‘Be a poised speaker’

Jyllian: Something as simple as having an open posture instead of crossed arms can make your audience feel more at ease.

EFFECTIVE communication isn’t only about words; it’s about how you convey them. After experiencing ups and downs in communication, I have found these five strategies useful in helping to get my message across. I hope they will go on to help many others like me.

1. Embrace confidence

I learnt in one of my psychology classes that people tend to trust and believe individuals who exhibit confidence. Although this might be challenging for the more introverted crowd, it does pay well to embrace your self-assurance to make your message more convincing and credible.

2. Expression is essential

Facial expression and body language are crucial aspects of communication. Even if the message you want to convey might be convincing on its own, expression can make or break its effectiveness. Something as simple as having an open posture instead of crossed arms can make your audience feel more at ease.

3. Speak at a controlled pace

Speak at a moderate pace and avoid rushing through your words. This ensures clarity and enables better understanding by your audience. Speaking too fast not only hinders comprehension, but it could also be interpreted incorrectly as nervousness or a lack of confidence.

4. Think before you speak

It is a common misconception that pausing in speech is a bad thing. Giving yourself the extra few seconds to formulate your thoughts enables you to give better structure to your speech. In some cases, these pauses can even add weight to your words and emphasise the key points, enhancing the overall impact of what you are saying.

5. Put yourself in your listeners’ shoes

Understanding your audience plays a big role in communication. Tailor your language to their level of understanding, and it would make your message more relatable and engaging.

Jyllian, 21, a student in Selangor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.

With the theme of the article in mind, carry out the following English language activities.

1. Look in the newspaper for an advertisement that interests you. Imagine yourself as the advertiser. Create a one-minute pitch for the product or service that you are selling. How many of your friends are convinced by your pitch? Have them rate your communication skills based on Jyllian’s five strategies.

2. Using words and pictures from the newspaper, create a poster illustrating at least three strategies for effective communication. Feel free to use your own points. Then, give the poster to a friend who could use the encouragement. Have fun!

The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme promotes the use of English language in primary and secondary schools nationwide. For Star-NiE enquiries, email [e-mail].