Start by reading the text out loud at a normal speed. Then, read the same passage again at a slightly faster speed. Repeat this again, reading the passage at an even faster speed. This can help you get your eyes and mouth to work together at faster speeds. You can also try reading the passage backwards, starting from the end of the passage and moving backwards to the beginning of the passage. This drill will help you get used to reading out loud quickly, as you will not have to pause to take extra time to think about what you are saying out loud.
Inserting a word between the words in the passage will force you to simply read the text without having to think about what it means, which will then allow you to speak faster. It also gives your speech a certain rhythm and diction that you can then translate to other texts and instances when you have to speak fast.
You can use familiar tongue twisters, such as “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers/A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked/If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers/Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?”[4] X Research source If you struggle with words that begin with a certain letter, such as “j” words, you may want to try a tongue twister that features the letter “j”, such as “James just jostled Jean gently. Jack the jailbird jacked a jeep. ”[5] X Research source Try to practice three to four different tongue twisters a day, saying them out loud at faster and faster speeds. You may also want to time yourself as you say the tongue twisters so you can track how fast and how well you can say them as you practice them every day. Tongue twisters are also great warm up tools for when you are about to talk to others and want to speed up your talking speed. Try to repeat one to two tongue twisters to yourself to get used to talking faster once you are around others.
Try to articulate every word as you read out loud, even if it may be difficult due to the pen. This drill will force your tongue to work harder and allow you to get used to over-articulating your words. You will also develop exaggerated mouth and facial movements, which can allow you to become a more engaging speaker.
Try to remind yourself not to use “like” or “um” when you speak to others. You may need to get in the habit of pausing for a breath whenever you feel the urge to use these filler words. Over time, you can then fill in the pauses by flowing from one meaningful word to the next, without filler words. You can also try the rubber band method, where you put a rubber band on your wrist. Every time you say a filler word, you can gently slap your wrist with the rubber band. Over time, you should remember to avoid using filler words for fear of getting a rubber band slap. Some filler words are redundant and meaningless, leading to greater confusion when you speak to others. Try to avoid filler words like “actually” or “in fact”, such as “The sky was actually blue yesterday” or “In fact, I know the answer. ” Removing these terms can make your speech clearer and more concise.
Close your lips and force air between them until you make a horse-like noise. Your lips should vibrate together and make neighing sounds or noises. This can help to loosen up the muscles around your mouth. You can also do face stretches to get the muscles in your face ready for fast talking. Do this by trying to get your mouth, nose, and eyebrows as close together as possible. Then, try to get them as far apart as possible. Stick your tongue out while you do this.
Listen to the playback of your presentation and note if you slow down in particular areas of your speech. Focus on speeding up your delivery in these spots the next time you practice the speech. You should also be on the look out for any filler words, such as “um” or “ah”. Try to remove them the next time you practice the speech. Focus on saying the word before and the word after the spot where you used a filler word so you are not prone to using them.
For example, you may replace a term like “utilize” with the more simplified term, “use”. Or, you may replace a more academic phrase like “let me solidify my point” with a more simplified phrase, “let me demonstrate what I mean”. You may also notice that certain sections of your speech appear wordy or long winded. You may decide to cut out certain words and revise the speech so it is shorter and easier to say. Often, shorter is better for speeches and talks.
You should also demonstrate positive body language when you are giving a presentation or a speech. This means maintaining eye contact with your audience and positioning your body to face your audience. [12] X Research source
