Empower student voices: visualization for confident public speaking
With a teacher-led visualization script and audio
This week I’m adding another great exercise to the collection on helping our students experience the strength and joy of using their voices to speak up in public.
I’m sure you’ll feel like I do. That we want the young people we teach to back themselves: to stand tall and speak out. And we want them capable of saying what they think and feel without becoming an angsty jittery mess incapable of stringing a couple of words together in front of others.
Like timelining and the ‘bring-on-the-worst’ exercise, this activity, is also effective for replacing public speaking anxiety with confidence.
The tool it uses is visualization.
What is visualization?
At its core, visualization involves mentally rehearsing a process or sequence to hone skills and enhance performance. It’s about creating vivid pictures in the mind, which allow us to 'experience' an event before it actually happens.
It is a proven technique: one regularly used as part of training programs for athletes, (Why Elite Athletes Use Visualization Techniques - Athleticism) as well as by aspiring high performers in other arenas: The 5 Types Of Visualization Every High Performer Needs To Know.
How we already effectively use visualization
Many of us already use visualization very effectively. However, it's generally in a negative way rather than a positive one.
For instance, we’re more likely to dwell on a single criticism rather than the ten compliments we receive about something we’ve done due to the way our brains instinctively process embarrassing or frightening experiences. We magnify their emotional impact as part of trying to protect ourselves from danger.
Reinforcing neural pathways
Each time we recall a bad memory (e.g., publicly forgetting what we intended to say while delivering a speech), the neural pathways involved become stronger. This makes it easier for our brain to revisit and relive the memory in vivid detail.
Because the brain does not make a distinction between a physical or a social threat, one bad experience can have a significant and lasting impact.
For instance, if a person forgot what they wanted to say, was laughed at, or received harsh feedback, the brain flags public speaking as 'dangerous.'
All it takes is one or two bad experiences and an assumption is made that all future public speaking experiences will be the same. Because I failed once, I'll probably fail again.
It's an overgeneralization reinforced through mentally replaying the failure over and over again. This is the power of visualization working against ourselves. It intensifies and strengthens fear.
The physical symptoms
Because the images we create are so strong and so real, they activate the fear-or-flight response which in turn brings all the classic physical symptoms of heightened fear or anxiety out to play.
Our heart races.
We get a dry mouth and shaky hands.
The butterflies in our stomach flap furiously making us feel nauseous.
Their collective message is: 'I’m in danger when I speak in front of others.'
Rewiring the brain
Just as the brain strengthens bad memories through repetition, it can be rewired to highlight the positive.
Imagine what could happen if the same amount of time and energy that we put into conjuring up ghastly nightmarish stories of humiliating failure was channeled into carefully and realistically constructed stories of competent, confident success? It would be amazing!
A script for guided visualization practice
Here’s a script to use to guide students through a visualization session. It’s geared toward junior to middle school age students and takes them through six steps: starting with dropping gently into a relaxed, receptive state, before moving onto actively using their imaginations to create pictures of themselves calmly standing in front of their class to speak, feeling strong, dealing with minor upsets effectively and lastly, succeeding.
It will take approximately 6-8 minutes to run through.
If you’ve not used this technique before and are unsure about what pace to use, listen to the audio clip I made of the first section. I’ve allowed time for students to complete what is being asked of them before moving on.
Download the script
To get the script click the link: guided visualization for handling public speaking anxiety
You’ll see the last section is a small ‘how-to’ encouraging students to learn and use the technique for themselves which they can then use, anytime anywhere.
How I know visualization works
I’ve used guided visualization in conjunction with breathing exercises with classes for years. I’ve seen what good it can do - particularly when it’s coupled with supporting activities.
In my last email I put out a plea for testers. Here it is again. I would dearly love and appreciate your feedback.
Testers needed!
As you know I’ve been busy compiling a collection of resources to help combat public speaking anxiety. I want it to be effective, comprehensive and easy to use. So that’s ‘what-tos’ with ‘how-tos’ supported by printables which include scripts for a couple of the exercises. I’d welcome your in-put. What worked? What didn’t? What’s missing?
If you’re interested, please do get in touch. You can either click the link below or simply reply to this email.
What do you get in return for your time? My gratitude, your very own virtual bucketful of unadulterated 100% pure organic New Zealand sunshine from my hometown beach infused with the salty tang of a bracing Pacific breeze, and a bundle of teaching materials you didn’t have to pay for.☺
That’s it for this week. I hope it’s useful for you.
Thank you for being here. ❤️
Susan