If you’re looking to improve your public speaking skills, consider enrolling in a course. Taking a class can help you prepare for presentations, develop an argumentative style, and overcome the fear of speaking in front of people.
Whether you need to speak in public for work or to complete your class, having strong speaking skills can make the difference between success and failure. Acing your presentations can lead to a better grade in school, a positive response to your ideas at work, or even funding and approval for projects you want to pursue.
The best Public Speaking Classes cover everything you need to know about preparing, delivering, and even reviewing your speeches. Some courses even offer individualized feedback to ensure you’re getting the most out of your training.
Dynamic Public Speaking by University of Washington is a 7-month certificate program that teaches you everything you need to know about improving your speaking skills. The course includes a range of resources, and you can expect to spend about 20 hours working through the material.
It also includes one-on-one coaching and feedback, which is a rare find among public speaking classes. If you’re a busy person, this is a great option because it doesn’t require any prior experience and can be completed in as little as three hours a week.
The Complete Public Speaking Masterclass for Any Occasion by Udemy is another excellent option if you’re interested in learning how to speak in any situation. The course’s instructors include a public speaker and an entrepreneur, and the lessons are designed to give you tips on overcoming your fear of public speaking and becoming more confident about delivering your speeches.
In addition, the course covers a variety of topics, including research, organization, language use, storytelling, and impromptu speaking techniques. It’s one of the best public speaking courses on Udemy for beginners, and most students say it’s an engaging, easy-to-follow course that’s worth taking.
Be a Better Presenter by ROG’s Senior Manager of Astronomy Education is another online course for those who need to learn how to speak in front of audiences, but may not be an expert in their field. This course, led by ROG’s astronomy educator Liz Avery, includes essential communication strategies such as avoiding industry jargon, delivering your speech in an engaging way, and overcoming audience reactions.
Body Language: Learn to Speak More Like an Expert by a Neuroscience Researcher and a Coach from Vancouver is a short but informative course that covers all the basics of good body language. It also focuses on building your confidence as a presenter, and provides useful tips for using your body language to communicate with other people.
You can also take a free course from LinkedIn that teaches you how to craft compelling presentations. In a little over 30 minutes of video lessons, Shola Kaye, a public speaking coach, shows you how to craft an opening that hooks your audience, use inclusive language and storytelling to appeal to all members of your audience, and close your presentation with impact.