Communicating in the English language can be challenging. When speaking you must choose the correct word or colloquial expression and use the words in the proper context. On top of all of that, you must organize these words to articulate your ideas and combine this with confident non-verbal behaviour.

Now, if English is your second language, you have all these challenges plus a whole hand-full more! Pronunciation, having an accent and figuring out the correct word stress all make communicating in English that much more difficult.

That said, in this tough job market, fine-tuning your public speaking skills is critical. It is achievable, but it takes commitment, time, and exposure to the English language, and practice, practice, practice!

How much fine-tuning? Now when I say fine-tuning, I mean exactly that. It is virtually impossible to completely remove your accent, and why would you want to? Your voice and dialect is not only how you sound, it is a symbol of where you came from and who you are. The goal is to reflect your identity while communicating clearly in public speaking, on your phone, in email and one-on-one conversations in your second language.

Often times after an all important job interview or meeting, we think, "I wish I had said that." Or, "I couldn't find the right word." This is natural, but with practice you can get to the point where you will be able to find the perfect word at the perfect time, be understood, and make your point clearly.

There are several key points that make for great public speaking. These include:

• Control of nerves and anxiety
• Clear pronunciation
• Organization of thoughts and ideas
• Proper word stress
• Personality
• Vocabulary

In this article we will look at tools and techniques to control your fear and anxiety when speaking publicly.

Feeling nervous or scared in public speaking when English is your second languge is natural. You may be worried about saying the wrong thing or making a mistake. And this fear often manifests into physical symptoms - your heart can race, you may begin to shake, you perspire more then normal or you feel sick to your stomach. To overcome your anxiety, it is important to understand where this fear comes from.

Nervousness and fear can be caused by several factors:

• You are unsure of your audience.
• You are unsure of your material and knowledge.
• You are afraid that you will lose your English words and that the audience will think you are uneducated or unintelligent.
• You have had a past, unpleasant experience speaking to an individual or a group.

Now many of these factors can be overcome with thorough preparation and practice. Here's how:

• Know your topic. Don't attempt to speak about things you have little or no knowledge - the better you know your topic the less anxious you will be.

• Know your audience. Find out as much information as you can about the people you will be speaking to and know their concerns or needs. What is their culture and gender? Why do they need to listen to you? Can your culture enhance your topic? Frequently, we forget that people are intrigued by culture and diversity. This can be used to your advantage.

• Choose language and vocabulary that you are comfortable with in your native tongue. Then take those words and translate them into English. If you try to use words that you are unfamiliar with, you may end up hurting yourself in the end.

• Create new, positive speaking experiences on an ongoing and long-term basis. Take every opportunity you can to speak - every phone conversation, interview meeting or discussion is a chance to practice.

• End your anxiety by using deep diaphragmatic breathing. Deep breathing sends a signal to your body that there is no stress, so there is no reason for anxiety. This signal tells the brain there is no need for panic. You are breathing, so it is not a frightening situation. Your nervousness will be transformed into positive energy.

Try this breathing exercise to help reduce your stress:

Exercise 1: 7-11 breathing
Breathe in to a count of 7.
Breathe out to a count of 11.

The numbers are somewhat arbitrary - you could as easily do 4-8 or 5-10 breathing - but the "out" breath must last longer than the "in" breath, because inhalation has been shown to trigger the sympathetic nervous system (arousal) and exhalation triggers the parasympathetic nervous system (the relaxation response).

Using these simple tools you will be able to speak clearly, confidently and without anxiety. Look for my next article which will give you tools and tips to clearer pronunciation.