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The Five-Step Method for Improving Delivery
- Read aloud your full-sentence outline. Listen to what you are saying and adjust your language to achieve a good,
clear, simple sentence structure.
- Practice the speech repeatedly from the speaking outline. Become comfortable with your keywords to the point
that what you say takes the form of an easy, natural conversation.
- Practice the speech aloud...rehearse it until you are confident you have mastered the ideas you want to present.
Do not be concerned about "getting it just right." Once you know the content, you will find the way that is most comfortable
for you.
- Practice in front of a mirror, tape record your practice, and/or present your speech to a friend. You are looking for
feedback on rate of delivery, volume, pitch, non-verbal cues (gestures, card-usage, etc.), and eye-contact.
- Do a dress rehearsal of the speech under conditions as close as possible to those of the actual speech. Practice
the speech a day or two before in a classroom. Be sure to incorporate as many elements as possible in the dress
rehearsal...especially visual aids.
It should be clear that coping with anxiety over delivering a speech requires significant advanced preparation.
The speech needs to be completed several days beforehand so that you can effectively employ this five-step plan.
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Back to Delivering an Informative Speech