Public speaking tips:
These exercises should be done for 15 minutes in the morning daily. If not daily try to set aside a time each week at least to practice your craft. Rest and you rust. Refine your talent through practice.
Read the Bible or a secular book or magazine, you can choose to read some poetry, etc. While reading record yourself on audio or on a video recorder. You can use your cell phone, or your PC/laptop camera, or a video camera. Use what works best for you. :)
Watch and listen to the recording after your are done. When you do these below exercises, with time, you will watch yourself grow.
An easy way to do this is by going on Facebook or YouTube and recording the speech. You can delete it afterward or have the recording made private. This is optional: but the best way to grow in speech delivery (in the internal rewiring of the mind) is to do it publicly.
Watch and listen to the recording after your are done. When you do these below exercises, with time, you will watch yourself grow.
An easy way to do this is by going on Facebook or YouTube and recording the speech. You can delete it afterward or have the recording made private. This is optional: but the best way to grow in speech delivery (in the internal rewiring of the mind) is to do it publicly.
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Practice reading in the different ways listed below, to enhance your speaking skills.(Passion, articulation, inflection, study talent, review your face/expressions)
For the following exercises below...remember to do steps, 1, 2, 3, 4. |
Steps: 1,2,3,4.
Step One: Grab some reading material, it can be a selected Bible passage or from a secular item, like newspaper, magazine, online article, poetry book, etc.
Step Two: Turn on your video recorder. Prepare to read the selected material into the camera.
Step Three: For each of the themes below, (passion, articulation, inflection, etc.) practice reading a passage below with the focus and aim on improving in that specific area.
Step Four: After giving the recorded speech, watch the video and analyze the speech. Review on what you did right and reflect on ways on how you can improve.
Step Two: Turn on your video recorder. Prepare to read the selected material into the camera.
Step Three: For each of the themes below, (passion, articulation, inflection, etc.) practice reading a passage below with the focus and aim on improving in that specific area.
Step Four: After giving the recorded speech, watch the video and analyze the speech. Review on what you did right and reflect on ways on how you can improve.
Use your heart: speak with passion
1. Read a passage first with the focus on speaking with passion/feeling. The more you do this, the more such tones will be reflected in your speech.
A. Watch passionate/emotional speeches online or listen to audio deliveries.
You can do this on YouTube by googling said themes or by watching/listening to such content from preachers in the brotherhood.
You can even even practice speaking the words along with the audio/video to help train the mind to speak in the verbal patterns you are hearing.
A. Watch passionate/emotional speeches online or listen to audio deliveries.
You can do this on YouTube by googling said themes or by watching/listening to such content from preachers in the brotherhood.
You can even even practice speaking the words along with the audio/video to help train the mind to speak in the verbal patterns you are hearing.
Focus on clear articulation when speaking...
2. After doing this above exercise, read another passage with articulation, (clearly pronouncing the word).
A thing to do, that I recommend, (though silly), is to place your finger into your mouth. Place it on top of your tongue. THen try to read a Bible passage or a poem. This will train more of your mouth muscles to speak when you pronounce words.
Note: "Demosthenes" (384 BC–322 BC) was the greatest orator of ancient Greece. He overcame stuttering by speaking with pebbles in his mouth to improve articulation." I am not saying to put rocks into your mouth, that may not go well with you, since that can be a choking hazard.
But if you put one of your fingers into your mouth and try reading a passage, you will notice an improvement with articulation, (in public speeches). That is if you choose to regularly practice this exercise.
Also, for pronunciation improvement, the time you give to practicing tongue twisters, can further help with articulation. This practice can also help you become more nimble on your feet with word play. This readying regime can further help you, when reading hard to pronounce names in the Bible, etc.
Here are some tongue twister exercises, (www.smart-words.org/tongue-twisters.html).
More "tongue twisters" can be found on search engines like Google, etc.
A thing to do, that I recommend, (though silly), is to place your finger into your mouth. Place it on top of your tongue. THen try to read a Bible passage or a poem. This will train more of your mouth muscles to speak when you pronounce words.
