EAPP Lesson 18

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LESSON 18 HOW DO I IMPROVE MY

Target: PRESENTATION SKILLS?


At the end of the lesson,
you will be able to:

EXPLORE
• Identify the preparations
needed in making a
presentation Think-Pair-Share: Brainstorm on the following questions:
• Choose the appropriate
presentation style for a 1. Do all your course requirements need presentation skills?
given topic 2. What techniques have you personally used to overcome your fear of
• Deliver effective
presentations using oral presentations?
appropriate strategies

Be able to share your answer with the class.

“Public speaking or a pit of snakes” by Phil Venditti is licensed


under CC by 2.0

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EXAMINE

Watch the video titled “How to start a presentation: 4-step formula


for a killer intro” by Anne Ricketts (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=aGEFtRwPhE4) on YouTube and analyze the speaker in terms
of the information given, delivery of the information, communication
style, and rapport with the audience. What can you learn from her?

When asked to evaluate the performance of a speaker, what other criteria


would you use? If you were tasked to do a presentation, how would you Do the criteria differ depending
assess your own performance? How would you prepare for it so you on the rater’s standard and
would come out of the experience triumphant and feeling good about preference? Should the criteria
yourself? be the same across all speaking
situations?

In both the academe and the workplace, the ability to make presentations
could determine a person’s success or failure.

Presentation and Presentation Skills Defined


A presentation refers to a speaking situation that addresses an audience—
usually a group, and delivers information with the intention of bringing
a specific message across to the listeners. It often has a persuasive
element and therefore involves careful preparation and planning to
make it effective. Likewise, presentation skills are needed in order to
deliver an engaging and appealing presentation. Presentation skills refer
to the qualities you must have in order to present the information in
a way that will bring about the desired audience impact. The ability to
communicate well is a skill, not something you’re born with. Just like
any skill, presentation skills can be learned.
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When watching any presentation, the more commonly used criteria to
evaluate a speaker are content, clarity of meaning, presentation style,
and audience rapport:

1. Content. This involves giving the right information and presenting


it in a well-structured format that will keep the audience engaged and
interested. Key points are identified with just enough supporting details
that will not lead to information overload. A well-structured outline helps
determine what information will be presented and gives direction to the
presentation.

2. Clarity of Meaning. Dictionary.com defines clarity as “clearness


or lucidity as to perception or understanding” and “freedom from
indistinctness or ambiguity.” This means that the content should be
structured in a logical sequence and the right words are chosen to
convey the meaning of the content. While proper projection, diction, and
pronunciation are needed for clarity, it is important to not just mouth
words but to consider your audience to get the message across concisely.
When you know your audience—their level of knowledge, cultural
background and biases, etc., you can adjust your words and tone to keep
them interested and engaged.

3. Presentation Style. There is no hard and fast rule on what can be


considered the best presentation style. You can choose what you think
will be most effective for your audience and topic. The following are some
presentation styles that have been identified:

• Visual style. In this age of PowerPoint presentations, this is


probably the most common style adapted by a majority
of presenters. The visual style uses appealing and
colorful slides with very minimal text that
complements what the presenter is going to
say.

• Storytelling style. Telling a


good story is always an effective way
to catch the audience’s attention
and connect with them. Stories and
anecdotes appeal to the emotions
of the listeners and take away the
impression that the audience is being
lectured to. They are also powerful
tools to bring home a point or give a
deeper insight to your presentation.
It is important However, the stories must always relate
to consider your to the concepts and learning points you
topic and audience want to bring out in your presentation.
when choosing a
presentation
style.

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• Instructor style. This style is used for complex or highly technical
lectures wherein information is presented in a logical order. The
presentation is well-structured and uses a lot of figures of speech and
metaphors. High-impact visuals can be used to engage the audience.
With this style, there may be a tendency for the presenter to be more
focused on the material rather than the audience, thus the importance
of keeping the balance so that the connection with the audience is not
lost.

• Coach style. This style of presentation is common among motivational


speakers who are passionate about their topic. They have the charisma
and energy that make it easy for them to connect with their audience.
They like to do role-playing and thoroughly engage with their listeners.
However, they may also become too excited with the topic that they
tend to talk too fast and lose their audience. A low energy audience
could also dampen their enthusiasm. The challenge in this style is
to talk less and listen more, making sure to get a reaction from the
audience in between talking.

