Public speaking - Definition and Overview

Public speaking is speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner. It is a form of communication that adds to the knowledge and wisdom of listeners, or that influences their attitudes or behavior. In public speaking, as in any form of communication, there are five basic elements, often expressed as "who is saying what to whom utilizing what medium with what effects?"

Public speaking is almost as ancient as speech itself. The first textbook on the subject was written over 2400 years ago, and the principles elaborated within it were drawn from the practices and experience of orators in ancient Greece. These basic principles have undergone modification as societies and cultures have changed, yet remained surprisingly uniform.

Effective public speaking can be developed by joining a club such as Rostrum, Toastmasters International, or International Training in Communication in which members are assigned exercises to improve their speaking skills. Members learn by observation and practice, and hone their skills by listening to constructive suggestions followed by new public speaking exercises.

The fear of public speaking is called glossophobia. It is believed to be the single most common phobia, affecting as much as 75% of all people.

One prominent place for public speaking nowadays is Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park in London. On Sundays, everyone can take a "soap box", stand on it, and talk about God and the world.

See also

• North American Public Speaking Championship
• Debate
• Eloquence
• Orator
• Oratory
• Rhetoric
• Toastmasters International
• International Training in Communication

External links

• Taking Personal and Professional Contexts into Account in the Basic Public Speaking Course (http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-4/taking.htm)
• Assessing Listening and Speaking Skills (http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-923/speaking.htm)
• The Connections between Language Education and Civic Education (http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-2/civic.htm)
• Communication Apprehension: The Quiet Student in Your Classroom (http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-926/quiet.htm)