LEADERS THAT LISTEN

PUBLIC SPEAKING CURRICULUM

L E A D E R S T H AT L I S T E N P U B L I C S P E A K I N G C U R R I C U L U M

Confidence-Building Guide

Sometimes, even the idea of speaking publicly makes you so nervous and anxious that you hold yourself
back from taking on leadership roles or even expressing what is on your mind. If this is the case, know you
are not alone! The resources in this toolkit are applicable to all forms of public speaking covered in this
curriculum to help people cope with the public speaking anxiety that often interferes with their ability to
participate and speak up. Use these resources to become more comfortable with nervousness and develop
the habits necessary to face the fear!
 Why We Need Leaders That Listen:
A Note from the Author

As a teacher and public speaking coach, I have

always been drawn to the quirkiest students.
I love unexpected perspectives that make me think about an issue
in a different way and inspire me to care about experiences
I never understood. Unfortunately, we are surrounded by images
of leadership and models of public speaking dominated by
examples that are loud, angry, and driven by ego. Every day,
I encounter students from as young as 7 all the way to adulthood
who have beautiful voices and incredible stories but do not believe
they are important. They have been taught that they aren’t leaders
because they do not look, act, or sound like the people in power.

It is important to have mentors and a community to help you have

the courage of your own convictions; just because you don’t look
or sound like everyone else doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to
have a voice. Our society needs leaders who know how to facilitate
diverse perspectives, learn from different experiences, care about
human beings, and listen without an agenda. This curriculum
is a starting point for educators, coaches, and emerging public
speakers of all ages who want methods for communicating in a
way that is authentic and real, empowering their inner leader and
encouraging diverse voices through inclusive education. Explore
the guides in any order and choose tools that best fit your needs
and build your confidence. Gather inspiration and feel free to adapt
as you develop your skills and the abilities of those you lead.
AnnMarie D. Baines, PhD, Executive Director

About the Author

As Founder and Executive Director of Bay Area non-profit, The Practice Space, AnnMarie Baines brings 20 years of
experience coaching public speaking for youth and adults and currently teaches public speaking at UC Berkeley. As a Filipina
leader, Dr. Baines is deeply committed to equity, and was awarded a Deeper Learning Equity Fellowship. In prior work,
Dr. Baines was a program officer at the George Lucas Educational Foundation, where she applied her expertise in curriculum,
project-based learning, and professional development. She began her career as a high school special education teacher and
utilizes the Universal Design for Learning framework. Dr. Baines received her PhD in Learning Sciences from University of
Washington, teaching credential from Boston Teacher Residency, and Master’s in Education Policy from Harvard Graduate
School of Education.

The Leaders That Listen curriculum is made possible by a grant from the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. Special thanks to Angela
DeBarger, Sara Waters Design Group, Min Lee, Jessica Mironov, Rody Boonchouy, Lola Sims, Tashaka Merriweather, and Gillian Grisman.
 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE

Table of Contents

Resource 1 Confidence and the Impact of Fear on Equity.............................................................1

Resource 2 Qualities of a Fearless Classroom................................................................................2

Resource 3 Unpacking the Fear of Public Speaking ......................................................................3

Resource 4 Theories About Facing the Fear...................................................................................4

Resource 5 What Fear Looks Like and Sounds Like......................................................................6

Resource 6 Communication Anxiety Quiz.......................................................................................7

Resource 7 How to Feel Less Nervous Speaking in Public..........................................................10

Resource 8 How to Cope with Public Speaking Anxiety..............................................................11

Resource 9 Why Fear Prevents Students from Meeting Standards..............................................12

Resource 10 Anxieties in the Classroom: A Teacher Checklist.......................................................14

Resource 11 Four Techniques to Encourage Diverse Voices..........................................................15

Resource 12 Nine Ways to Lower the Stakes in Public Speaking..................................................17

Resource 13 Embracing Social Fears and Anxieties......................................................................18

Resource 14 Four Activities to Practice Anxiety-Coping at Home.................................................20

Resource 15 Day-Of Prep: How to Overcome Stage Fright...........................................................21

Resource 16 The Audience’s Burden: How Positive Community Conquers Fear...........................23

 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 1

Confidence and the Impact of Fear on Equity

more free to be himself and according to James’ father, “Take

James out of that school setting and he’s a leader.”

Freedom from fear allows you to speak your mind and express
who you are. The fear of judgment leads to the silencing of diverse
perspectives and hampers learning, equity, and change. According
to 16-year old Ava Remler, one of the students at The Practice
Space, “When you find you’re the only voice to a certain position,
you need to be able to find the strength to overcome it. And even
in a situation where no one is going to appreciate what you say,
you have to know that just them hearing your voice matters so
much.”

