10 Surprising Fun Facts About Public Speaking You Never Knew!

1. Exposure Therapy for Glossophobia

Are you ready for some "exposure" therapy to battle your fear of the dreaded public speaking monster? Spoiler alert: you'll need to keep your clothes on for this one! In all seriousness, though: exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy have been proven effective in helping those with glossophobia (fear of public speaking) by teaching vital coping skills and anxiety management techniques, as noted by the esteemed Jeffrey R. Strawn, MD, FAACAP, associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics.
Source => psycom.net

2. Virtual Reality Conquers Stage Fright

Feeling tongue-tied and stage-frightened? Fear not: digital doppelgangers to the rescue! A systematic review of published scientific literature has revealed that virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) has been successful in treating public speaking anxiety in students. Analyzing 13 studies with 481 students, researchers found VRET to be an effective and less invasive alternative to traditional therapy, with treatment durations ranging from one to twelve sessions over at least one week. So, buckle up, and let your virtual self give you the courage to be the life of the party!
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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=> Fun Facts about Teamwork

3. Tongue Twisters: Secret Pronunciation Weapon

Ever twisted your tongue before running your mouth? Fear not, for it's a prized secret among the loquacious: Tongue twisters can significantly improve your pronunciation and serve as a fantastic warm-up exercise for public speaking by clarifying word enunciation and exercising the oral muscles.
Source => teachthemdiligently.net

4. Darwin's Agoraphobic Genius

From "Darwin the Agoraphobic Florist" to "The World's Most Successful Zookeeper Who Hated Leaving His Own Home": Charles Darwin, the illustrious scientist and writer, battled panic disorder and agoraphobia throughout his life, ultimately creating his magnum opus, "On the Origin of Species," inside the recluse of his own study with more determination and passion for research than a lifetime of public speaking engagements could have ever provided.
Source => science.org

5. Public Speaking Coach: Royal Price Tag

Though they may not accept gold coins or jars of royal jelly, public speaking coaches have pricing fit for a king's ransom: A typical consultant session ranges from $2,500 to $5,000 for half- or full-day sessions, with additional costs for travel. Fear not, brave orators – some coaches offer more affordable self-guided training courses for those without a castle's treasury at their disposal.
Source => speak-simple.com

6. Ancient Greeks: Pioneers of Public Speaking

Long before modern-day "talk shows" and debating societies, the ancient Greeks were mastering the gift of gab on a legislative level: in ancient Athenian democracy, public speaking was an essential skill for citizens, thanks to the reforms of statesmen like Draco and Solon, who established courts, juries, and a codified legal system that required citizens to speak persuasively in order to influence their city's governance.
Source => courses.lumenlearning.com

7. Teleprompter: Lightening Stage-Fright Burden

Once upon a time in the ancient era of television, where the hip and happening stars of the small screen fancied themselves as bookworms with telepathic memory: the teleprompter was their secret weapon! Born in the 1950s, these magical scrolls of text floated before their eyes, secretly guiding them through political speeches and broadcasts. As enchantments improved, so did the teleprompter, with computer-based scrolls and off-stage confidence monitors joining its ranks. Presto chango, no more stage fright for our humble public speakers!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Toastmasters: Ultimate Verbal Joust

Holding their tongues without biting them off: Toastmasters International World Champion of Public Speaking is the globe's greatest gabfest, featuring a whopping 33,000 competitors from 141 countries battling it out in a six-month verbal joust. The final ten face off in a linguistic showdown, where the smoothest talker reigns supreme based on content, gestures, organization, and style. May the words be ever in their favor!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Public Speaking Olympics in Ancient Greece

If ancient Greeks walked into a modern-day Toastmasters meeting, they'd be all "been there, done that, got the olive wreath": it turns out that public speaking in ancient Greece was not just a fancy skill but a true life-changer, often taught in specialized schools and even established as an Olympic event! The original Athenian rhetoricians focused on powerful persuasion and debate for matters of governance and justice rather than being certified crowd pleasers.
Source => courses.lumenlearning.com

10. Beatboxing with Stuttering

Ever get tongue-tickled and suddenly feel like a human beatbox filled with "um" and "ah" jams? Here's a percussion revelation for you: A study by linguist Mark Liberman discovered that people utter "um" or "ah" an average of two or three times per minute during public speaking, but slowing down your tempo and adding some speech crescendos can help reduce those audio interferences, making your oral symphony a lot smoother and less cacophonous.
Source => laurensergy.com