Tips for Public Speaking

10 Tips:

Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and even beneficial, but too much nervousness can be detrimental.

Here are some proven tips on how to control your butterflies and give better presentations:

1. Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories and conversational language – that way you won’t easily forget what to say.
2. Practice. Practice. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.
3. Know the audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.
4. Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
5. Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. ("One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.
6. Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will boost your confidence.
7. Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for you.
8. Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem – the audience probably never noticed it.
9. Concentrate on the message – not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.
10. Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need in a safe and friendly environment.

How to Be an A+ Student in School

Are you jealous of the class "know-it-all" and want to show them that they aren't the only smart one in the classroom? Well, here are some ideas on how to get those excellent grades!
STEPS:

1. Walk home from school. If it is possible, walk home to reap the benefits fresh air after a day cooped up in school. Breathe deeply. It's great for you and activates your brainpower. Get some outdoor exercise in a local park if walking home is not an option.
2. Eat a healthy snack. When you reach home, get a glass of fruit juice, water or milk. Avoid the fizzy pop! Eat some fruit, a yogurt or other healthy snacks that appeal to you.
3. Keep a school planner. Most schools give these to you for free. Your planner or diary should contain lots of info and space to write in it. If not, make sure you buy one that has space. Use it every day to record your assignments, homework and other relevant information. Every night before commencing homework, use this planner first to give you a sense of direction. Tick off items that you have completed at the end of the study session.
4. Do the homework early. If you have homework, do it after the snack and before you feel like watching TV, want to play on the computer, or have to help around the house. Your mind is at its best for homework straight after coming back from school. If you have a lot of homework to do, or a big project to work on, break it down into time slots that allow for regular breaks, such as every 30 minutes. If you can, get your homework done at lunch or breaktimes at school.
5. Reap the rewards. Once you have done all your homework, reward yourself! Finishing homework makes you feel like you have achieved something good. The reward doesn't have to be big, just something you feel like doing (for example, watching some TV, going out for a game in the park) or something special to eat (such as a chocolate bar).
6. Go outside and have fun! Getting out is good for you and will get you fit after sitting own all day in a classroom. Treat it as both a reward and relaxation. It will also help to relieve any tension from the day.
7. Return to homework if needed. Later in the evening, if you have any questions still bothering you about your homework or some unfinished parts, you may wish to allot some extra time to complete these things. Research and check up on anything you didn't understand about your lessons. Reading and research are easier things to do than hard thinking when it is later in the evening.
8. Get a good night's sleep. Get to bed at around 8-9 pm. Take a glass of water with you. Also, if possible, have a warm shower or bath before you go to bed because it is great for relaxing both mind and body. Do not take homework to bed unless it is a novel you really want to read! Make sure to get at least nine hours' sleep, more if possible, as young students need a lot of sleep.
9. Wake up bright and early. Get a good breakfast and get to school early. Getting to school late causes panic, stress and unnecessary upset. You'll have to come up with excuses and it will affect your reputation as a punctual student. Stay calm and get in on time.

TIPS:

• Relax after you have studied and review your notes with a friend or family member. Communication is the key!
• But remember being a good student just doesn't involve you doing your homework. You also need to pay attention in class and do well on tests and exams.
• Don't get stressed over about tests/exams. It will only make you get confused and cause you to feel like a nervous wreck - and what's the point in that?! Anyways if you do your homework and pay attention in class you will probably pass the test anyways!
• Eat a good breakfast - a piece of toast doesn't go far! If you find breakfast hard to eat, see Feel Like Eating Breakfast First Thing in the Morning for some help.
• After every lesson at school, have some fresh air and have some water. You only need five minutes to do that! Then spend the rest of your break relaxing and chatting with your friends or playing sport.
• Remember, some lessons require practical work rather than book study (for example, running in PE or performing a piece of drama). Be aware that you may not be able to get A's in everything, but try your best and you will succeed!
• Don't procrastinate about doing your homework! Although going on MySpace may sound tempting, it's better to do your homework first and go on the computer later!