REFLECTION: CONQUERING FEAR IN SPEAKING

CONQUERING FEAR IN SPEAKING: GETTING BATTLE-READY

FOR THE INTERNSHIP

Fear of public speaking is a common form of anxiety. It can range from slight

nervousness to paralyzing fear and panic. Many people with this fear avoid public

speaking situations altogether, or they suffer through them with shaking hands and a

quavering voice. But with preparation and persistence, you can overcome your fear.

In our one-day seminar entitled Conquering Fear in Speaking: Getting Battle-ready

for the Internship, we will be able to motivate to speak in front of a crowd; to disregard

some presumptions about speaking and in one way or another, survive in speaking.

Public Speaking basically, it's a presentation that's given live before an audience.

Public speeches can cover a wide variety of different topics. The goal of the speech may

be to educate, entertain, or influence the listeners. Often, visual aids in the form of an

electronic slideshow are used to supplement the speech and make it more interesting to

the listeners. It is very important to us as educators to be more confident enough in terms

of speaking in public, in class or in a group because we are teacher that also teaches

student on how to become a good public speaker.

In our one day seminar with Sir Geoffrey S. Marfa as our resource speaker, we

learned a lot of many things on how we can help ourselves to become more confident in

speaking.

These are the following topics discussed to us by Sir Geoffrey S. Marfa: Macro

Skills of Languages; Communicative Competence; Interlanguage; World English;

Intelligibility and also he gives us suggestions on how we conquer Stage Fright.

Based on the discussion and information given by our speaker, we need to boost

and strengthen our Macro Skills Languages composed of Listening, Speaking, Reading,

and Writing and newly added the viewing skills. These five skills are useful to me as

educator it is because in-order to become a well-rounded communicator one needs to be

proficient in each of the four language skills. These four skills give learners opportunities

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 REFLECTION: CONQUERING FEAR IN SPEAKING

to create contexts in which to use the language for exchange of real information, evidence

of their own ability (proof of learning) and, most important, confidence. Listening and

reading are the receptive skills because learners do not need to produce language, they

receive and understand it. These skills are sometimes known as passive skills. The

productive skills are speaking and writing because learners are applying these skills in a

need to produce language. They are also known as active skills. Viewing is a process that

supports oracy and literacy, and is a part of an integrated language arts program. Viewing

enhances listening skills when students attend to nonverbal communication and visual

elements of performance, video, television, film, and multimedia presentations. It

enhances reading when students attend to visuals accompanying print (e.g., charts,

diagrams, illustrations); specific textual techniques (e.g., layout, colour, symbols); and the

assumptions, perspectives, and quality of a variety of media (e.g., photos, plays, video).

With these five skills addressed equally while learning English, we can be assured of

having good communication skills, a great necessity in today’s competitive world.

The second topic that our speaker discussed was about Communicative

competence. The communicative competence is what a speaker needs to know in order

to be communicatively competent in a speech community. It is the ability to understand

and use language effectively to communicate in authentic social and school

environments. For me communication competence is needed in order to understand

communication ethics, to develop cultural awareness, to use computer-mediated

communication, and to think critically. Competence involves knowledge, motivation, and

skills.

The third topic that our speaker shared to us was about Interlanguage.

Interlanguage is a language created by learners of a second language which is between

the target language and the learner's first language (L1).

An Interlanguage is an emerging linguistic system that has been developed by

a learner of a second language (or L2) who has not become fully proficient yet but is only

approximating the target language: preserving some features of their first language (or

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 REFLECTION: CONQUERING FEAR IN SPEAKING

L1) in speaking or writing the target language and creating innovations. An Interlanguage

is uniquely based on the learners' experiences with the L2. It can ossify in any of its

developmental stages. The learner creates an Interlanguage using different learning

strategies such as language transfer, overgeneralisation and simplification. In my own

understanding, Language learners can never be an expert on the second language

unless they are expert with their first language. This seminar could help us especially the

Bisaya people--for them to be familiar with their native language which will greatly help in

their Interlanguage continuum.

The fourth topic that our speaker discuss was about the World English. World

English is the idea that, as English is now a global lingua franca, we should see it as a

global language and the property of humanity as a whole rather than just its native

speakers. Some linguists propose a simplified “global English”, as opposed to the

idiosyncratic English of us natives, as the global tongue.

“World Englishes” takes this idea further, arguing that regional versions of English

that evolve as a result of non-native speakers’ fossilised errors should be seen as

legitimate “dialects” of English.

Personally, I think that the idea of “World English” and, even more so, “World

Englishes” is rather ridiculous. I respect the fact that people don't want to be colonised by

Anglo-Saxon culture but, if it bothers you that much, speak Esperanto-or some other

invented auxiliary tongue. Don't fool yourself into thinking that English can be divorced

from the culture that produced it; it can't.

Like it or not, native speakers are always going to be the yardstick for what

constitutes “good English”. This may not be fair but the adoption of a natural language as

the global lingua franca is never going to be fair. Native speakers will always be

advantaged over non-natives and weak, half-baked solutions like “world English” cannot

solve this problem.

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 REFLECTION: CONQUERING FEAR IN SPEAKING

If fairness meant anything, the world would speak some kind of artificial language

that was nobody's mother tongue, but practicality and Anglo-American political, economic

and social hegemony have resulted in English becoming the de facto world language. As

long as this is the case, trying to hide poor English behind the flimsy veil of “world English”

is going to remain a futile exercise that convinces nobody.

