What makes a good presentation?
Without exception, all good presenters have one thing in common, enthusiasm, both for their subject and for the business of presenting it.
Enthusiasm is infectious. Audiences can’t help but be affected by it and the best public speakers always make what they say sound as if it really matters. They know that if it matters to them, it will matter to their audience. Many things contribute to the success of a presentation – new and unusual content, a clear structure, a good sense of timing, imaginative use of visual aids, the ability to make people laugh and think., but above all of these is enthusiasm. What kind of language and what kind of techniques will best show your enthusiasm for your subject? ‘Presenting in English’ analyzes what makes a speaker sound dynamic and enthusiastic. It identifies the key skills employed by all effective presenters.
The basics of introducing your topic, structuring your talk and referring to visual aids are all dealt with in Sections l and 2 of the program. The remainder focuses on ‘Voice and Delivery As a Presenter’, the ability to pace your speech and use your voice to create impact is the single most important skill you need. You will be more effective if you are in control of your voice by your use of stress, pausing, intonation, volume, and silence.
Content Language: You can’t give a good presentation unless you have something to say. Being confident about your content is crucial. Presenting in English helps you to identify and organize all the key words and phrases you are likely to need and teaches you how to make simple visuals that work for you.
Rhetorical Technique: Once you are in charge of both your voice and your content you can start to think about how best to present your subject. Sections 4 and 5 teach you the techniques successful speakers use automatically. Choose the techniques that suit you best and work on perfecting them.
Question Handling: Handling Perhaps the most unpredictable part of a presentation is the question session. This may be after your talk or you may invite questions during it. Section 7 systematically teaches you how to field different types of question and deal effectively with the subjects your audience may raise.