I don't have a legit stammer or anything, but when I get stressed out I do essentially stutter over words and there's that really awkward moment when you don't know whether or not to finish my word for me and put me out of my misery. I imagine people don't even notice I have an issue with it and probably think I'm lying by making this thread, because it legit rarely happens around people I'm not overly scared of.
However, I have a srs bsns presentation to do for my dissertation-type thingy and will be talking about my super-dull and complicated project in front of adult-y types and it will be twenty minutes and it's the exact kind of situation where I will do ALL of the stammering and ceeb for standing there gasping over words.
I know it's very psychologically based, because if I think about it I stammer more, and once I've gotten caught on a syllable I get worked up into a state and really need to just calm down, take a breathe and start the word again but I find it hard to not let myself get more and more anxious. Any ideas on how to manage it? Even just thinking about it makes me feel like if I open my mouth I'll never manage to get a single word out again! *woes*
I go through this and I go through it in the same situations too. My 20 minute dissertation presentation is a while away thankfully, but I do have to administer bits of an IQ test while being filmed and every time I practice I stammer. It's frustrating so I know what you mean.
I find it really embarrassing and I can hear you can too, but people are going to expect that you're nervous and it's probably very common. I find it helpful to try and take a deep breath when it happens, to kindof "restart" my brain and my mouth. If I keep trying to get the word right, I keep stumbling. But sometimes a short breath to reduce anxiety can help.
And practicing also helps me sometimes with only slight scary adult people, in the hopes it will transfer to the real situation.
I know I didn't add anything new I am afraid, I hope it works out okay and that someone comes along with better advice (!), but I think you are right, it is psychological and maybe trying to remember people are not judging your speaking ability, take a breath and also pump yourself up with confident I CAN DO THIS type yelling in your head might help .
I find it helpful to try and take a deep breath when it happens, to kindof "restart" my brain and my mouth.
I was going to say this exact thing. It happens to me when I'm nervous too.
I don't really know any other ways to fix it. Maybe just acknowledging how you feel and really being conscious to take your time, go slowly, think about what you are saying, take a breath. It's not good to go too fast when making presentations anyway, so your audience definitely won't think you're strange for pacing yourself.
Even as the stone of the fruit must break
that its heart may stand in the sun,
so must you know pain.
There are only two ways in which one can live their life. One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is.
I stammer or trip over words occasionally, and as has been said already, I find the most helpful thing to do when I can't get a word out is to stop for a second and then start again. Which is why people having a conversation with me sometimes hear something like "Blah blah blah blblblb- *sigh* blah blah blah."
Failing that, do what that king did and start swearing uncontrollably in the middle of your presentation every time you stammer. :P
Stating the obvious here, but practice loads. If you know the whole thing word for word, then you'll at least feel more confident going in. When you're practicing, speak slowly and clearly, so that all you need to do is replicate it.
As for when you're in there, maybe you can draw on your experience of teaching. Build yourself up beforehand - if you can speak in front of large groups of friends and children, you are absolutely capable of speaking in front of lots of people. Don't expect to panic!
And I guess finally, remember that they will expect people to be nervous during their first academic presentations. They're mostly interested in the content, not the way you speak. People who stammer frequently are still capable of delivering presentations; it's about your non-verbal behaviour, willingness to answer questions, powepoint etc too. So even if you trip over a couple of words, it will not affect the entire thing!
Gosh! What a lot of responses. Thank you so much, I have read ALL the advice and will take it on board.
And practising beforehand lots and lots is also a great idea. Maybe I'll give the presentation to Jodie and her teddies and some vegeta-pals as a warm up :P
I am really bad at presentations, one thing that has helped me improve is to go in with the mindset that I know what I am about to say better than anyone else in the world. Practice and pretend confidence can do wonders, from some mild stalking you find teaching easier could you maybe try to think of the presentation less about giving a presentation and more like you are teaching an audience. This is one of the ways that I have improved my presentation skills. I also put on my authoritive hat and tell the world look at what I have read/done isn't it amazing, if you don't believe me I am going to tell you why it is totally awesome and you all are going to be completely jealous that you don't get to work on it too. Even though in reality all I have done is show them half a dozen marginally different sine curves!
I think Jodie and vegeta-pals is a very good idea.
I get this way aswell, and all I can say in terms of advice is the same as what others have suggested - to take a deep breath and start again if you get stuck on a word... that is what usually helps me.
As you have said though, I doubt anyone will notice and unless you are super confident and do public speaking all the time, I think everyone has this issue to some degree. Not that I am trying to minimise your problem in the slightest - just saying I dont think you are alone and you will probably find alot of people doing their presentations will stammer somewhat because its a nervewracking situation.
I have faith in you and I think you will be fine :) but yes, get those vegeta-pals out and practice practice practice!
As a random story. One of my lecturers has a really bad stammer, someone once counted how many times he stammered in a 50 min lecture and it was around 200 times. He once mentioned to us that it annoys him, but he finds the best way to deal with it is to just try and get on with the lecture and look ahead in his notes.
Not sure if that would help at all, but thought it may help a little to know that lecturers deal with these issues too!
I am really bad at presentations, one thing that has helped me improve is to go in with the mindset that I know what I am about to say better than anyone else in the world. Practice and pretend confidence can do wonders, from some mild stalking you find teaching easier could you maybe try to think of the presentation less about giving a presentation and more like you are teaching an audience. This is one of the ways that I have improved my presentation skills. I also put on my authoritive hat and tell the world look at what I have read/done isn't it amazing, if you don't believe me I am going to tell you why it is totally awesome and you all are going to be completely jealous that you don't get to work on it too. Even though in reality all I have done is show them half a dozen marginally different sine curves!
I very much enjoyed reading this Sarah! And it's a great plan. Unfortunately I genuinely don't know anything about what I am going to say, but one can always pretend :P
Thanks again, everyone. Your replies are super-useful and kind :)
Failing that, do what that king did and start swearing uncontrollably in the middle of your presentation every time you stammer. :P
Swearing or
Quote:
Originally Posted by thumbelina
I also put on my authoritive hat and tell the world look at what I have read/done isn't it amazing, if you don't believe me I am going to tell you why it is totally awesome and you all are going to be completely jealous that you don't get to work on it too. Even though in reality all I have done is show them half a dozen marginally different sine curves!
NPD!
:P
Yeah I have nothing useful to add as you may be able to tell but there's lots of good advice above and I'm here if you want someone to bore.. I mean practice on.. Or whatever. :P
We had a student teacher with a stammer and noone noticed at all. Even though he was also bald with a daft name. We were just interested in what he said once hed got round to it. It sort of added suspense. So maybe tell yourself that people will be thinking that
He was no longer jean valjean but no. 24601 -les miserable
Some of life's mysteries will never be solved, such as why, after spending an entire evening listenong to Bach, do I find myself humming "the birdie song".......
I am reaching, but i fall, and the stars are black and cold, as i stare into the void of a world that cannot hold- les miserables
Could you maybe try and treat it a little like a performance? When I'm me, and have to do a presentation, i can't do it whatsoever, but a show, playing a character I can manage...
Controlling your breath, try and take your time, have a good understanding of what you're saying will help make you more confident. There's also this spray you can get to spray on your tongue which helps calm anxiety/nerves, considering how ridiculous my anxiety can get and I've managed to pass my driving test on it it should help! I suppose, sort of dealing with the cause of the stammer might help it? Just an idea!
And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears. And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears...
I have one manager at work who, every time I am stressed and speak to him, will stop me and tell me to slow the heck down. It really does help to stop, take a breath and restart.