The fifth topic he discussed was about Intelligibility. Increases in the number of

English users in the world and growing acceptance of indigenized varieties of English

(‘’Englishes’’) have given rise to concerns that speakers of different English dialects will

cease being intelligible to each other, resulting in failures in communication, especially in

cross-cultural encounters. ‘Intelligibility’ is therefore a relevant concept for English

language teachers to the extent that they aim to prepare students to communicate

successfully with users of various Englishes and in lingua franca contexts. However, it is

a contested construct which has proved difficult to define and measure.

Lastly, the topic he discussed was about how we conquer stage fright. You may

have heard the joke that some people would prefer to be in their own coffins than give a

eulogy at a funeral. While this may be an exaggeration, many would agree.

Most of us feel a degree of nervous apprehension when preparing to speak up or

perform in front of a group. But those who are filled with feelings of dread and panic in

such a situation—or anywhere the person might be center of attention—may be suffering

from a form of social anxiety disorder (also known as social phobia).

The fear of public speaking or performance, often called stage fright, exacts a huge

toll on self-confidence and self-esteem and causes some people to leave school or a job

or pass up a promotion. Many, including seasoned professional performers, suffer in

silent terror. And because they feel embarrassed, people try to keep their fear a secret,

even from a spouse or other close family members or friends.

Learning to improve your speaking or performance skills is good, but it’s generally

not enough to substantially reduce your fear. You must address and revise any negative

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perceptions, beliefs, thoughts, images, and predictions related to public speaking or

performing. And it’s often helpful to uncover the deeper fears related to being seen and

heard by others, showing vulnerability, and being considered less than perfect. Learning

to accept yourself and not feeling that you have to prove yourself to others is at the root

of healing.

It is recommended that you learn skills to reduce and manage your fear and anxiety

and not resort to using medication or natural products alone. It’s also critical to learn

cognitive-behavioural methods to stop the cycle of avoiding fearful situations. Avoidance

may give you immediate relief, but it reinforces your fear in the long run.

Some people also choose medication or natural remedies to help reduce their

symptoms of performance anxiety. Talk with your physician to find the most appropriate

treatment for you.

If you are willing stop avoiding your fears and learn new skills to reduce and

manage them, you will develop an empowering belief and trust in yourself. In facing your

fear, it becomes possible to overcome performance anxiety and find comfort and ease in

expressing yourself in front of others.

Personally, I do experience stage fright since young, and I still hate the feeling of

a stage fright until now. But I have to consider myself lucky cause my stage fright isn't as

bad as the others. It's the normal sweaty hands, racing heart and trembling. Although it

was better when I was younger, I actually anticipate every public speaking I had, but now

I dread about every single public speaking. Maybe it's because I was more stupid and

worry lesser about everything. Sometimes pain or anger can help reduce the stage fright

for a moment, but it comes back very quickly.

People say that you learn to fear, that after getting bitten by a snake, you start to

avoid snakes and get paranoid about snakes or hypnotizing that ropes are actual snakes.

I agree with that, ever since a bad experience with one public speaking, I started to fear

it, and then fear turned into hatred.

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 REFLECTION: CONQUERING FEAR IN SPEAKING

In this society, many public speaking is needed, as small as a job interview or class

presentation, or as big as giving an important speech, where you knew that you shouldn't

do anything wrong. But stage fright affects a lot of them and exacts a huge toll on self-

confidence and self-esteem which causes some people to leave school or a job or pass

up a promotion.

It isn't just about shyness, it's about the fear of doing wrong, being embarrassed,

or getting many negative comments. The anxiety caused by these fear usually grow by

time if not addressed.

So, some people give advice on conquering stage fright. Which I will summarize

here.

1. Avoid avoiding it

Avoidance may give immediate relief, but it reinforces your fear in the long run. So,

even though you're afraid, just go for it, the only way to conquer your fear is to face your

fear head on.

2. Address and revise negativity

Learning and improving speaking skills is a good way, but it doesn't cure the core

problem. You must address and revise any negative perceptions, beliefs, thoughts,

images, and predictions related to public speaking or performing. For example, if you're

afraid of showing vulnerability or being considered less than perfect, just learn to accept

yourself and don't feel like you have to prove anything.

3. Medication

Some may use medication if the anxiety, but it has to be approved by physician.

4. Practice calming exercises

Such as breathing exercises, yoga or medication to calm and relax your mind and

body.

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5. Think the audiences as close friends or etc.

Imagine the audiences as someone whom you can speak freely to, or for example,

my friend once told me to think the audiences as pineapples and don't worry that much,

you're only talking to pineapples that won't criticize you!

6. Be yourself

This is one of the best advice about public speaking in my opinion. Don't expect

yourself to be perfect, let all those expectations go and be yourself. Give yourself the OK

sign to do mistakes, as we humans aren't perfect and do mistakes all the time.

Although I tried to use many of these methods to conquer stage fright, it isn't as

easy as it says, the fear is still there, and I can't help but panic sometimes when doing

public speaking, like oh god, what if I forget what to say in this language?, or what if I

forget my points and everyone is staring at me and waiting for my speech?, or what if

everyone starts commenting about how bad I am?. All these fears can't be gone in one

day or forever, but I will still try to conquer it, because I don't want to experience it again!

Prepared by: Christine Apple S. Lara