How to gain public speaking skills?

[Dez]

I'm competing in Skills USA on March 30th in IT. I was talking to two of the other IT seniors who have competed in the past (one is competing again) and they said I need good public speaking skills. This is a problem for I have none. What are some good ways to gain public speaking skills?

[Dedalus]

Well, I've done quite a bit of public speaking - I've been giving lecture to undergraduates here at university. Before this it was all rather limited.

I'm afraid that I found there's no quick and easy way to it. Its simply a case of building up experience of it. You get better as you go along.

My advice for this would be to write out in full what you will be saying. Its easier if you get nervous to have a full script in front of you - I'm not sure if you'll be able to do this at your event, but if you can do it. Then read over it well and familiarise yourself with it, so that if nerves get you you won't get lost in reading it.

That will make it easier, but in short there is no quick fix to public speaking.

[TheCrowing]

Honestly, you just have to do it. You can practice speaking in front of a mirror, then speak in front of a small group, then a larger group. It's just something that you have to actually do.

For example, my public speaking skills were terrible until my first class ever at my university required that we do a powerpoint presentation every week about the lab we did two days prior. There were only 30 other people in my class, but I gained a lot of confidence speaking in front of people. Then I had to make a presentation in front of a lecture class that had between 200-300 students. You just have to take a deep breath, and let people see your confidence in your work.

[Sincerely Yours ♥]

Well if there are any kinds of presentations in class, take advantage of those & use those as practice. Practice reading whatever it is you need to recite so that you have it in your mind enough to where you don't have to rely on notecards as much. Keep writing on notecards to a minimum. You can also practice in front of family or friends who will give you honest criticism. But don't take the criticism to heart, just remember that it is preparing you for the real thing.