INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RESEARCH IN ARTS & SCIENCE www.ijarras.com Vol.4 Issue 1 SPOKEN AND PRESENTATION SKILLS Jeziah Bani.R, First year B.A Literature, Hindustan College of Arts and Science, Padur, Kelambakkam. Abstract The focus of this paper is to give an overview to help people think more strategically about their Public Speaking and Presentation Skills in order to improve their overall effectiveness in relaying information to others about advocacy skills and the Common Core State Standards. This paper mainly defines the Cognitive Objectives like elements of effective speaking, explanation on the elements of effective speaking and the idea on which the learner effectively can understand. The important idea behind this is, discussing the importance of speaking and doing it well. Introduction SPOKEN AND PRESENTATION SKILLS Presentations skills and public speaking skills are very useful in many aspects of work and life. Effective presentations and public speaking skills are important in business, sales and selling, training, teaching, lecturing, and generally feeling comfortable speaking to a group of people. Developing the confidence and capability to give good presentations, and to stand up in front of an audience and speak well, are also extremely helpful competencies for self-development and social situations. Presentation skills and public speaking abilities are not limited to certain special people - anyone can give a good presentation, or perform public speaking to a professional and impressive standard. Like most specialisms, this requires preparation and practice. The formats and purposes of presentations can be very different, for example: oral (spoken), multimedia 92
(using various media - visuals, audio, etc), power point presentations, short impromptu presentations, long planned presentations, educational or training sessions, lectures, and simply giving a talk on a subject to a group on a voluntary basis for pleasure. Even speeches at weddings and eulogies at funerals are types of presentations. Essentials on the Presentation This should welcome your audience; introduce the key themes of your presentation, and the order in which you will present them. This will lay down a map in the minds of the audience. During a presentation when our turn have come, we shouldn t be in a rush to start and get it over and with. We can take our time to set out our stall, ensure our notes in order, our visual aids in place and that the environment to give as a confidence during the presentation. It must give some thought to our audience. Our voice, our body and the time will be defined to give a better result. Our audience are a group of real people, who are on our side always but surely not the enemies, and with a genuine interest in what we have to say, goes a long way in helping us communicate with them effectively. It also helps alleviate nerves. Whenever we speak we must engage our audience and this can make us feel less isolated and keeps everyone involved with our message. If leading questions are targeted to individuals or groups, encourage people to participate and ask questions. Presentation Skills The presentation sheet will help to deliver an oral presentation with confidence by looking at what should be considered before, during and after talk. The success of a good presentation lies in the preparation. Take time to think about the audience who are listening the presentation and the occasion whether it is formal or informal say a lecture, a debate or a speech. The point on which the purpose is presented, the environment, the size and layout of the room, and the feasible facilities available like OHP. Once this has been considered, it s time to gather, select and structure your material. After a presentation once the talk is over, the audience may still have some questions to ask. When handling questions we have to give full attention and put them at ease if they appear interested. Approach the questioner without nervousness. Summarizing the question by rephrasing it not only gives time to think, and confirms with the questioner that we have understood, but also ensures that the rest of the audience have heard it. Answer the question 93
set smartly. Try and stick to the topic to take the details and find out for the audience. Defined talk time and long explanations can emphasize the presentations. It is better to give answers succinct and to the point. The time is important especially in an academic setting where marks may be deducted. It is convenient to make a note before and after the start and the finish by keep an eye on the clock. Once this has been considered, it s time to gather, select and structure the material. Gathering the sources of information available, to assess the authority and accuracy of a source support a point for the presentation. Selecting a talk will need to distil a large amount of information into a short time period. The way should be ruthless to prioritize information. Too much information can confuse an audience. It should be centrally relevant to support the information. Structuring the main points is essential in order to be discussed and the secondary information should come under each of the headings. CONTRIBUTION ON THE PRESENTATION TIME 10% 10% 10% ENVIRONMENT 20% 20% 30% SELECTION OF TOPICS GOALS TARGETED SUMMARIZING Managing Tools for Presentation The Managing tools for the presentation are the short notes, visual aids, and handouts. The presentation needs planning to think about how to deliver the content. Some people can memorize the whole talk, others read the entire thing from their notes. The best ways to familiarize ourselves with our material to the point that we need to present are the structured notes. They can guide and save us from forgetting memorized content, or losing our place in 94
