Best Public Speaking Classes NYC: Find Courses & Onsite Training

Learn More About NYC Public Speaking Courses

What is Public Speaking?

Traditionally referred to as oratory, public speaking is the art of delivering spoken content in a public setting. As a mode of shared communication, public speaking always involves a presenter (also sometimes termed the orator or speaker) and a listening audience, most often a live crowd or group. This art was largely developed in ancient Greece and China as a function of public debate.

While public speaking often implies performing formal speeches, this communicative umbrella term also includes skills like conducting interviews, directing meetings, and performing stand-up comedy. Unlike casual conversation, public speeches are generally structured to further a specific goal and require strategic delivery. Today, public speaking is popularly used to convey information, connect with others, facilitate ceremonies, persuade skeptics, motivate groups, and manage teams. Additionally, this art may be used to entertain or celebrate.

To achieve these goals, speakers rely on a combination of skills, including verbal performance, body language, audience analysis, rhetoric, and organization. Many public speaking events are carefully planned to achieve maximum impact, but impromptu speaking is an equally important skill for orators to develop, as many situations call for an unplanned speech.

Why Learn Public Speaking?

It’s easy to look at public speaking only as a scary event that you want to avoid at all costs, but in reality, learning public speaking has many benefits and can even give you greater confidence in social settings. In addition to helping you become a better presenter at work and school, public speaking is a great way to develop leadership skills such as empathy, reciprocity, assertiveness, organization, and time management.

Regardless of whether you need to give formal speeches or presentations at work, communication is one of the top-ranked skills by hiring managers, making it a vital skill for anyone looking to stand out in NYC’s saturated workforce. Furthermore, it’s only through outstanding communication skills that you can build and retain a robust professional network.

With plenty of perks for your personal life, these skills won’t just take you further in your job. More than 50% of New Yorkers struggle with loneliness, an experience that’s only exacerbated by social anxiety and communication difficulties. However, public speaking skills can help reverse isolation by giving you the skills to start and maintain conversations, respond meaningfully, and feel confident in the presence of strangers. Other broadly applicable communication skills that come from public speaking include the ability to present convincing arguments, motivate others, advocate effectively, convey complex information concisely, and solve problems on the spot.

What You’ll Learn in a Public Speaking Class?

As you empower yourself through public speaking, you’ll learn a handful of new skills that will bring your communication to life and set you on a path to greater success. Most public speaking classes explore skills in three overarching areas. These include crushing performance anxiety, perfecting your delivery, and mastering speech structures. Depending on your course, you may also delve into additional niche topics, such as how to conduct an interview, settle a debate, or give an unplanned speech.

How to Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety

Getting past nerves is an important aspect of public speaking that shouldn’t be overlooked. While strategies vary widely from class to class, most public speaking classes include a segment devoted to learning strategies to help you feel composed while speaking. These often include management tactics such as preparing your speech in advance and practicing effectively. In addition, you may learn techniques such as mindful breathing and visualization, both aimed at helping you stay grounded while performing. Once you’ve mastered these key basics, you’ll likely delve into delivery strategies that enable you to project confidence and authority to your audience.

Delivery Techniques

Because 55% of communication is nonverbal, public speaking is more than just speaking out loud to a crowd. To keep audiences engaged, you’ll need to master nonverbal communication skills such as body language, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and using physical space in your presentation. Along with these skills, public speaking classes will teach you how to interact with an audience, answer unexpected questions, and make use of participation. You’ll also have the opportunity to fine-tune your vocal delivery (38% of communication) through attention to tone, pitch, and pause.

How to Structure Your Speech Effectively

When information is delivered in a disorderly fashion (whether in the wrong order or with vital details left out), listeners are left confused and disconnected. Public speaking can help you mesmerize your audience with sound narrative structure, relevant context, and vivid descriptive words. In addition to helping you hold your audience’s attention, effective storytelling techniques can help you engage compellingly with controversial or otherwise complex topics in a way that keeps listeners invested. In class, you’ll also grow familiar with persuasive strategies and basic rhetoric concepts such as logos, ethos, and pathos.

Other Niche Public Speaking Skills

Some public speaking classes are oriented towards a niche type of public speaking, such as debate, stand-up comedy, or business presentations. These courses often include additional skills such as:

Interview skills
Sales presentation skills
Entertainment speaking
Debate skills
Impromptu speaking
PowerPoint presentation skills
Digital or remote communication
Conflict resolution

Is It Difficult to Learn Public Speaking?

