Help: Giving presentations/speeches

Subject: Giving presentations/speeches
From: GUEST,ATTICUS
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 11:30 PM

Does anyone have any suggestions or tips for doing oral presentations for school? thanks Atti.

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 11:45 PM

Do not use a lot of fancy powerpoint presentations. Better to show a movie. Do not read your overheads to the kids, they can do that, and its boring. Discuss the content, and use the overheads to keep you on track and as a check that you have covered all the points you wish to put across. Keep your message clear and give good information. Use actual references to situations when making your main points. Illustrate with your experience, and allow some examples from the floor. Good eye contact with your students is important. Watch for puzzled looks and seek out those students afterwards, they may not have understood and be too embarrased to ask. Use some positive emotion do not be a bland speaker. If you are asked a question you do not know the answer to, note the student and say you will look up the answer afterwards and pass it on. Do not try and bullshit your way through...Do not make excuses for problems, humour is a better alternative.. Yours,Aye Dave

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From:
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 11:47 PM

1 - Know what you are saying, but don't be regimented. Be prepared to change it at a moment's notice.
2 - Speak slowly. It's REALLY, REALLY hard to understand. You might be speaking at what you THINK is your normal speed of speech, but it's usually too fast. Speak about HALF as fast as you think you normally speak.
3 - LOOK out at the audience occasionally. They don't really want to see the top of your head while you look at your material (see item 1)
4 - Show and speak confidently, but not in a monotone.

There are probably other tips, but that's all I can think of at 1AM

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: Crowhugger
Date: 16 Feb 00 - 11:48 PM

Practise till you puke!

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 12:00 AM

Can't tell if you are student, teacher, or presenter. Sometimes it's helpful to pick out 3 or 4 (NOT 1) people in the audience and make eye contact; talk directly to them. If you pick out just one, he/she will feel like you are staring at he/she.

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: Amos
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 12:56 AM

Speak to someone, real or imagined, who is in the back, someone whom it is important to reach, so your voice drives fully to the back of the room because you mean it to.

Say things you find interesting, so others also will.
If you _are_ using slides, don't clutter them up with too much text.

If you're nervouse, go through it again until you can see every step in your mind with great clarity.

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 01:41 AM

First, care more about the subject than about how you will do as a presenter. The passion will carry the day, more than the skills.

Once I had a BIG one to do for real important folks, and I was terrified despite lots of moxie and experience. I defused the nerves by being the one to stand at the door, hand out handouts, and welcome people and encourage them to sit in the front. By the time I had to speak, they were nearly all people I had already exchanged a word with. This worked a zillion times better than imagining them in their undies, another popular ice breaker for the speaker (unless you just start laughing and can't stop). This can be adapted to whatever situation you are in.

Also it works well in some situations to ask those present to introducre themselves to you and share one brief thought that is related to the topic (you specify what they should share about.) If the group is large, you just ask the ones sitting in every fourth seat to share what they are hoping to get out of your talk.

Finally, it is OK under many circumstances to tell people you are nervous/inexperienced/whatever. They will always cut you osme slack. (Not done in formal settings tho.)

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: M. Ted (inactive)
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 01:15 PM

I taught public speaking, and I can tell you from experience that the advice Praise gives is the best---

Meeting people at the door is brilliant--you get warmed up and they audience gets to know you and when you stand up to speak, you are familiar--

Also critical--asking your audience to tell you what they know--The biggest mistake that people make when they present is to assume that the audience knows more than they do, the second biggest is to assume that they know less than they do--With kids, speakers often fail to make their content age appropriate--when you let the kids tell you what they know, you can adjust your presentation to them-- Make sure you are in control all the time though--you should ask the questions, and don't be afraid to cut someone off (politely of course) if they start to go on too long--Watch the TV talk show hosts that let their audiences talk, like Ricky Lake or Jerry Springer to learn how it's done--

Two more tips--don't talk too long--people get bored, and they learn to tune you out at a very young age, and talk to the middle and the back of the room, as well--

Good luck!!!

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 01:19 PM

Also really important-- think about effective presentations you have attended. What did you like about the effect the presentation had, and what did the presenter do and NOT DO that allowed that? And how can you apply this to your style and your situation?

