LESSON 4. PREPARING FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS

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At the completion of this lesson, participants will be able to:

• Identify strategies for conducting effective oral presentations.

• Identify your own anxiety about public speaking and take steps to reduce your anxiety.

• Prepare and deliver an oral presentation in a manner that effectively delivers the message

and meets the needs of the target audience.

• Identify personal action steps to improve your oral presentation skills.

Scope

o Activity: Speech Anxiety Self-Assessment

• Activity: Oral Presentation Review

• Summary and Transition

• Final Exam

Methodology

A video presentation opens this lesson by summarizing the process and the strategies involved

in preparing to give an effective oral presentation. Participants will learn about the key

Participants will complete a self-assessment of their own speech anxiety, and the instructor will

provide tips on controlling nerves before and during a presentation. Participants will be

encouraged to practice presenting an oral presentation after this course concludes and will

receive several job aids to help them complete this activity. Participants will then complete the

final exam for the course.

Materials

• PowerPoint visuals 4.1 – 4.20 and a computer display system

A suggested time plan for this lesson is shown below. More or less time may be required,

based on the experience level of the group.

Visual 4.1

Key Points

This lesson presents strategies for improving your oral presentation skills.

Visual 4.2

Key Points

Transcript:

Effective presentation is much more than just presenting your ideas or delivering a speech. It is

about skillful communication and relating to the audience—whether the audience is a few

people or a large gathering.

in mind you can outline the presentation to clarify your key messages and establish a logical

sequence.

Next comes the writing. Informational and motivational speeches will differ somewhat in

structure, but most speeches have an introduction, a discussion, and a conclusion.

Getting ready to deliver your presentation involves practicing until you are comfortable with your

performance. Practice is one of the best ways to dispel any pre-speech jitters that you may feel.

When you present, be sure to face the audience and maintain an attentive stance. Don’t stand

Visual 4.3

Key Points

At the completion of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Identify personal action steps to improve your oral presentation skills.

Visual 4.4

Key Points

At the beginning of this course you considered great speeches you have heard and what made

them strong and effective. Typically, great speeches:

• Match the message to the audience.

• Match the content and delivery to the purpose.

• Are delivered in a clear and engaging manner.

Matching the message to the audience begins with analyzing the needs of the audience. The

more you know about your audience, the better you can connect with them.

Visual 4.5

Key Points

What you say and how you say it also need to be consistent with the purpose of the

presentation. It is likely that you will make two types of presentations:

• Informational

• Motivational

Often, presentations will have elements of both types but will be primarily aimed at one purpose

or the other. The quickest way to determine which type is appropriate is to ask yourself this

• Present ideas in logical sequence.

For example, if asked to provide fire evacuation guidance to the occupants of a residential

complex, you would make an informational presentation.

Motivational presentations:

• Create awareness, change attitudes, or garner support.

• Use concrete language to communicate abstract points.

• Use vivid and interesting language.

Visual 4.10

Key Points

The first step toward effective delivery is to develop a delivery strategy:

Effective communication requires practice to get it right. Practice your presentation repeatedly

until you are completely familiar with the content. Rehearse the opening until you have it

memorized. (This strategy will help you to relax.)

• Become comfortable with the pronunciation and enunciation of your material.

• Present your speech in front of a mirror to check your nonverbal behavior and identify any

unconscious mannerisms.

o Stand upright and relaxed.

o Make eye contact with people in various parts of the room.

o Try to gesture an average of twice in each sentence.

o Ask an observer to provide feedback to refine your delivery.

o If possible, videotape or tape record your practice session.

Visual 4.11

Key Points

There may be times when you will prepare an oral presentation for a small audience in a small

meeting space—for example, in a room instead of an auditorium. In these circumstances, you

may be able to use charts, PowerPoint visuals, or other media to enhance your presentation.

Use of presentation media may be especially effective for audience members who have access

Preparing and Using Charts or Whiteboards

• Use dark colors for text. Black, blue, green, brown, and purple stand out and are easier

• Highlight key points. Use color, shapes, graphics, boxing, underlining, and pictures to

• Use bold printing, at least 1 inch tall. Smaller letters are hard to read.

• Leave space between lines. Lines of text that are too close together are hard to read.

• When capturing audience ideas, record key words quickly and write exactly what

Using PowerPoint Visuals

• Test the equipment. Arrive early and test the equipment. Check the readability of your

• Have backups. If you are using a projector, have an extra bulb on hand. Have a second

• Pace yourself. During the presentation, hold the image on the screen only until the

• Control attention. Turn the projector off or make the screen black when it is not being

• Be confident of the technology. Learn the keyboard “shortcuts” for the program you are

Visual 4.12

presentations in that you are less in control of the content and flow, and it is difficult to pre-script

them.

