Republic of the Philippines

BOHOL ISLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

[Poblacion Norte, Clarin, 6330, Bohol, Philippines]
College of Teacher Education
Balance I Integrity I Stewardship I Uprightness

Unit IV.
Overview of Public Communication and Elements of Public Speaking

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students are expected to:
1. Identify important elements of public speaking;
2. Deliver speech with application of various elements; and
3. Speak confidently in any conversational way.

Public speaking is a type of oral communication that is viewed as a form of art because it
involves styles and techniques in facing a group of people otherwise known as the audience. This
speech delivery has for its purpose different objectives such as to inform, to entertain, to persuade or
to instruct based on the call of the specific communication context.
In presenting a speech intended to the public, it is essential to apply the seven (7) elements of
speech delivery:
1. Voice and Articulation
Human voice is important in any speech situation. The substance and weight of one’s
knowledge are best presented through a pleasing and audible voice. However, the volume of
the voice is dependent on the following considerations: the size and proximity of the audience
(listeners), the size and acoustic of the venue and the material (topic) to be presented. The
pitch of the voice should also be considered when speaking particularly on its softness and
loudness. The correct breathing and pronunciation of the words would make the delivery more
comprehensible.

2. Gestures
Gestures or hand movements are necessary to synchronize with the message of the
speaker during an oral speech delivery. Although the use of the hands is culture bound, there
are standard movements that have a universal meaning. The hand movement will aid the
audience to understand further the speaker as s/he conveys his/her message. The pointing or
index finger for instance, is used to gesture location; the supine or hands help up with palms
open may signal the audience to calm down. Other gestures for describing, dividing, giving,
receiving, and the rest are also shown using the movement of the hands.

3. Postures
The posture which is another element of delivery is applied to allow the speaker to
exude confidence because it helps in keeping the back of the speaker straight. The right
 posture would let the person stand straight and establish relax and professional composure
towards the audience. However, those who want to maintain the correct posture should not
forget that s/he should not be a slouchier, a ramrod, and a learner.

4. Body Movement
Body movement is also an essential element of speech delivery. Along with the
gestures and postures, the speaker is reminded to move his/her body following the right timing
and space. It is not sufficient to stay in one place while speaking before an audience. The
listeners appreciate a speaker who is animated and pleasing to look at. Although the
movement if the body is anticipated among speakers, one should not move awkwardly on
stage. Furthermore, speakers should avoid being a “swayer”, a statue or a pacer.

5. Facial Expressions
The facial expressions of a speaker as additional element make the message much
easier to understand. The face of the speaker can connect with the listeners as long as the
expression supports the conveyance of information. The speaker should be reminded not to
confuse the audience otherwise miscommunication will likely arise. One shuns away from
showing a poker face, being a facial contortionist or being a mugger to be able to communicate
precisely one’s intention.

6. Eye Contact
Eye to eye contact manifests sincerity and confidence. If one knows how to establish
eye contact during a job interview or facing a big group of people, the audience feels the
speaker and values their worth for the talker.

7. Diction
Diction is often mistaken as pronunciation only. It concerns good choice of words,
correct language structure, acceptable or standard pronunciation, fluency and proficiency of
the language.

Public Communication

Learning Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students are expected to:
1. Define public communication in terms of purpose, types of delivery and organization;
2. Present ideas persuasively using appropriate language registers, tone, facial expressions, and
gestures; and
3. Appreciate the impact of communication on society and in global communication.

Public Communication happens when individuals and groups engage in dialogue in the
public sphere in order to deliver a message to a specific audience. Public speaking events,
newspaper editorials and billboard advertisements are a few forms of public communication
(Nawafino, 2016), but fundamentally, public communication comes down to giving a speech before
live audience in a credible and exciting manner (Burdo, 2018). How therefore is public communication
important? It allow us to form connections, influence decisions and motivate change. Without
communication skills, the ability to progress in the working world and in life itself, would be nearly
impossible. (Pan Communications, 2014).

However, when it comes to communication, we often tend to rely on language at the expense
of the rest of our communication toolbox. Language is one of the main traits that sets human beings
apart. Yet, we communicate with one another in other ways as well such as tone of voice, facial
expression, eye contact, and posture (Beheshti, 2018).