reams of text. Visual aids are helpful both to the speaker, and to the audience. They can help illustrate the points and avert the audience s gaze which helps if the presenting person is nervous. They also help to retain the audience s interest, giving them another means by which they can understand the point the author is explained. No matter the form of visual aid, ensure they are visible to all, legible, and to avoid distraction. Handouts provide another good way of reinforcing the message and providing supplementary material that there may not be time to present. Audio Level and Voice Clarity There are estimates that the words we use count for only 7% of the message we communicate. The remaining 93% comes from the tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and so on. When thinking about our voices we need to ensure they are: Audible Some rooms have better acoustics than others, but nerves can cause our volume to decrease. Therefore keep the head up and speak slowly and clearly, aiming at the person at the back of the room. Interesting Modulation in our voice is an important factor because concentration spans are short. So retain interest by varying the tone of your voice by asking a question in between. Appropriate Posture Researchers have proved that speaking more quickly during presentations may cause so many problems, But the number of natural pauses in between the speech decreases the tension. It may feel artificial, but insert enough pauses in your talk to allow the audience to take in all the information. One trick is to add a couple of extra seconds of silence while the slides are being changed. When speaking non-verbal communication can fills as much as our words and voices. Eye contact. Keep in contact with the audience, look at them, try and make eye contact, and if the group is spread out make sure you look around the room to involve them all. To make eye contact, it is better to try focusing on people s foreheads and this can gives the impression that the presenting person is making eye contact properly. 95
The strategies for becoming a better public speaker is delivering effective presentations and calming nerves that are associated with public speaking. It is better to make regular presentations in front of a group, good public speaking skills and they will be useful for all aspects. Facing the gathering might be with different environments like talking in an organization or at a conference, make a speech after accepting an award and provide training for a new group of employees. Otherwise situations may arise to address a gathering at a friend s wedding. A good public speaker can enhance the reputation, boost the self-confidence, and open up countless opportunities. However, the good public speaking skills can open doors while poor public speaking can close them. Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills Practice Try to practice to deliver the talk. Some acting strategists suggest rehearsing lines in various positions standing up, sitting down, with arms open wide, on one leg, etc. The more the mix up with position and setting, the more we feel comfortable with our speech. Listening to recordings of the past talks can also emphasize the good delivery. 96
Transform Nervous Energy Into Enthusiasm. Transform the nervous energy by drinking water or blast hip- hop music before presenting. It pumps me up and helps me turn jitters into focused enthusiasm. Winston Churchill of presenters, I make sure that I'm as enthusiastic and energetic as possible before going on stage. Of course, individuals respond differently to caffeine overload, so know your own body before guzzling those monster energy drinks Arrive Early Maintain punctuality always best to allow plenty of time to settle in before the talk. Extra time ensures the avoid of nervousness and gives plenty of time to get adapted to the presentation space and adjust to the surroundings. If possible, it is better to practise with the microphone and lighting, make sure to understand the seating and be aware of any distractions potentially posed by the venue (e.g., a noisy road outside). Use Positive Visualization Instead of thinking terrible out,visualizing the throwing up mid-presentation, imagine tons of laughs while presenting with enthusiasm Jimmy Fallon and the poise of Audrey Hepburn says Positive thoughts can be incredibly effective give them a shot. Take Deep Breaths When we're nervous, our muscles tighten--we may even catch ourselves holding our breath. Instead, go ahead and take those deep breaths to get oxygen to your brain and relax your body. Smile Smiling increases endorphins, replacing anxiety with calm making, feel good about the presentation. Smiling also exhibits confidence and enthusiasm to the crowd. 97
Achieving Goals on Effective Speaking The goal of this paper is for learners to comprehend the essentials of speaking and respond positively to the importance of effective speaking as it applies to their goals in their everyday lives. Speaking Essentials is a learning activity that helps the learners to understand the elements that will help them to be more effective speakers. The paper focuses on attributes of a speaker, factors that affect platform behavior, and basic rules for becoming a good speaker. Learners begin to see how effective speaking helps them to know what they need in order to carry out their roles and responsibilities as workers, parents, family members, and community members. Conclusion The discussed elements of the Speaking Essentials, for becoming a good speaker are: always has something important to say; care about what you talking about; and keep it simple, but effective. 98