ENGLISH Reading Exercise #38 (Intermediate) Presentation Skills 16 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 slow, go to the Advanced version, and repeat until you are fluent in sync with the teacher’s reading.

Here is a transcript of the video: ENGLISH Reading Exercise #38 (Intermediate) Presentation Skills 16 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)

5 More Key Image Factors

Confident public speaking puts the audience at ease, and creates a good environment for them to absorb the information you present. The speaker who lacks confidence can make an audience feel sorry for them, so the audience ends up concentrating on the speaker, rather than the message.

In view of this, a professional image is a very important ingredient in confident public speaking. Use the following five points to ensure your image enhances rather than detracts from your presentation.

1. Personal Appearance
   Spend some time on your personal appearance before making a presentation.
   Are you dressed appropriately for the audience you are addressing?
   Is your clothing clean? Is your hair properly groomed? Are your hands and fingernails clean and well kept?
   Paying attention to these areas will convey a professional image, give you credibility, and make you feel confident in public speaking.
2. Neat Equipment
   In addition to paying attention to your personal appearance, also give thought to your equipment. Arriving in front of the audience with notes on folded up pieces of paper looks amateur.
   Make sure your notes are neatly kept in a binder or plastic folder and well arranged, so you don’t spend time fumbling for the page you want.
3. Visual Contact
   To ensure you have good visual contact with the audience, take a few seconds to make sure your notes are positioned correctly on the speaker’s stand. You don’t want them at such a distance that you have to drop your head to look down. If possible, keep them at an angle that allows you to just glance at them without moving your head, so you can keep good eye contact with the audience.
4. Stand Up Straight
   Stand erect so the speech organs in your body can function properly. Slouching leads to poor enunciation and muffling sounds, with the audience straining to catch what is said.
5. Handle Interruptions Confidently
   What if members of the audience keep interrupting you, or make loud comments on what you are saying? Anyone who is not confident in public speaking can be thrown by these situations, or at least look awkward and ill-prepared.
   On the other hand, here is an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and keep control of yourself, your audience and the situation. Here are two suggestions:
   State in a very kind, non-aggressive tone the following:
   You appreciate members of the audience may have other viewpoints or concerns. There will be an opportunity at the end of the discussion to hear them, either through a question-and-answer session after the main presentation, or by being on hand to speak personally to anyone with a query.
   Alternatively, you may remind the audience there is a time constraint, and as you have some very important information to convey, it will be necessary to take comments and questions later, after the main presentation is finished.

Almost every public speaker feels nervous at some time. Some never conquer their nervousness completely. Nevertheless, you do not need to betray your nervous feelings to your audience.
By paying careful attention to your image using the five points above, you will make a positive impact on your audience, and within yourself feel confident when making presentations.

Next: The 5 Step Starting Routine