Speaking to a Group. Preparing and delivering an engaging talk. Brian Crosland Mechanical & Aerospace. Alyssa Taylor Psychology.

Transcription

1 Alyssa Taylor Psychology Speaking to a Group Preparing and delivering an engaging talk January 14/10 Brian Crosland Mechanical & Aerospace

2 Outline Introductions Activity: Determine the types of talks you do Address fears & anxieties related to speaking Structure and delivery of a talk Make a talk engaging Summarize Before After

3 Introductions Name Degree and major What is your favourite sport / game / activity? Keep in mind Stand up Breathe Hands relaxed at your sides Make eye contact with various people Speak clearly

4 Activity 1 Break into groups of 4-5 Group discussion What kinds of talks will you be giving? (E.g. pre-lab lectures, discussion/tutorial groups, lectures, conference presentation, etc) What makes you most anxious?

5 Dealing with Fear and Anxiety

6 Fears & Anxieties Shaking, dry mouth, blushing/blotchy, gas, sweating, nausea, cramps, I gotta pee! Blanking out Confusing the material Technology problems Distracting posture/movement/gestures Unfortunate tangents

7 How to Deal with Fear & Anxiety The audience wants you to succeed! In almost all cases they will not jeer, or boo, or walk out during your presentation. Stop and breathe. Breathing helps you: Calm your nerves Gather your thoughts Eliminate filler words such as um or like Sound smart(er)

8 How to Deal with Fear & Anxiety Be organized and prepared Check the technology Time the talk (and then + or -) Prepare additional questions/activities Practice in front of others Friends, family, colleagues Toastmasters Public speaking and leadership development clubs More than 250,000 members worldwide Great place to learn, practice, build confidence Carleton has three clubs, (two open to the public)

9 How to Deal with Fear & Anxiety Use humour and/or honesty A little bit of humour goes a long way to break monotony Honesty and personal experience strengthen your message Learn from your experiences Ask a friend to listen to a talk and offer suggestions Videotape your talks and watch them afterward, and again when preparing your next talk Ask a TA mentor to evaluate your teaching, focusing specifically on communication skills

10 The Talk Itself

11 Planning a Talk Audience Large or small? Young or old? Voluntary or mandatory? Know the location Projector, computer? Desks, auditorium, or couches? Microphone? Parking? Plan the speech What is your message? What are your supporting points? What is the best structure for your speech? (See handout for some examples)

12 Tips Start with a good opening to draw attention Are there specific learning objectives? Plan the flow of concepts, and how you ll transition between them Less is more (AKA don t forget to pause!) Be creative in your presentation style Strong visuals, designed with slides in mind Work hard on your wrap-up and summary it s usually what sticks in the audience s mind the longest.

13 Delivering Material Eye contact, gestures, movement Voice Volume Enunciation Variety in tone and rate Avoid filler words (pause instead!) Offer clarifications where needed Be genuine, your enthusiasm is contagious!

14 Activity 2 Form groups of two Think-pair-share List: Two instances when a speaker was awesome. What made it so good? Two instances when a speaker was horrible. What made it so bad? But first

15 Example Speakers Good Speaker Poor Speaker

16 Tips for Engaging Interest Know your audience! Make the content meaningful Critically reflect on arguments/evidence Relate to personal examples and audience s experience Formulate applications of principles Incorporate active learning (when appropriate) Engaging questions Gestures and movement

17 Activity 3 Form groups of 4 Each member choose a section from the handout Individually, prepare a 3-4 minute talk based on the material from your section Try to make it as engaging as possible, following the points discussed in this workshop Take turns delivering your talk in front of your group members

18 Summary Dealing with anxieties Breathe, practice Preparing the talk Know audience, plan outline, strong opening / conclusion Delivering the material Breathe, smile, have fun Engaging interest Know audience, good content, be animated

19 What Next? ttad Day Reception Tory Foyer, right now! Free food and TA networking Learn, Practice and Improve Carleton Toastmasters Club, carletontm.ca Wednesdays, 6:55, Frontenac Residence Multipurpose Room Sprott Toastmasters Club Wednesdays 12-1pm, DT 702, contact