in their feelings of apprehension. This can be done in several ways, a few of which are
described below.
Discuss public speaking anxiety early on in the semester. Chapter 3 of A
Speaker’s Guidebook delves into speech anxiety from both a theoretical and practical
perspective. Assign and cover this chapter before students are required to give their first
speech. This chapter gives students practical techniques to help them deal with their
anxieties, including advice from real students on strategies they use to overcome
speaking fears. You can utilize this feature as a jumping-off point for your students to
Allow students to practice in dyads before speaking in front of the entire class. By
placing students in pairs and asking them to walk through their speeches together, you are
communicating that you care about their feelings and anxieties. Encourage students to
give their partners supportive feedback, as well as constructive criticism. Your students
will likely feel more confident if they have had the opportunity to share their speeches
with at least one audience member prior to the actual presentation. Encouraging students
understanding that you are available to discuss speaking fears, and demonstrate that
speakers can cope with anxiety successfully. In contrast, if you have always been
relatively at ease in front of an audience, it may be helpful to recall other things you may
be afraid of, as this will allow you to be sensitive to the feelings of anxious students.
If class size allows, ensure that students get to know each other. If students are
familiar with one another, they often feel less anxious while delivering their speeches.
While this technique will never alleviate anxiety altogether, it does result in a healthy
classroom environment, and students are likely to feel part of a group, as opposed to an
DISCIPLINE
(by Erin Underwood, University of Colorado)
DEALING WITH DIFFICULT STUDENTS
There are several strategies you can use to help resolve student disruptions in the
classroom. First, identify the person(s) who seem to be causing the problem. If students
sit together, try walking while you teach, and make it a point to stand in front of the
disruptive individual or group. If the problem persists, finish your thought and pause until
students stop talking. You may need to ask if there is a problem or question. Usually
these simple solutions will solve the issue.
If the disruption continues to be a problem, ask the student(s) to stay after class
(try to make this request directly to the student(s) rather than in front of the class). Ask
the student if there is something causing the disruption in class. Usually this provides an
opportunity for the student to share feelings of frustration. Typically, the problems are
external to your class (e.g., a student may be upset that his previous speech class did not
transfer and he is “forced” to retake the class). Knowing what is frustrating the student
can help you address the “true” problem and respond appropriately to the situation. If the
If a student seems to be directing hostility toward you, you may recommend the
STUDENT INTIMIDATION
Unfortunately, the reality is that female and ESL instructors tend to receive the most
direct student intimidation. If you feel that you are being intimidated by a student, review
the suggestions above. If these tips do not work, it is important to understand appropriate
responses.
The following are not appropriate behaviors:
for the student to blame you for something due to his or her personal lack of
responsibility;
It is appropriate to:
talk about why the student is frustrated;
talk about how the student can improve next time (i.e., the next paper, the next test,
If your attempts at confronting the student do not work, you should:
understand how to document smaller issues before they become larger problems;
INAPPROPRIATE STUDENT COMMENTS
There is a balancing act between being approachable and being an authority figure. This
balance may require some practice. You may be a target for inappropriate student
conduct and/or comments especially if you look young, look “fun,” or are unable to
Dress professionally. Your appearance may help determine your ethos as an
instructor, especially if you are young or appear to be young.
Discuss your credentials. Although many first-time instructors are only a year ahead
of seniors, and may, in fact, be younger than some nontraditional students, it is
important for students to understand your qualifications.
Tell your students that you are excited about teaching the class, and be honest if you
don’t have all the answers.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What happens if my lesson plan is too short?
Although students may enjoy getting out of class early, they have planned to attend your
lecture for the time allotted and may expect to get their money’s worth. Occasionally
ending class a few minutes early may be okay; however, it is best to have additional
activities prepared to fill extra time. An easy way to incorporate last-minute activities in a
public speaking class is to spend the remaining time having students do impromptu
speeches or answer discussion questions. For an impromptu activity, have five students
stand in front of the class to answer a spontaneous question. This is a great skill for
2. How many pages of notes will get me through a 50-minute and 75-minute lesson?
There is no specific number of pages that will guarantee a complete 50- or 75-minute
lecture. The amount of notes necessary to fill a lecture will depend upon the activities
included for the day. At first, it can be difficult for new instructors to know how long
discussion questions, group activities, or critiquing sample speeches will take. It won’t
3. What are the benefits and drawbacks to using technology (e.g., PowerPoint or Prezi)
to assist lectures?
