Readin outloud :(

[TehShyGuy]

i have this "problem" of reading outloud to the class. Its like im fine just reading along, then i keep thinking im going to mess up. Then my heart starts racing, and i start to stumble and even tremble. Its like every word takes a full breathe of air to say. I am kinda quiet but i never had this problem before ever in my life, just recently ive been doing it. I keep telling myslef to relax, take a deep breathe, etc...but i like have to stop mid-paragraph or something (one time i said i had a cold), and start reading agian with no air. I can easily do some power-point presentation crap but its just hard for me to read a long thing in front of class. I know in like 3 months i have to do a presentation where i read for TEN MINUTES straight in front of class. Im guessin this problem is a bit "depressing" i dont think its a panic attack or anything its more like a wussy attack. Any one have a problem like dis?

By the way i think im like a mild paranoid or something, is there anyway to cure this besides psycology or drugs (mmmmm alcoholl? lol).

[skittles_109]

Hey,

I have the same problem. I'm actually really smart and I can read perfectly fine but when I get called upon to read, it seems really sudden and I get so absorbed in trying not to mess up that I don't even take in what I'm reading and it seems even worse. I think what you have to do is just put everyone else outta the picture and concentrate on the words. Yeah, you may mess up... everyone does but in the end it won't be half as traumatizing as having to stop all-together. Just slow down, take a breath and think about what you're reading. I hope this helps ya!

Love, skittles

[Mar]

Yep....had it in high school and college. I know exactly what you mean, it's almost like hyperventilating, but not from panic, just basic nervousness.

 

I tried reading in front of my friends first. After all, your friends are your toughest critics! They respected me enough not to laugh, and I also practiced in front of the mirror. Didn't mean my voice still didn't quiver when I actually had to stand up there, but it helped. Also, practice breathing. Sounds dumb, but it works. Just take a breath before every sentence, and the heck with what people think. Read slowly, and enunciate-concentrate on what you're saying.

 

Also, if your teacher has stressed that eye contact is important, you can do this without actually "looking" at anyone.......if you look at the top of someone's head, to them, you're looking right in their eyes. I learned that trick years ago, when I had a real problem looking people in the eye.

 

Hope this helps somewhat........

 

Mar

[TehShyGuy]

thanks alot guys

right now i dont see how anyone would screw up reading outloud but ill keep ur tips in mind when i read next time.

 

speaking of screwing up reading haha, about 2 years ago i had to do a speech on chocolate or something. i got about 3 hours of sleep that night and hardly prepared for this thing. I was up there messing around explaining chocolate, then i just forgot everything. i musta been standing up there for about 2 minutes saying nothing. It was weird i started to just float out of my body and i just kinda forgot to breathe.....then i started to remember stuff. And i finished that biatch off haha. wow good times

 

lol and one time i was so hyperventilating that i just stopped reading all together and acted like i was done. Then the teacher just called on someone else to "help me out" whoa talk about me being stupid.

[OmegaMan]

LOL Great stories Shyguy! Espicially the one about the teacher asking someone to help you out. We all have our moments like that, we just have to learn to laugh about it. I also liked that bit about chocolate presentation.

 

By the way, why do you think you got so nervous about reading a text in front of everyone?

 

Omega Man

[OmegaMan]

And when the teacher said for someone to "help me out." I asked if i could go to the nurses office and i pretended like i was sick. Then i just ended up not going and i just sat there. Hah my friend was like "wtf were you thinking man are you high er somethin."

 

LOL , a good read my friend, a good read. You sound like you've got quite a good sense of humor!

 

You know, I asked this question so you could identify what was the reason behind all that. You said it was because the other kids wouldn't think you were cool, and then mentioned you might be fine from now on. The reflexion was all done by you, which is the best solutions of all, the one you find. Instead of thinking that maybe you'll be fine, know you'll be fine (in order words, trust yourself). Then tell me if it worked. I can assure you that if you convince yourself you can do it, well you will in spanish, german, french etc.. I certainly don't know how to read a text in a cool way, I mean, that's just a teacher's trick so the students participate in her class, only that.

 

Yours,(keep them stories comin')

 

Omega Man

[The Morrigan]

A kinda weird thing that helped me doin' speeches and stuff, which I really hated was (and this might sound really strange lolok) I volunteered to go first instead of waiting with my hands shaking to hear my name, and kinda acted like I was acting a role in a play, like playing a part, so like, I wasn't ME for those few mins... I was this confident person who was gonna show everyone else it wasn't that bad, and weird or not, it worked, and after the 1st time it worked it was a LOT easier!