Note: "Demosthenes" (384 BC–322 BC) was the greatest orator of ancient Greece. He overcame stuttering by speaking with pebbles in his mouth to improve articulation." I am not saying to put rocks into your mouth, that may not go well with you, since that can be a choking hazard.
But if you put one of your fingers into your mouth and try reading a passage, you will notice an improvement with articulation, (in public speeches). That is if you choose to regularly practice this exercise.
Also, for pronunciation improvement, the time you give to practicing tongue twisters, can further help with articulation. This practice can also help you become more nimble on your feet with word play. This readying regime can further help you, when reading hard to pronounce names in the Bible, etc.
Here are some tongue twister exercises, (www.smart-words.org/tongue-twisters.html).
More "tongue twisters" can be found on search engines like Google, etc.
Learning to speak a word correctly...
Reading words correctly:Examples of what I mean...
* Saying hard to pronounce words right. (Exercise: Practice reading OT genealogies).
* Saying things just as they are written in a book (Exercise: Read a poem or Bible chapter quickly.The more you do this the better you will get).
You have heard of tongue twisters. I personally like to take such exercises to the next level. Go to an online Bible source or grab your at-home Bible from off of the shelf.
Go to a page that has Old Testament genealogy content on it. The ultimate tongue twister is to read through the hard-to-pronounce Bible names of men and women, as quickly as you can. This exercise will help you get quick on your verbal toes. You’ll get better at articulating, through the (regular) practice of speaking hard to pronounce words.
Try to practice reading for 5 minutes. Once you finished a passage, (for the next practice round), you can repeat that genealogy. Or you can go onto another genealogy. Here are some good examples of Bible passages for genealogies. You may like to use these passages: Genesis 10:1–32; Genesis 36:1–43.
Note, you can break these passages up, if you’d like. In fact, when your first beginning, this exercise practice, you may want to just do part of a genealogy and slowly work your way through it. Later, as you advance you may be more comfortable with doing more and more of a specific genealogy.
You can also use Numbers 33:1–49, in your exercises. Even though it is not a genealogy. This passage does have hard-to-pronounce names. That works with what we are trying to do, in the usage of tongue twisters.
* Saying hard to pronounce words right. (Exercise: Practice reading OT genealogies).
* Saying things just as they are written in a book (Exercise: Read a poem or Bible chapter quickly.The more you do this the better you will get).
You have heard of tongue twisters. I personally like to take such exercises to the next level. Go to an online Bible source or grab your at-home Bible from off of the shelf.
Go to a page that has Old Testament genealogy content on it. The ultimate tongue twister is to read through the hard-to-pronounce Bible names of men and women, as quickly as you can. This exercise will help you get quick on your verbal toes. You’ll get better at articulating, through the (regular) practice of speaking hard to pronounce words.
Try to practice reading for 5 minutes. Once you finished a passage, (for the next practice round), you can repeat that genealogy. Or you can go onto another genealogy. Here are some good examples of Bible passages for genealogies. You may like to use these passages: Genesis 10:1–32; Genesis 36:1–43.
Note, you can break these passages up, if you’d like. In fact, when your first beginning, this exercise practice, you may want to just do part of a genealogy and slowly work your way through it. Later, as you advance you may be more comfortable with doing more and more of a specific genealogy.
You can also use Numbers 33:1–49, in your exercises. Even though it is not a genealogy. This passage does have hard-to-pronounce names. That works with what we are trying to do, in the usage of tongue twisters.
The art of inflecting words...
3. Read a passage of the Bible or a poem with inflection, (inflection means to give a word life. If you say "love," make them feel the meaning of the word, if you say "forest," make them feel the meaning of the word, etc).
For improving in inflections: I'd suggest this exercise. Imagine in your mind an image of people/friends caring for each other, (in behavior) if you're trying to invoke vocal inflection in the word "love."
If you mention the word, "forest," think about a forest and the senses involved in being in a forest. It may be hard, but the more you just intend to invoke a word, the less effort/concentration you will need to invoke it. The more you practice the better you get. Though this is hard at first, with time such behavior will come naturally.