Unfortunately, negative judgment and evaluation is very real -- it is

not all in our heads. And it is unjust to expect that the people being
silenced also have to be the ones to be vulnerable and strong
To be a leader, you have to feel like your voice matters and you
enough to just put themselves out there and face their fears. To
have something of value to say and contribute to the world.
make leadership equitable, those of us who do not fear public
Unfortunately, we live in a society where many people are taught
speaking have a moral responsibility to create opportunities and
from an early age that their voice is less important. As a naturally
learning experiences that help others feel capable and valued. For
shy student, I personally remember being in a high school speech
me as a student, I needed someone to help me take baby steps
and debate class and thinking to myself, “Everyone else here is so
towards sharing my opinions. I needed a way to get started and
much smarter than me. I can’t possibly add anything better, so I’ll
a method for participating and asking questions, as well as the
just take notes.” No one told me that my voice wasn’t important,
assurance that I wouldn’t be ridiculed if it didn’t go as planned.
but I also wasn’t able to find a way to participate, so I kept silent.
Facing the fear of public speaking does involve putting yourself out
For many people, the clues that our voices are worth less than there, but it also involves finding experiences where you won’t be
others are much more explicit. Racism, prejudice, and stereotypes permanently hammered into a negative status position, simply for
intentionally silence people, especially when accompanied by something you once said.
language like, “that’s so stupid,” or “what do you know?” Even
when everyone is on their best behavior, non-verbal cues and more Classrooms can be important places to disrupt
indirect behavior can position some voices as more important the inequities that result when some students
than others. In a two-year study I conducted on how students
are afraid to speak, but only if they are places
with disabilities learn to perceive themselves as “smart”, I saw
a stark difference between academic classes and after-school that welcome risk taking and push back against
debate clubs (Baines, 2014). In these two environments, the fixed assumptions about what success should
same students who were seen as “slackers” or “troublemakers”
look like.
in school, were positioned as leaders and champions in debate.
But why? For one student, who we’ll call “James”, school was The fear of public speaking stems from a fear of discovering that
a place he would always be disabled, because as he said in an no one cares about what you have to say, no one values you as
interview, “What’s the point? I’m never going to be a good student. a person, and no one will ever change their conclusions about you.
No one cares what I have to say. At school, they definitely don’t Classrooms should be places that push back against this default
know anything about you.” In contrast, so many more definitions assumption, and ultimately, the one place where these fears are
of success existed outside of school, making James feel so much unfounded.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 2

Qualities of a Fearless Classroom

A fearless classroom is a place where each and every student...

1 5
Knows why their perspective is important. Remains open to changing their mind about
another person.

2 6
Feels like an expert in something and has Can push beyond their comfort level
opportunities to express that expertise. without being punished or ridiculed.

3 7
Has the chance to surprise people about Discovers a first step or entry point to
what they know and can do. develop their voice.

4 8
Believes their peers have valuable Hopes that everyone else will be able to
perspectives to offer. improve their ability to speak up.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 3

Unpacking the Fear of Public Speaking

What Am I Afraid Of? What Do I Need Instead?

Exclusion. Acceptance.
• I am afraid of people making fun or thinking less of • I need to know that my natural style and approach is
me. valuable.
• I am afraid that people won’t accept me for who I • I need to know that everyone struggles and makes
am. mistakes.
• I need to know that someone is rooting for me to
succeed.

Shame. Guidance.

• I am afraid of not doing anything right. • I need to know how to get started with every new
• I am afraid that I don’t know what to do. skill and activity.
• I am afraid of getting stuck, messing up, or missing • I need more time to experiment, try, and practice.
something. • I need clear directions and specific criticism to get
me to the next level.
• I need concrete next steps on how I can make my
own improvements.

Failure. Success.

• I am afraid I won’t measure up to my past success. • I need to know what it feels like to succeed.
• I am afraid of letting people down. • I need to lower the stakes so that the situation is
• I am afraid that I won’t be able to achieve my goals. less scary.
• I need to know that if I make a mistake, people will
still be there for me.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 4

Theories About Facing the Fear

Public speaking is often scary because it feels overwhelming and daunting to even figure
out how to begin facing the fear.
The fear of public speaking is often cited as being our number one fear, even before death. While this actually isn’t true (the original
source of that particular statistic was the comedian Jerry Seinfeld), it is up there. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over
15 million Americans suffer from social anxiety, which affects men and women equally and tends to begin by age 13. The fear of public
speaking falls under the category of “communication apprehension”, which is fear or anxiety experienced by a person due to real or
perceived communication with another person. You feel anxious communicating with others.

of situations that raise our anxiety, Psychology Today says this

depends on whether we are being evaluated, whether there is a
substantial difference in status or power, whether the ideas we are
communicating are new to us, and whether we are speaking in
front of a new audience.

Regardless of category, the most common trigger of this anxiety is

whether we are in a new or uncertain situation -- unfortunately, for
many of us who don’t have to speak that often, public speaking is
new and uncertain. When faced with an audience, we release the
same physiological response as when faced with a wild animal,
with all the hormones, cortisol, adrenaline that accompany that
reaction. Other common triggers include the fear of being judged
and the negative thoughts we tell ourselves about what others
think about us.

In these situations, the majority of people in the United States use

the avoidance coping strategy -- just don’t do it. But at what cost?
We are caught in a dilemma: when we avoid communication, we
are severely limited in how we can interact and live. But we can
never truly eliminate anxiety, even when we try. What we can do
though, is change how we think about public speaking and push
for support systems that buffer these fears, especially for people
of color or groups who have been historically marginalized.

Theories about Addressing Fear

As highlighted by Louisiana State Professor of Communication The University of Minnesota’s “Communication in the Real World”
Studies, Graham Bodie, in his review of studies about the fear lists three methods for facing the fear of public speaking: 1)
of public speaking, our fears can be divided into two categories. systematic desensitization; 2) cognitive restructuring; and 3) skills
Sometimes, the fear of public speaking is part of a general training. What this means is that we become less anxious when
trait, a tendency to experience anxiety related to any kind of we are more exposed to something, when we change the way
communication. Other times, it depends on the state, where we think about something, and when we have the tools to do
our anxiety occurs only in specific situations and time. In terms something about our situation.

