Improve your presentation skills and language with this wide range of multi-media online resources that have been selected to cover different aspects of presenting – from considering your audience to handling questions.
What you need to know about people
This short video asks us to consider these five points that will have a direct impact on how your audience will react to your presentation and how effectively you communicate with them:
- People learn better in short “chunks”
- Multiple sensory channels compete
- What you say is only part of your message
- If you want action, call the audience to action
- People feel what you feel
TED talks that teach public speaking
This infographic introduces 8 videos of TED talks that will help you consider key areas in speaking in public:
- The structure of your talk
- Using your voice effectively
- Making data and facts engaging
- Keeping your audience’s attention
- Ordering the topics in your talk
- Interacting with your audience
- Using body language effectively
- Making a good start
To see the full version of the infographic click the following link and then click on the image that appears: 8 TED Talks.
Signposting your presentation
Speakers need, of course, to be familiar with the content of their presentations. They also need to be familiar with the specific vocabulary needed for their chosen topic. Generally speaking, audiences more readily follow and retain information and ideas when presentations are well-structured and when the structure is clearly ‘signposted’ using language that orientates them.
Follow this link to a page where you’ll find activities that introduce language for signposting the structure of presentations and help you lead your audiences through the content you have prepared.
The power of pausing
Good presenters modulate their intonation to make an impact and to maintain interest. The two simplest ways to make a presentation sound more interesting and easier to understand are by stressing keywords and by pausing. Pausing after key points gives the audience time to take in and react to what you have said, which greatly increases the chances of it being memorable.
Follow this link to a page where you’ll have the chance to see how the former US President Obama used the power of pausing in the first major speech he gave after leaving office.
The power of pausing when presenting
Dealing with nerves
Surveys about our fears show that fear of public speaking comes close to the top of the list of situations that make us anxious. Read this Harvard Business Review article in which Amy Jen Su suggests techniques for staying calm and controlling your nerves before a presentation.
Slide design
Using slides to reinforce what you have to say can be very effective, but you need to ensure that the slides complement what you say rather than act as a distraction. These online resources will help you consider the issues involved in good design.
- Presentation Design Tips – Garr Reynolds has written a number of books on presenting and in this short article he gives some practical advice about designing your slides.
- Dos And Don’ts Of Using Images In Presentations – Using images in your slides can enhance the visual appeal of your talk and reinforce the message you want to convey, but you need to think carefully about how you use them. This short article should help you make the right decisions.
Handling questions
Here’s an article that offers advice on how to ensure your talk ends on a high note by taking effective control of the Q & A session.
Presentation skills
This is a collection of tutorials offered on the Skills You Need, a website that covers a wide range of presentation skills and issues.
Essential reading
Presenting is an important form of communication for both students and professionals and these bestselling titles “uncover” the key factors involved in preparing and delivering effective, persuasive and engaging presentations.
Click on the images to view these bestselling books on Amazon.
