Speaking in Class

And surviving..

Fear of Public Speaking is Common

Greater than the fear of death Fear of speaking in the law school

classroom may daunt even the most able public speakers

Called on Already?
Advice from survivors

Why are Students Asked/Required to Speak in Class?

The Socratic Method
Ensures

student preparation for class Encourages active learning Engages students in a dialogue about what the law is or should be Highlights the uncertainty in law Models the analysis sought in exams

Class Discussion is Class Content

Arguments and rationales are more important than

answers Good news: Rarely is an answer wrong Bad news: An argument may be poorly reasoned or lead to undesirable or absurd results Good news: Thats often the point Accept the ambiguity in legal analysis and class discussion Law school classes should be thought provoking and difficult

Minimizing the Stress of Speaking

Planning and Preparation before Class Attention during Class
Review and Synthesis after Class

Before Class Plan to Speak

Know your professors system for calling

on students If you are up dont skip class: Prepare! If professor never calls on students, plan to raise your hand If professors system is completely random, plan to raise your hand before you get called on

Before Class Prepare to Speak

Read and brief assigned cases

Practice stating the case or answering the

questions professor typically asks about cases Read footnotes and endnotes Consider how assigned materials fit together and the issues that they raise Formulate your own questions about the materials Engage classmates in discussion of issues; practice your arguments

During Class Join the Discussion

Dont wait to get called on - Be proactive

Volunteer to speak

Speak about what you know take the softballs You may get on hot seat but on your terms

Ask one of the questions youve prepared

Contribute to ongoing discussion, even if

(especially if) you disagree with the analysis

During Class Be Attentive

If youre not yet ready to volunteer, pay close

attention to the discussion Follow the development of arguments Try to answer questions silently to yourself Analyze the answers other students give Dont take verbatim notes of discussion, but note the hypotheticals posed and arguments made in response

After Class Review and Synthesize

Review the material covered and the issues

that were discussed in class Synthesize the materials to try to anticipate the set of issues or line of questions for the next class Continue the class discussions with your classmates; generate more hypotheticals

If You are Called On . . .

Take a breath

Dont rush to answer; think about the question asked

Refer to your notes if helpful Dont think what answer is professor looking for?

Good answers focus on reasoning of decisions and

implications of applying rules to other sets of facts

Consider similarities and distinctions between assigned cases and hypotheticals posed Consider fairness and practicality of applying similar rules Consider social, political, economic impact

Keep Speaking in Perspective

It feels worse to you than it looks to others Even if answer is criticized or questioned,

that is part of the learning process; dont take it personally Speaking in class, even being cold-called, will become easier the more you do it No one experience will make or break you Difficulty does not reflect your suitability for or ability to practice law

But Try to Speak Regularly in Class

Hones your analytical skills

Helps you get over the fear of getting it wrong

Prepares you for oral advocacy Encourages others to participate and leads to

lively discussions/broader array of ideas and opinions Asking questions helps professor know what needs to be clarified May enhance your final grade

When You Must Speak

If you find yourself beginning to feel that

some of the same voices or perspectives are dominating the forum you know the feeling, when you want to roll your eyes because he or she is yapping on in class yet again that is a sign to you that you should be raising your hand and speaking instead.

Prof. Eric Muller, UNC School of Law

Comfort Tools
If you know youre likely to be called on,

write out answers to questions that you think you may be asked (especially if professor traditionally starts with same structure) Write out a question/comment before raising your hand

Things to Remember
There is no substitute for preparation Focus during class is essential

Avoid distractions Laptop can be mixed blessing If you have choice, think about where you sit Your opinions/ideas/questions are valuable and often will help move the class in the right direction This is hard for everyone

Still Anxious?
Talk to your professor and discuss your concerns Even just speaking with professor at office hours may allay concerns Work with classmates to come up with some

mutual questions or ideas and agree to raise them in class Speak to TAs or academic success faculty and have them work with you to prepare a particular case so that you feel comfortable raising your hand

Questions???
Go ahead speak out!

There are no wrong/bad/dumb questions