This presentation defines the term speaking and speaking skills. Also it contains some description of key speaking skills which every speaker should have.
4. What is Speaking ?
Conveying information verbally
Expression of thoughts
Expression of feelings
Expression of ideas
5. What are Speaking Skills ?
Ability to convey one’s message or
information, verbally, in a proper and suitable manner
Ability to express oneself clearly in front of others
Ability to express one’s ideas, feelings, and thoughts
Ability to give one’s opinion in different matters
6. Importance of Speaking Skills
Help create understanding
Help express oneself to others
Help a person grow socially in his personal and
professional life
Help avoid conflicts
7. How do speaking skills help us
avoid conflicts ?
By knowing the proper words and the proper way to
use them, we can definitely work our way through a
conflicting situation and ease the tension build-up
Silence is not always good
Speaking up is better and it’s about being honest about
our experience in a way that is respectful to ourselves
and to those around us.
8. Some important aspects of your
voice
Tone
Intonation
Pronunciation
Flow/Pace
Pitch
9. Some important speaking skills
during private speaking
Intermediate pace
Clear voice
Regard of the situation
Letting the other person finish first
Clear description of point
10. Some important speaking skills
during public speaking
Research a topic
Organize your ideas logically
Employ quotations, facts, and statistics
Incorporate humor
Start strong, end stronger
Analyze the audience
Punctuate words with gestures
Vary vocal pace, tone, and volume
Interact with audience by holding a Q&A session
Seek feedback
Convince or persuade listeners when necessary
Act and speak ethically
11. Places where you can practice your
speaking skills
At home
At school/educational institute
At your workplace
At public places like café’s, restaurants, shopping malls
etc.
At public and private events
12. Methods which can help improve
your vocal quality
Drink hot beverages
Gargle your throat using salt solution
Get enough sleep
Eat a healthy diet
Avoid yelling
It is a process of conveying information, expressing one’s thoughts, feelings and ideas. It is one the 4 basic ways of communication and it is also the odd one out. Listening, reading, and writing can be performed in solitude or alone, but speaking necessarily requires at least two persons. Although speaking to oneself isn’t considered inapplicable or unapproachable. It is very well possible. But you may find yourself sitting in a mental hospital if you speak to yourself more frequently than usual, particularly in public. :P
Speaking skills are no more than the ability to perform the actions described in the previous slide. These skills are necessary so that one can convey his message and information properly, and can express his ideas, thoughts, feelings and opinions in front of others.
Good speaking skills can ; (Slide)
Silence does not avoid conflict; it creates conflict—internally in the short run and externally in the long run. When people say nothing in an effort to avoid upsetting their friend, co-worker or family member, they inadvertently create more of a problem. For example, if I say nothing in response to my boss yelling at me, then in my silence there is a hidden message that I’m okay with my boss yelling at me. If I’m okay with my boss yelling at me, why wouldn’t my boss be okay with it as well?Speaking up about what is going on for us is not about yelling, screaming or nagging. Speaking up is about being honest about our experience in a way that is respectful to ourselves and to those around us. Sharing our upset in a calm, respectful and direct way is a prerequisite for healthy relationships. Health is not staying silent in an effort to keep things calm. Silence rots away relationships. If people truly want to have great relationships that fuel us, then we have to be willing to step in and have difficult conversations. Avoiding conflict by not speaking our truth will hurt us every time.
Your pace should be normal. Although it’s not a limitation, but frequent variation in your pace may confuse the listener.Your voice should be clear.You should regard the situation, whether it’s a formal or informal occasion, and use the words accordingly.If you are conversing with one or more people and they started the conversation, let them speak their point first, let them finish and speak when it’s your turn.Make your point clear without ambiguity. Informal occasions can allow such errors, but in formal occasions these types of errors can create a bad impression and the listener may misunderstand or misinterpret your words.
You can practice your speaking skills and can improve them by obtaining opinions about your skills form your family, friends, and colleagues. At home, your family members are the best medium of practicing your skills. They will most probably provide an honest opinion about your skills. You can also practice speeches or presentations in front of a mirror, this boosts your confidence in speaking to a group of people.At school or any educational institute, you have a keen opportunity to interact with your teacher using your words. You can ask questions, suggestions, and advice regarding your studies. If you have a proper background of what you are asking and your way of asking is also proper, you’ll definitely achieve the required result.Although, a workplace isn’t exactly a suitable place to practice your speaking skills, rather than to apply them, but you can most definitely ask your colleagues to help you out. For example you have to provide a presentation to some senior officials at the office, you can ask your colleagues a day or two before that if they are willing to hear your presentation. You can ask their opinion about your vocal quality and make improvements as necessary.
If you do not get enough sleep, your voice will sound hoarse, will crackle, and will generally be higher than normal. Aim for at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night to ensure your voice is at peak performance.Eat fruits and vegetables to provide your body with vitamins and antioxidants, and proteins to help keep the muscles and tissue in the voice box strong.Prolonged yelling causes damage to your vocal cords that can become permanently damaged.