Tài liệu Powerful Presentations: Seven steps to successful Speaking pdf

Anticipate the receptiveness of various audience members toyour purpose and content.. As a speaker, your purpose is to increase the number ofaudience members, a group of students, who vo

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3EVEN 3TEPS TO 3UCCESSFUL 3PEAKING

Powerful Presentations will help all speakers improve their oral

language skills — their ability to plan and deliver presentations

with efficiency, confidence, and influence To show you the best

way to become a more accomplished speaker, the book focuses

on specific strategies used by successful presenters andchallenges you to choose helpful strategies before, during, andafter your presentation

7

SETTING FUTUREGOALS

1

WHYPRESENTATIONS?

2

SELECTINGCONTENT

3

CONSIDERING VOICEAND ILLUSTRATIONS

3 Considering Voice and Illustrations

Emotion and Humor 8

Show As Well As Tell 9

6 Assessing Impact

Assessment of Content and Delivery 16 Assessment of the Presentation’s Influence 19

7 Setting Future Goals 22

Using What You’ve Learned 21 SUPPORTING STUDENT PRESENTERS 24 REPRODUCIBLE PAGES 25

INDEX 30

Purpose, Audience, and Environment

More than one comedian has observed that many of us would

rather die than speak in public You will be increasingly

confident in your presentations if you implement strategies

used by effective speakers Effective presentations are planned

presentations By thinking about why you are presenting, you

have begun the process of presenting successfully

All oral presentations have content Obviously, you are

planning to talk about something However, content is not

enough If you simply present information on a topic such as

nutrition, climate change, vacations, or a favorite book or

movie, you may enhance your audience’s understanding, but

will you change their behavior?

Effective oral presentations focus on a clearly defined purpose

The speaker intends that the audience will do something with

the information For topics listed above, purposes might be to eat

a balanced diet, to recycle and take public transit more

frequently, to travel to Morocco, to read Bridge to Terabithia by

Katherine Paterson, and to stay away from an inferior film In

employment settings, speakers often challenge colleagues to work

together toward shared goals or outcomes For instance, asupervisor wants sales staff to greet customers when they enterthe store In all of these examples, the speaker should not settle

on having the audience do no more than listen; the speakerexpects specific action As you begin to plan a presentation,clearly identify your purpose or purposes

Effective oral presentations also respond to the interests andneeds of an audience Remember that all of us typicallyconsider how any proposed action will affect us personally

Often people have concerns about a proposed change

Depending on their background, different audience memberswill have different concerns For instance, if you are advocating

a selected computer program for reporting sales results, theconcerns raised by someone who is afraid to use computers will

be different from those who are comfortable with them

Anticipate the receptiveness of various audience members toyour purpose and content Consider use of a survey such as thefollowing as one tool to learn about current understandings,

As a speaker, your purpose is to increase the number of

audience members, a group of students, who volunteer for

community agencies and who can state at least one reason for

volunteering:

Audience Survey

If you are presenting to a small group, survey the entire group

if you can If you are speaking to a large group, survey 20 or 30

individuals from the group or individuals similar to the group

that you are addressing For the above example about

volunteering, be sure to survey students since that group will be

your audience What knowledge and concerns does the surveyreveal? How will you respond?

Finally, as you plan, consider important aspects of yourspeaking environment that will help you achieve your purposewith your target audience:

than required.)

present what?

seating arrangements?

supervisor, expert?

What options do you have about the speaking environment ofyour presentation? What are the givens? What decisions willyou make about environment so that your audience will bemore receptive to the action that you will advocate?

1 WHY PRESENTATIONS

VOLUNTEERING SURVEY

1 In the past year, on average, how many hours per week did

you donate to volunteering? _

2 Why is it important for young people to volunteer?

3 What concerns do you have about volunteering?

A critically important characteristic of powerful presentations is

the speaker’s careful, specific selection of content Experts warn

about including too much information You need to be selective

— limit yourself to three or four key points

Ideas and Details

How familiar are you with the content of your presentation?

