Self-Assessment and Skill Development in Public Speaking Class

This essay reflects on a student's journey to improve their public speaking skills through self-assessment and practical application. The student outlines their initial expectations, including understanding the qualities of excellent speakers and working collaboratively with peers. The essay details the learning phases, emphasizing the importance of self-assessment, understanding audience engagement, and developing strategies to overcome anxieties associated with public speaking, such as thorough preparation and stress reduction. The practical phases focus on taking pride in delivering informative speeches, applying learned skills to communicate effectively, and utilizing feedback for continuous improvement. The student highlights the significance of prior planning and confidence-building techniques acquired throughout the class.

Surname 1
Name
Instructor
Subject
Date
Public Speaking
Good public speakers are always at ease during their presentation, and they leave people
wondering how they go about it (Stephen, 65). The question answered during the class is
whether good public speakers are made or born. Many active speakers perfect their skills through
formal education or experience through much efficient delivery, but this does not rule the fact
that there are others who are born with the skills.
1 Learning Phases
1.1Self-assessment
Every topic has unique objectives, clarifications, and skills requiring assimilation. In this
case, I expected to know what it takes to become an excellent public speaker and practically test
my improvement. Speaking is viewed as a performance that stimulates mutual benefits among
participants and it is from this approach I developed the eager for the content in effective public
speaking. There are many misconceptions on becoming an excellent public speaker and to clarify
them the practical and theory aspects have to help me explain them and also gotten satisfaction to
my expectations.
It was also my expectation to work together with my other colleagues and learn from
them. After engaging with the necessary information, I hoped that I should become an excellent

Surname 2
public speaker with the required skills and also have a gist in assessing the audiences throughout
the presentation. This is because the audiences are the determiners and cultivators of all
performances.
1.2 Development
Proud speakers are those who effectively pass their message wholly to the audience.
Through the study, I have learned that a speaker should cultivate the atmosphere during the
presentation. Speakers are in this case tasked with both the delivery of content and setting the
agenda.
Through classroom attendance, I have learned how to become a valuable voice. The
audience is only interested in gaining the content, and the speaker should be equipped with the
necessary information. The information presented should be credible enough and persuasive to
attract attention.
From the information presented in class, I have gained the necessary tools required in the
presentation which start from the planning stage and when, then adequately followed confidence
level is boosted.
1.3 Strategies
Public speaking is associated with a range of anxieties which needs creativity to
overcome them. The fears are handled through starting small, preparing thoroughly and reducing
stress. After learning the need to improve on my weakness that triggers chances that may
cultivate anxiety I developed a better level of presentation (Tutik, 88). I was surprised by how
prior preparation work magic during the actual performance.

Surname 3
1.4 Discovery of speaking anxieties
Many people suffer from public speaking and it may be physically manifested through
dry mouth and shaking hands. This was my weakness before learning and appreciating tips on
how to overcome it. The best method of handling anxiety is to know the real cause which is
belief.
1.5 Improvement and Class Journey
The study which involved practical incorporation of presentations has equipped me with
skills that would have been difficult in taping. Before archiving this, I did not pay attention to
thorough prior planning.
2 Practical Phases
2.1 Pride as a speaker
Public speaking is driven by the responsibility to inform the public on a specific matter.
Pride will only result from positive feedback in response to a great speech. On realizing this, I
will have an all-round gist on the subject before the actual presentation and provide quality
output through the stipulated guidelines.
2.2 Application
Public speaking permits communicating meaning to others. The recipients may be many
or few. The skills learned will help me develop strategies that will lead to a competent passing of
message to other people and enhance mutual understanding.

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2.3 Presentation
Skills learned in the class are essential during the actual presentation which is best
explained by the results witnessed through the utilization of the information provided in the class
study. I will also utilize feedback from the audiences and use them as part of my practice growth.
To achieve this each public speaker should have adequate preparation before the actual
performance, and thus I will have to follow suit.

Surname 5
Work Cited
Alawiyah, Tutik. "Speaking Self-Efficacy and EFL Student Teachers’ Speaking Achievement."
Edukasi: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pengajaran 5.1 (2018): 87-96.
Bailey, Stephen K. "Ethics and the public service." Classics of Administrative Ethics. Routledge,
2018. 63-78.