Public speaking and body language – these are the two most important and most frequently used forms of communication. An effective public speaker is someone who is not only an articulate and organized communicator, but also someone who can clearly convey a message through body language. Body language plays a huge factor in determining the meaning of a message. Generally, an audience's reaction is based upon the way something was said, rather than the words themselves. According to chillibreeze.com, “the impact of what you say is 7%, how you say it (voice modulation, tone and so on) is 38% and the remaining 55% is body language.”After researching the importance of body language for my high school's graduation project, and then taking a public speaking course in high school, I have learned just how essential body language is to public speaking and to everyday life. Facial expressions, body posture, emblems, regulators, and illustrators are all examples of different types of non-verbal behavior that can be used to improve the quality of public speaking.
Facial Expressions and Body Posture:
Could you imagine listening to and watching someone speak with no body movement and a straight face? Facial expressions and body posture are extremely important in public speaking - it enlivens the message and keeps the audience interested.
Emblems, Regulators, and Illustrators:
Public speaking is normally thought of as a speaker presenting a speech to an audience. However, many people overlook the fact that public speaking is much more than just one person talking to a group of people. A casual one-on-one conversation you may have with a friend is also considered a form of public speaking. We see emblems, regulators, and illustrators not only in speeches, but also in daily conversations. Emblems are hand movements such as "thumbs up" or the "peace sign." These types of hand gestures are another non-verbal way of communicating an idea. Regulators are body movements or facial expressions that help continue the flow of conversation. Head nods and crossing of the arms are just a few of the many regulators. Illustrators are pretty self explanatory – they are hand movements and gestures used to illustrate an action or a message. For example, “shh” and “stop” can be communicated through the use of illustrators. These are only a few examples of body language techniques that can improve the quality of public speaking.
Public speaking is normally thought of as a speaker presenting a speech to an audience. However, many people overlook the fact that public speaking is much more than just one person talking to a group of people. A casual one-on-one conversation you may have with a friend is also considered a form of public speaking. We see emblems, regulators, and illustrators not only in speeches, but also in daily conversations. Emblems are hand movements such as "thumbs up" or the "peace sign." These types of hand gestures are another non-verbal way of communicating an idea. Regulators are body movements or facial expressions that help continue the flow of conversation. Head nods and crossing of the arms are just a few of the many regulators. Illustrators are pretty self explanatory – they are hand movements and gestures used to illustrate an action or a message. For example, “shh” and “stop” can be communicated through the use of illustrators. These are only a few examples of body language techniques that can improve the quality of public speaking.
Video about the importance of Body Language and Posture
Courtesy of youtube.com
Works Cited:
Photos: Credits to istockphoto.com and google.com/images
The Basics of Body Language.
01 July, 2011.
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