On a blank piece of paper, list topics that you feel strongly

about such as smoking, pet peeves, or perhaps a controversial

issue in your community If you are the leader of a group that

seeks to achieve certain goals, list them On another sheet of

paper, list one topic (what you will be speaking about) and

clearly identify your purpose (what you want the audience to

do) If your topic is smoking, your purpose might be to

decrease the amount of smoking among audience members

With pet peeves, you might wish to discourage sending jokes by

e-mail In a group or work setting, your purpose might be to

have everyone use a new computer program to communicate

On your own or with a partner, brainstorm and list points on

the page that may relate to your topic and purpose

You may need to complete research on your topic with print,human, and media resources Whether or not you need tocomplete research, you need to select three or four key pointsand ensure that you have adequate, relevant details for eachpoint The following chart emphasizes key questions as it helpsyou gather, select, and organize your content If you anticipatequestions about your topic, you will be more responsive toaudience members and therefore more likely to achieve yourpurpose Note details related to each question If you are short

on details, you need to do additional research

Speakers should remember that planning begins with thebody of the presentation rather than the introduction Thechart helps you to ensure that you have key questions andadequate details related to your topic, purpose, and audience.Once you are clear about content, your introduction will bemuch easier to compose The chart illustrates content related tothe Volunteering Survey included earlier in the book

6

● Volunteers contribute their time

and talent without monetary compensation.

● Many organizations depend on

volunteers and could not operate without them.

PLANNING CONTENT FOR A PRESENTATION

QUESTION: What are the benefits

of young people’s volunteering?

● Volunteers express satisfaction in supporting important causes and helping others.

● Volunteers use their strengths and develop new skills.

● Volunteers have advantages when applying for jobs.

QUESTION: Why do young people

not volunteer?

● Many state a lack of time (Many

organizations offer flexible hours.)

● Young volunteers are afraid to

make the commitment.

(Consider how your life will be enriched.)

● Many do not know how to

volunteer.

TOPIC — Volunteering PURPOSE(S) — 1 To increase amount of volunteering in audience.

2 To increase numbers of audience members who can identify reasons and benefits of volunteering.

AUDIENCE’S CONCERNS — Lack of time and understanding of how to volunteer.

QUESTION: How do young people find the best volunteering options?

● Complete a web search of volunteering needs in your community.

● Identify your area of interest such

as hospitals, immigrants, the environment.

● Talk to friends who volunteer.

● Learn about time commitments, support, and benefits offered by the organization.

Emotion and Humor

An effective presentation conveys the speaker’s honest

emotional response to the content Often the key is to include

anecdotes, stories, and personal observations to illustrate key

points that you want to make It is even better when the stories

emerge from your own experience rather than being repeated

from other sources Audiences usually respond positively when

you are willing to risk inclusion of stories that illustrate your

own struggles, uncertainties, doubts, and mistakes Since you

expect your audience to act on your suggestions, why not tell

anecdotes about how you arrived at them? Of course, you will

also share your successes and the successes of others While you

do not want to sound like a pushy “know-it-all”, your honest

personal voice will enhance your presentation

In the volunteering example earlier in the book, the speaker

worked from a personal experience of visiting hospital patients

She described her fear on the first day of volunteering She

thought she had so little in common with older patients On

her first visit, she met a 74-year-old gentleman who was

reading a Harry Potter novel He revealed that he was curious

about why the books were so popular with young people Since

Martha, the young volunteer, was a Harry Potter fan, both she

and the patient enjoyed the conversation She realized that sheneedn’t have worried What a useful personal anecdote to addvoice to the presentation!

While audiences usually appreciate humor, decide whetherhumor is appropriate in your presentation In addition, thinkabout how comfortable you are telling jokes and humorousanecdotes If humor is appropriate and comfortable for you,consider using reference books and internet sites with indexes

An index allows you to search efficiently for humor related toyour content Better still, make a point of sharing somethingboth relevant and humorous that happened to you

Show As Well As Tell

Once you have selected details for the bulleted points on yourplanning chart, plan ways to illustrate your ideas Showingoften works better than telling Consider using charts, pictures,work samples, dramatizations, and video clips as ways toillustrate your ideas Review the work that you have done withthe form Planning Content for a Presentation (page 7) Wherecan you add effective visual or dramatic illustrations?