This is one of the harder skills to master. Most people don’t have this talent. Even popular speakers in the field of speechcraft…lack this skill set. One of the ways to breathe life into your speech and into your words, is by making people feel your words. This comes through the process of…inflecting your words. Inflection is saying something, to the point where people experience what you’re saying, your words feel true and real. Your words have an undertone to them.
But how does a person do this? It all begins with how one speaks. The more colorful and descriptive a person is, the more a person can touch the 5 senses and get people to feel the words that are given. Inflection goes beyond detailed and colorful language. The tones behind the word, must convey the image of that word. When a person talks about the deep, dark blue sky…in the sphere above, with the clouds of white, moving by. This language needs to have life in its words. The words need to have a soul in them. They need to sound real.
The more a word has a meaning behind it, (conveying an image, a realness from the word), the more that word comes alive. Inflection is about painting an image onto a word, an image that reflects what that word is about. When a person talks about the ideal of “love,” if it comes from their experiences or deep convictions, or personal emotions and feelings, then this spoken ideal, “love,” becomes more than a word, it becomes a window from which people can look into and get a glimpse of that person’s soul.
Inflection is not just for public speaking. Inflection will help you in your day-to-day social interactions. In singing. In every vocal thing you do, you’ll find that you have greater depth and meaning to your words.
Inflection is best described as the tone behind the word. The spirit, the life behind that word. Inflection is the breath that animates a word and makes it feel real. A word can be a dead, flat, lifeless thing, like a run-over animal on the side of the road…by a 4 wheeler. You see what I am saying here. Such words won’t inspire.
For improving in inflections: I'd suggest this exercise. Imagine in your mind an image of people/friends caring for each other, (in behavior) if you're trying to invoke vocal inflection in the word "love."
If you mention the word, "forest," think about a forest and the senses involved in being in a forest. It may be hard, but the more you just intend to invoke a word, the less effort/concentration you will need to invoke it. The more you practice the better you get. Though this is hard at first, with time such behavior will come naturally.
This is one of the harder skills to master. Most people don’t have this talent. Even popular speakers in the field of speechcraft…lack this skill set. One of the ways to breathe life into your speech and into your words, is by making people feel your words. This comes through the process of…inflecting your words. Inflection is saying something, to the point where people experience what you’re saying, your words feel true and real. Your words have an undertone to them.
But how does a person do this? It all begins with how one speaks. The more colorful and descriptive a person is, the more a person can touch the 5 senses and get people to feel the words that are given. Inflection goes beyond detailed and colorful language. The tones behind the word, must convey the image of that word. When a person talks about the deep, dark blue sky…in the sphere above, with the clouds of white, moving by. This language needs to have life in its words. The words need to have a soul in them. They need to sound real.
The more a word has a meaning behind it, (conveying an image, a realness from the word), the more that word comes alive. Inflection is about painting an image onto a word, an image that reflects what that word is about. When a person talks about the ideal of “love,” if it comes from their experiences or deep convictions, or personal emotions and feelings, then this spoken ideal, “love,” becomes more than a word, it becomes a window from which people can look into and get a glimpse of that person’s soul.
Inflection is not just for public speaking. Inflection will help you in your day-to-day social interactions. In singing. In every vocal thing you do, you’ll find that you have greater depth and meaning to your words.
Inflection is best described as the tone behind the word. The spirit, the life behind that word. Inflection is the breath that animates a word and makes it feel real. A word can be a dead, flat, lifeless thing, like a run-over animal on the side of the road…by a 4 wheeler. You see what I am saying here. Such words won’t inspire.
Study talented speakers. Learn from them.
4. Is my speech eloquent? Look for ways to improve in this. I encourage you to watch "motivational videos" online or listen to preachers in the brotherhood you deem as good speakers. We can learn from such people.
Demosthenes would study the best orators of his time to grow as an orator. The famous Roman statesman Cicero said of him "inter omnis unus excellat ("he stands alone among all the orators"), and also acclaimed him as "the perfect orator" who lacked nothing. Demosthenes lived in ancient Athens as one of histories best orators. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demosthenes
Make a list and write down people you wish to study. Research them online. Find their video speeches, sermons, audio Bible lessons, etc. Watch/listen to these people on your list and study them. Implement what you see/hear into your own style. The more you expose yourself to a speaker and analyze their words, the more you'll be able to apply what you hear to your own speaking personality.
Demosthenes would study the best orators of his time to grow as an orator. The famous Roman statesman Cicero said of him "inter omnis unus excellat ("he stands alone among all the orators"), and also acclaimed him as "the perfect orator" who lacked nothing. Demosthenes lived in ancient Athens as one of histories best orators. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demosthenes
Make a list and write down people you wish to study. Research them online. Find their video speeches, sermons, audio Bible lessons, etc. Watch/listen to these people on your list and study them. Implement what you see/hear into your own style. The more you expose yourself to a speaker and analyze their words, the more you'll be able to apply what you hear to your own speaking personality.
Record yourself...to study face and expressions
5. When you record yourself on video, you can also analyze the facial gestures
* You don't want to show the wrong expressions for the themes you are presenting.
* You don't want to appear (facially) nervous or uncomfortable.
* You want to convey the emotion and expressions of the speech themes your conveying.
Do these exercises regularly. The more frequently you do this the more you will improve in public speaking.
* You don't want to show the wrong expressions for the themes you are presenting.
* You don't want to appear (facially) nervous or uncomfortable.
* You want to convey the emotion and expressions of the speech themes your conveying.
Do these exercises regularly. The more frequently you do this the more you will improve in public speaking.
Invest in the process and the process will invest in you
When you practice speaking and analyze the speech each day, you will improve your vocal skills quickly. Too many preachers spend 40 years without self inflection on their delivery. You may notice such men, by they're dry tone and delivery.
If you do anything for 15 minutes a day, you will grow in the focus you aim at. This is true in public speaking exercises. Preachers who only speak 2-3 times a week, (in church) will only grow with the time investment they place on speechcraft.
Note: if 15 minutes a day is to much, reduce it to 10 or 5 minutes a day. The point is to do these exercises daily and work on the skills regularly. If doing these exercise daily is to much for you. Set aside days or a day that works to invest into your public speaking craft. Start small if you must, but try to do more, as you grow and get used to these exercises.
Remember, like in anything in life, (fitness, memorization, social skills, etc.) the less you do of speech work, the greater the rust accumulation...will come, with the passage of time.
When you stop speech work altogether in your life, you will...lose this gift. Your skills will grow dull. But the more you invest in this skill in presentation and analysis, the more you will grow in this talent. Keep the talent honed sharp. Make this practice part of your life. Make this routine a habit.
If you do anything for 15 minutes a day, you will grow in the focus you aim at. This is true in public speaking exercises. Preachers who only speak 2-3 times a week, (in church) will only grow with the time investment they place on speechcraft.
Note: if 15 minutes a day is to much, reduce it to 10 or 5 minutes a day. The point is to do these exercises daily and work on the skills regularly. If doing these exercise daily is to much for you. Set aside days or a day that works to invest into your public speaking craft. Start small if you must, but try to do more, as you grow and get used to these exercises.
Remember, like in anything in life, (fitness, memorization, social skills, etc.) the less you do of speech work, the greater the rust accumulation...will come, with the passage of time.
When you stop speech work altogether in your life, you will...lose this gift. Your skills will grow dull. But the more you invest in this skill in presentation and analysis, the more you will grow in this talent. Keep the talent honed sharp. Make this practice part of your life. Make this routine a habit.
Remember in order to be a great preacher, study your Bible and make it a priority to consistently teach others the Word. Growth comes from study and through training others. We learn best when we teach.
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Public speaking training course coming in the Summer of next year! 2024
The course will have training videos, a PDF booklet, and online content to study. I'll make the course for the preacher. But the course is for anyone who wants to improve in public speaking, (sales manager, lawyer, school teacher, grandfather, soccer mom, business executive, etc.) The course took years to but together and will detail more advanced exercises then those that are listed on this page.
This course is my "tent making job." Paul made tents to help fund his preaching work. (Acts 18:1-4) This training course will help me as I likewise do His work. I will however have (for COC preachers and saints) a (great cost saving) discount code posted here, when the course is launched.. Launch date should be in December. Code is: PREACHEROFBIBLE |