With 25% of people afraid to speak to a crowd, public speaking is one the number one phobia in America. As a result, many people find that managing performance anxiety is the most difficult aspect of learning public speaking. Because each person’s tolerance for anxiety is different, the time it takes to master public speaking can vary extensively.

The second most challenging aspect of public speaking is conditioning your body to communicate alongside your spoken message. This involves training your voice as well as developing muscle memory for body language and gestures. When it comes to these skills, practice is your road to success.

While there’s much about public speaking that’s difficult, some aspects are incredibly easy and can take less than a day to learn. For instance, anyone can master the art of structuring a speech, practicing the performance, and visualizing concepts while speaking very quickly.

In addition to considering the difficulty level of individual skills, it’s also worthwhile to assess other factors that may influence your ease of learning. Public speaking can be made more challenging by factors like:

Disabilities, including speech disorders
Lack of self-confidence
Bad past experiences with public speaking
Language barriers

How Long Will It Take to Learn Public Speaking?

While some people can master public speaking in just a few days, others take months to learn as they work to overcome performance anxiety or other obstacles. Because public speaking is made up of soft skills, practicing is the best way to become adept at this art. With time, a practiced speaker will become skilled at actively engaging their audiences. In addition, they’ll develop muscle memory around nonverbal communication techniques.

The fastest way to learn public speaking is to join a class where you’ll have the opportunity to receive feedback.

What are the Advantages of Taking a Public Speaking Class?

Although you can learn preparatory skills such as speech structure and rhetoric without a teacher’s help, there’s no substitute for receiving real-time feedback on your delivery and performance. An instructor can help you pinpoint what’s going wrong and give you relevant tools and exercises to help you improve. This personalized feedback makes a huge difference in how quickly you’ll be able to advance as a speaker.

In addition, an instructor can motivate you to keep going when you’re discouraged and help you to tackle your fears. Helping to make your discomfort bearable, you’ll also have the company of classmates who are going through the same stresses as you. Opportunities to connect with new friends can help beat loneliness and add color to your life.

What Type of Public Speaking Class is Right for Me?

With multiple class formats and subtopics to choose from, public speaking classes are more accessible than they’ve ever been. You can choose from a variety of different class types to customize your learning journey to your distinctive needs and goals. Expert-led in-person and online public speaking classes each have unique merits that may make one style more adaptive to your lifestyle.

The social environment provided by in-person public speaking courses is perfect for anyone motivated by face-to-face feedback and group support. With a full view of your speech, in-person instructors are better equipped to clue you into quirks in your body language that may affect your speaking persona. In addition, you’ll have numerous chances to ask questions and the opportunity to practice speaking in front of an in-person crowd. The main downside that comes with these classes is the additional time commitment necessary for traveling to a physical location in NYC.

Virtual classes offer a convenient alternative if you’re short on time or find it difficult to travel. There are two main types of online classes, and you’ll want to be sure to read class descriptions carefully to ensure you’re signing up for what you intend.

Immersive and interactive, live online public speaking courses are the closest rival to in-person courses and give you the real-time experience of talking with instructors and performing speeches in front of a live (albeit virtual) audience. These courses are typically hosted on video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and don’t require a commute. While instructors can provide feedback, they won’t always be able to pick up on all body language due to the limitations of small screens.

On-demand (or asynchronous) courses are the most flexible way to learn public speaking but also the least effective. These courses provide instruction via self-study materials, pre-recorded videos, and practice assignments and enable you to learn on your own time. While participating in an on-demand course, you won’t need to commute or even attend scheduled classes. However, you’ll have limited access to instructors and won’t be able to receive as much feedback.

Best Public Speaking Classes in NYC

Thanks to NYC’s rich drama culture and diverse business economy, the city has more public speaking classes for in-person learners than most other cities in America. Participating in a face-to-face class is a great way to connect with other locals and get real-time feedback on your performance. In the Big Apple and NJ, you’ll find a diverse selection of public speaking classes, from courses that focus on presentations, interview skills, persuasive speaking, or conflict resolution to those that tackle public speaking more generally.

Enjoy an experience-building Intro to Public Speaking course when you sign up to learn at Noble Desktop, one of the top-rated training schools in NYC. Right in Manhattan, you learn how to vanquish the social anxieties that crop up when you speak in public and gain skills for impactful speaking. Along with practicing voice skills and developing engaging body language, experts will teach you reciprocal skills for connecting better with audiences. You’ll learn how to read a room, adapt to diverse groups, and harness audience interaction effectively. To help you deliver more valuable content, this course also covers strategies for structuring an effective speech and techniques for creating evocative PowerPoint presentations.