One of the most important factors in communicating with others is our nonverbal
communication. We are aware and in control of the words that we speak, but often the nonverbal
cues we send may go unnoticed. According to an article by Amy Lucas on Livestrong.com, “We can
reinforce, contradict, substitute, complement, or emphasize our verbal communication with non-verbal
cues such as gestures, expressions and vocal inflection.” Nonverbal cues are so strong because they
communicate to others on a subconscious level, causing individuals to regard nonverbal
communication as “true” communication because it provides real cues and emotions. When verbal
language and body language are congruent, this works to enhance the overall quality of the message
and allow it to resonate with the individual receiving the message. On the opposite end of the
spectrum, there can also be a sense of mistrust developed when body language does not match up
to what is being verbalized. When there is a lack of congruence between verbal and nonverbal
messages, this acts as a mental red flag to anybody receiving the message, and causes them to be
on guard.

Different studies have identifies a wide variety of types of nonverbal communication. The
following is a relatively simple classification.

Kinesics Body motions (blushes, shrugs, eye movement, foot-tapping,

drumming fingers)
Proxemics Spatial separation (in relation both the social and physical
environment)
Haptics Touch
Oculesics Eye contact
Chronemics Use of time, waiting, pausing
Olfactics Smell
Vocalics Tone of voice, timbre, volume, speed
Sound Symbols Grunting, mmm, er, ah, uh-huh, mumbling
Silence Absence of sound (muteness, stillness, secrecy)
Adornment Clothing, jewelry, hairstyle
Posture Position of the body (characteristic or assumed)
Locomotion Walking, running, staggering, limping
Expression Frowns, grimaces, smirks, smiles, pouting
 It is often assumed that nonverbal communication is a transferable skill. However, there are
two major problematic factors: firstly that, like speech, it has both form and function, and secondly,
that is not always directly translatable. It is the first of these factors which makes nonverbal
communication difficult to teach, and the second which leads to breakdowns and misunderstandings
in intercultural communication.
Gestures, expressions and all other forms of nonverbal communication have functions, which,
as with language, need to be taught along with their forms. In the same way as language items, some
paralinguistic expressions have several functions, whole nonverbal communication in general
performs the three basic functions of managing identity, defining relationships, and conveying
attitudes and feelings (but not ideas):

Form Main Function (in some cultures)

Nod (yes) Repeating
Shrug (I don’t know) Substituting
Scratch head, quizzical look Complementing
Tone of voice, pointing Accenting
Hand raised Regulating, turn taking
Head shake Contradicting
Eye movements Deceiving
Staring/Looking down or away Dominating/Submitting
Raised fist Aggression
Hand-shake Socializing
Touching, kissing Arousal
Over-adornment Boasting

Misunderstandings occur because the functions of paralinguistic forms vary from culture to
culture, although there are some universal nonverbal such as smiles, laughter and sour expressions.
There are also difference according to gender and age. Nonverbal communication tends to be
relatively ambiguous and open to interpretation while its influence often depends on nature of the
“listener”, particularly when it is unclear whether the messages conveyed are deliberate or
unconscious. Nonverbal indicators are most common in polychronic cultures, in which an individual
often performs several tasks simultaneously. The following are examples of common gestures which
have different functions and meanings in different cultures:
Activity: “The Power of Persuasion”
Instruction: Write your speech on half a sheet of paper and the rubrics on a quarter sheet.
One of the purposes of a speech is to persuade. The audience could act, react, and respond to
the speaker’s way of encouraging the listeners. Let us test your “convincing power” by promoting any
of the given items to the audience. How would you persuade them to purchase the item that may not
be useful for them? You are given a minute to deliver your speech in class next meeting. Choose one
(1) of the following:
1. An empty bottle of soy sauce
2. A blotting pen
3. An old pocket calendar
4. An empty ink cartridge
5. A piece of slipper

Rubrics:

Name: Obtained Score

Voice and Articulation 20%
Gestures 15%
Posture 5%
Body Movement 15%
Eye Contact 5%
Facial Expression 5%
Diction 15%
Content 20%
Total 100%

References:
 Dapat, R. & Chang, L. (2018). Essence and Essentials of Purposive Communication in the 21 st
Century. BOOKS ATBP. PUBLISHING CORP.
 Bantugan, R. (2019). Purposive Communication. St. Andrew Publishing House.