Modern technology provides valuable resources for teaching and learning. Preparing
lecture notes on PowerPoint or Prezi allows you to store your lectures for future use,
provides students with visuals to assist with note taking, adds additional interest to
lectures, and can reduce the nervousness you might experience by focusing students’
attention on the screen or blackboard instead of directly on you. Also, most students are
used to processing information through a visual channel, so utilizing technology is of
great benefit to them.
4. How can I incorporate diversity into a homogeneous class?
Public speaking classes provide a wonderful opportunity to explore diversity. Whether
you are teaching to a homogeneous or heterogeneous class, consider including video
5. What if my student asks me to join him or her outside of class (e.g., date, social event)?
Most colleges and universities have a policy prohibiting instructors from seeing their
6. What if my friend is in my class?
Occasionally, first-time teaching assistants will know students in their class, especially
those assistants who recently graduated from the same college or university in which they
are now teaching. When multiple public speaking classes are offered during the same
7. What should I do if I think a student has a learning disability?
It is not your place to diagnose a student’s learning ability or disability. If, however, you
have noticed a student struggling, you can make some suggestions for campus resources
8. How can I avoid being nervous?
Every new instructor is likely to experience some nervousness before entering the
classroom for the first time. Even seasoned instructors feel a little nervous at times. This
anxiety is typically experienced just before entering the classroom, but should subside
9. What challenges will I face as an ESL instructor?
Although it is not expected that you fully assimilate to American ways, you may need to
make a few adaptations to your lesson plans. To help ensure a positive and successful
teaching experience, be sure you understand departmental and course expectations. If you
10. How can I help ESL students do well in class?
It is important to respect cultural differences when working with ESL students. ESL
students may think, speak, or write differently from English-speaking or native-born
speakers. To assist ESL students, you may need to work with them one-on-one after class
11. How do I respond to an “inappropriate” speech topic?
It may be necessary to approve students’ speech topics before they begin preparing their
speeches. This will reduce the number of “inappropriate” topics (e.g., “how to get drunk
on spring break”) as well as ensure that you will hear a variety of different speeches.
12. What if a student cries during a speech?
It is not uncommon for students to present an emotionally charged speech. Whether the
student is delivering a commemorative speech on a parent or a persuasive speech
advocating laws against cruelty toward animals, emotions can unexpectedly take over. If
13. What if a student passes out during a speech?
Although rare, a student may experience such speech anxiety that he or she may pass out.
If this happens, remain calm and take control of the situation. If there is a phone in the
14. What if I suspect a student has plagiarized?
Before accusing a student of plagiarism, be sure to fully investigate the incident. Prior to
discussing the incident with the student, review the campus policy on plagiarism, and
SERVICE LEARNING AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN PUBLIC SPEAKING
Service learning has become an important part of many communication courses. Service
learning is designed to get students out of the classroom in order to experience course
DEFINITION OF SERVICE LEARNING
Service learning typically features four characteristics:
students offer service in the community,
BENEFITS OF SERVICE LEARNING
Students benefit from service learning by applying skills learned in the classroom to
including audiences of different ages with different interests and needs. It also gives
students the chance to learn about services offered in their community. Students often
feel a sense of genuine accomplishment after giving a speech in their community.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS
Direct service: Volunteer with an agency
Students can volunteer at local facilities including senior centers, at-risk youth facilities,
or after-school programs. Students should participate in the activities occurring at the site,
Students can research an organization and provide a service to the organization, such as
creating a brochure for a nonprofit agency, designing a quilt for a women’s shelter, or
Civic service: Supporting a social or political cause
Students can become involved in a social or political cause. They can help create
programs, such as a local fall or spring festival, by soliciting participation from local
organizations and businesses, or assist in the passing of a referendum during an election
GRADING SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS
Because it is often difficult to attend speeches delivered outside of class, you may want to
ask the agency supervisor to rate the student’s performance in several areas, including
attendance, participation, and speech performance. Although agency supervisors are