Many people find that their voices and opinions often go unheard, leaving them feeling undervalued and isolated. If this sounds familiar, why not learn how to harness public speaking for persuasive purposes? In the heart of Manhattan, Melini Group offers an Influence in Communication course that focuses on structuring spoken content for maximum impact. Students explore the importance of logic and coherence in argumentation and learn how to appeal to an audience’s emotions without losing authenticity. To make it even easier to harness these strategies, this class also tackles the art of analyzing audiences and catering to specific values.

Whether you want to get a better job, host a podcast, or simply develop more meaningful friendships, learning interview skills can get you far. From their beautiful building on Lafayette St, DCTV provides courses exploring the Art of the Interview. After learning how to plan an interview, determine boundaries, and weigh relevant ethical questions, participants will explore strategies for connecting with an interviewee, including how to respond to unexpected problems. For those who are especially interested in conducting recorded interviews, there will also be plenty of tips on how to set up recording equipment and adapt to remote environments.

In Melville, NYC, Speak from Within has a variety of public speaking courses on offer. These include generalized public speaking classes as well as niche classes focusing on topics like storytelling and conflict resolution. In the regularly scheduled Conflict Resolution & Speaking Up workshop, students learn anxiety-fighting strategies for overcoming conflict avoidance. In addition, this course offers guidance on how to speak up in difficult scenarios and provides students with plenty of practice. As they learn how to set and maintain healthy boundaries, participants develop greater self-confidence and life satisfaction.

Need strategies for dealing with speaking anxiety? Through Public Speaking NYC, students of all temperaments can succeed in a Full-day Public Speaking Class. Encouraging instructor Herman Otten can help individuals unlock their inner charisma and improve their presentation skills. Using mental visualization strategies, participants use their imaginations to summon inner confidence during a speech. In addition, students learn how to create more bewitching speeches through the use of voice (tonality), posture, and content structure.

Interested in working with a private coach to improve your presentation and communication skills? Cool Communicator LLC has Public Speaking Coaching and Presentation Training that allows NYC locals to meet one-on-one with a coach who can custom-fit a training regimen for their unique goals. Mentees in this course can learn how to speak in public with poise, authority, and cohesion. If desired, they may also explore techniques for connecting with others in conversation, enabling them to build a strong network, nail interviews, and respond to questions off the cuff. Additionally, coaching may delve into how students can stand up for themselves and take on leadership roles.

For many people, presentations play a major role in outcomes at work and school, such that poor public speaking skills can downplay their successes in other areas.

Luckily, anyone can learn how to give High Impact Presentations with help from The Dale Carnegie Training of Northern NJ. Learners who join this course will not only develop skills for maintaining composure under stress but will learn how to convey and generate authentic enthusiasm in their audience. With persuasion-oriented techniques, students will also become proficient at convincing people to coincide with their views and take action. Moreover, the course will offer plenty of strategies for structuring a speech as well as tips for how to distill complex ideas for lay audiences. While students with social anxiety are certainly welcome in this course, the curriculum was designed for students with a basic tolerance level for public speaking.

Live Online Public Speaking Classes

Even though in-person courses come with more obvious benefits, live online courses offer a top-notch training experience built on interaction, practice, and feedback. These flexible courses also make learning more accessible for those who aren’t prepared to leave home to learn public speaking. NYC has oodles of remote public speaking classes to choose from, with topics ranging from public speaking generally to more specific needs like beating speaking anxiety, developing an authoritative presence, and elevating your digital presentations. There are even online public speaking classes designed especially for kids.

You won’t have to sacrifice training quality when you sign up to learn public speaking through NYIM Training, a leading online educator for all things professional and personal development. Their live online Intro to Public Speaking course will help you build confidence and muscle memory as you engage with hands-on assignments. Get ready to practice vocal skills and body language right alongside techniques for engaging diverse audiences. With guidance from NYIM Training’s experts, you’ll grow comfortable reading a room, adjusting your strategy on the fly, and using audience interaction to your advantage. For even higher-impact presentations, you’ll also learn how to organize speeches cogently, along with the most effective strategies for creating a captivating PowerPoint presentation.