4
Sometimes, it helps to remind yourself that the negative ecosystem, where allies, families, colleagues, and support systems
consequences of any moment of communication aren’t as bad are in place to provide opportunities to practice and mentorship
as we think and instead visualize it going well. It lowers anxiety to to build confidence. In her 2002 book, Nilda Flores-Gonzalez calls
think of public speaking as a conversation that aims to express for community contexts to create networks of support that buffer
your ideas or tell your story, rather than a performance that will be the negative impacts of stereotyping and recognize the effects of
judged. Physical relaxation exercises and self-talk statements can prejudice, mistrust, and blame.
also be used to remind us of what is really important.
The Final Takeaway
The communication studies research also highlights the
Changing the way we think about our fear of public speaking
importance of having quality information and topics we know
involves coming up with statements that remind us that there is
deeply: we are more confident when we know what we are talking
something more important than our fear. Remind yourself that the
about. It is also important to have practice and feedback from a
work and the message are more important than your nerves, but
trusted source and have very specific ways of assessing whether
that sometimes, you cannot embrace these fears alone, especially
we did well. Rather than just judging our public speaking based on
if you are facing a harmful and dangerous context. Even in the face
the awful memories we have of the experience -- we will always
of danger and fear, we have to remind ourselves why our stories
think we did badly -- we need to instead define what success
are important to tell. The fear never goes away, but hopefully we
means in advance and evaluate ourselves based on those specific
can build support systems to help us put it aside, just for a little
definitions.
while, while we express what matters.

Unfortunately, many of the suggestions from the realm of social

psychology focus more on internal anxiety barriers, as opposed
to the external institutional barriers stemming from systemic
oppression. When people of color have to speak up in situations When you have been oppressed and
where their voices are unwelcome or where they will be greeted
by suspicion and discrimination, fear goes beyond emotional
marginalized, the fear of public speaking
discomfort and enters the high-stakes realm of risk and real is compounded by systems designed to
harm. When you have been oppressed and marginalized, the
fear of public speaking is compounded by systems designed to silence your voice.
silence your voice. Exposure to public speaking is limited when
not everyone is privileged enough to be invited to speak and it
is difficult for someone to visualize something going well without
seeing role models who look like them. Having to speak in front of
an audience in a non-native language adds an additional layer of
uncertainty and fear. Addressing these fears must include an entire

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 5

What Fear Looks Like and Sounds Like

The Fear of Public Speaking...

What Fear of Public Speaking Looks Like What Fear of Public Speaking Sounds Like

Physical Discomfort Stalling or avoiding the task

Stomach pain or feeling sick, pale face, Lack of facial expressions, shrugging
sweating, trembling hands and tense shoulders and not saying anything,
posture, restlessness (i.e. fiddling with uncontrollable laughter, close to tears
clothes, tearing up paper, chair rocking) and shaky breaths, inability to complete
sentences, avoiding eye contact

Feeling on edge or wanting to Making the task seem less

escape important
Lack of facial expressions, shrugging “Why do we have to do this anyway?”
shoulders and not saying anything, “This is stupid.”
uncontrollable laughter, close to tears “It doesn’t matter anyway.”
and shaky breaths, inability to complete
sentences, avoiding eye contact

Defiance Predicting a negative

Refusal to participate, disengagement or outcome
shutting down, being absent, distracting
“I’m so bad at this.”
others or telling jokes
“This isn’t going to be as good as his.”
“This is going to be awful.”
“Too bad I have to follow her.”
“I’ll never be smart enough.”
“She’s so going to beat me.”
“I’m going to lose/fail.”

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 6

Communication Anxiety Quiz

Student Name:

Background:
1) What is your experience with public speaking? 2) How do you react to the following statement:
“I enjoy public speaking.”

A. I have never given a speech in public.

A. Strongly Agree.
B. I have given presentations for school or work
B. Agree.
assignments.
C. No Opinion.
C. I have public speaking experience through my
D. Disagree.
extracurricular activities.
E. Strongly Disagree.
D. I have been a public speaking coach, mentor, or
teacher.

Communication Traits:
On the following questions, rate yourself in terms of:
“Developing” -- beginning level, either new to the skill or lacking confidence in this area.
“Solid” -- intermediate level, average ability and can hold their own most of the time.
“Expert” -- expert level, outstanding ability and/or able to teach this trait to others

Developing Solid Expert

3) Authenticity: When I speak publicly, I am able to be myself and I feel

free to speak about what I care about.

4) Compelling: When I speak publicly, I am able to inspire interest and

action from others.

5) Clear: When I speak publicly, I am able to be understandable and to

the point.

6) Credible: When I speak publicly, I come off as expert and trustworthy.

7) Polished: When I speak publicly, I use appropriate gestures,

movement, facial expressions, and vocal techniques to enhance my
message.

8) Connected: When I speak publicly, I am able to connect to what my

audience finds relevant, interesting, and motivating.

