quality of timber of your voice. It is what makes your voice unique. Explore different tones by modulating the shape of your vocal tract. Additionally, work on creating a warm tone by practicing proper breath control. What is a breath control you might ask? Well, it is the ability to manage your breath efficiently to support vocalization. To start practicing better breath control, practice deep breathing to strengthen your breath support and to focus on having a steady airflow to sustain longer phrases. Number four, pay attention to your pace which refers to the speed at which you speak or sing. Practice maintaining a moderate pace to enhance clarity and comprehension. Use pauses strategically to emphasize something and to allow listeners to process information. Pause in public speech is not mere silence. It is silence with purpose. It enables the mind of the speaker to gather the forces before delivering the final message. Even more, it prepares the mind of the interlocutor to receive your message. Additionally, it creates effective suspense and gives time to the interlocutor to digest the uttered message. When we say, Well, I believe it's not going to work for me. It's not pausing. It's tumbling. Now, observe the following utterance, which comes with a strategic pause. Today, ladies and gentlemen, we are going to finally talk the talk, you and me. Now, I will repeat the same with zero pause. Today, ladies and gentlemen, we are going to finally talk the talk, you and me. Feel the difference? Of course. The pause enhances the power of the statement. If you are in sympathy with your subject, you fill with it. And therefore, your enthusiasm is both genuine and contagious. With genuine enthusiasm, the speaker and audience become one fused by the emotion. Before we conclude our video, let us also come up with some voice suggestions. Suggestion number one, never attempt to force your voice when hoarse. You're gonna lose your voice. Number two, do not drink cold water before or during speaking. The sudden shock to the heated organs of speech will injure the voice. Drinking coffee and eating, let's say, chocolate before talking, you will do the biggest harm to your voice because it stimulates the test bots and sensory receptors in the mouth, triggering saliva production as part of the normal response to food consumption. Number three, avoid pitching your voice too high. It will make it hard sounding. This is a common fault. When you find your voice in too high a range, lower it. Practice it in your daily conversation. Like in all the previous units here, you can find the practical exercises below in the reading resources, too. Number four, do not form the habit of listening to your voice. When speaking, you will need your brain to think of what you're saying. Reserve your observation for private practice. In summary, your voice can convey a wide range of emotions from enthusiasm and confidence to sincerity and empathy. And we know our own voice colors, our strengths, and gaps to improve, we start mastering it, letting our voice serve us instead of becoming a barrier. In the next video, we will talk about the audio visual materials which greatly affect the way our interlocutors perceive and memorize the messages we deliver. See you there. 13. Voice Variation Scenarios: Turns out that not only your body language, but also your voice can tell much more than you'd like them to. Having this knowledge, let's practice voice variations to maximize your vocal potential. In this exercise, we'll have three different scenarios for the same topic while exploring different tones and styles, discussing a familiar and enjoyable topic. Do you have a favorite character from a movie, book or TV series, or maybe a favorite person? We're going to talk about them. Spoiler alert. The content is not of huge importance in this exercise. Set a time for yourself and take turns 60 seconds for each round, describing your favorite character or person. Focus on varying your delivery style as follows. Begin with an exaggerated voice. Imagine you're a character in a comedy show and exaggerate your excitement or admiration for your favourite character. Use dramatic gestures and animated facial expressions to convey your enthusiasm. Three, two, go. Transition to a voice with zero interest. Suddenly switch your tone to sound completely disinterested or bored. Speak in a monotone voice and use minimal facial expressions or gestures. Act as if you're discussing something mundane or unimportant. Three, two, go. Yeah. Finish with a voice showing moderate interest. Finally shift to a voice that shows genuine but moderate interest in your favorite character. Speak naturally using a tone that conveys thoughtful reflection or balanced appreciation, including some key details or reasons why this character resonates with you. Three, two, go. Be sure to review your videos or audio recordings to learn from any areas where you can improve. And as you remember, make sure no one has access to your wonderful videos. Unless you wish otherwise, see you. 14. Audiovisuals and Why They Actually Matter: Welcome to our final video. If you're still here, congratulations. You almost made it. In this final video, we will talk about the so called decorations of our speeches. Every single speech is a mini performance which is either a gray, regular act of utterance or an unorthodox memorable