On the other hand, these very qualities can add interest and energize both you and the

The job aids on the next pages provide tips for media interviews and news conferences.

General Tips for Radio, Podcasting, and TV Interviews

Radio/Podcasting

 Use your voice to create variety and interest—no monotones.

 Dress appropriately. Mostly that means dress conservatively, but there are exceptions.

Avoid short skirts, white shirts, loud ties, and complicated patterns if you are trying to come

across as credible. Solid, dark colors work well.

 For Digital and HD television, watch for imperfections in clothing and avoid bright colors.

For Web broadcasts, brighter colors may make the image more appealing.

 Men—button coats if standing, unbutton if sitting.

 Studios are cold with the lights off, ovens when the lights are on. Dress in mid-weight

clothing.

 Avoid shiny or dangly jewelry. Watch for jewelry banging against lavaliere microphones.

 If you have the choice, choose contacts over glasses.

 Are simple and easy to remember and say.

 Emphasize the important point.

 Tell people something new, something they had not thought about.

 Articulate the need to take action, and provide a solution.

 Anticipate questions and prepare answers ahead of time. It’s important to stay on message

during the entire interview.

Nonverbal Communication

 Eye contact: Look at the reporter, not the camera. Avoid looking down. Avoid rolling your

eyes or looking up.

not cross your arms, raise your eyebrows, or shrug your shoulders. Avoid jerky or sudden

movements.

 Movement: If standing, do not lock your knees, sway, bounce, or jingle jewelry or change

in pockets. If sitting, don’t jiggle legs, or spin or rock in the chair. Sit on your coat tail to

keep your jacket from riding up.

Forming Your Responses

DO:

 Listen before you respond.

 Know what you want to say and repeat your key

message at every opportunity.

 Show compassion and empathy, as appropriate.

 Use transitional phrases to bring the discussion

back to your message, such as “What is most

important is,” “What we should focus on is,”

“What the public should know is,” or “The point

(or goal) is.”

 Whenever possible, summarize your key points

at the end of the interview and direct the

audience to your Web site or social networking

page for updates.

DON’T:

 Don’t use jargon or “insider” terms.

 Don’t say anything “off the record.”

 Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want

to see in the news media.

 Don’t say “No Comment.”

Location, Access, and Egress

 Have a backup plan in case weather or other events make the location impractical.

 Provide speakers clear access and egress without having to pass through reporters. (If

speakers do not have a clear exit, the media will continue to ask questions.)

Visual 4.13

Key Points

Effective presentation is much more than just presenting your ideas or delivering a speech. It is

about skillful communication and relating to the audience (whether a few people or a large

gathering).

• Avoid reading to the group. Simple notes can help you avoid reading from a prepared

script.

• Come out from behind the podium, minimizing barriers between you and the audience.

Visual 4.14

Key Points

Mark Twain said, “There are two types of speakers. Those who get nervous and those who are

liars.”

Speech anxiety is the single most common social anxiety in the United States. The effect can

range from simple nervousness to a degree that makes the speaker physically ill.

Visual 4.15

Key Points

Plan the Presentation:

Occasion/event and goal:

Audience (size, makeup, characteristics):

How will the characteristics or needs of your audience impact the content of your presentation?

How will the characteristics or needs of your audience impact your delivery?

Logistics:

• Room size

• Available equipment

 Informational

 Motivational

 Combination

Outline the presentation, including key points for the introduction, key messages, and sequence

of ideas.

What information, research, or experts are needed to support your message?

Write the Presentation:

• Practice delivering the presentation aloud, using a mirror if possible.

• Record your practice sessions, critically review your performance, and identify needed

improvements.

• Use personal strategies to control your nerves, as needed.

• Continue practicing!

Deliver Your Presentation:

Ask a friend or colleague to observe your presentation and provide feedback using the provided

Suggestions:

Visual 4.19

Key Points

This lesson has presented strategies for improving your oral presentation skills. You should

now be able to:

• Identify strategies for conducting effective oral presentations.

• Identify your own anxiety about public speaking and take steps to reduce your anxiety.

• Prepare and deliver an oral presentation in a manner that effectively delivers the message

and meets the needs of the target audience.

Visual 4.20

Key Points

1. Take a few moments to review your Student Manual and identify any questions.

2. Make sure that you get all of your questions answered prior to taking the final exam.