7
Anxiety Triggers
9) Which of the following make you nervous about public 10) How do nerves and fear affect you?
speaking?
⧠ Sweating and jitters
⧠ Forgetting what to say ⧠ Speaking too quickly
⧠ Getting stuck and losing track of my points ⧠ Feeling sick/stomach pain
⧠ Making a mistake ⧠ Stumbling or stuttering
⧠ Not feeling ready or not having enough time to prepare ⧠ Making me laugh uncontrollably
⧠ Not knowing my content well enough ⧠ Going blank and/or forgetting my points
⧠ People staring at me and being on the spot ⧠ Getting defensive or short-tempered
⧠ Failing to impress or please my audience ⧠ Getting distracted or restless
⧠ Worrying about people disliking what I have to say ⧠ Wanting to run away or avoid things
⧠ Not being loud enough
⧠ Not looking good when I present
⧠ Stuttering or stumbling over words
⧠ Not having enough experience with public speaking
⧠ Other: _________________________

Situations
Please rate your level of anxiety in different public speaking 3 - Some fear and anxiety, but I can get through it with hard
situations. work.
4 - My fear and anxiety make it extremely difficult to speak
1 - No fear or anxiety at all. publicly in these situations.
2 - Some fear and anxiety, but I can get through it with a little 5 - My fear and anxiety makes it impossible to speak publicly
more preparation. in these situations.

1 2 3 4 5

11) Situations where I have to speak spontaneously and

come up with ideas on the spot, with little to no time to
prepare.

12) One-on-one conversations.

13) Small group discussions.

14) Whole class discussions.

15) Presentations for a small audience (less than 30 people).

16) Presentations for a large audience (more than 50 people).

17) Presentations for people I know.

18) Presentations for people I don’t know.

8
19) What makes you feel more comfortable 20) Is there anything that people should know to help you?
(open response)
⧠ Having notes or slides to use during my speech
⧠ Having a microphone
⧠ Having a podium or stand
⧠ Having time to collect my thoughts and prepare remarks
⧠ Practicing and rehearsing my remarks ahead of time
⧠ Specific feedback and guidance to improve ahead of time
⧠ Collaborating with a partner or group on ideas ahead of time
⧠ Knowing what to expect from the situation
⧠ Knowing how I will be evaluated or judged by the audience
⧠ Positive encouragement from my peers or teacher/coach
⧠ Giving myself pep talks
⧠ Warming up and getting myself energized
⧠ Friendly-looking, attentive audience members
⧠ Having someone who makes sure the audience is focused
and supportive (i.e. facilitator, teacher, leader)
⧠ Other: _____________________

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 7

How to Feel Less Nervous Speaking in Public

Public speaking can be terrifying, especially if you don’t do it often!

Take comfort in the fact that 15 million Americans suffer from social anxiety, which affects men and women and often
begins by age 13. It helps to build your self-awareness of what situations make you the most nervous, so that you can
hopefully anticipate these feelings in the future and do your best to prepare for them.

Common Issue Coping Tips

Fear of Evaluation or • Preparing your content – outlines and scripting

Judgment • Knowing your stuff – research on content and on the audience, to know what they will care
about
• Anticipate where the audience might get stuck, frustrated, or doubtful and work that into your
talk
• In a presentation situation: Find the nodders!

Uncertainty (unfamiliar • Ask questions about the situation (what is the purpose of the talk, how many people, what are
ideas, unfamiliar audience, people expecting, what is the seating situation like, what is the sound situation like, where am I
unfamiliar situation) standing, is there a podium)
• Talk to the people around you and ask them questions, get used to them
• Come up with a routine for yourself for what you do before a talk, so you feel some sense of
control

Difference in Power • Self-talk: remind yourself that people are just people
• Remember that you don’t have to know everything – you can ask questions to learn – but also,
that you have specific expertise to offer

Negative personal thoughts • Breathing exercises

or inability to be yourself • Calming activities: singing, listening to music, meditation, visualization exercises
• Sleep, food, and water
• Self-talk: think about what you are proud of and what are you excited to talk about
• Get excited and pumped! Humor and laughter
• Have a secret weapon – a lucky charm, a favorite outfit that makes you feel secretly powerful
• Remind yourself to be okay with silences
• Don’t beat yourself up! Put things in perspective.

Avoidance • Always practice your remarks out loud beforehand

• Face your fears. Start with something small and create practice experiences for yourself

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 8

How to Cope with Public Speaking Anxiety

Coping with public speaking anxiety is part emotional and part preparation.
Of course, feeling completely “ready” to speak can go a long way to feeling less anxious. Knowing what you are going to say and feeling
confident about the flow of ideas helps you stay focused on the point of your message and less on what might go wrong.

At the same time, you cannot ignore the emotions you feel, even instead, the goal should be to express yourself authentically and
when they are negative and filled with self-doubt. Resetting connect to your audience. Ask yourself: “Was I able to be myself?”
expectations and embracing the possibility that the experience “Did I clearly communicate something important?” “Did I connect
might not go perfectly is an essential piece of coping with anxiety. to the audience?” If your answer is yes to all of these questions, try
Remind yourself that the goal is not to say everything exactly right; to let go of anything that did not go exactly to plan.

Tip 1 Tip 3
Create self-affirmation statements. Warm-up out loud.
Internalize go-to statements that remind you that your Even if you are running out of time or feel uncomfortable
message is important and your audience cares about what talking to yourself, warm-ups can help avoid stuttering,
you have to say. rambling, mistakes, or poor vocal technique.

