Have you ever stressed out for days before you have to present in front of a class?

Or when you’re presenting and all you can do is fidget with your sweatshirt laces and pace around awkwardly?

Maybe you just can’t stop looking at the ground when you’re talking because you’re scared that people are giving you weird looks while you are in front of the class.

If you have experienced any of these, then this article is for you!

My name is Leo Brock, and I have struggled with all of these and many more. Over the last 2018-2019 school year, I have become a lot more confident with my public speaking.

Here are some tips for you to become a better public speaker!

1)Volunteer FIRST.

When the teacher asks if anyone wants to volunteer, go for it. There are absolutely no downsides to it when you look further into volunteering.

If you volunteer to go first, it impresses your teacher, you can get it over with right away, and there is nothing before you for your classmates and teacher to base your presentation on. You’ll be completely original.

2) Scan the walls

Alright, you managed to get in front of the class…you’re presenting…what do you do with those lovely big eyes of yours?

I know that it can be nerve racking looking up. But the best way to keep your eyes ahead of you is to slowly look to your right, and move your way to your left around the perimeter of the wall. This way you won’t be looking at the ground or have to look at your classmates.

Your teacher will like that you have your head up looking at your classmates but little do they know you’re just looking at all of their kitten posters along the walls.

3)Speak with your hands

What I’ve always had the most trouble with is not knowing what to do with my hands.

It can be very off putting to teachers if you are fidgeting with something while you’re presenting and it’s visually distracting. A good way to get rid of that is when you are talking, use your hands to put emphasis behind your words.

For example, you can point at pictures or the subject you are talking about on your presentation. Also, you can use your hands to physically describe something whether it’s the size, or shape, or action of what you are talking about. 

Stick it.

Now… those feet of yours. When you go up in front of the class. Find a spot and STAY THERE. Don’t move your feet.

Stand straight with good posture and you’ll be the best looking presenter of the day.

5) You made it.

The biggest key to a presentation is being confident. Even if what you’re presenting isn’t that good, just think that you volunteered to go up in front of the class and followed the last 4 steps perfectly.

No one else in that class did that except you.

Speak loudly, so you can hear your own voice bouncing off the walls. Also, think to yourself…when this presentation is over, you’re done, and you’ve got nothing else to worry about. You are currently killing your presentation and you can get happy knowing it’ll finally be over soon. That alone will raise that voice up a little bit too. 

I very much hope these tips have helped you, they have most certainly helped me.

Until my next article, I’ll leave you with this one.