REMEMBERING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY? pot

Reading from Complete Text • Most people dislike listening to someone read a speech or presentation, even if the speaker makes a concerted effort to maintain eye contact with the audienc

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NÔNG LÂM THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH

PRESENTATIONAL SKILLS

By

Vo Van Viet

LECTURE 2 REMEMBERING WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY?

Techniques for Remembering

Speech Material

 The four most common methods of

remembering speech and

presentation material are the

1 Memorizing

• Perhaps the most difficult method of the four methods, memorizing is the technique many novice speakers start off with, because they are under the impression that this is how all speeches are prepared and delivered

• The most polished speakers forget their words halfway through

1 Memorizing (cont.)

• I actually do not recommend

memorizing your speech

• Although the outcome can be very effective, memorizing a speech word for word and then delivering it requires a lot of preparation and practice

1 Memorizing (cont.)

• First you must write or type out the speech Since most people do not write the way they speak , this creates and immediate problem

– For example, the use of gestures and proper voice inflection in conjunction with

a memorized speech tends to be very flat and unengaging

– Even if you are successful in using gestures and a lively tone of voice, it's entirely possible that you will forget

1 Memorizing (cont.)

• With memorizing, mental blocks are inevitable, and it is not a question of "Will you forget?" but

"when you will forget?" Can you memorize a speech? Yes Should you memorize a speech? I don't recommend it Speakers who rely strictly on memorization are setting themselves up for failure

2 Reading from Complete Text

• Most people dislike listening to someone read a speech or presentation, even if the speaker makes a concerted effort to maintain eye contact with the audience

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

• Your audience is just likely to end

up saying,"If all he is going to do was read his speech, I could have read it myself."

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

Following are the reasons I believe people read speeches poorly:

• The speaker loses normal voice

inflection because they lose touch with the ideas behind the words

• The test being read is usually not

written in the manner and style of spoken language Too often speakers write their speeches in "business language" that is often very difficult to read, much less listen to

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

• The speaker achieves little or no eye contact Any eye contact is with the manuscript and not with the audience To maintain eye contact with the audience and read text effectively takes a lot of practice You have to take

in several lines at a time and keep your place You are very likely to find yourself losing your place every time you look up to speak to the audience

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

If reading is absolutely necessary, here are some suggestions to make your reading sound more professional:

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

• Pay attention to your voice inflection To sound natural you need to rehearse often, checking yourself for pauses Ask yourself if your written words sound the way you would speak them Tape yourself and listen to your own voice Note where changes need to

be made with your voice inflection Try not to over inflect your voice or it will become distracting to your audience

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

• Say the words out loud As you're practicing your speech, read

it out loud several times so you can

inflections The more you practice reading, the more comfortable and familiar with the words you become Using this approach makes it easier

to read your speech and for the audience to listen to it

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

• Annotate your text Give yourself

cues for emphasis in the margin of your text For example, numbers are the easiest target words to say slowly and with emphasis You want to emphasize each syllable of any number word For example, if you have the word "fifty" in your speech, and it appears as 50, make it a note in the margin so you say

"fif-ty" when you get it

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

• Use gestures Many speakers are

so busy making sure they read the text correctly, they fail to communicate effectively with their body One strategy is to double space your typed text This leaves room for you to jot down notes and cues about which words to emphasize and gestures to accompany certain sentences, points,

or key messages

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

• Videotape yourself I still videotape

my speeches and presentations, especially those I deliver for the first time I recommend you sit down with pen and paper in your hand and take notes as you watch your video Watch the video several times, each time taking notes on different things you see Here is the process I use to review my videotapes:

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

• Review 1 - Watch the entire tape (alone) without being too critical Watch the tape as an audience might for the first time

• Review 2 - Darken the picture or turn you back to the television so you cannot see yourself but you can hear your voice Record on your notepad things you liked and disliked about your voice; for example listen to how you phrase your words and the inflection in your voice

2 Reading from Complete Text (cont.)

• Review 3 - Turn down the sound and

just watch yourself

• Review 4 - Watch the tape again with the volume turned up and take more notes See if there are any areas you missed during earlier reviews

• Review 5 _ Have someone else watch

the tape who will be honest and

objective, such as your spouse, child,

friend, and so on

Using Notes

• Notes capture the major sections and

main points of each section I recommend using either note or index cards

• This is the most common way to remember speech material

• Using notes has more advantages than reading because you use your normal voice inflection and make more effective eye contact with your audience

Using Notes (cont.)

Here are suggestions to consider if

you decide to use notes:

* Keep it brief - Don't write out

whole paragraphs of text Put only a few key words or phrases on each card, just enough to jog your memory Also put only one or two ideas on each card, and print large and neatly

so your notes are easy to read

Using Notes (cont.)

• Remember to number your note

cards! - Just in case you drop them

• Include quotes, statistics, and lists

- Don't include whole paragraphs of text

Using Notes (cont.)

• Leave your notes on the lectern or table as you're speaking and move away occasionally - Don't be afraid

to move away from your notes and get out of your comfort zone Too many speakers use the lectern to hide behind, and this restricts the use of your body If the notes are in your hand, you won't gesture as often

Using Notes (cont.)

• Practice using your note cards - Practice helps you analyze your note cards For example, if you find yourself reading from your note cards too much, reduce the amount

of written text on your cards

Using Notes (cont.)

• In some cases it's best to draw a sketch or diagram on your note cards Sometimes a simple drawing

is all you need to jog your memory

4 Using Visual Aids

• Simple visual aids effectively serve

as headings or subheadings on your topic and allow your audience

to visually see what you are discussing Create meaningful headings, and practice using only these headings as your cues

4 Using Visual Aids (cont.)

• Choosing the right visual aid for you presentation is as important as its design Following are tips to consider when using visual aids and notes:

4 Using Visual Aids (cont.)

• Use the KISS method - This is an acronym for "Keep it short and simple." Use no more than one idea per visual aid Use no more than six

or seven lines per visual aid and no more than six or seven words per line

4 Using Visual Aids (cont.)

• Use descriptive titles - The title of each visual aid should be a simplesummary of what is on the visual aid A clear title helps grab the attention of the audience and helps you and the audience remember your main message for that particular visual aid

4 Using Visual Aids (cont.)

• Use the same design for each of your visual aids - Use the same color, text size, and font type The idea is to be visually and stylistically consistent

4 Using Visual Aids (cont.)

• Make copies of your handouts - Make sure you bring enough for everyone , and always have extras I recommend

keeping a copy of your handouts for two reasons First, you have a copy to refer to during your presentation Also,

if you are using an overhead projector and it breaks or the bulb burns out and you don't have a replacement or time

to change to bulb, you can refer to your handouts without stopping the flow of your speech

4 Using Visual Aids (cont.)

• Proofread your visual aids -

grammatical errors Then proof again Then have someone else proofread them

• Having others proofread your slides helps you find other mistakes

4 Using Visual Aids (cont.)

• Keep in mind, your visual aids are

not limited to words They can also contain diagrams, drawings, pictures, or even objects

Regardless of the method you

material, nothing helps you more than proper planning, preparation, and practice