For highly anxious students whose main goal is to develop tolerance toward public speaking, a regular public speaking class may not be the right fit. Zenspeak Public Speaking Center offers a therapist-led class designed to decrease anxiety through gradual exposure. In Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear, students learn public speaking in baby steps, enabling students with anxiety to develop both confidence and skills at the same time. In this low-pressure environment, students work up from simply getting used to hearing their voices out loud to holding their own in a formal debate. As a bonus, this course also explores skills for carrying out everyday conversations and resolving conflict.

Spend a lot of time stressing over how to optimize virtual presentations for work or school? Consider joining the American Management Association for a dedicated training course on public speaking for digital audiences. In Ace Your Virtual Presentations: A Hands-On Workshop, students master relevant public speaking strategies, including tricks for responding to difficult questions, getting past anxiety, and moderating online discussions. Each student will receive plenty of feedback as they practice delivering clear, informative, and meaningful presentations. For smoother online presentations, participants also get comfortable using relevant technology, including microphones, cameras, chat, handouts, and slide decks.

Commerce professionals who are interested in improving their Sales Presentation Skills can sign up for Improving Communications’ dedicated class on the topic. Both for small business owners and sales executives looking to level up, this class is a great resource for learning how to meaningfully connect with customers. To better engage with customers’ values, students will learn how to research clients, listen thoughtfully, and convey expertise through solutions that meet real needs. In addition to learning how to direct constructive meetings, they’ll utilize problem-solving skills and dynamic storytelling to build rapport and generate positive emotional responses. By the end of the course, graduates are better equipped to convince even the most skeptical people to buy their products.

It’s easy to accidentally underperform in professional situations due to stress and overthinking about social scenarios. Exec-Comm has a special Executive Presence class designed to help individuals develop a confident, warm, and authoritative presence that can help them nail professional leadership. The skills taught in this class are incredibly useful for anyone looking to curate a personal brand, overcome social anxiety, or perform well in high-pressure leadership roles. Executives in this course learn grounding skills that they can call upon whenever needed, including breathing techniques that cut down on anxiety and help clarify muddy thoughts. In addition, they’ll learn how to build social connections through relational body language and appeals to the five senses, as well as practice planning presentations for easy-to-understand delivery.

Know a child who could benefit from learning public speaking? Through Young Gates, kids aged 11 through 18 can participate in a fun-filled Camp: Kids Presentation / Public Speaking Skills set in a live online classroom. This interactive course is designed to help young kids build communication skills, including tonality, rhythm, engaging body language, and speech structure.

Using audience analysis and the Borden Formula, kids prepare and practice giving public speeches covering subjects they’re passionate about. To give each child the best chance at success, this course also taps into strategies for coping with stage fright.

NYC Public Speaking Courses by School

Here are some of the top NYC schools offering Public Speaking training, including Zenspeak - Public Speaking Center (2 courses), Public Speaking NYC (2 courses), and Dale Carnegie Training of Northern NJ (2 courses). We’ve also included 1 school that offer live online courses you can take from anywhere, including NYC.

Noble Desktop

NYC location: 185 Madison Avenue, New York, NY

Founded in 1990, Noble Desktop offers part-time and full-immersion courses on anything you can think of from design and coding to business. Located in New York City and providing courses both online and in-person, Noble Desktop prides itself on accommodating dynamic courses and bootcamps with hands-on learning, time-tested curriculums, and education from top industry experts.
- Intro to Public Speaking
  - 6 Hours
  - $399
Zenspeak - Public Speaking Center

NYC location: 131 W 72nd St, New York, New York

Zenspeak - Public Speaking Center is a Los Angeles-based educational institute offering public speaking courses for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. From introductory courses to intense one-on-one tutoring, Zenspeak offers workshops on techniques and strategies for public speaking, including audience engagement, developing a powerful voice, and creating impactful presentations. With the help of experienced professionals, Zenspeak provides an ideal learning environment to help individuals gain the skills and confidence needed to master the art of public speaking.
- Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear - Boston
  - 15 Hours
  - $425
- Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear Not currently offered
  - 15 Hours
  - $425
- Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear - Trial Not currently offered
  - 1 Hour
  - $25
Exec-Comm

NYC location: 1040 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York

Exec-Comm is a professional development institution offering customized courses in communication and leadership skills. Featured training includes small group workshops and one-on-one coaching sessions for businesses, nonprofits, and individuals. Courses focus on communication best practices, presentation skills, professional presence, sales pitches, and more.
- Executive Presence
  - 4 Hours
  - $575
Improving Communications