play. To make it memorable, the easiest technique is to use audio visuals and hooks. You might remember about props from our speech structure video. If no, go back, watch it and make sure you come back. Jokes aside, there is a good argument for some kind of visual reinforcement to what you're saying. Studies show that we remember only about 30% of what we hear, but more than 60% of what we hear and see. Our ears are amazing, but even they have limits. Ears alone can't do all the job, so prepare good audiovisuals, which are clear, visible and simple. By saying clear audio visuals, we mean that they should be instantly recognizable in context to your verbal message. Focus on one idea per slide and directly related to your communication objectives. Your audio visual should be visible and readable even to the most distant viewer. And finally, they should be very simple to understand. Eeliminate unnecessary information because your visual should, A, support your communication objectives, B, enhance your verbal message and not distract from it, and C, they should follow the kill technique, keep it large and legible. So what types of audio visual aids can we identify? Multimedia materials like a photograph, a video, or an audio. Objects and models, for example, a model of an academic city before building it. Tables and diagrams. Let's say, maps and drawings, Charts, the flow charts, for example. Remember that presentation aids should help listeners to understand and remember key points and complex ideas more quickly. Designed well and used wisely, which by the way, is not so simple a task. Presentation Aids enhance speaker credibility. Another interesting secret is the hook, which is anything that grabs the attention of your audience. It could be any audio visual aid or more than that. Here are some examples of hooks which, as a matter of fact, can all be used for a speech about technology obsession. So a hook can be a story or an anecdote, for example, imagine a world where your morning alarm isn't the familiar sound of beeping, but the soothing melody of a bird song. This was the reality for your great, great, great grandparents who woke up to the natural rhythm of the world. Number two, a hook can be a personal story, personalized information directly related to your audience members. Number three, it can be a quote, for example, for the same speech, we can cite one of the greatest Canadian philosophers, Marshall McLuhan, who once said, We become what we behold. We shape our tools, and therefore, our tools shape us. Number four, the hook can come in the form of a question with some emotional appeal, for example, close your eyes and think about the first time you held a loved one's hand. Now consider how technology has redefined touch in the age of virtual connections. Is the warmth of a screen a worthy substitute for the touch of a hand? Number five, a hook can be unusual statistics or startling facts. For example, in the blink of an eye, the Internet processes over 3.5 billion searches. That's the power of information at our fingertips. An example of a startling fact could be, did you know that the average detention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds while ours has dwindled to 8 seconds in the digital age? How do we navigate a world where our focus is shorter than that of a fish? And finally, contrast or contrasting comparison can be an efficient hook, too. For example, in a world where technology connect us instantly, loneliness has reached epidemic proportions. How did our hyperconnected world become so achingly lonely? Of course, we can think of many more hooks, some of which, by the way, can be found in the reading materials. And for some of them, you have practical exercises to complete. I'm sure you will enjoy the process. In conclusion, feel free to choose a hook that resonates with your speech's theme, audience, and overall tone. By incorporating a clear, visible and simple visual, you enhance your messages impact. So remember to leverage these tools to leave a lasting impression on your audience. Good luck. 15. No Ugly Fillers Allowed: He there ever caught yourself saying, like, you know, actually, basically. And cherry on top literally too often. Don't worry. You're not alone. Today, I'll show you how to swap these ugly feelers for smooth transition words that can make you sound more confident and your speech more polished. But what are ugly feelers? There are parasite words that sneak into your speech when you're thinking of what to say next and we need to kill time before we find the right word. But too many of them? Well, that's like, um well, you know, super distracting. See what I mean? They make you sound unsure and take the focus away from your key message. So let's fix it. Instead of, or well, pause. Yes, silence is golden. We remember that from our voice video. Your brain will have time to catch up and you will sound more articulate after the pause. Now let's replace like with something better. Instead of it was like the best day ever. Try saying it was truly the best day ever. How about swapping o for Link in Word? I love coffee because, you know, it wakes me up. What would you say instead of, you know? Better say, I love coffee because, in fact, it wakes me up. And let's not forget about the overused basically, actually literally and totally. Consider the following sentence. Basically, this