Hello Students,
Greetings of the day!!
You might be naturally of introvert
nature and feel uncomfortable while interacting with strangers. This means
interacting in any language, not only in English. If this should be the case,
I’m afraid you’ll just have to accept the fact that this is the way you are and
be patient with yourself. Make sure you keep the conversation going by asking
the other person some questions, so that you can get to know him or her better.
Once you’ve done that, you might feel more at ease in their presence and will
be ready to tell them about yourself in return.
Here are some tips which you can use during your presentation
or public appearance:
Anxiety kills all the confidence we hold: The
feeling of falling, even before you stand will for sure give you negatives
first. It is recommended to practice meditation in prior to your public
appearance or public addressing for two weeks before you talk, try meditating
or concentrate on your breath for five minutes every day. This will help your
brain to suppress the negativity and hesitation before you go out there and
speak.
Know your audience: The
best speakers command the room with their very first words and for that; you
need to know the kind of audience you stand in front of and speak. To do that,
find out exactly who you are speaking in front of, and then look out for a
funny, serious or a motivational start to kick off your presentation. It will
tie your crowd and will peg you as an authority.
Practice strategically: Ask
a friend to hear you while you speak or ask him/her to record you while you
talk. This way you will know what exactly you need to work on. Watching a
playback will give you an exact idea of what your strengths and weaknesses are.
Rehearsing is the key. ALWAYS!
Dress the part well: Wear
clothes that make you feel powerful and confident. And do not go for buying new
clothes. Wear the ones you have worn before. They make attention for your
wardrobe malfunctions or hesitation.
Have water handy: Having
water while you speak is not a bad habit. It’s good. No one is going to
criticize you for gulping a little water down that throat. Rather water
cools down the fidgetiness. Stay cool!
Shut down jerks: There
might be people ready to poke you with their irrelevant questions and comments.
They might not be happy with you being the person standing at the podium.
Remain calm and answer as if it is not a personal remark (even if it is!). If
it is a question and you don’t have a reply to it. Try saying, “That sounds
interesting. I will look into it and get back to you.” Then return to your
notes in hand.
Don’t be a Perfectionist: The
fear of making mistakes is the main cause of hesitation. Good news is: this is
far from the truth. Whenever we speak to someone, our goal is to deliver our
message and understand what we are told. Do you really have to use flawless grammar to communicate
effectively? Definitely not. Does it mean that you will never learn to use the language
correctly? Not at all. You will learn all the correct forms and vocabulary with
time. Just stick to it, keep learning and most importantly, keep practicing.
Activate your knowledge: No matter
how much time you spend studying, you won’t remember much unless you put it
into practice. Practice, means speaking. Speak in English as often as possible.
The more often you use a word or grammatical structure, the faster it will come
to mind the next time you need it. It’s as easy as that. If you have used a
word a hundred times, the for sure you will not hesitate anymore when having to
use it again. It will become part of your active vocabulary. And the same goes
for grammar.
So, remember the rules? Keep practicing and don’t be afraid
of making mistakes- nobody is perfect.
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