Giving a Report

Get Comfortable

Pick a topic that interests you. Sounds obvious, but many people just choose anything on the recommended list without thinking whether or not they have strong feelings about the topic. If you don't care, your audience won't, either. Try to not give a presentation on a subject in which you have absolutely no interest. Love shopping? A good topic to avoid would be Stop Shopping Til You Drop and Bring Back Family Game Night. Hate winter sports? Explaining the in's and out's of Canadian ice hockey likely isn't your hot topic. If you must use an assigned subject, do enough research to find an angle that interests you. Often, teachers will give some leeway here.

Have Something to Say

If the subject requires research, do your research. Sounds obvious, but if you skip that step--and many do -- you cannot be relaxed during your presentation. Once you have a bunch of facts and ideas pulled from reputable sources, sit down for your own brainstorming session to see if there are any angles that need more investigation. Digging deeper than absolutely required for the report gives you more to use in front of your audience. Try to have more material than you'll need in the presentation. And, don't forget to discuss the basics. Your speech could be explaining a process or a point of view to people who have no background in your subject. When you have finished your research and brainstorming, the books and Web sites listed below have specific suggestions on how to organize your report.

Be Entertaining

Once you are comfortable with your material and have organized it effectively, think about how you will perform it. Consider that you will, for all intents and purposes, be on stage. For you, it's either a time to shine or a time to crash and burn. Reach into the bag of actors' tricks to sharpen your focus and relax your mind. Simple breathing and stretching exercises can ensure that you're not too tense to give a good performance. When you practice your speech, pay attention to pacing. Tempting as it is to get the thing over with by talking as quickly as possible, your audience wants to hear distinct words, not a three-minute stream of sound.

A great way to get over your fear of public speaking is by telling stories. A good public speaker uses a lot of the same techniques as an awesome storyteller. Everybody likes to hear an interesting story, and experienced speechmakers will often weave stories into their speeches to capture the audience's attention. The library has many video recordings of talented storytellers using their skills to hold an audience's attention. Ghost stories are favorites to tell at Hallowe'en or anytime people gather around a campfire. The Scary Story Reader has forty-one bone-chilling stories to fire up your friends' imaginations. Equally interesting but less creepy collections are listed below.

For the Future

Speaking effectively is an essential asset to a leader, whether in the community or on the job. However, it's true that if your only experience with public speaking is a crash and burn oral report or two, you will be unlikely to succeed. You must look for opportunities to speak out, whether on school and community issues, in the theatre, on the debate team, or at your little brother's storytime.

By : Virginia Johnson

www.librarypoint.org/public_speaking