is how it works. What would you say instead of basically? Anything would work, anything, but basically. For example, this is how it works in simple terms. Now, let's talk about some of the best transition words that make your speech sound impressive. Words like additionally, therefore, on the other hand, and as a result, help connect ideas smoothly. For example, the first option is cheaper. On the other hand, the second one is more reliable. Okay, your turn. Filling the blank with a strong transition instead of a filler. I was really tired, but I finished my project on time. A hint, if I may. Words like nevertheless or however would work perfectly well here. So next time you feel a feeler word creeping in, pause, breathe, and if possible, use a transition word instead. I have created a handout for linking words for you for different contexts and situations. Feel free to use them to enhance your speech. You can find it in the resources folder under this section. Good luck. 16. Speech Routine: Final Do's and Don'ts: Welcome to the final episode of this season. We're about to dive into the essential and final dos and don'ts of delivering a great speech. So, to make things clear, we have incorporated all the previously discussed sections following certain chronological order, what you should do before and during your speech. This tip will help you put things into perspective and create your own speech routine or what we also call it hygiene. Let me know which one is your favorite in the Q&A section. So before the speech, structure your content. Have a clear beginning, middle, and end to keep your message organized and compelling. Find your gem. Listen to music. Oh, my God, please listen to your music. Mine is September by Earth Wind and Fire. You can hear it now. Do you remember Or some salsa music. My friends know how I can put myself together with the right music in a second. By the way, hi to Monica, my salsa teacher. You can listen to a podcast that sets the right tone and trains your mind for a balanced and organized delivery. Do it on your way to the speech venue or in the elevator, if it's short and inspirational. But seriously, find out your gem and don't let it go. Do breathing exercises or find a personal ritual, for example, simple exercises or a little meditation session to get into the right mindset before stepping on stage. You might want to talk to a loved one because a quick chat with someone who supports you can boost your confidence and give you positive energy right before your speech. I usually have my video chat with my nephews. They give me my dose of happiness right before the exciting moments. What about planning the work with your audience early on? Before your speech, plan your ways to involve your audience or interlocutor from the very beginning. Prepare questions or interactive elements to keep them interested. Don't just rely on the moment like, I'll know what to do on the go. Because again, having the hooks planned out in advance helps you feel more confident and knowledgeable about what you're doing. The voice, warm up your voice beforehand. Do some vocal exercises and practice articulation to ensure clear speech delivery. There are wonderful exercises in our resources folder in the voice section. Do just one of them, the one that you like most, and you'll feel the difference. You can thank me later. Dress comfortably and confidently. Before your speech day, plan what to wear to feel you to be you. Maybe something that makes you feel comfortable and radiates positive energy. When you feel good in your outfit, you'll naturally radiate with more confidence and make a stronger impression on your audience. Now pretend it's time, and you should have your speech. What should you do during the speech? Speak clearly. Do not hurry. Take deliberate pauses to let your throat, tongue, and body in general. Have a rest for a second. Take a breath and continue talking. Emphasize your key points and avoid rushing through your content. Give your audience proper time to digest what you're saying. Now about the non verbals. Use body language. Avoid standing stiffly in one place and move with purpose. Use moderate gestures. Don't forget about maintaining eye contact. Scan the room in a natural way like a lighthouse to connect with everyone. Start with small sections. Go from front to the middle to the back, and then repeat the same cycle. Keep your voice dynamic. Avoid monotone delivery, change your tone and energy to keep their attention. Now about the don't during your speech. Do not read your speech. You can have notes at hand. It even looks professional. But don't read the entire speech. Just have a look at your professional notes. Don't use ugly filler words. Avoid excessive fillers and other parasite words as discussed in our ugly fillers video. Just past that. Otherwise, with the fillers, the audience instinctively feels everything and they know that we know they know we know. Avoid eating or drinking right before your speech. Remember the voice video, coffee, chocolate, heavy meals, dairy, or even soft drinks can cause discomfort and affect your vocal quality. Save them for after your speech. Oh, my God. You're ready now. Go and experiment. Have fun and let me know how it worked for you. And remember, every speech is your chance to make an impact. Now, go out there and shine. Don't be a stranger. You've got this.