The winner must agree to post once weekly for 15 weeks, and to do the exercises provided. You can choose from such topics as your vocal skills, appearance, handling audience questions, gesturing, speaking extemporaneously, eye contact, and more. UPDATED: See below for new entry details! Are you wishing you could step up your speaking game to a new level--or just step up to speaking as a beginner?

Extemporaneous Speech : Daryl gives viewers the benefits of using extemporaneous speech in presentations. Relaxation Exercises : This video will show you how to release the pent up tension in your face. Online University Reviews Search top online university reviews, ratings and rankings of accredited top online universities to find the best online university for you. Online University Degree Finder University Reviews American Intercontinental University reviews American University reviews Argosy University reviews Ashland University reviews Ashworth University reviews Aspen University reviews Bellevue University reviews Boston University reviews Capella University reviews Colorado Technical University reviews Cornell

When I train speakers -- especially when they're learning extemporaneous speaking -- I emphasize that the core message of any speech or presentation needs to be memorable for both the speaker and the audience. Researchers in the article offer hope for retraining your brain as you age through "proper diet, cardiovascular exercise and formal education," and a sidebar points you to this brain-exercise from NPR on "Remembering Faces," which tests your distractability. The goal: you shouldn't lose your train of thought and the audience should be able to recall what you said.

Here are some tips to get you moving toward better enunciation, clarity and pacing: Practice with a text: While my goal as a coach is to get you off the page and into the extemporaneous as a speaker, this is one area where practicing from a written text can help you improve. Use these exercises--and any public speaking experience--to note specific words or phrases that trip you up, and repeat the adjustment exercise, above, until you find the right solution. On the Eloquent Woman Facebook page , I've started a discussion to ask readers to share their top priorities for improving their public speaking.

It's not just the extemporaneous speaking portion, but the chance the Qs will throw you off your topic. Independence Day, we use National Public Radio's reading of the Declaration of Independence as a vocalizing exercise --a great way to practice on a text other than your own. You shared your tips, told us your tests, took one of ours --in the form of contest entries--and looked to this blog for inspiring role models among some of today's most powerful women speakers, CEOs and public servants. Here are the July posts that captured and held your attention the most: Testing

We were judged on things like voice, movement, organization of content, and whether we stayed within our time limit, and in categories called "dramatic interpretation," "extemporaneous speaking," "oral interpretation," and others I can't remember. Seminars and workshops tend to be longer and more interactive than presentations, incorporating group work, experiential exercises and more interaction between participants. There are a lot of words for what I do when I have a speaking engagement. I

Extroverts like to think while they talk, which can be a plus and a minus when speaking extemporaneously (they're fluid, but may need to edit themselves on the fly). Have you explored deep breathing, exercise and other relaxation techniques--as well as practice, the best antidote for nervous speakers? You may tell yourself you're no good at speaking--or succeed one time and do poorly another, for reasons that escape you. But if you haven't taken the time to think through factors like your personality type, gender and how you handle anxiety, you won't really know .

Pauses also give the impression of composure and thoughtfulness. Here’s an exercise to help you learn to pause. Mark up your paragraphs / in this manner / into the shortest possible phrases. / The goal / of this exercise / is to teach your body / to slow down. 5. Paulo Romano Sao Paulo, Brasil 59 John Galt 2009 04/22/09 | Report as spam BNET All Bnet Articles Library Stocks Dictionary Search Advanced Search in free and premium articles free articles only premium articles only Arts Autos Business Health Home & Garden News Reference Sports Technology Search Login Newsletters My BNET Today Management Strategy Work Life Insight Industries Business Library Video