Public speaking is a very valuable skill to have.
From delivering speeches to clients/business partners, to acing that big interview, properly developed speaking skills will always serve you well.
Thankfully, there are a wide variety of amazing free public speaking classes and tips available online to help you become a pro on your own time.
Public Speaking by Sarah Lloyd-Hughes
Lloyd-Hughes is the author of the book “How to Be Brilliant at Public Speaking: Any Audience, Any Time.”
Currently, you can have a free six-week online course delivered to your email just by joining her mailing list.
The course contains instructions on how to develop your public speaking capabilities with an emphasis on using brevity and intensity to drive your point in to an audience.
The University of Washington (Coursera)
To get a college level course for absolutely no cost, make sure to check out the material provided by the University of Washington.
Designed to help students more effectively communicate ideas verbally, everything from the speech preparation process to the final delivery approach is covered, so you can be sure the time you spend will show major progress in your public speaking skills.
Toastmaster’s International
Toastmasters is one of the largest public speaking groups in the world.
If you are close enough to one of their clubs around the world, you can attend a course in person; but they also offer great public speaking resources, tips and articles on their website, with a good variety of topics to choose from.
The Accidental Communicator Blog
With over 20 years of public speaking coaching experience, Dr. Jim Anderson knows what he’s talking about.
With his frequent posts on his Accidental Communicator Blog, Dr. Anderson has helped people/employees around the world communicate more effectively.
Professor Chris Haroun on Udemy
Professor Chris Haroun, recently uploaded his course to the Learn by Example section of the site: “Give Amazing Presentations and Enjoy Public Speaking.”
Haroun analyzes some of the best speeches of all time (including ones from the likes of Ronald Reagan and Steve Jobs) and provides a number of lessons to become a better public speaker.
“Talk the Talk” by FutureLearn
Possibly the most interactive learning tool on this list, the course helps you communicate with fellow students in order to build your communication skills and get you comfortable with speaking to an audience of your peers.
For those who have a hard time learning things from behind the sometimes anti-social screen of a computer, this course should be right up your alley.
Public Speaking Course Through Saylor Academy
For those looking to explore the various theories and principles associated with the art of public speaking, this course on Saylor Academy is just what you’ve been searching for.
The course is designed in accordance to the teachings of the textbook “Stand Up, Speak Out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking” and Stephen Lucas’s “The Art of Public Speaking.”
With over 90 hours of total learning material to navigate, this is one of the more ambitious free public speaking tools out there.
The Public Speaking Project
It is described by its creators as “an assortment of virtual tools to help users improve their public speaking skills, offered by a variety of speech professionals who are dedicated to providing free and low cost instructional materials.”
Through the website you’ll have immediate access to free public speaking related e-Text Books, video modules, and exercises.