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: selby
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 01:36 PM

Keep the salient points of your presentation on postcard size pieces of card in order as you cover each point loose that piece of card. At the start of your presentation tell them what it is about, how long it will last, you will answer questions at the end. If a question is asked and you do not know the answer take the questioners name and tell them you will find out within the next 24 hours. DO NOT BLUFF. Keith

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: Fortunato
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 01:45 PM

Crowhugger has the silver key: Practise. But listen to yourself as you do, do not just regurgitate lines.

Next. The gold key is simple but harder: If your subject engages you, motivates you, let the audience feel it. Communicate your enthusiasm.

Imagine Bruce Lee talking about a side thrust kick. "Not just fast, not just hard, not just perfect form, but also EMOTIONAL CONTENT!"

Good Luck, Fortunato

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: GUEST,emily b
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 06:12 PM

There is a wonderful organization called Toastmasters International (you can find them on the web). It is worldwide and has thousands of clubs. Perhaps there is a club in your area. There may be several. If public speaking is something you will need to do more in the future, I'd check it out. My club is a very safe place to practise the speaking skills. It's like being in a voice class. You practise in front of a "audience" that is knowledgable enough to give good feedback.

I find public speaking to be very similar to singing. Many of the same principles. Conquering nerves the biggest. But Toastmasters teaches the importance of vocal variety, gestures, eye contact, emotion behind the words, etc. And just like with public speaking, I need to practise performing my singing also.

As others have said, don't bury your face in your notes. Try to practise enough so that you only need a few key words to trigger your memory. You can memorize a speech, just think of all the songs you have memorized whether you know it or not. Don't turn your back on your audience as you try to point out something on a display. You need to talk to audience. The projector screen doesn't need to hear you.

Also try to practise eliminating the um's, you know's, etc. out of your speech. A silent pause is much better than trying to fill in the silence.

Practise is the key. Good luck.

Emily

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: paddymac
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 06:25 PM

I have done a great deal of public speaking in the technical and political realms, and must concur with all of the advice given above. Each presentation has a distinct purpose and your first job is to decide how best to achieve that purpose. Your approach will likely vary according to your purpose, but the best general rule is to let your audience know that you care about their needs, and that you need their help to succeed in meeting their needs. Mostly, relax and have fun.

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: GUEST,Willie-O
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 06:32 PM

Don't try to make too many points of apparently equal importance. If someone remembers, one year later, one thing you said, that's a highly successful presentation.

During my rather brief career as an educator I went to a lot of workshops...(haven't we all) probably the best one I ever saw was on the subject of public relations. The presenter used a lot of humour to reinforce a few main points. (This was more than ten years ago) Number one was: the most important test of any organization in the public eye, like a school board or something, is how they follow up a major blunder. A prompt, sincere apology and taking genuine corrective measures, will leave most people with a higher opinion of your organization than they started with.""

Now that was a successful presentation! I even remember a couple of other things he said, but that's a piece of wisdom that I've carried with me ever since.

Willie-O

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 17 Feb 00 - 07:12 PM

Atticus, I suggest you make sure your fly is done up.

LN

Subject: RE: Help: Giving presentations/speeches
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 18 Feb 00 - 07:44 AM

Atticus; I have given hundreds of talks to professional organizations, college and church groups. I was not trained in any class but had a very dear friend who said, "knowledge not shared is wasted". What I did before giving my first talk was to ask God to give me that which would be most helpful for this particular group at this time. I said a prayer and asked that my ego be set aside until the talk was over. I asked if there were any questions every 15 min. or so as I know it helps to keep things clear in the minds of the listeners. I never used notes. Know your subject if possible. I have always found the listeners to be loving and patient, just as I would act as a member of an audience. Don't think about how you appear, just remember that you are there to share your knowledge with those who are anxious to hear you. If you goof in any way, you will find the audience will only feel more connected with you for being like anyone else. The main thing is to be able to know that the sharing is more important than the wee mistake you may make. It is so wonderful to feel the love of the audience that the dread melts away very fast.

Your gonna do just fine. Enjoy every minute of it. Blessings, Reta