PUBLIC SPEAKING, ORAL COMMUNICATION, AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

This article presents a literature review on oratory, understood as a communicative competence relevant to personal, academic, and professional development. The study aims to analyze theoretical contributions regarding oratory, considering its historical foundations, its relationship with rhetoric, verbal and non-verbal communication, public speaking, and its importance in professional and digital contexts. The methodology consists of a literature review of classical and contemporary works, scientific articles, and academic materials published on rhetoric, orality, argumentation, communication, and bodily expressiveness, prioritizing publications from 2000 to 2026 without excluding fundamental classical authors. The discussion indicates that oratory—while historically associated with the art of speaking well—goes beyond the technical dimension of oral presentation, as it involves audience adaptation, discursive clarity, argumentative organization, emotional control, and vocal and bodily expressiveness. It is concluded that developing this skill contributes to shaping individuals who are more confident and critical, and capable of participating in various social situations mediated by the spoken word.