Tricks for speaking slowly

blacbird

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This is something I tell my English students who speak too quickly. Read a hard book out loud, for 20 or 30 minutes each day.
Since the book is hard, they have to slow down to say the words correctly and figure out how to say it. By doing it each day, and trying some other tricks to slow down, I recommend the beat system for really bad students, it does work.

I have my composition students read things aloud, in class, and recommend strongly that they do this with their own work, privately. I have them read their own first drafts aloud, and stuff by other authors aloud. And most of them just try to read too damn fast.

So my next piece of advice is to channel Barack Obama. He speaks slowly and deliberately, and it's a great style for read-alouds. You don't have to agree with his politics to understand his effectiveness as a speaker. That's what got him noticed in the first place, and led directly to the attention he got that led directly to his election to the Presidency of the United States.

The second piece of advice I give is for students to become, to some degree, actors. Don't just read; read actively. Use your hands, especially. That will slow you down and naturally point to where emphasis is in the writing.

I read aloud to my children for many years, and got good at it. I was also, for about a decade, a broadcast news journalist, which I suspect helps.

But I am absolutely convinced that reading aloud, and working at doing it well, is hugely important in both improving one's own writing, and in understanding how many other writers make writing work well.

caw
 

chompers

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Think before you speak. Really. Like think about the words, about saying them concisely and clearly. A lot of times speakers use "ums" and "ahs." Videotape yourself to catch where you need improvement, and then be aware of it while you're speaking. Just trying to be conscious about wiping those from your speech will slow you down.
 

henmatth

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Check out Google for websites offering speech enhancements.
It allows you to imitate voices so you speak slower.
Also practice reading aloud but slowly.
If you do more of these exercises, maybe you can get used to it.
 

robjvargas

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Most any relaxation exercise should work. Taking a deep breath makes you appear nervous, but for me it also eases the jitterbugs using my diaphragm as a bouncy castle.

Visualization has worked as well (for me). Visualize yourself speaking as you wish to speak.

There are lots of relaxation exercises. Just use them to slow down the thought processes that send you flying through your speech.
 

nomadictendencies

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I agree with the poster above about breathing - speaking rate/articulation speed can be modified by a number of different factors. Like others have said - practice reading aloud (everyday for at least 3 minutes is recommended), but with a book which has a short sentence length, simple syntax and grammatical structures. Start with a deep abdominal breath, take your time with each sound and use a lot of melody - don't be afraid of silence and take your time. Once you are used to reading with a slower pace with a simple word, increase the complexity step by step until it feels natural and comfortable. Remember the slower the speaking rate, the easier it is for the listener to process what you're saying. Good luck!
 

ironman

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Metronome works well since you can change the speed yourself.
 

joanforder

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That is a great suggestion Williebee. I was active in Toastmasters for many years to help me overcome my public speaking woes and your suggestion is one that was taught to me along the way. It was frustrating at first because I had a hard time focusing on what I wanted to say while still being aware of the beat but with practice, it helped a great deal. It also made me think before I spoke so I could decide what words were important to say.