Remember that you should always explain how your visualdramatization relates to key points

Unique Expression

Effective presentations are strong in voice You achieve voice as

a presenter by including details and language that are unique

and that put your own imprint on the presentation Clichés are

the enemy of voice The word cliché is derived from the French

word meaning “to stereotype” Through over-use, clichés have

lost their vitality Examples of clichés include “see red”, “apple

of my eye”, “took to the cleaners”, “run like the wind”, and “in a

nutshell” As you avoid clichés in your presentation, consider

fresh comparisons that will add originality to your language

and voice to your presentation Look at the points on your

planning form Try to locate one or two points to think about

an original comparison For example, in the volunteering

planning form presented on page 7, the speaker transformed

the point about the volunteer’s personal satisfaction as follows:

“In the satisfaction they received from helping others,

volunteers find technicolor moments in their black and white

days.” The expression adds voice to the presentation

1 Read for places where you might add a personal anecdote.Briefly describe the anecdote on the sticky note; attach thenote near the related points

2 Read for places where you might add humor, if humor isappropriate and comfortable If you have an anecdote inmind, briefly indicate it on the sticky note If you need tofind a humorous anecdote, write “Humor required here”

on the sticky note as you place it appropriately on theplanning chart

3 Read for places where you can illustrate or dramatize apoint Mark and attach the sticky note to indicate thespecific form you will use (chart, picture, video clip, etc.)related to the point

4 Read for places where you can add unique comparisonsfor fresh expression in your presentation Once again,note possibilities on sticky notes and attach each notenear the related point

3 CONSIDERING VOICE AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Powerful Introductions

Presentations often succeed or fail during the first and last

minutes To succeed, your introduction must create interest;

your conclusion must effectively direct specific action You

command attention through careful planning based on

strategies used by effective speakers in their introductions and

conclusions First, let’s focus on introductions:

As you think about your opening words, remember that your

presentation is not the only item that your audience is

considering in their day The reality is that with their busy lives,

some audience members are preoccupied with their own

deadlines, problems, and challenges No doubt some are

wishing that they were doing something other than listening to

you Your job is to command their attention in your

introduction What do you know about the audience so that

your introduction will interest them and focus them for the

points that will follow?

Let’s begin with a few warnings about what not to do Neverbegin by telling the audience how nervous you are Never begin

by telling them that you feel unprepared or that you areunaccustomed to public speaking Your systematic preparation

of critical main ideas and important details as well as ofrelevant anecdotes, humor, and visual illustrations should buildyour confidence If you are still nervous, remember that theaudience wants you to succeed Even though they have otheritems on their day’s agenda, they know that they are youraudience for an assigned period of time They would rather beinterested than bored Therefore, they hope that you areinteresting Apologetic introductions are dull and defeatist

Avoid them

With examples related to the volunteering topic used earlier

in this book, the following chart presents techniques to sparkinterest Consider how one or more of these techniques wouldwork with your content

POWERFUL INTRODUCTIONS

Technique

content

● State a startling fact

“Do you sometimes wonder whether you should be doingmore to help others? How have you felt when you were able

to help someone? Why do young people not volunteer moreoften?”

“Many people believe that volunteers dedicate time tohelping others The view is only partially correct Whilevolunteers improve the lives of others, they enhance theirown lives as well.”

4 COMMANDING ATTENTION

Powerful Conclusions

Since you expect your audience to act on the information that

you have presented, your conclusion requires an

attention-grabbing method to direct audience members to do something

with what you have shared Consider how one or more of thefollowing techniques would enhance your conclusion:

POWERFUL CONCLUSIONS

Technique

implementation of the action proposed

“Without increased volunteering, many important needs inour community will not be met The loss to people who arenot volunteering is worse They lose the chance to makefriends, develop skills, and feel the satisfaction of helpingsomeone else.”

“Young people volunteer for different reasons — the need toserve, the need to improve job prospects Yet all youngvolunteers stress that volunteering has helped them learnabout themselves Can you think of a better use of yourtime?”

The following chart will help you plan a powerful introduction

and conclusion The example indicates the speaker’s final

choices Even though you may have decided that you do not

want to write out the entire text for the body of your

presentation, it is often a good idea to write out and carefullyrehearse your introduction and conclusion A blank form ofthis planning sheet is included on page 26

PLANNING THE INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION

Introduction

Technique(s): brief story

Text:

Our community has 200 agencies that depend on

volunteers Yet, fewer people are coming forward because

they fail to see the need Sometimes a personal experience

jolts them into volunteering Marsha, a thirteen-year-old, is

visiting her grandmother in the hospital Her grandmother

brightens with the conversation and gifts Marsha notices

the sad, older lady who shares the hospital room never

receives a visitor

Conclusion

Technique(s): story and final powerful pointText:

Today Marsha completed her eighth week of volunteering

in the hospital visiting program Instead of fearingencounters with older patients, she now anticipates thevisits and chats with confidence She understands that mostpeople like to talk about their interests and that askingabout favorite activities and hobbies is an effective way toget to know patients Marsha began volunteering becauseshe saw a need After eight weeks, she realizes that she haslearned a great deal about how to get along with others

While she helped others, she has also helped herself

Print Support

What you have already done to plan your presentation will, no

doubt, build your confidence as a speaker You have carefully

reflected on your purpose — the specific action that you want

your audience to take You have selected content and an

introduction and conclusion to command attention Your

presentation will be even more authoritative if you plan your

delivery with the same thoughtfulness

As a priority, decide whether you need to write the complete

text for your speech If you are very familiar and confident with

the points on your planning form, you may not need to do so

If you decide that writing the complete text is necessary for you

to become adequately familiar with your topic’s key points,

anecdotes, and illustrations, remember that, when you present,

you should not read from a script A read presentation is a

monotonous presentation

You may decide to create file cards or key-point charts

instead Use the forms Planning Content for a Presentation and

Planning the Introduction and Conclusion to note important

points on file cards Place stars marked in colored ink to

remind you about places where you have an illustration or

dramatization during the presentation If you decide to create

charts, including charts that offer an overview of key topics

followed by a separate chart for each topic listing important

points, you will prompt yourself as you guide your audience

through your content This technique is often employed incomputer-supported presentations

You will know that you are ready to deliver your speechwhen you can use the file cards or key-point charts withoutchecking any other written notes Practice with your file cards

or charts until you reach that point Since your introductionand conclusion are so critical, memorize them

TIPS FOR COMPUTER-SUPPORTED

PRESENTATIONS

1 Slide one should feature the title of your presentation

2 Use a font that is large enough so that someone at theback of the room can read your text

3 Carefully select graphic illustrations or video clips sothat they clearly and directly illustrate your key points

4 Strive for brevity in the text used on slides

5 On your final slide, stress the action that your audiencemembers should take

Presentation Criteria

Before you present to your audience, work with a partner or

partners to ensure that your presentation demonstrates each of

the following helpful qualities:

speed up for exciting details

samples, pictures, video clips, and dramatizations by

connecting illustrations to key points

with all sections of a large audience

position

You can also practice on your own Look at yourself in a mirror

or videotape recording as you rehearse Go over trouble spotsuntil you demonstrate all of the qualities listed above

You may choose to add prompt notes to your file cards if youstruggle with any of these suggestions For instance, you couldadd a happy face to your first card if you forgot to smile Youcould use different colored ink to signal the placement of yourillustrations You could write key points in capital letters tosignal the brief pause and slightly increased volume You couldplace a star to make an appropriate gesture

Furthermore, expert presenters often stress the value ofvisualization Picture yourself presenting with a confident, clearvoice, gesturing appropriately and using illustrations effectively.Now you should be ready for your audience!

5 PRESENTING CONFIDENTLY

Now that you have purposefully planned and delivered your

presentation to affect the behavior of your audience, you will

want to assess your speech in two areas:

techniques

Assessment of Content and Delivery

Rubrics on the following pages will help you assess the

effectiveness of your content and delivery Invite feedback from

as many audience members as possible In school settings,

invite classmates to employ one or both of the forms to offer

feedback If you are speaking to a large audience, practice with

a partner or a smaller group as your audience and use their

feedback to improve your presentation to the larger group Your

teacher may choose to use one or both of the forms as well

Considering your purpose, audience, and content as well as

your personal goals, you are wise to decide on criteria from the

following rubrics that are the most critical Place a star on these

items In consultation with your instructor and colleagues, add,

delete, and modify criteria so that each criterion fits your

presentation It is also important that you assess your own

presentation Your self-assessment allows you to compare your

perceptions with those of others

While you want to judge the effectiveness of yourpresentation’s content and delivery, the most important value

of the assessment is what you’ve learned, rather than a mark orjudgment What can you learn to improve subsequent

presentations? Your learning is enhanced by noting andcelebrating what you have done well in addition to noting whatyou can do better When self-assessing and seeking feedbackfrom others, follow this sequence:

in your presentation;

improvement

The second suggestion reminds you to focus on reachable goals

as you improve your presentation skills over time The finalsection of this book deals with goal-setting and the importance

of understanding yourself as a speaker

Be selective and purposeful in your use of the rubrics onpages 17 and 18 Decide which rubric and which criteria will beyour focus for a specific presentation