ENGLISH Reading Exercise #31 (Advanced) Presentation Skills 9 of 28
To improve your English fluency and confidence when speaking, use the Synchronized Reading Method. Be sure to watch the Introduction video in the link above first, to understand the methodology. These English reading exercises will dramatically improve your English fluency.
These exercises are designed for intermediate to advanced students who want to sound like a native speaker. By reading along with the teacher at the same time, with the teacher’s voice superimposed over their own, students start to self-correct in the areas of pronunciation and fluency, learning to read and speak in natural word groups.
If you find the pace is too fast, go to the Intermediate version, and repeat until you are fluent in sync with the teacher’s reading.
Here is a transcript of the video: ENGLISH Reading Exercise #31 (Advanced) Presentation Skills 9 of 28
Be sure to watch the introductory video to this playlist before doing this exercise.
Click on the link below in the Description . . .
(https://youtu.be/IOeaBha6dUU)
Suggestions for the Introduction, Body, and Conclusion
Here are some key presentation skills involving the three component parts of any speech, the introduction, body, and conclusion.
INTRODUCTION
Take a moment to stand before the audience, take a deep breath, and look around you. Don’t start speaking the second you arrive at the speaker’s stand. That initial pause can make you appear poised, relaxed, confident and in control. It can also help suppress initial nervousness.
Deliver the first couple of sentences with an increase in power and volume. You want to grab the attention of the audience right away. A commanding voice is needed to do that, not a soft, apologetic tone.
Avoid an introduction that goes on and on. You don’t want to speak so long that the audience wonders when you are going to really get to the meat of your presentation. The introduction is the funnel which directs attention to the body of the talk. Make it brief.
BODY
The body of your presentation contains your main points, why you are taking time to speak in the first place, and why people have made the effort to be present and listen to you. So be sure what you say has weight and is meaningful.
This can only be done through thorough research and good preparation. Even when speaking on a subject familiar to your audience, in the preparation stage always be on the lookout for an unusual angle, extraordinary facts, or a story or anecdote that gets the audience to view a familiar subject in a different way.
Make sure the main points of your presentation stand out by discreet repetition. You don’t want to sound like a dripping tap, but carefully planned reviews can really sink the main thoughts into the mind of the audience.
A progressive summary is an excellent tool to that end:
a) At the outset mention your main points, e.g. 1, 2 and 3
b) After point 1 repeat it and then say, “Now for point 2”.
c) After point 2 you recap points 1 and 2 and introduce point 3.
d) After point number 3 you can again review points 1, 2, and now 3.
This kind of progressive review makes sure your audience leaves with the main points firmly etched in their minds.
CONCLUSION
Don’t leave this part of your presentation as an afterthought. Prepare the wording carefully, especially the last sentence, as it will be the part the audience hear last and are likely to remember.
Also think about what you want to accomplish in your conclusion.
Do you want your audience to take action? Then spell out clearly what needs to be done.
Do you want to touch the hearts of your audience? Then weave some emotion into your last few sentences.
Once you have identified your goal, you can create a motivating conclusion that will leave your audience very responsive.
These are just a handful of presentation skills that can greatly enhance your presentations. Make sure you clearly understand the three component parts of any speech, the introduction, body, and conclusion. Then work to accomplish a specific goal with each one. Pay attention to good thought content, and also your manner of presentation.
It helps to get a partner to offer an honest appraisal, or play back a video of your presentation and do a self-analysis.
By constantly searching out suggestions, and taking on board the ones that particularly apply to you, you can have the great satisfaction that comes from making a meaningful presentation the audience will appreciate and remember.
