Any tips to improve speech?

[Owliet]

I’ve always spoken without much intonation in my speech, I don’t really have much rhythm or melody when I speak unless I try hard to speech-check how I talk, which usually means that I speak disjointedly or extremely slow. Plus, it’s incredibly difficult and tiring to keep it going. So I tend to lose confidence when it’s pointed out to me that I speak in a monotone, and that equals either too difficult to understand or ...worse that I’m boring.

I had thought that I had improved on this but I don’t know if it’s a lack of practice but I have just noticed myself that I sound very monotonous— I don’t put much rise or fall patterns in any asPect of my speech and even if it’s a topic that I’m interested/passionate about as this example has shown, I have this weird combination of talking fast, and having that awful monotone and I’m not being boring about it but it has come across as if it is.

I also seem to swallow my words, and I’m not sure what that’s about. I’d honestly would love it if I could speak with clarity and without sounding as if I’m dull. Does anyone else have this issue/are there any strategies or tips to improve this?

 

[MyLifeAsAnAspie]

Several people online and IRL have recommended a group called Toast Masters. And I mean recommendations for ASD people to use this group. I have not tried it. If I had something that would have helped my speaking when I was young it would have been great both socially and occupationally.

 

[Mia]

I’d honestly would love it if I could speak with clarity and without sounding as if I’m dull. Does anyone else have this issue/are there any strategies or tips to improve this?

Speaking with clarity is difficult, and it comes from years of paring down your speech. It's something that requires practise, to do so means speaking with many other people in various situations. I learned to do this in classrooms, in debate, in social situations.

One of the things I still do is read aloud at times, reading poetry and other kinds of writing. It seems to help my verbal abilities.

 

[selena]

I came here with a similar question.

For those who recommend reading aloud, isn't it true, though, that if you practice reading aloud all you'll be good at is reading aloud? I've been doing that for a few days now and was feeling pretty confident about how polished I could sound if I just slowed down... until I had a job interview on the phone just now where I started rambling, talking faster as I got more nervous, and sounding basically childish and inept.

I want to note that I seem to do better if the conversation is more casual (as in, when I don't need to give a 2-minute elevator speech at a time or impress anyone).

 

[Gracey]

Watch how others do it

If you could find a video clip online of someone speaking in the way you would like,

Learn their script and record yourself saying exactly the same things they have.

Then compare the two, noticing the differences in emphasis, emotive wording, intonation and pauses.
Include some of their methods of delivery into your own style.
And practise, practise, practise.
(In the mirror. Record yourself. Out loud)

If you have the time, pay attention to how others use speech in various situations. Use some of it in your own day to day dealings.