Tip 2 Tip 4
Prepare a strong outline. Practice internalizing your message.
Feeling more prepared with your content helps and ensures Figure out opportunities to talk about your message or ideas
that you connect to what your audience needs to hear. as many different times and ways as possible, so you don’t
have to think so hard about what to say.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 9

Why Fear Prevents Students from Meeting Standards

If every student is going to have the chance of learning to lead, then it is essential that students
master standards for speaking and listening.

confidence to express his or her ideas. Unfortunately, when it

comes to developing the actual skill of communication, fear can
become a barrier to the experiences necessary to practice and
improve.

Fear and the Presentation Standards

Possessing the courage to present your ideas and questions
is a gatekeeper to developing communication skills. Beginning
in Kindergarten, one of the central standards is to “ask and
answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify
something that is not understood.” When students are too nervous
to speak in the first place, it becomes impossible for them to
advocate for themselves or express their questions. In the case of
presentation, a first-grade standard is to publicly “describe people,
places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas
and feelings clearly.” Once again, fear can paralyze students and
prevent them from giving a presentation, even if they are able to
meet these standards in the context of written expression.

Throughout all grades, the Speaking & Listening Standards

emphasize the ability to be clear, adapt to audiences, and recount
stories and experiences, which all depend on practice getting
up in front of an audience. Unfortunately, it is hard to practice
when you are someone who feels uncomfortable voicing personal
experiences, making it even scarier to meet a standard like the
fourth-grade requirement to “tell a story or recount an experience
in an organized manner.” Beyond the content itself, fear can also
become an obstacle to practicing and demonstrating oral delivery
skills. Standards across grade levels require students to master
Communication is a skill to develop (not an innate trait) and one eye contact, volume, pace, and pronunciation, all of which can be
that employers and colleges alike are valuing among the most directly affected by nerves and anxiety.
desired qualities in potential candidates. While fear and anxiety
may seem like something that each individual student has to Fear and the Comprehension and Collaboration
overcome on his or her own, classrooms have to be places where
students can face their fears and develop this skill.
Standards
Fear can also interfere with a teacher’s ability to assess whether a
The Common Core English Language Arts Standards include a set student comprehends the academic material. Even when a student
of College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking comes to a discussion prepared, it can be difficult to “stimulate
and Listening, broken down by grades K through 12. Specific a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas” when he or she
components of the Speaking & Listening Strand are divided into is distracted by the fear of judgment or making a mistake in front
skills associated with the “Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas” of peers. This is especially the case with debates, where having
and “Comprehension and Collaboration”. There are elements of to “present points of agreement and disagreement” or “identify
the standards that rely on understanding of the material or the insufficient evidence” requires a student to feel confident in their
ability to integrate multimedia, which do not depend on a student’s speaking abilities and secure enough in their ideas to be able to

12
take a stand. While strong teamwork, preparation, and research Helping Everyone Face Their Fears
can go a long way to building this confidence, it is not enough in
Framing the standards in the context of fears highlights the
the face of public speaking anxiety.
support needed when teachers translate standards into classroom
activities and assessments. Rather than relying on the skills
The bulk of the communication skills outlined in the Common
and experiences that students already bring to discussions and
Core Standards revolve around the development of spontaneous
presentations, it is important to treat communication skills as
speaking skills, where students have limited preparation time to
something that must be taught to everyone. Too often, student
form their ideas. Given that most speaking that takes place in
fears around public speaking are left to emerge in high-stakes
classrooms is spontaneous and on-the-spot, the inability to ever
situations, like final presentations or debates, where some
feel truly prepared only heightens the fear of public speaking.
students shine because they happen to have access to public
Standards such as “challenging ideas and conclusions”, “posing
speaking experience or role models. Instead, students also
and responding to questions”, “asking for clarification”, or “linking
need to know that communication is something to practice and
to comments by others” all involve being able to formulate and
develop over time with guidance and instruction, just like any other
organize ideas immediately. For some students, spontaneous
academic skill. Classrooms must be places where students can
speaking comes naturally and can even be fun; for others, the
face their fears and access the material, if they are ever to be truly
prospect is terrifying.
inclusive learning environments.

Given that most speaking that takes place

in classrooms is spontaneous and on-the-
spot, the inability to ever feel truly prepared
only heightens the fear of public speaking.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 10

Anxieties in the Classroom: A Teacher Checklist

Knowledge of Students Balanced Assessments

⧠ Do I know how my students feel about public speaking? ⧠ When I have discussions and other collaborative speaking
⧠ Do I know what makes different students nervous about activities, does everyone get the chance to contribute and
public speaking? express what they know?
⧠ Have I considered any specific student needs that may affect ⧠ Have I created rubrics for all public speaking assignments?
their public speaking (i.e. difficulty with English, stutters ⧠ When I grade public speaking, do I reward students for their
or lisp, slower information processing, challenges with preparation ahead of time (i.e. content, collaboration) in
vocabulary, difficulty reading aloud, volume/vocal issues)? addition to factors that are harder to control (i.e. presentation
⧠ Do my students know how to support one another and make delivery, responding to questions)?
each other feel confident? ⧠ Do I share presentation rubrics with my students?