4. Audience Rapport. The ultimate goal in every presentation is to


make that connection with your audience so that they become active
participants in the dialogue instead of mere listeners. Rapport happens
when the message was received well just as it was delivered well. There
are many factors to consider in building rapport but essentially it can
be achieved if you know your audience, why they are there to listen, and
what their expectations are.

How a person deals with the audience could impact the outcome of the
speaking situation.

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In senior high school and later in college, you will be asked to do oral
presentations as part of the course requirement. Most professors
would say that presentations are an inevitable part of your school life.
Does it make sense that the Presentations in the form of oral reports are a common routine in
higher you go in the corporate classroom settings to supplement course work and to help you learn
ladder, the more presentations
valuable lessons in teamwork and collaboration. Later when you start
you are most likely to give?
working, you can expect to do a lot of presentations, depending on the
nature of your work. Today, most high-level occupations such as those in
supervisory and managerial capacities require presentation skills.

Preparing for the Presentation


Preparing Yourself
A week of preparation is the best period to have. Cramming might
squeeze out all the creative juices out of you, but it can be too taxing and
might ruin your presentation. You can think things through and have
time to relax and calm your nerve if you dread these engagements. Here
are other steps to take when preparing your presentation.

1. Learn from other speakers.

If you have no idea how your presentation should go, watch talks
and conferences online. Study the speakers’ example and style.
Take note of the topic, the delivery, the overall flow, and even
their quirks. Learn from their example; you can attempt to mimic
them if you want. Evaluate their presentation and see what works
for you and what doesn’t. In time, you will develop your own style.
But for now, you can use what you have learned from them until
you have mastered the art of speaking in public.

2. Be thoroughly familiar with your material.

When you are thoroughly familiar with your material, then you
have won half of the battle, knowing you’re prepared. This will
give you the confidence to go through the hurdle, confident that
you can talk about your topic like a pro and answer possible
questions that might arise. However, especially in forums, you
should be honest with yourself and admit that you cannot answer
all the questions from the audience. Practice your speech. You
may rehearse in front of the mirror and ask the help of a trusted
peer to give you constructive criticism.

3. Trim down the lecture.

Oftentimes, in your enthusiasm, especially if you are to present


a discovery or a pioneering idea, you may be tempted to discuss
everything you’ve found out. You should always go straight to
the point and be concise. Read and reread your material. You
can make a map of facts and information and make connections
among them.

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As with writing, avoid jargon but at the same time consider your
audience. If scientific rigor is expected, use exact words. Still, do
not bombard or even bore your audience with data and findings.
In presenting cases such as solutions and counter-arguments, five
main points are the maximum.

4. Sketch your storyboard.

In planning the overall flow of your presentation, the transition


from one idea to another should be smooth and clear. This
is where your mastery of your topic comes to play. If you are
presenting alternatives to plastic for example, you can sequence
the products based on the number of their downsides, ending with
the best one. In this way, listeners would not have a hard time
evaluating their choices. You can also get creative by preparing a
coherent story proving your points.

Planning the overall presentation will give structure to the task, enabling
speakers to streamline their topic.

Preparing the Material


Nowadays we unanimously think of slides when we make visual aids.
These tips focus on how to create presentations in the said medium.

Remember to think of your slides as aid: they should help you make your
presentation interesting. As human attention span is short, so should
the texts on the screens be; after all, the texts should not repeat what you
will eventually explain.

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1. Decide a theme for your presentation. Not everyone has an eye for
design, but the Internet is rife with choices. Always go for the most
professional-looking templates. If you want to create your own, do so
keeping in mind that less is definitely better, no matter how blasé that
phrase sounds. Minimalism seems to be a virtue held the highest in
making visuals.

2. In choosing the right font, see if it is readable from a distance


(consider the venue), if it has neat strokes, free from fancy strokes,
and professional-looking.
3. Use boldface or italic for emphasis. Even color is a good tool and
should go with the theme.

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4. You can think of slides as a tracker for the listeners to know where
the presentation is at the moment. Use keywords. Again, do not put
everything you will say in the slides. Sentences and paragraphs should
be coming from you. Concept maps and flowcharts are a good way to
illustrate if phrases can’t be avoided.

5. Pictures and graphics should occupy most of your slides. They catch
attention and help visual learners clarify what is being explained. You
can also use them to emphasize a point, tell a story if you choose to.
Opt for stock photos rather than drawn figures.

