How to Improve Oral Communication Skills?

• Have you struggled to speak a complete sentence in English in front of strangers?

• Do you get tongue-tied while attending interviews or group discussions?

• Is starting a conversation an uphill task for you at parties and get-togethers?

• Are you envious of people who can talk well or hold your attention with their words?

Communication - The Key to Confidence

If the answer to any of these questions is a yes, the first thing you need to do is chill and take a deep breath. Over 70% of the population of this world has faced difficulties in communicating their thoughts and ideas. You are not alone or an unusual case (like you may have started believing). 

Let me share a secret!

You will be surprised to know that even the best of orators and public speakers have stage fright or have suffered communication breakdowns before impressing people with their speeches.

Then how do they get over their hesitation or nervousness and make such a superb impression speaking out so well? Simple, it is because they have learnt to manage their nervousness, calm their nerves and have practiced, practiced and practiced some more.

They have spent years honing their speaking skills, increasing their vocabulary, improving their body language, and working on the feedback of their listeners. (Also Read: Communication)

So, to speak well in English, you need to do these three:

• Read : 

• Read anything you can lay your hands on - English newspapers, magazines, journals, books. 
• Reading enriches your vocabulary and word power. Note down the words you don't understand or can't comprehend well. 
• Check out the meaning and pronunciation of these words in the dictionary. 
• See the synonyms, similar words in the thesaurus. Slowly, you will add to your stock of words.

• Listen : 

• Listen to English talk shows, discussions, news analyses and more. If you find foreign accents too difficult to follow, listen to native speakers speaking in English. 
  
  
  
• Always follow the news in English. Again, note down the unfamiliar words, check out their meanings, and add to your word bank.
• See old Hollywood films with subtitles and try to follow dialogues and monologues. 

• Speak : 

• And lastly, speak. Speak in broken English, faulty English, grammatically wrong English, but still speak. Nothing can help you more in improving speaking skills than practicing actual speaking. 
  
  
  
• Talk to your friends and family in English, as conversational skills are the first step to fluency. 
• When you go to parties, or dinners, or celebrations, try to initiate simple conversation or casual talk. Remember to be polite, however, no dirty jokes or rude or discriminatory remarks. Show interest in the other person, ask questions, listen attentively. Talk about non controversial things. Conversation will flow from there. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• If you attend school or college, make sure you participate in class discussions, group presentations, question answer sessions, any forum where you are required to speak. (Also Read: Group Discussions)
• In office meetings or discussions with your seniors, try to always speak in English.

• When you shop, or dine at restaurants and cafes, speak to the salesperson or attendants in English. At all public places, like bank, bus terminus, cinema halls, canteens, speak simple English with confidence. Smile when you speak, and keep your posture relaxed but formal.
• Watch your tone and speed while speaking. Record your own voice and listen to it later. Try to improve bit by bit. (Also Read: Errors in Communication)
• While speaking on the mobile, pay attention to listening as well. Watch your voice level, maintain courtesy and always cover your mouth with your hand while in a public space.
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  When people speak, more than what is said, how something is said is noted by people. Work on your breath, gestures, body language. Give pauses while speaking, don't rush on.
• In formal situations like viva or interviews, or seminars or presentations, be polite, maintain distance and courtesy, greet your listeners, keep your hands in front of you, your posture straight, avoid fiddling, and smile occasionally.
  Body language is very very important in such settings. (Also Read: Body Language)

•  In this age of chatting on social media platforms, most of us use some abbreviations or slangs while speaking. Try to avoid using short-forms of words or slangs in formal settings. It creates the wrong kind of impression about you. 
• Last, but not the least, be aware of what is going on in the world, in your country, around you. Awareness and knowledge go a long way in enriching speaking skills.

Give yourself time and patience to improve, set milestones, and celebrate small victories. 

If you are able to hold a conversation fully in English, treat yourself to ice cream. If you are able to present a topic in public, celebrate by ordering dinner. And if your interview goes successfully, get yourself a gift!

Pro-tip: Use this time (when the pandemic has locked us in our houses) to work on your oral communication skills. Chat with your friends in English on phone. Hold conference calls on any current topic and speak up. Ask questions in online classes. Verify doubts, voice your opinion, all in English. You can improve a lot as you are not directly facing your audience.

Have faith in yourself, and be confident you can improve. (Also Read: Increasing Confidence)

That itself, is half the battle won. Practice everyday and improve step by step.

All the very best!