The Natural Speaker

by Randy Fujishin, Jared Fujishin

Overview

This thoroughly revised textbook is a friendly step-by-step guide to public speaking that explores the fundamental skills necessary to present a natural and rewarding speech to any audience.

By providing an overview of speech construction, practice, and delivery, this book is designed to enhance and improve upon students' natural strengths. Featuring a warm and humorous writing style, The Natural Speaker illustrates the concepts and skills required for enjoyable public speaking as the authors invite readers to view speaking as a life-long journey. It is an easy-to-read book that introduces each chapter with relevant and engaging stories, explains concepts in simple language, and presents practical skills for improving public speaking. Its supportive tone encourages the reader to practice, improve, and use these oral presentation skills in formal and informal settings. This eleventh edition features new sections on topics including social anxiety in public speaking, the role of artificial intelligence in speech research and outline construction, and public speaking as a form of personal growth.

This book serves as an accessible core textbook for public speaking courses and provides guidance for individual readers and public speaking workshops.

Online resources include an Instructor's Manual, PowerPoint slides, a sample course outline, and sample test questions. They are available at www.routledge.com/9781032826929.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032826936
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/12/2025
Edition description:	11th ed.
Pages:	250
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Randy Fujishin is an author, communication consultant, and conference speaker for high-tech companies, higher education and government agencies, and Christian organizations. He consults with and serves as a keynote speaker to organizations including Apple, Intel Corporation, Cisco Systems, the University of Phoenix, California Community Colleges, Granite Construction, and the Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center.

Table of Contents

Preface.

1. Communicating with Others.
What is communication?
The components of communication.
The principles of communication.
Attitude is more important than aptitude.
Communication skills for your life.
Communication activities.

2. Giving Yourself Permission.
The only way we grow.
Giving yourself permission to make mistakes.
A permission list for speakers.
Giving yourself permission to overcome your fear of speaking.
Why are you so nervous?
Public speaking is different from conversation.
Some encouraging words about stage fright.
Will I ever get rid of these butterflies?
Adventure and growth, not safety.
Communication activities.

3. Giving Your First Speech.
Your first speech.
Public speaking.
Three principles for public speaking.
Four speaking methods.
Your message.
Your speech organization.
Your delivery.
Helpful hints for your first speech.
Impromptu speaking.
Some words of encouragement when giving impromptu speeches.
Communication activities.

4. Selecting Your Topic.
It's your choice.
Brainstorming possible topics.
Determining your speaking purpose.
Determining your specific purpose.
Selecting your main points.
Analyzing your audience.
Speech preparation questionnaire.
Communication activities.

5. Gathering Your Material.
What to look for.
Where to look for speech information.
How to record your speech information.
The evidence three-step.
Communication activities.

6.Organizing Your Speech.
Speech organization.
The body.
The introduction.
The conclusion.
Constructing your speech outline.
Sample outline.
Communication activities.

7. Delivering Your Speech.
Characteristics of good delivery.
Elements of good delivery.
Speech practice.
Speaker evaluation form.
Your delivery between speeches.
Listening to others speak.
Communication activities.

8. Informing Your Audience.
Goals of informative speaking.
Designs for informative speaking.
Language use for informative speaking.
Types of informative speeches.
Answering questions from the audience.
Sample informative speech outline.
Communication activities.

9. Persuading Your Audience.
Basics of persuasion.
Aristotle's three persuasive proofs.
Types of persuasive speeches.
Sample persuasive speech outline.
Communication activities.

10. Becoming a Speaker.
Two ways of viewing public speaking.
Benefits of becoming a lifelong speaker.
Developing the heart of a speaker.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

Helps speakers enhance and improve their natural speaking strengths, and provides a basic knowledge of speech construction, practice, and delivery. Early chapters explore principles and skills of communication, and address selecting a topic, gathering material, and organizing any speech topic. Later chapters highlight physical components of speaker delivery, principles of sharing information with an audience, and career development. Material is presented in a thoughtful, interesting, and sometimes humorous manner. Fujishin is associated with West Valley College. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

The Natural Speaker is both elegant and sophisticated in its concise approach to presenting the necessary skills of public speaking all while keeping an affordable price point. My students find its hopeful messages of intentional human communication and practical activity skills to be deeply impactful.

-John Hannigan, West Valley College, USA

The Natural Speaker is both elegant and sophisticated in its concise approach to presenting the necessary skills of public speaking all while keeping an affordable price point. My students find its hopeful messages of intentional human communication and practical activity skills to be deeply impactful.

-John Hannigan, West Valley College, USA

From the Publisher