Students can be debilitated by public speaking fear, but a skilled teacher can help.
Glossophobia: public speaking fear. It’s the most common human fear.
My secondary students enter my classroom on the first day of my public speaking course filled with anxiety and fear. Speech and communication teachers know that their work is much more extensive than the basics of speech preparation and delivery; they have to create safe spaces for students to practice the art of public speaking. This requires an exploration of the thoughts that lurk behind public speaking fears and anxiety, a candid conversation about the realities of those fears, and the establishment of audience norms.
What drives public speaking fears?
Most students share similar fears. I developed a “Course Orientation - Student Survey” using a Google Form, and the following concerns are expressed repeatedly by multiple students:
“My classmates will laugh at me.”
“I’ll forget what I wanted to say.”
“I’ll stutter or mispronounce words.”
“I won’t be prepared and my classmates will be able to tell.”
“I’ll pass out.”
“My face will turn red.”
“I’ll be so nervous that I’ll throw up.”
How should we talk about public speaking fears?
After my students rank their level of public speaking fear and list their specific concerns, I display the results (without students’ names). This provides a perfect launching pad for a candid discussion about the normalcy of these fears and strategies for alleviating these fears. We discuss mental messaging, relaxation techniques, physical preparation (like hydrating), the importance of speech preparation and practice, and the unlikelihood that they’ll actually vomit while delivering a speech. It’s critical that students feel supported and valued during this process.
How can students be invested in audience norms?
The second section of the “Course Orientation - Student Survey” Google Form directs students to consider how their peers (their audience members) might support them. Student responses include the need for respectful behavior, including specifics like “pay attention,” “listen to me,” “don’t laugh at me,” “laugh if I intentionally say something funny,” and more. These responses provide the perfect foundation for a collective conversation about audience norms. Because students create the audience norms, they’re committed to the norms. Once I complete this process with my students, I rarely have to address any deviations from the established audience norms. This entire survey process takes about 25 minutes.
How can I help?
If you’re a secondary educator who is looking for an effective tool for addressing public speaking fears and audience expectations, consider my “Course Orientation - Student Survey,” which is available from Teachers Pay Teachers. I’m always available via email (highaltitudeacademics@gmail.com). Please feel free to contact me with additional questions!
