“UH’S . . . , UM’S . . . , OK’S,
AND YOU KNOW’S’’
It’ s common for teachers, especially early in their careers when they are unaccustomed to public speaking and are presenting information for the first time, to use certain phrases or words that are distracting to listeners. The most common are “uh . . . , “ ” um . . . , “” OK, “and “you know ,” but there are others that also unknowingly creep into our vocabulary. There is a reason for using these words-they allow us to stall for time as we think about what we want to say next. It’s natural. It’s also distracting. One of the quickest ways to discover these habits is to audio – or video tape a lesson to determine if any of these habits have crept into our instruction. If they have, simply becoming aware of them is often enough to eliminate them from our speech. In some cases, however, a habit has become so ingrained that it won’t go away. Fortunately, there is an effective technique for eliminating these habits. Select a class you work well with. Ask them to help you