is the ability to communicate with others thoughts and feelings are symbolized so as to convey meaning in different forms of communication such as the written, spoken, sign, facial, gestures, pantomime, and art.is one form of language in which articulate sounds or words are used to convey meanings. But not all sounds of human beings are speech. Vocalization, like cries or explosive sounds, does not become speech until meaning is associated with the sounds made.

Purposes of speechIMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE AND SPEECHIt is a means of communicating thoughts, feelings, and emotions.It is used to secure information.It is used to express the results of the individuals reasoning.It Is used to express ones feelings and emotions.It is used to bring action to others.It is used to satisfy the human need for sociability.It is used to help the individual develop and maintain a feeling of importance of self.It is used to serve as a bond that holds people together.

Criteria of SpeechTwo criteria should be applied to determine whether the child has emerged from the use of pre speech forms of communication: The child must pronounce his words so that they are readily understandable to others rather than comprehensible only to those who, because of constant contact with him, have learned to understand him. The child must know the meaning of the words he uses and must associate them with the objects they represent.

1. Crying:a. Causes of crying among babies:PRELIMINARIES OF SPEECHHungerNoiseLightPainUncomfortable positionsStrong disturbances during sleepFatigueInability to move due to restrictive clothesRemoval of playthingFearPRE-SPEECH FORM

b. Motor accompaniment of crying:1. vigorous limb activity2. strong flexor tendencies3.disorganizing of postures prevailing at the onset of cryingc. Reactions to crying:Crying was most often responded to by ignoring, reasoning, spanking, or by removing the child from the social group.Gesell has stressed, punctual attention to crying in the early weeks reduces the amount of crying

d. Effects of crying: 1) Excessive crying results in variability in gastro-intestinal functions, regurgitation, night waking, and general nervous tension. 2) It affects the babys total growth pattern; it is harmful to healthful social adjustment; it leads to feeling of insecurity; and it affects the babys relationships with his parents unfavorably.

2. Explosive sounds and babblingIn the newborn infant, 50% of all sounds uttered are the aspirate h, associated with the infants gasping for breath.At first vowels are combined with consonants, as da - ma - na and later, with practice, these sounds are strung together as ma - ma - ma.Babbling is a form of vocal gymnastics, voluntarily produced, but with no real meaning or association for the baby.The age of babbling is between the third and twelfth months. How soon the baby will begin to babble and he will abandon babbling in favor of more mature communication in the form of speech will depend largely upon the development of his vocal mechanisms for speaking instead of babbling. .Babbling is not a real speech but it serves as a pleasure on the part of the child. It serves as an opportunity to learn to control the different muscles connected with the vocal mechanism. .

3. Gestures a. The baby uses gestures as a substitute for speech, to enable him to express wants, feelings and emotions for which he has no other means of expression. Adult uses gestures as a supplement to speech, to emphasize the meaning of words and to make them forceful and effective. b. Children of lower socio-economic groups often use gestures than words. In the upper classes, children use more words than gestures.

Learning to Speak1. Speech is a skill and must be learned. It develops more slowly than the motor skills. There is no single speech organ ready for use at birth or even shortly afterward.

2. Speech is produced by the coordinated activity of the lip, tongue and throat muscles as well as by the larynx and tongue. 3. Babies, at birth, cannot speak because: a. The oral cavity is small. b. The palate is flat and lacks the arch. c. The infants tongue is too large and even protruding much of the time. d. The nasal passage is very small. e. The absence of front teeth makes him unable to produce sounds of consonants.

4. Speech readiness is the period when speech is more easily acquired by the young child than at other times. This period occurs between the ages of 12 and 18 months. If the baby does not make use of this period he will be emotionally disturbed. 5. Delayed speech is usually due to the lack of opportunity to learn or from the lack of motivation to learn.

B. Imitation 1. In the presence of other people, babies imitate them by talking back, but they do not imitate the sounds they are making. They are merely imitating sound-making in general. This is called the echo-reaction stage of imitation.

2. Readiness to imitate occurs toward the end of the first year of life. This time, the baby attempts to imitate the specific sounds he hears. During the fortieth week of life, the baby tries to imitate the words of his mother.

Step Four: Practice CorrectlyProject your voiceContrary to popular belief, projecting your voice does not mean shouting. When you project, you simply raise the volume of your natural speaking voice without losing control of it (that's when it becomes "shouting"). Think of the difference between talking to someone in a noisy restaurant, and calling your dog in from the backyard. You must always project while giving a speech, even if you are presenting in a small room. Find the object furthest away from you and deliver your speech to it. During the first minute of speaking, monitor your audience members' faces (especially the ones in the back row) to see if they look confused.