Opportunities to Succeed Coaching and Preparation

⧠ Have I provided my students with a clear description of my ⧠ Does my classroom include clear norms for audience
expectations for public speaking? behavior and peer support?
⧠ Do I have warm-ups, activities, lessons, or units that are ⧠ Do I offer opportunities for students to practice their speeches
focused explicitly on teaching and practicing communication in class?
skills? ⧠ Are there chances for students to receive detailed feedback to
⧠ Does my class include a balance of prepared public speaking improve?
assignments (i.e. presentations) and spontaneous public ⧠ Do I make myself available for additional support around
speaking activities (i.e. discussions and debates)? public speaking?
⧠ When appropriate, do I lower the stakes to make students feel
less nervous (i.e. sitting instead of standing during speeches,
presenting in small groups, increasing preparation time, letting
them have notes)?

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 11

Four Techniques to Encourage Diverse Voices

A classroom that cultivates leadership is one where all students feel like they have something to offer
and feel secure in the knowledge that their voice will be valuable to others.
To encourage a diverse range of voices in the classroom, it is important to create a positive culture that builds upon student ideas as
opposed to shutting them down. The goal is to avoid the type of classroom where students wait to hear the right answer from the teacher
or feel like their perspective is going to be stupid or wrong. These techniques help: 1) set a positive tone that welcomes diversity; 2) make
learning fun through skill-building games; 3) provide a mixture of expression formats; and 4) set routines that promote student leadership.

Technique Examples

1 • Be careful about asking questions with a “right answer”

voice, where it is clear that you know the answer.
Explicitly say that you genuinely want to know or that you
are curious about their perspective, that there isn’t a right
Welcome diversity, promote common connections. It is
answer. Even if there is a right answer, pose an additional
important to set a positive tone that invites students to
challenge to “push back against the experts”.
discover their interests and what they have in common.
• Use activities where students have to work together to
create a product that incorporates what they have in
common (art projects and interviews work great!)
• Include warm-up discussion activities where students
have to get up and have conversations with different
partners. When possible, mix up partners as many times
as you can so that students can have time speaking one-
on-one with more people in the class.

2 • Make public speaking fun through simulations where

students have to use their public speaking skills in an
imaginary world. Some examples include: simulations
where the adults have disappeared and they have to
Hide the “vegetables”. Students are always on the hunt for
create a new government or challenges where students
what is considered “right” or “wrong” with their speaking.
have to build a company and pitch it to the class.
Hiding skills instruction in the context of a fun game that
• Warm-up public speaking skills using fun resources like
involves public speaking can disrupt this pattern.
fairy tales or favorite books.
• Borrow from elementary school and practice informative
speaking through familiar routines like “show and tell”.

15
 3 • Any public speaking activities should include a mix of
spontaneous and prepared assignments, group/pair/solo
speeches, seated vs. standing speaking activities; loud
vs. quiet engagement.
Mix it up. Creating an inclusive classroom means that there
• Incorporate routines where students nominate different
needs to be multiple forms of expression, so that students
speech topics or story prompts – student input ensures
have a lot of ways to share what they know.
that topics are relevant to different kinds of students.
• Provide speech activities that can be pre-recorded, like
a podcast or video, to support students who express
themselves better through media.

4 • Start a class once a week with an easy public speaking

warm-up and then gradually open it up as something
students take turns leading. Physical stretches and
tongue twisters are a great kind of warm-up.
Get started, then release. Students are great at
• Practice consistent structures for debate and discussion
experimenting and riffing with familiar structures and
and then have students facilitate them. Encourage them
routines. It helps them to have a few routines to get started
to include as many people as possible when they lead.
so that everyone has a common reference point to know
• Pair up students in “coach buddies” to have someone
what leadership looks like.
who helps them with public speaking preparation.
• Reward students for using discussion starters that invite
more perspectives and voices.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 12

9 Ways to Lower the Stakes in Public Speaking Situations

1 2 3
Small Audiences Seated Presentations Limited Choices
Start by practicing in pairs, then Have students practice speaking Offer students a limited set of 3 to 5
standing in small groups, then in seated before they stand in front of topic choices that range in difficulty,
front of the class, then in front of a the class. so that they aren’t overwhelmed by
public audience. unlimited possibilities but also have
a choice.

4 5 6
Simultaneous Practice Frequent Rehearsal Run-through the
Have students practice their remarks Practice remarks in class...a lot! Opening Walk
all at once -- it’s noisy, but it makes Have students practice walking up
them feel like they can blend in and to the front of the room and feeling
no one is listening to them while they secure in their opening stance.
practice.

7 8 9
Increase Presentations Adjust Grading Be Careful What
Increase the number of public When appropriate, incorporate self- You Ask For
speaking assignments so that they assessment as part of the grade and Take care when you include
become less of a big deal. adjust the weight of some public requirements that raise the pressure,
speaking assignments to take the like requiring students to memorize
pressure off. their speech.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 13

Embracing Social Fears and Anxieties

Leaders do not have to be fearless.

In fact, personal experience with anxiety and vulnerability is important to developing a sense of empathy and connection to the experiences
of others. Leaders who are empathetic are able to encourage growth in others and are humble enough to know that they are not perfect
themselves. Embracing imperfection and discomfort keeps us human and ultimately results in an authentic communication style that is
much more effective than any overly polished, perfectly choreographed speech can ever be.

Tip #1: Value your connection to the audience.

