10 Ways Law Students Can Develop Oratory Skills

INTRODUCTION

Oratory skills are nothing but the art of public speaking. For a law student, it is very essential to develop the art of public speaking i.e. oratory skills. When a law student enters a law school there is a perception that one who talks more or argues with others or raises their voice is only capable of being a lawyer and has the quality of being an orator. But NO! This is a stereotype.

Just because one talks a lot does not qualify as a good orator. Because there is quite a big difference between speaking in front of your friend or family members and speaking in front of the whole class or a room packed with an audience whose eyes are on you.

IMPORTANCE OF ORATORY SKILLS

Students feel usually comfortable while speaking in front of a group of people as they are not unknown people, They are usually either friends or colleagues at the workplace.

But I still remember that during my law college days when students were told to make a presentation and speak in front of the whole class, this is the time when half of the class gets uncomfortable and nervous with the thoughts of how are they going to present themselves and speak. But you have no other option but to do your assignments and speak and present in front of the whole class.

During your academic years as a law student, there would be such occasions when you would be told to participate in several competitions such as debates, moot court, etc. Or preparing a presentation or a speech. During such times the skill of oratory is much required for gaining more marks than your peers or getting a rank in competition.

Not just that, oratory skills is not limited to academic gains but this even helps you in future aspects of your life even when it comes to career, convincing people by your powerful speeches just like politicians and motivational speakers do. This all is only possible when you have a good oratory skill.

We shall quickly discuss in this article the 10 important oratory skills which can help law students to develop the art of public speaking.

10 WAYS TO DEVELOP ORATORY SKILLS

1. Confidence
Usually the thoughts which makes any one loose their self confidence or feel nervous and who barely have any experience or knowledge in public speaking or is either an introvert are the thoughts that people are glaring at me or else people are judging me. Do you have these kind of similar thoughts? These kind of thoughts can actually shake your confidence and can increase self – doubts even though you must have prepared a lot for giving a speech or a presentation.
The only thing which would make you look confident is to be your self without pretending to be like someone. When you show confidence this will make the audience believe in you and will feel relatable.

2. Practice
As there is a saying that – ‘Practice makes a man perfect’. The content which you have prepared to speak and present shall be of no use if you don’t practice at all. Practice in other terms means revising and repeating the same stuff again and again. This will yield better results as you know and understand what you are going to convey to the audience. As this shall make you feel confident and prepared.
Ex – president Barack Obama still has the habit of practicing his speeches.

3. Content
The content or the material you prepare to deliver should be such which makes the audience engage and believe. Try to make your content as unique as possible and different from others. If you speak about the usual information which people already know then chances are high that no one shall be interested to hear you.
You can make your speech stand out only when you inculcate the habit of researching as that would even make you think and speak from a different perceptive and gain knowledge of different subjects which might be new like cyber laws, negotiation, etc.
Also nowadays it is essential to keep in mind if you tend to discuss any facts which are true but sensitive in nature, convey it in a manner that does not hurt anyone’s sentiments and without having any biased or prejudiced opinions.
One of the greatest orators of all time James Baldwin, put forward the conversation about race in America carefully by intense social criticism.

4. Make your Audience Participate
When your content is interesting people find it engaging and would like to listen to you. But participation of audience is only possible when you try to connect to them by engaging them in the stories you tell, giving examples of real life incidents. Basically people need a reason to connect. The room filled with audience wants a common reason to connect which will engage them to listen to your speech.

5. Convey a story & Engage Your Audience
You must have heard a motivational speaker. If you notice them, to engage an audience they usually support their content by telling stories either about themselves or describing stories of somebody else. And the same when it comes to speaking for presentations as law students one can support their content by speaking about some interesting and sensational law cases or picking something from the history itself or talking about any current affairs issue which can make people participate.

6. Length of Your Speech
This is also quite important for many people to realize and understand that a speech must neither be too short nor too long. Many a times people speak at length without realizing that the audience are least bothered and might feel bored at some point of time. So the speech which you convey to your audience should be crisp and on point rather than dragging it for hours.

7. Memorize The Key Points
The habit of memorizing the key points before delivering any speech helps the speaker to never forget on the points which he/she is suppose to cover while delivering any speech or presentation.

8. Know the Audience
This is also an important aspect in oratory skill, that is to know your audience to whom you are going to address. This means that you need to get an idea that who they are or what they do for example the audience can be school or college students or co workers.
If you know the information about who are the people you are about to address, accordingly you will be able to connect to your audiences. One should also never forget to make eye contact with their audience while addressing them.

9. Vocal Range
The pitch of your voice also shows the confidence in your words. The way you speak can convince the audience into believing in what you say. While a lower pitch is a sign of nervousness and lack of confidence.
You must have noticed sometimes when a professor stresses on a word and says that word more louder than the rest of the sentence. Automatically it attracts the attention of the class for a minute.
Likewise If you speak in a dull manner your audience will lose interest. That is why one should focus on voice and speech improvement to be a great orator

10. Body Language
You must have observed people using hand gestures while speaking something or delivering a speech. Not just that, the way they use these hand movements while speaking is said to actually engage the audience and show interest in what you speak as it grabs attention and shows that you are confident not just about your self but also about the content which you are going to deliver.
Over doing the hand movements can ruin the way you deliver your speech; so one should remain subtle while using hand gestures and stand straight to maintain a good posture and never slouch.

CONCLUSION

One needs to remember this fact that nobody is born an orator. Even the best orators of all times became great at this art of public speaking by practicing the skills which an orator requires.

It's essential to bear in mind that the art of oration is not an innate talent but a skill honed through dedicated practice. Even the most revered orators throughout history attained greatness in public speaking by diligently cultivating the necessary skills. For those seeking to enhance their abilities in articulation and communication, various resources are available to provide guidance. Consider exploring platforms like the uk personal statement writing service, where individuals can find valuable insights and assistance in refining their communication skills. Remember, the journey to becoming a proficient orator is marked by continuous learning and the utilization of available resources.

Some of the great orators of all time like Socrates, Adolf Hitler, Martin Luther King Jr. became good at this art with time. It is said that Adolf Hitler use to write his own speeches, edit it several times, also practiced facial expression and hand gestures as he knew the importance of public speaking is required and crucial for his political career.