Spring Break
Public speaking horrifies some, a breeze for others
Victoria Vlisides
Issue date: 3/19/08 Section: Lifestyle
"I'm an open person, and I can pretty much talk to anyone," Tobias said. "But when it comes to a huge group of people within my age group and a grade for a speech, it's much harder."
French hopes to lessen fears of public speaking and enable students to feel comfortable giving presentations in their future careers, through her lessons.
Students have found ways to overcome nervousness in other aspects of their lives and public speaking is no different, French said.
Though Tobias does not favor publicly speaking before her peers, sophomore Mary Cooley doesn't object to it.
Cooley was indifferent toward public speaking.
"I don't dread it, but I don't love it either," she said. "It's just something you have to do. It's harder when it's all people you know. It'd be easier if you'd never have to see them again."
Because of activities like poms performances and having to do presentations in high school, Cooley said she's used to "being on the spot."
Cooley said the outline French gives for the speeches helps to reduce nervousness.
French uses a very specific structure in her class to try to target speech apprehension. Her teaching approach aims to desensitize students to the natural fear of public speaking.
"My goal in the class is not to make people like public speaking but to get students to be confident," French said.
Four suggestions to remain clam during a speech are to be prepared, practice, breathe and move, she said.
French wanted to remind students public speaking isn't just limited to speech class.
"No matter what your major, most of the time you have classes where you have to give presentations," she said.
Sophomore Meredith Jackson, a confident public speaker, claimed the key to giving a good speech is practice coupled with experience.
Although Jackson is confident in her public speaking, she still sympathizes with students like Tobias.
"You can tell when people are nervous," she said. "You're just like, come on, you can do it."
For French, seeing students greatly improve through the semester is the most rewarding part of teaching speech.
French hopes to lessen fears of public speaking and enable students to feel comfortable giving presentations in their future careers, through her lessons.
Students have found ways to overcome nervousness in other aspects of their lives and public speaking is no different, French said.
Though Tobias does not favor publicly speaking before her peers, sophomore Mary Cooley doesn't object to it.
Cooley was indifferent toward public speaking.
"I don't dread it, but I don't love it either," she said. "It's just something you have to do. It's harder when it's all people you know. It'd be easier if you'd never have to see them again."
Because of activities like poms performances and having to do presentations in high school, Cooley said she's used to "being on the spot."
Cooley said the outline French gives for the speeches helps to reduce nervousness.
French uses a very specific structure in her class to try to target speech apprehension. Her teaching approach aims to desensitize students to the natural fear of public speaking.
"My goal in the class is not to make people like public speaking but to get students to be confident," French said.
Four suggestions to remain clam during a speech are to be prepared, practice, breathe and move, she said.
French wanted to remind students public speaking isn't just limited to speech class.
"No matter what your major, most of the time you have classes where you have to give presentations," she said.
Sophomore Meredith Jackson, a confident public speaker, claimed the key to giving a good speech is practice coupled with experience.
Although Jackson is confident in her public speaking, she still sympathizes with students like Tobias.
"You can tell when people are nervous," she said. "You're just like, come on, you can do it."
For French, seeing students greatly improve through the semester is the most rewarding part of teaching speech.
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