Gestures  -  Show What You Mean

Most likely when you talk to your friends or co-workers, you move your hands and arms, walk around, make eye contact, or change the expression on your face.  These movements are called body language.

Body language is as important in public speaking as it is in everyday conversation.  By learning how to use body language in your speeches to illustrate and emphasise the points you are making, you will dramatically increase your speeches’ effectiveness.  Body language has another purpose, too.  Gestures, movement, and facial expression help to release any nervous energy you may have as you stand before the audience.

Movement

When you move around, you display energy and provide variety for the audience.  Their eyes and heads follow you as you move from one place to another.

Movement can vary.  Step toward the audience to emphasise a point.  Step back to show you have finished a point.  Move crosswise to emphasise that you are proceeding to another point.  If you want to dramatise a specific point, use movement.  For example, if you are describing a physical action such as catching a ball or running a marathon, act out your description by moving your body appropriately.

Avoid pacing back and forth, rocking or swaying.  These movements are actually nervous habits and do little to aid your speech.  In fact, they may even distract or irritate your audience.  Your movements should always be purposeful and add to your speech.

Gestures

Gestures are the most expressive part of body language when you are speaking before an audience.  Gestures involve the use of your hands and arms to illustrate your words.
Some basic gestures show:
•	Size, weight, shape, direction, location.  These physical characteristics call for hand gestures.  “He went that way!” you may exclaim, as you dramatically point out the direction.
•	Importance or urgency.  Show your audience how important your point is.  Hit your fist into your open palm.
•	Comparison and contrast.  Move both your hands in unison to show similarities; move them in opposition to show differences.

Gestures can mean many things.  For  instance, clenched fists generally show power.  If you want your audience to fight you in some injustice, for example, you may want to clench you fist as you urge them to take action.  Open palms mean giving.  Describing how a kindly neighbor helped someone in need may involve displaying your open palms to indicate generosity and caring. 
A forefinger pointing towards the ceiling means people should pay attention to what you are saying.  Folding your arms across your chest projects strength and determination.  Clasping hands together in front of your chest conveys unity, a good gesture to use when you are emphasising teamwork or trying to resolve a conflict.

Facial Expression
 
People watch a speakers face during a speech and take many cues about how they are supposed to react or feel from the looks on your face.  Your eyes, eye movement, eyebrows, and mouth play vital roles in showing sadness, fear, happiness, anger, frustration, nervousness, excitement, boredom, interest, wonder, exhaustion, aggressiveness, confidence and uncertainty.  When you show these feelings, your audience will emulate them.

You can show sadness by lowering your eyelids, turning down your mouth slightly, and bowing your head.  You can show surprise of disbelief by widening your eyes and raising your eyebrows.  To demonstrate happiness, smile broadly.
If you are talking about a terrible automobile accident, yet you are smiling and nodding, your audience will be confused, not sad.  Your facial expression must be consistent with the feelings or information you are trying to convey, Otherwise, your audience will think you are insincere.

Eye Contact

Have you ever spoken with someone who did not look at you directly?  They may have looked over your shoulder, above your head, at the floor, or even at someone else, but they would not look you in the eye.  What did you think?
Most likely you doubted their honesty, interest, and confidence.  Or you may have felt excluded from the conversation.  Eye contact plays a major role in our impression of someone, and as a speaker you should pay special attention to it.
When you look directly at people, they believe you care about them.  They think you are sincere, credible, friendly, and honest. 

These feelings have a great impact on your message and their willingness to accept it.
As you speak, look at the people in your audience.  Don’t just gaze around the room.  Look directly at one person until you finish a thought, then move on to another person.
Avoid looking repeatedly at the same person, wagging your head from side to side, or moving your head slowly back and forth like an oscillating fan.  Don’t follow a specific pattern; make random eye contact.  If the audience is large, pick out one or two people in each section of the room and look directly at each one so they get the impression you are talking to them directly.

Be Sure To Rehearse

Body language that looks unnatural or rehearsed can ruin even the most carefully prepared speech.  The hardest part of using body language is making it look natural and spontaneous.  When you have arranged your speech material, try several different ways of using your arms, hands, and facial expressions to convey your message.  Do not worry if at first your movements are stiff and awkward.  Natural positions and smooth movements will come with practice.