All the anxiety-coping strategies in the world will not help until a
speaker personally reframes the goal of public speaking. When
the goal is still to “get through the speech unscathed” or “deliver a
presentation without any mistakes” or “deliver everything perfectly
from memory”, the irony is that speakers are much more likely
to be nervous and unsatisfied with their performance. Instead,
public speakers need to frame goals that prioritize the effect they
want to have on their audience. For instance, public speaking
goals such as inspiring connections, communicating content that
people remember, and encouraging follow-up conversations do
not depend on perfection. Rather than having goals that are all
about you, effective communication should value connection over
seamless presentation.

Tip #2: Expect and embrace discomfort.

Aside from a rare few, public speaking is always an uncomfortable
and somewhat unnatural experience. Many speakers and
performers use visualization techniques, where they prepare
The pressure to be perfect only increases the fear of public themselves by imagining the result they want. Instead of imagining
speaking, regardless of a speaker’s experience level. For students situations where you don’t feel any nerves at all, it can help to
developing their communication skills, I consistently observe imagine the jitters you might have at the start and then imagine
students go through two rounds of stage fright and anxiety. The them disappearing as you sink into the moment and connect with
first round comes when students are first learning new skills, your audience. It can also help to embrace the reality that public
where fear stems from the uncertainty and lack of familiarity they speaking will sometimes feel awful, but also that the discomfort
feel with speaking for an audience. The second round comes won’t last forever -- sometimes, it is only a few minutes.
much later, after students have had some success with their
public speaking. This fear emerges when students feel pressure
(either from themselves or from others) to measure up to their past
success and maintain their reputation as an effective speaker. I Effective communication should value
have watched champion high school debaters drop out of the
activity because they don’t think they’ll be able to win anymore.
connection over seamless presentation.
And I personally know what it feels like to be positioned as
someone who should speak to a high standard (I am a public
speaking coach, after all!) and feel paralyzing worry that I won’t
reach that standard this time and others will judge or think less of
me.

18
Tip #3: When you can, always speak about what When I interview my students about their growth and confidence,
it always surprises me that they never say that their nerves have
excites you.
gone away. Even the most advanced students say that the fear is
Given how fearful and anxious some people can feel about public always there, but that they have learned to embrace it. In the words
speaking, the discomfort is only worthwhile if your message is of one of my high school students, who was a champion public
personally important to you. Sometimes, when I am faced with speaker and state champion finalist, “So I’m still kind of afraid of
a speech that is particularly nerve-wracking to me, I will say to talking in front of people and I try to avoid it as much as possible or
myself, “right now, this work is more important than my fears.” get other people to go before me, but I’m just kind of on terms with
While it is always useful to think about what your audience might it now. I can choose to rise above it rather than let it inhibit me.”
want to hear, at the end of the day, every speech should always
derive from content that drives, motivates, and excites you. When
you talk about what genuinely interests you, it is easier to get
lost in your message and drown out evil voices of self-critique
and doubt. The byproduct is that your speaking delivery will
automatically be better because you are speaking from the heart
instead of from a place of stress.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 14

Four Activities to Practice Anxiety-Coping at Home

A common public speaking fear is being able to deal with unexpected situations on the
spot. Through practice and familiarity, these activities help you anticipate and become
accustomed to the scenarios that scare you.

Activity 1 Activity 3
Random Word Deck Feared Questions List
A major public speaking fear is being able to speak The next time you have to give a presentation or speak in a
spontaneously without getting stuck. Create a deck of situation that will include audience questions, make sure you
random words (or use the words from a game of Apples to leave time to anticipate difficult questions. In a notebook or
Apples) that include one-word topics or themes that might separate document, create a list of your top 5 most feared
come up for you in life, work, or school. You can also just questions. This might include questions you know you don’t
come up with topics that are silly and fun! When you are know the answer to, ones that seem unrelated or irrelevant,
looking to practice spontaneous speaking, draw a card from ones that require complex responses, or ones that leave you
the deck and then speak for one minute about that topic feeling vulnerable. Just creating the list is useful on its own,
without any preparation. This can be done on your own, in but as an added challenge, hand your list to a trusted friend
the car with family, or with a partner. and have them choose ones to ask you so that you can
practice responding to your worst-case scenario questions.

Activity 2 Activity 4
Random Question Bag Anxiety Journaling
When the issue is less about speaking about topics and In a journal or separate document, write about specific
more about fielding unexpected questions, it is helpful to public speaking situations that make you especially nervous.
practice responding to questions in general. Take 10 to Maybe it is forgetting your train of thought, maybe it is
15 blank slips of paper and write down random questions looking awkward, maybe it is being boring -- regardless of
about a range of topics. It can be helpful to have an entire what the situation is, write about all the awful feelings you
group of people contribute to the random question bag to expect to feel in that situation. After that, write what you
get a full range of unexpected questions. Draw a question will do in that situation to make it better. Be as concrete as
out of the bag and then answer the question, in three possible! Maybe you will move onto a different idea when
parts: 1) state your immediate answer to the question; 2) you lose your thoughts, or maybe you will tell a personal
give a concrete example of what the question brings up in story when you feel like you are being boring. It is good
your mind; 3) connect the question to additional follow-up practice to create specific plans of action to train your brain
questions. This can be a good class routine or even just to think of them when you get to the real thing.
something to practice at the dinner table at home.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 15

Day-Of Prep: How to Overcome Stage Fright

Time Actions Benefit

First thing, or 3 hours • Review your content and make any final changes. Give yourself enough time to finalize
before your speech • Create an index card or small sheet of paper with a rough the content -- the outline also helps
outline or talking points you review the flow of your points
and gain perspective about the
overall content.