Step Four: Practice CorrectlyInclude visual aids Visual aids are not always necessary, but they are good to include if they help you get your point across. The key is to make sure that they ADD to your speech. After all, it's just plain dumb if during a speech about saving the trees, you whip out a picture of a tree. We all know what trees look like. It is equally useless to present a very complicated diagram that someone sitting in the tenth row can barely see, let alone decipher. So keep your visual aids very simple. Images and uncomplicated graphs are best, but if you want to make a list of points to go over, keep each line of the list brief, and the number of lines just as short. We recommend five words per line and five lines per visual aid.

Step Five: Know How to Handle Nervousness It's just a speech. Your life does not depend on it (at least not in most cases). But if the thought of going out there and completely freezing up makes you freeze up just thinking about it, go through some of these relaxing exercises just prior to your performance."I look better than I feel." Everyone feels like a wreck when they first get up there, but most don't look like one. In fact, most people who videotape themselves giving a rehearsal presentation are pleasantly surprised to find out that their wildly beating heart actually doesn't show up on the tape.

Stage Fright Is Good and Makes You Better Looking Too!Stage fright isn't the most accurate term for what you are feeling. Most of the fear occurs before you step on-stage. Once you're up there, it usually goes away. Nervousness doesn't show one-tenth as much as it feels.Nobody ever died from stage fright or speaking in public. It makes your reflexes sharper. It heightens your energy, adds a sparkle to your eye, and color to your cheeks. When you are nervous about speaking, you are more conscious of your posture and breathing.

http://www.public-speaking.org/public-speaking-stagefright-article.htm

Stage Fright Is Good and Makes You Better Looking Too!Symptoms of Stage frightDry mouthTight throatSweaty hands Cold hands Shaky handsNauseaFast pulse Shaky knees Trembling lips

http://www.public-speaking.org/public-speaking-stagefright-article.htm

Stage Fright --StrategiesBe extremely well preparedOrganize your speaking notesAbsolutely memorize your opening statement so you can recite it on autopilot if you have toPractice, practice, practice. Especially practice bits so you can spit out a few minutes of your program no matter how nervous you areAnticipate hard and easy questionsBe in the room early.Yawn to relax your throat. Doodle. Breathe deeply, evenly, and slowly for several minutes. Don't drink caffeinated drinks. Go somewhere private and warm up your voice, muscles, etc. http://www.public-speaking.org/public-speaking-stagefright-article.htm

Stage Fright --Strategies contd.Look at your notes. Double check your A/V equipment including the public address system, projectors, etc. Put pictures of your dog, girlfriend, parents, etc., in your notes. If your legs are trembling, lean on a table, sit down, or shift your legs. Listen to music/Read a poem/something that relaxes you Take quick drinks of tepid water. Do isometrics that tighten and release muscles. Pretend you are just chatting with a group of friendsClose your eyes and imagine the audience listening, laughing, and applaudingRemember happy moments from your past

http://www.public-speaking.org/public-speaking-stagefright-article.htm

Stage Fright--Strategies Contd.Try not to hold the microphone by hand in the first minute. Don't hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead. Use eye contact. It will make you feel less isolated. Look at the friendliest faces in the audience. Joke about your nervousness. What's the right wine to go with fingernails? Picture the audience in their underwear

http://www.public-speaking.org/public-speaking-stagefright-article.htm

Step Five: Know How to Handle Nervousness "The audience wants me to succeed!" An audience is made up of people who are not unlike you. They are not bloodthirsty animals and their shoes are too valuable to toss at you. They came to hear you because you have something important to say. Also, because they don't want their time to be wasted, it's in their best interest for you to succeed. "A mistake will not matter much." Granted, people won't forget a nasty belch in the middle of a serious point, but completely ignore stumbles or slight pauses. Just move on. Most people won't notice your mistakes unless you draw attention to them by panicking."The single best way to have a successful presentation is to prepare properlyand I have!" (Right?)

Tips for a great speechSpeak Up! Make sure to speak a little louder than normal conversation when you are giving your speech. Slow Down! When you are giving your speech to your listeners, remember to slow your speech down a little bit and don't rush through the words. Make sure to enunciate and don't slur your words either. Be Confident! You can do this! Believe in yourself!

*