Page 44 - 2_studijní opora - modul 8ANG
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Physical relaxation
If you have the chance before your presentation, try some relaxation exercises.
You can start with this:
Stand with your feet about 15 cm apart, arms and fingers hanging free by your
sides. Gently shake each part of your body, starting with your hands, then arms,
shoulders, body, and legs. Concentrate on shaking out the tension. Then slowly
rotate your shoulders forwards and backwards. Move your head, rotate it slowly
in both directions.
Speaking ability
As with any other human behaviour, success in public speaking depends on two
factors: confidence and competence. Becoming a good speaker requires
creating balance between personal and public component of your personality.
First, you should start by building your self-confidence. When you focus on the
personal and professional benefits of speaking and realize your strengths, it can
help put fear in its place. Some experienced speakers admit that their fear has
never completely disappeared, but they have learned how to manage it.
The best way to get rid of public speaking fear is practising. Each speaking
experience means that the next presentation will be less stressful. Over time, the
focus on your own fears shifts toward an interest in the reactions of people
listening to you. The best way of learning is doing it; so practise as much as
possible. Ask you friend to spend some time with you so that you can get
feedback, or videotape your talks. Focus on positives, not negatives.
Concentrate on what you can already do well and develop it. If there´s
something that ruins your presentations, just leave it, don´t use it.
If you know you make mistakes in grammar, don´t get nervous; mistakes are all
right (unless they change the meaning of your message!), they make you appear
more human. The point is to continue your talk naturally after the mistake and
forget it for the rest of the presentation. You can analyse later and avoid it next
time.
As a rule, we enjoy doing things at which we are good. And as we practise, we
get better at an activity and therefore feel more confident. So, confidence
correlates in the real world with competence. Even if some people are "naturally"
gifted at speaking (it may not be your case), exercises can help everyone. Yu
must continually improve your speaking skills. Your goal should be a speech that
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From the beginner to the mentor (Supporting strategies of education of teachers in Zlin region)
Fund of Educational Policy project, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports

