When you see politicians and other public speakers delivering speeches with ease and eloquence, it seems as though they were born to speak in front of crowds. The truth is, public speaking is an art learned over time and with practice, and there are many ways to learn it.
Learning How to Speak Publicly
There are a variety of ways to learn how to speak in public beyond just the traditional classroom setting.
If you're using this online textbook to support material you're learning in a class, you're already engaged in one of the basic ways of learning how to speak in public. Classroom learning is one of the most common ways for students to learn about communications and public speaking. With guidance from a dedicated teacher, along with accompanying texts, supporting materials, and in-class practice, your basic public speaking course will prepare you to make your first big speech.
Take a Class
If you're not taking a class, you might find organized learning opportunities through clubs and organizations such as Toastmasters International. The Toastmasters is a nonprofit organization that focuses on the art of public speaking, communication, and leadership skills. They offer a variety of programs, competitions, and conferences to help people just like you become better public speakers.
Hit the Books
If you don't have time for a class and would like to learn more about public speaking at your own pace, consider visiting your local library to find print or digital books on public speaking. There are many tailored to specific types of public speaking (such as political or business), and many are available at little or no cost to aid you in your learning journey.
Learning Outside the Box
If reading a book or attending a class still seems too formal for you, there are plenty of other ways to learn about speaking in public. You might benefit from more personalized, one-on-one attention and directed learning. In this instance, consider hiring a public-speaking coach. These individuals are often certified to give personal training and attention to individual clients. Do some research about their experience and training, and ask for references from other clients of theirs. You can also "hire" a virtual coach by looking for public speaking skill-training videos online on sites such as YouTube or eHow. Videos about public speaking can give you all the benefits of personalized coaching but from the comfort of your own living room. When looking for videos on public speaking, try to find out what you can about the sources producing these videos: what experience and credentials do they have? Are they being produced by a single person, or are they the work of a professional company or educational institution?
The benefit of all these ways of learning about public speaking is that they all complement one another. If you're feeling deficient in one skill set after using one learning method, you can turn to another method to bolster your knowledge. Keep in mind that the best way to improve your public speaking ability is to practice. Take every opportunity you can to speak in front of an audience to boost your confidence, as well as your skill.
However you choose to learn about public speaking, go in with an open mind and an eagerness to learn, and you'll be able to get the most out of your curriculum, however it's constructed or delivered!