1. Practice reading out loud
One of the most important aspects of
being a confident speaker is to be well-spoken. This means speaking
clearly and ensuring you articulate your words. A great way to achieve
fluidity in your speech is to practice reading out loud. Start with
something simple or a text you know well. Practice reading in front of a
mirror and listen to the way you say the words. Once you are more
confident you can practice reading aloud in front of a friend or family
member; you can even graduate to a more difficult text the more
comfortable you become. The more you practice the more confident you
will feel.
2. Listen to and mimic English news anchors
If you’re unsure as to how to act
confident in your speech, one of the best ways to learn is to watch
other people. Watch their mannerisms and listen to the way they
pronounce their words. Your best source of articulate speakers can be
found on television, specifically news anchors – in fact this should be
your first pick when choosing a native English speaker to emulate. To
get yourself started, pick a news station to watch every day (or every
other day), watch how the anchors sit, gesticulate, and listen to how
they speak. You can even record a short news segment and report on the
story at the same time as the anchor. Keep practicing the same segment
until you can repeat it without the news anchor.
3. Record yourself
This one might be a little difficult
because most people don’t like the sound of their own voice – I’m sure
James Earl Jones is impartial to his, but he’s probably the only one.
However, the more you practice and listen to yourself, the more
comfortable you will become with the sound of it. The key is to listen
carefully to the playback and see where you can improve. Listen to the
way you pronounce words and how your voice sounds. You can then compare
it to how the news anchor sounds.
4. Use a conversation partner
Much like tennis players benefit from a
sparring partner, an English student can also benefit from a
conversation partner. This is exactly what it sounds like. After you’re
confident from practicing by yourself, it’s time to recruit a friend to
be your conversation partner. Speaking in front of another person is a
great way to conquer your fear of speaking in public. Also speaking
English with another person will actively improve your command of the
language, so this has an added benefit.
5. Speak slowly
A tell-tale sign that someone is nervous
is if they speak too fast. Some people are naturally fast talkers and so
may not be nervous at all, but they will be perceived as being nervous
by people listening, which means it is to your advantage to slow
yourself down. Not only will you seem to be nervous, but if you speak
too fast you’re likely to trip up on your words, which will probably
result in another blow to your confidence. Instead of trying to reach
the end of your point as fast as possible, focus on slowing yourself
down, give your words more weight which will produce a better rhythm to
your speech. There’s another side of the coin that’s important to
consider, if you speak too fast your audience won’t have time to digest
everything you are saying and the meaning will most likely be lost on
them.
6. Lower your vocal range
We mentioned earlier about a certain
famous actor with a voice like rich mahogany. But it’s not just James
Earl Jones who speaks with a deep voice (okay, admittedly this is his
natural voice but it doesn’t matter because the man was the voice of
Mufasa from The Lion King), many other public speakers will
usually give a speech in a lower vocal range. Generally speaking a voice
in a lower range has more authority. But make sure you don’t force it,
as this can sound unnatural.
7. Check your posture
Want to give off a confident vibe? Stand
up straight. Not only is standing up straight great for your health –
nice work healthy posture, but it is also a great way to present
yourself as a confident individual. Body language is just as important
during a conversation as are your choice of words. If you stand up
straight with your shoulders back and your head held high your
confidence will precede you. There’s another excellent addition to
having the correct posture. Your body is now perfectly aligned and as a
result freed up, allowing you to speak clearly and confidently. Being
hunched over not only impedes your vibe, it also impedes your diaphragm.
An important thing to remember is: correcting your posture will take a
lot of work, the key to achieving a healthy posture is to discipline
yourself and practice.
The main message you should take away
from this blog post is this: the best way to improve your confidence
when speaking in English is to practice. Practice as often as you can.
If you mix some of the tips mentioned above into your practice routine,
you’re bound to notice a stark improvement in how confident you feel and
how confident you seem when speaking in English. Keep checking Everjobs
for more useful career tips and general advice and all the latest job
listings from the top employers in Bangladesh.
