As you practice, imagine your audience in front of you. Begin practicing from your full outline, then move gradually to your key word outline as the other becomes imprinted in your mind. Maintain eye contact with your imaginary listeners, just as you will during the actual presentation. Look around the room so that everyone feels included in your message. Try to be enthusiastics about what you are saying. Let your voice suggest that you are confident. Strive for variety and color in your vocal presentation avoid speaking a monotone, which never changes pace or pitch, Pause to let important ideas sink in. Let your face, body, and voice respond to your ideas as you utter them.

Speech classroom often have a speaker’s lectern mounted on a table at the front of the room. Lecterns can seem very formal and can create a barrier between you and your listeners. Therefore, if you are attempting to build identification and good feelings, standing behing the lectern may be inappropriate. Moreover, short people can almost disappear behind a lectern. Because their gestures are hidden from view, their messages lose much of the reinforcing power of body language. For these reasons, when you practice you may wish to experiment with speaking from the side of the lectern or in front of it.

If you plan to use the lectern, place your outline high on its surface so that you do not have to noticeably lower your head to look at it. That way, you reduce the loss of direct eye contact with your listeners. Print your key word outline in large letters that you can read easily with a glance. If you are using note cards, don’t try to hide them or look embarrassed if you need to refer to them. Most listeners probably won’t even notice it when you use them. Remember, your audience is far more interested in what you have to say than in any awkwardness you may feel.