Things you should know about oral presentations

1. Things you should know about oral presentations Десислава Зарева

2. Key words: AUDIENCE au·di·encen. 1. a. The spectators or listeners assembled at a performance, for example, or attracted by a radio or television program. b. The readership for printed matter, as for a book. 2. A body of adherents; a following: The tenor expanded his audience by recording popular songs as well as opera. 3. A formal hearing, as with a religious or state dignitary. 4. An opportunity to be heard or to express one's views. 5. The act of hearing or attending.

3. Key words: AUDIENCE Audiences can be different, depending on the event.

4. Key words: TOPIC top·icn. 1. The subject of a speech, essay, thesis, or discourse. 2. A subject of discussion or conversation. 3. A subdivision of a theme, thesis, or outline. 4. Linguistics A word or phrase in a sentence, usually providing information from previous discourse or shared knowledge, that the rest of the sentence elaborates or comments on. Also called theme. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/+topic

5. The following are examples of topics: "Magnetic resonance spectroscopy" "Ancient Egypt" "In what ways has information technology changed work and working practices in the past 10 years?" "Is Scotland facing a leadership crisis?" Which one would attract your attention? Which one of the presentations would you like to actually hear? Why?

6. key words:PRESENTATION pres·en·ta·tionn. 1. a. The act of presenting. b. The state of being presented. 2. A performance, as of a drama. 3. a. Something, such as an award or gift, that is offered or given. b. Something, such as a lecture or speech, that is set forth for an audience: gave a presentation on drug abuse. 4. a. A formal introduction. b. A social debut. 5. Ecclesiastical The act or right of naming a cleric to a benefice. 6. The process of offering for consideration or display. 7. Medicine The position of the fetus in the uterus at birth with respect to the mouth of the uterus. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/PRESENTATION

7. key words:ORAL PRESENTATION • Noun 1.oral presentation - delivering an address to a public audience; "people came to see the candidates and hear the speechmaking" • public speaking, speechmaking, speaking • recitation, recital, reading - a public instance of reciting or repeating (from memory) something prepared in advance; "the program included songs and recitations of well-loved poems" • speech, address - the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience; "he listened to an address on minor Roman poets" • disputation, public debate, debate - the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote)

8. Task 1 Watch the following videos and answer the questions: Video 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuJmhYotbdc&feature=related Video2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6v8XtA_6GM Which of the two types are you more likely to make yourself? Watch the videos again and compare the two speakers. Think about • their environment • their behaviour • their language As you watch make a list of the words and phrases they are using when they speak to their audiences.

9. Questions you should have in mind before you start preparing for your oral presentation: • Q1 Who is your ‘audience'? (hint: students from your group, your teacher(s)) • Q2 How much time do you have for your presentation?(hint: 5-10 minutes) • Q3 How specialized is your topic?(hint: if it's too special you may need to adapt it to the level of your audience. E.g. if you choose to speak about computer programming, you will have to reduce the use of IT terminology, or be ready to explain it with simple words) • Q4 Why do you make your presentation? (hint: mainly because you need to show how well you speak English but also to share your interest with the rest of your group)  • Q5 What makes you choose this particular topic? (hint: you may want to attract other people's interest to what you like)

10. Structuring your presentation - introduction Part 1 The introduction should start with: • Greetings (hint: saying hello to your audience is very important) • Introduction (hint: saying who you are is also important, especially if your teacher / fellow students see you for the first time ) • Introduction of your topic (hint: your audience needs to know what you are going to talk about) • Aims (WHAT) and structure (HOW) of your presentation

11. Structuring your presentation - main body Part 2  The body of your presentation should go on with: • Your basic argument (all the things you want to share with the audience) Hint: There should be a logical order that organizes what you think and what to say. For example, you can't jump from one topic to another: while speaking about computer programming start talking about the weather in Bulgaria)

12. Structuring your presentation - conclusion Part 3 Your conclusion should finish with: • Going back to your aims (e.g. the aims of this presentations were.....) • Short summary of what you have said in the main body of your presentation • Indication that your talk is over ( e.g. This is what I wanted to say, this is all /are the most important points/ I wanted to discuss, etc.) • Thanking the audience for their attention • And you need to be prepared to answer various questions about the topic!!

13. Useful phrases: Introduction • Capture your listeners’ attention: Begin with a question, a funny story, a startling comment, or anything that will make them think. • State your purpose; for example:‘I’m going to talk about...’‘Now I want to explain…’ • Present an outline of your talk; for example:‘I will concentrate on the following points: First of all…Then…This will lead to… And finally…’

14. Useful phrases: Body • Present your main points one by one in logical order. • Pause at the end of each point (give people time to take notes, or time to think about what you are saying). • Make it absolutely clear when you move to another point. For example:‘The next point is that ...’‘OK, now I am going to talk about ...’‘Right. Now I'd like to explain ... ’‘Of course, we must not forget that ...’‘However, it's important to realise that...’ • Use clear examples to illustrate your points.

15. Useful phrases: Conclusion It is very important to leave your audience with a clear summary of everything you have covered. • Summarise the main points again, using phrases like:‘To sum up...’‘So, in conclusion...’‘OK, to recap the main points…’ • Restate the purpose of your talk, and say that you have achieved your aim:‘I think you can now see that...’‘My intention was ..., and it should now be clear that ...’ • Thank the audience, and invite questions:‘Thank you. Are there any questions?’

16. Don’t forget It is really important to prepare your oral presentation. First of all, brainstorm your topic and write a rough outline. Then research your topic. Don’t get carried away—remember you have a limited time for your presentation. Do not forget to organise your material and write a draft—think about the length of time you have to talk. You should plan and prepare your visual aids carefully. It is really important to rehearse your presentation and get its length right. TALK TO YOUR AUDIENCE, DO NOT READ!