ESL - Public speaking nightmare

[Jayj]

I would like to see how many non-native English speakers have the same fears as I do when it comes to public speaking, especially when most of the audience are native speakers.

My job requires me to provide a weekly report to my boss. This is usually done in a group setting. All of the different department heads are required to attend the meeting as well to provide their updates. Even though I've been doing this for five months I still have a fear of speaking in front of people. Sometimes I would breath so hard that I couldn't focus on the person giving their presentation. I would sweat profusely like I had been running a marathon.

Here's the funny thing though. All the fear and anxiety happen a few minutes before I take the stage to present. Once I get on stage and start talking, everything goes back to normal. There's no more fear. This I can't explain.

Does anyone have the same experience or fears of public speaking? I would like to hear your story and maybe our instructors can share theirs too. I'd also like to know what you think as far as why there's fear when it comes to public speaking.

Is it because English is not your first language and that you're afraid you might say something incorrectly?

Is it because you're not used to speaking in front of people?

Jay

[Yoski]

HI~ Jay~ good to see you~ ^^

I am a business sales in China,of course i am not native English sepaker~ lol~
When i told anybody else "i am a business sales",they always thoughts,ah..your english must be very good~ lol~
Actually,my english just so so.If ask me to talk with someone in English,then i will be fear,coz i cannot hear clearly,also i am afraid to open my mouth.So when my foreigner friends would like to talk with me by MIC or Phone,I always can't do good.That's what i fear.

Why we feel fear?I think we just afraid to make wrong,because English is not our mother language.But have you thought, why other people(non-native english speakers) they can speak nice English,but we cann't?Then it's our problem,we need to practise English more and more...then we can do it also!

English just a communication tools for us to know each other~ so don't afraid~ ^^

[Happytofita]

Hello,

I think we all suffer from the same problem. There are some very helpful tips that will help you conquer public speaking fear. All you have to do is to go to Google and type "public speaking fear".

Regards.

: o)

[Naiverock]

Can't agree more. I think you have got the point.
Due to lack of experience and fear of making mistakes, it's very easy for me to become nervous when coming to a public presentation and sometimes feel like my brain is just as empty as a white paper.
Also, I am afraid of being disturbed when I am giving speech.
The lucky thing is my situation is just a little better now than before, unfortunately problems still existing.
I begin to image that audience are all kind persons, and they won't try to spite me or make difficulties. Besides, I have accumulated some small tricks to handle unexpected occasions. For instance, when I was asked a serious question that I don't know, I would like to tell that it's a good question and we should dig deeper in this aspect. Then I could go on to my prepared thread.
Get some preparation, be more confident and think from a good looking.
Hope we all could get used to speak normally and confidently in public as soon as possible.
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It will sure be a lot of fun here to make friends with you guys.

[Richard]

Hi Naiverock
How is it going? I hope you'll be fine.

[Naiverock]

Hi, Richard,
I am doing fine. Thank you. How about you?
'Can't agree more' is a phrase in oral english, which is the exact meaning you have mentioned. Maybe it's a little inappropriate used in writing. However, I think you can understand it, can't you?
Anyway, nice to be here one time and another.
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It will sure be a lot of fun here to make friends with you guys.

[Richard]

[Naiverock]

Thank you, Richard,
You have helped me a lot for a long time. I will alway be grateful to that.
No bother at all, really. Without your correction and suggestion, I would probably be making a lot more mistakes now.
I will pay more attention to my expressions when writing.
_________________
It will sure be a lot of fun here to make friends with you guys.

[Richard]

Thanks very much.
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[Teacherjoe]

I've been teaching English to students all over the world (currently teaching in China) including how to speak in public. In addition, I've been a member of Toastmasters International for six years. (Toastmasters has over 12 thousand clubs worldwide including more than 100 in China.) In my experience, everyone fears public speaking, even after gaining experience. Being a non-native speaker of English might make it more difficult but many of my students say they are MORE frightened to speak in public in Chinese, because they will be judged more harshly than when they speak English!

When I teach students how to be better public speakers, I give them several tips for overcoming their fear of public speaking. You can read those tips and more articles on giving presentations on my website. I hope you find these articles as useful as my students have. Good luck with your presentations in the future!