The Power of Nonverbals in Competitive Speech

“You Can’t Not Communicate”

Try it. . .

-Jen McCarty Eastview Speech

Your Communication ImpactMake a guess:

What percentage is: Language? The words we use Vocal? How the speaker delivers the message Visual? What the audience sees

(Answers should equal 100%)

Communication Impact

1

2

3

10% Language

35% Vocal

55% Visual

Language10%

Obviously WORD CHOICE is important!

~Be Sophisticated

~Think Professional

~Use Style

~Be Grammatically Correct

~Avoid Slang and Tired Language

~Consider Literary Merit in Published Material

Vocal35%

“It’s Not What You Say; It’s How You Say It”

VolumeRatePitch

QualityPauses/Silence

VOLUME, PITCH, RATE Use volume; rate; and pitch deliberately—

be soft to add emphasis Pick up speed to show intensity Raise pitch to show emotion VARY!

Be aware of how you naturally use volume, rate and pitch

QUALITY Be aware of the quality of your voice and

how you can use it to add character Raspy Clear Articulate Breathy

PAUSES/SILENCE

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BE SILENT and TO USE PAUSES

Remember that nonverbals are 90% of communication impact.

VISUAL55%

Appearance

Gestures

Facial Expressions/Eyes

Movement

Posture and Stance

Proxemics

Appearance

See Handbook

ENOUGH SAID!!

Gestures/MannerismsDifficult to teach:

Think about where you can use them deliberately

Watch others Watch yourself Be aware of where you gesture and if it is

needed or is distracting

Facial Expressions and Eyes Most noticed yet most complex part of the

body. Researchers found:

At least 8 positions of eyebrows and forehead 8 more for eyes and eyelids 10 for lower face

Surprise, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Happiness, and Sadness (plus blends of all these)

Movement Blocking Miming Transitional Walks

Movement must

1st: always be motivated

2nd: thought out and purposeful.

Posture and Stance Characters—(1,2,3 method) Poise and confidence (before, during, and

after your presentation) Watch yourself Watch others Posture as you sit in desks; discussion

Practice Deliberate Choices with Nonverbals

Decide what you want to communicate and use nonverbals to help you to:

Repeat

Substitute

Complement

Accent

Regulate

Contradict

Repeat Saying “Go North about two blocks” and

then pointing north.

Be careful that gestures don’t become too literal: “I can hear the bird” and then putting hand to the ear.

(Repeat nonverbals should be used sparingly)

Substitute Replacing the language with a gesture.

“What’s Up?” Shrug of the shoulders as a response.

Complement Nonverbal behavior can conveys

relationship between characters: Low voice, hesitation, shuffling feet, head bowed

(embarrassment; inferior)

Many complementing nonverbals consist of illustrators: Scratching head Snapping fingers

Accent

Especially important in Public Address

Gesturing on an idea Pausing before an important idea or point

of the script Stressing certain words with your voice

“It was your idea” “It was your idea”

Regulate Especially apparent in Duo—using

intonation to show interruption; wanting to gain the floor; turning the floor over to the other character.

Rising and falling patterns to help move the speech; show conclusion; vary delivery. . .

Nonverbals in Listening

Nonverbals are important in speaking; but also in listening.

Why?

Nonverbals in ListeningRespect your audience. People will never

laugh, or cry, or hear what you have to say if you speak as if they're not there. A speech is never about the speaker, it's about the audience and the entertainment or persuasion of that audience. If you respect your audience, they will respect and respond to you. You are at their mercy, never your own.”

~Natalie Sintek; forensics online competitor of the year 2004State Champion 3 consecutive years 02;03;04; National Humorous Champion 2004

Nonverbals in Listening What are your nonverbals as you listen to

your competitors?

Where are your eyes? What is your posture? Where are your hands? Do you nod? Smile? Or otherwise

encourage the speaker?

The Power of Nonverbals in Competitive Speech

Remember. . .

“You Can’t Not Communicate”