NYC location: 105 Haven Avenue, Port Washington, New York

Improving Communications is a professional school based in New York City that specializes in enhancing communications skills and furthering business etiquette training. They offer courses such as Executive Presence, Professional & Social Media Mastery, Professional Presentations, and more. Their industry-leading curriculum is led by experienced communication specialists, helping participants to present their most polished and professional selves.
- Introduction to Public Speaking
  - 4 Hours
  - $399
- Sales Presentation Skills
  - 4 Hours
  - $499
Training Connection

Los Angeles location: 915 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, California

Training Connection focuses on providing incoming students with computer and business skills training in Chicago and Los Angeles. They provide face-to-face instructor learning and an interactive working environment. They offer courses that dive deep into Adobe, Microsoft Office, Web Design, Web Development, and Business Skills.
- Effective Business Communication Not currently offered
  - 4 Hours
  - $575
Public Speaking NYC

NYC location: 520 8th Ave, New York, New York

Public Speaking NYC provides high-end public speaking and communication courses that help individuals become confident presenters. They specialize in helping professionals make persuasive and powerful presentations, as well as host Q&A sessions and media coaching courses. Specific courses include Presentation Skills, PowerPoint Prep, and Elevator Pitch Practice.
- Public Speaking Not currently offered
  - 7 Hours
  - $497
- Full-day public speaking class Not currently offered
  - 7 Hours
  - $497
Dale Carnegie Training of Northern NJ

NYC location: 1140 Bloomfield Ave, Caldwell, New Jersey

Dale Carnegie Training of Northern NJ provides comprehensive, hands-on instruction in both corporate and personal development. Through their public and on-site courses, they offer training in areas such as communication, leadership and networking, team-building, problem-solving, and managing stress. With a wide range of course topics and programs, they encourage students to develop their strengths in a variety of settings.
- Public Speaking Mastery Not currently offered
  - 16 Hours
  - $2,095
- High Impact Presentations Not currently offered
  - 16 Hours
  - $2,195

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Intro to Public Speaking Learn The Skills Guarantee™

Zenspeak - Public Speaking Center Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear - Boston

Exec-Comm Executive Presence

Improving Communications Introduction to Public Speaking

Learn Public Speaking

Improving Communications Sales Presentation Skills

Training Connection Effective Business Communication Not currently offered

Zenspeak - Public Speaking Center Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear Not currently offered

Public Speaking NYC Public Speaking Not currently offered

Dale Carnegie Training of Northern NJ Public Speaking Mastery Not currently offered

Dale Carnegie Training of Northern NJ High Impact Presentations Not currently offered

Key Insights

Learn More About NYC Public Speaking Courses

What is Public Speaking?

Why Learn Public Speaking?

What You’ll Learn in a Public Speaking Class?

How to Overcome Public Speaking Anxiety

Delivery Techniques

How to Structure Your Speech Effectively

Other Niche Public Speaking Skills

Is It Difficult to Learn Public Speaking?

How Long Will It Take to Learn Public Speaking?

What are the Advantages of Taking a Public Speaking Class?

What Type of Public Speaking Class is Right for Me?

Best Public Speaking Classes in NYC

Live Online Public Speaking Classes

NYC Public Speaking Courses by School

Noble Desktop

Intro to Public Speaking

Zenspeak - Public Speaking Center

Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear - Boston

Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear Not currently offered

Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear - Trial Not currently offered

Exec-Comm

Executive Presence

Improving Communications

Introduction to Public Speaking

Sales Presentation Skills

Training Connection

Effective Business Communication Not currently offered

Public Speaking NYC

Public Speaking Not currently offered

Full-day public speaking class Not currently offered

Dale Carnegie Training of Northern NJ

Public Speaking Mastery Not currently offered

High Impact Presentations Not currently offered

NYC Public Speaking Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Public Speaking Training Locations in or Near NYC

Training Connection Effective Business Communication
Not currently offered

Zenspeak - Public Speaking Center Overcome Your Public Speaking Fear
Not currently offered

Public Speaking NYC Public Speaking
Not currently offered

Dale Carnegie Training of Northern NJ Public Speaking Mastery
Not currently offered

Dale Carnegie Training of Northern NJ High Impact Presentations
Not currently offered

NYC Public Speaking
Corporate & Onsite Training