Do Now:

• Prepare to Prepare to speak for thirty seconds speak for thirty seconds about the poem you chose using about the poem you chose using one of the one of the organizational patterns organizational patterns (e.g., PREP).(e.g., PREP).

Pair-Share: Pair-Share: • What gestures or body What gestures or body

stances do they stances do they habitually use?habitually use?

• Now imagine them in Now imagine them in front of a crowd giving front of a crowd giving a speech. If you didn’t a speech. If you didn’t know them, how would know them, how would you interpret their you interpret their body language? body language?

• And NOW think of And NOW think of YOURSELF. What do YOURSELF. What do YOU DO?YOU DO?

Aim: How do you improve your Aim: How do you improve your stancestance when you speak? when you speak?

• StanceStance• GestureGesture• EyesEyes• SmilingSmiling• FaceFace• Open vs. ClosedOpen vs. Closed

Aim: How do you improve your Aim: How do you improve your stancestance when you speak? when you speak?

1.1. Practice standing on two feetPractice standing on two feet! It might seem ! It might seem basic but often people stand on one foot basic but often people stand on one foot with the other tucked in behind the upright with the other tucked in behind the upright leg and then they swop over and the leg and then they swop over and the other other footfoot has a turn. Soon it's the has a turn. Soon it's the first foot's turn first foot's turn againagain and so on... and so on...

The interpretation of wobbling on their feet The interpretation of wobbling on their feet is not: is not: 'here is someone in control'.'here is someone in control'. It's the It's the opposite.opposite.

Aim: How do you improve your Aim: How do you improve your stancestance when you speak? when you speak?

2. Practice standing 'at ease'. Practice standing 'at ease'. Place your feet Place your feet about a comfortable shoulder width apart. about a comfortable shoulder width apart. Make sure you are standing on the Make sure you are standing on the whole of whole of your footyour foot so your feet are fully connected to so your feet are fully connected to the floor. This position supports all of your the floor. This position supports all of your body while distributing your weight evenly body while distributing your weight evenly through your hips and legs without undue through your hips and legs without undue stress.stress.

• The body language of someone standing The body language of someone standing comfortably like this says:comfortably like this says: confidence, capable, confidence, capable, control and balanced.control and balanced.

Aim: How do you improve your Aim: How do you improve your stancestance when you speak? when you speak?

3. Practice standing tall. Practice standing tall. Pull yourself up to full Pull yourself up to full height. Imagine a string running through you height. Imagine a string running through you from the crown of your head to your feet. Now from the crown of your head to your feet. Now imagine that string being imagine that string being gently pulledgently pulled toward toward the sky. Your back will straighten. Your neck will the sky. Your back will straighten. Your neck will hold your head high.hold your head high.

• Notice the Notice the feel and lookfeel and look of standing straight. of standing straight. When you see other people standing similarly, When you see other people standing similarly, you recognize them as being someone who feels you recognize them as being someone who feels good about themselves. They appear to have good about themselves. They appear to have energy, presence and power.energy, presence and power.

Aim: How do you improve your Aim: How do you improve your stancestance when you speak? when you speak?

4. 4. Let your shoulders relaxLet your shoulders relax. Practice by rolling . Practice by rolling them backwards and forwards. Pretend they them backwards and forwards. Pretend they are a coat hanger from which your chest and are a coat hanger from which your chest and arms hang. In order for them to hang well arms hang. In order for them to hang well your shoulders need to straight and relaxed.your shoulders need to straight and relaxed.

• Raised shoulders can signal Raised shoulders can signal heightened heightened tension, defensiveness as if you are waiting tension, defensiveness as if you are waiting to fend off negativity or anxiety.to fend off negativity or anxiety. Shoulders Shoulders habitually slumped forward say habitually slumped forward say 'depressed', 'depressed', 'defeated' or 'closed'.'defeated' or 'closed'.

Aim: How do you improve your Aim: How do you improve your stancestance when you speak? when you speak?

5. Practice breathing deeply 5. Practice breathing deeply and evenly using and evenly using your diaphragm while maintaining a fully your diaphragm while maintaining a fully upright relaxed stance. Notice how upright relaxed stance. Notice how open your open your chest is.chest is. Notice how your Notice how your hips carry the hips carry the weight of your upper body.weight of your upper body. Notice how your Notice how your shoulders carry your armsshoulders carry your arms but but most of allmost of all……

• NOTICENOTICE how connected, strong and balanced how connected, strong and balanced you are.you are.

Aim: How do you improve your Aim: How do you improve your stancestance when you speak? when you speak?

1.1. Practice standing on two feet.Practice standing on two feet.2.2. Practice standing at ease.Practice standing at ease.3.3. Practice standing tall.Practice standing tall.4.4. Let your shoulders relax.Let your shoulders relax.5.5. Practice breathing deeply. Practice breathing deeply.

Aim: How do you improve your Aim: How do you improve your stancestance when you speak? when you speak?

• Work in front of a full length dress mirror.Work in front of a full length dress mirror.• If you can video yourself do so. Playing it back will If you can video yourself do so. Playing it back will

give you important feedback.give you important feedback.• Go for mastery over Go for mastery over oneone habit you want to modify or habit you want to modify or

get rid of at a time rather than trying to banish the lot get rid of at a time rather than trying to banish the lot at once.at once.

• Remember regular smaller practices are more Remember regular smaller practices are more effective than one or two intense longer workouts.effective than one or two intense longer workouts.

• Practice what you can throughout the day. You do Practice what you can throughout the day. You do not need to wait until you are at home to practice not need to wait until you are at home to practice standing well, or relaxing your shoulders. Do it in the standing well, or relaxing your shoulders. Do it in the lunch line, in the supermarket. You can teach yourself lunch line, in the supermarket. You can teach yourself body language body language anywhere.anywhere.