6. Diversify your presentation with short video clips. They are good for
introductions, but think of other ways to use them. Save your GIFs or
memes for informal presentations.

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The PREP Method

In addition to the strategies cited, you might also wish to use the PREP
method. The PREP method stands for Point, Reason, Explanation, Point
Summarized. According to Anne Ricketts, it’s like a road map that gives
you an idea of where you’re going and when you should stop.

To illustrate the PREP method, think of it as the mental outline of your


talk. Just like a paragraph with a topic sentence, supporting details
and conclusion, the PREP method is also structured logically and
sequentially.

Here’s a sample argument following the PREP method:

We should retain the moratorium on off-campus activities in our school


because although CHED has ordered the lifting of the moratorium, we
are not ready to deal with the additional requirements for off-campus
activities. Our accredited service providers do not have comprehensive
insurance packages for students; their vehicles have not passed the
road-worthiness test; and we have yet to perfect the faculty-chaperoning
system. We will have to look for a better service provider from the list
submitted to us. As for the faculty-chaperoning system, we will review
the mechanisms and enforce new guidelines, if necessary.

In view of these, it would be ideal to postpone the lifting of the


moratorium until after this current semester.

POINT – We should retain the moratorium on off-campus activities in


our school.

REASON – Because although CHED has ordered the lifting of the


moratorium, we are not ready to deal with the additional requirements
for off-campus activities.

EXPLANATION – Our accredited service providers do not have a


comprehensive insurance package for students; their vehicles have not
passed the road-worthiness test; and we have yet to perfect the faculty-
chaperoning system. We will have to look for a better service provider
from the list submitted to us. As for the faculty-chaperoning system, we
will review the mechanisms and enforce new guidelines, if necessary.

POINT SUMMARIZED – In view of these, it would be ideal to postpone


the lifting of the moratorium until after this current semester.

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Strategies for Effective
Presentation
It is not enough that you have an ingenious
idea and compelling visuals to go with it. You
must be able to, in a way, make your audience
believe that indeed they are ideas worth
considering. Here are some tips on how to
deliver a talk well.

1. Try to appear confident


even though you’re not.

Public speaking can be a


nerve-racking experience
for some, especially
those who have stage
fright. However you can
According to experts,
do something about it.
much of our self-talk is
Before your talk, you can
negative. What could
convince yourself that account for people’s
you are confident, even self-destructive
though you are shaking. outlook and habits?
Your thought pattern
will dictate your action.
According to experts,
engaging in self-talk to
rid yourself of negative
thoughts about yourself
can actually help you
prepare mentally for
the challenge. Visualize
yourself as a confident,
competent, caring speaker
“Presentation Skills” by UBC Learning Commons is licensed under CC by 4.0
and your actions will
reflect your conviction.
This infographic from UBC Learning Commons
also suggests several important things to You can also try to assume
consider when making presentations. a posture that makes you
feel you are an authority.
Breathing exercises are
also very effective.
2. Connect with your audience.
What other strategies
would be useful to
Your audience is not only there to learn from you; they are also establish rapport
waiting to be drawn into your talk not only because of what with the audience?
you have to say but how you say it. Countless approaches have Of those cited here,
been proven to improve rapport with the audience, such as eye which ones have you
contact, smiling, telling a personal story, and having a sense of personally used?
humor—to lighten up the austere ambiance. Whatever approach
you use to connect with your audience, remember to be sincere.

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Another thing is to move around. Use movement to convey
your message, especially if you are telling a story. Walk around,
gesture, and use appropriate facial expressions, but don’t get
theatrical.

3. Constantly strive to improve your presentation skills.


INTEGRATE
If your previous presentation was not entirely a success, don’t
Of all the course requirements
lose heart. There will be other opportunities to show your
you have to perform or had knowledge, talent, and skill. Meanwhile, you might wish to
performed, how many required seek the help of professionals to give you positive feedback and
presentation skills? prepare you for your next speaking assignment. You might also
wish to enroll in public speaking classes offering expert advice to
help people combat their presentation anxieties.

CHECK

A. Formulate your own guidelines for oral presentations in the form of rules.
Later on, you may frame your guidelines, to be posted in places where you
can easily see them.

My Guidelines for Oral Presentation

1. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

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