2 hours before your • Do slow breathing exercises. Warm ups help you get in the zone
speech • Warm up vocally and physically. and work to calm nerves and get
• Practice out loud. your body in performance-ready
• Walk around or sing. mode.

1 hour before your • Stop what you are doing. Don’t overrehearse. Cramming increases nerves:
speech. • Let it go: remind yourself, “it is what it is.” instead, you need to get to a place
of peace, where you give yourself
some space from your preparation.

30 minutes • Talk to people and converse with others around you. Mindless chatter can take your mind
beforehand off your presentation and put you
in a more social place mentally. It is
good to start speaking before you
have to give your actual remarks.

15 minutes • Find a quiet place (an actual place or somewhere in your It is important to reaffirm your trust
beforehand and while mind) and center yourself. in yourself. Rather than thinking
sitting in your seat, • Tell yourself affirmations like “you got this” or “you’ve done about your nerves or overthinking
ready to give your this before” or “you have something important to say”. your speech, it is helpful to remind
speech • Take breaths and exhale slowly: repeat until the shakiness yourself that your voice is worthy.
disappears.

21
 Your name has been • Turn it “on”. Mentally switch into performance mode. A performance mode helps you
called and it’s time to • Look at people as you walk up. switch into a person who doesn’t
go up to the front feel fear. In this mode, you
acknowledge the audience, instead
of avoiding eye contact.

Moment before your • Stand in a grounded position and acknowledge in audience. Ground yourself when you get to the
speech front. Don’t speak while walking, but
wait until you and the audience are
ready.

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 CONFIDENCE-BUILDING GUIDE: RESOURCE 16

The Audience’s Burden: How Positive Community Conquers Fear

Facing the fear of public speaking shouldn’t only be up to the speaker...

...the audience has an essential role to play in making situations less nerve-wracking in the first place. While every public
speaker has a lot of work to do to feel more prepared and ready to embrace discomfort, the audience carries the burden
of creating a space that welcomes what people have to offer. It takes courage to put your voice into the world and that
courage should be welcomed by eager listeners who are ready to learn, especially in schools and classrooms.

• Looking tired or bored (e.g. scowling at the speaker)

• Fidgeting and noisy nervous habits (e.g. pen-clicking or playing
with chair)
• Spacing out or looking vacant (e.g. head on table or arm)
• Looking distracted or impatient (e.g. glancing at the time or
vgoing on the phone)

Changing the Audience Mindset

The solution isn’t to fake interest or sit in the audience with a
plastered smile; rather, the audience’s role is to actively listen to
the speaker and contribute to an environment that invites new
ideas. In the classroom, a positive sense of community goes a
long way to ease the fear of public speaking. Remind students
that as an audience member, their burden is to:

1. Be present and show they are listening.

2. Avoid making it harder for the speaker to do his or her best
work.
3. Consider ways they can ease the speaker’s doubts and fears.
4. Facilitate people’s voices through their behavior or
participation.
5. Take on the role of the learner -- actively try to learn
Audience Behaviors That Make Things Worse something.
6. Delay any judgment until the speaker is finished.
Regardless of age or experience, the worst case scenario for most
public speakers is that people will dislike them and what they say.
This is especially the case for young children and adolescents, who
are afraid of being laughed at or stereotyped. They are therefore It takes courage to put your voice into the
hyper aware of audience behavior, including facial expressions,
actions, and responses. In general, speakers actually hold world and that courage should be welcomed
audiences to a fairly high standard -- they are looking for engaged
by eager listeners who are ready to learn,
faces and people who will remember what they say and be moved
by their remarks. Most audience members, on the other hand, hold especially in schools and classrooms.
themselves to an incredibly low standard, treating listening as a
passive activity or chance to do nothing. Passive audiences are
ones who somehow think that no one can see them as they watch
the speaker, when in reality, their actions are actually discouraging
and distracting. This translates into physical behavior that includes:

23
Setting People Free
It is not always possible for anyone to be the perfect audience
member: after all, everyone has moments where they feel tired, Rethink the job of an audience member and
uncomfortable, disinterested or frustrated by what someone consider ways that audiences can contribute
is saying. It is important to react and engage honestly and
authentically and it can be difficult to be a helpful audience to helping people feel free of doubt, anxiety,
member in some situations. The takeaway is to rethink the job
of an audience member and consider ways that audiences can
and fear as they communicate and lead.
contribute to helping people feel free of doubt, anxiety, and fear as
they communicate and lead. When classrooms are inclusive places
where people are genuinely eager to learn from one another, it is
easier to let go of the fear of being judged. To become leaders who
listen, students need role models and facilitators to guide them in
creating positive learning environments where people look out for
one another and appreciate diverse voices.

© 2020 The Practice Space

10261 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530 | [Link] | admin@[Link]

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
To view a copy of this license, visit [Link] or send a
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 © 2020 The Practice Space
10261 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA 94530
[Link]
admin@[Link]

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license,
visit [Link] or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866,
Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.