MODULE 3:

PRESENTATION STRATEGIES

Q-1: WHAT IS PRESENTATION? DISCUSS THE STEPS INVOLVED IN

PLANNING A PRESENTATION.

Definition: When you meet a group of people to talk about a new product, idea, topic or
piece of work, it is called a Presentation.
Planning for Presentation: Effective preparation enables us to answer all the questions and
doubts about our speech before they arise.
The contents of our speech and how we deliver it, are based on five Important factors:
(1). Occasion,
(2). Audience,
(3). Purpose,
(4). Thesis,
(5). Material.

(I) Occasion:
 Occasion refers to the factors such as the facilities available for our
presentation,
time and context of our presentation.
 Facilities include the venue or locale along with the projection equipment, lighting,
seating, ventilation, etc. Every location has its unique physical environment. If we
identify problems in advance, we can either ask for alternative arrangements or
modify our materials, visual aids and style to suit the environment.
 Time refers to both the time: the day of presentation and the duration of the talk.
Straightforward and factual presentations may work well during the morning
hours. Most professional presentations are brief so we should present the important
point in the first few minutes.
 Context refers to the events surrounding our presentation. For example, when we
are presenting in a team we need to consider the team members. They might have
left a positive or negative impression in the minds of the audience.
 The recent happenings in our company can also affect the presentation. For
example, you cannot present a new proposal on budget just after your company has
suffered a financial loss.
(II) Audience:
 All audiences have one thing in common. They are at the receiving end of our
communication. They may be our friends, foes, clients, colleagues or unfamiliar
faces. The nature of our audience has a direct impact on the strategy we devise
for our presentation. Hence, it is necessary to have some prior knowledge of the
audience, and its level and cultural background so that our presentation can be
effective and acceptable.
 Understanding of audience would help the presenter (speaker) to
 Build support
 Anticipate problems
 Consider Strategies
 Tune the approach
 Competent delivery of content
 Moreover speak with confidence and conviction, demand the questions from
audience that in turn would make you acceptable.
(III) Purpose:
 There can be three different purposes of a presentation: to inform, to analyze,
or to persuade. The purpose of a presentation not only decides the content and
style but also affects the amount of audience interaction.
 When our purpose is to provide information or to analyze situation, we
generally interact with the audience in a limited manner. Example of
presentation with an informative purpose can be a presentation at the new
employee-orientation program or an explanation of our project status.
 On the other hand, when our purpose is to persuade people to take a particular
action, collaborate with them in solving a problem, or making a decision, the
interaction would be more.
(IV) Thesis Statement:
 The thesis statement is very important in a presentation because it spells out the
subject and establishes its impact among the audience. It is also a central idea
of a presentation.
 Using a question or a sentence fragment should be avoided. Simple language
should be used to frame a complete, declarative statement.
(V) Material:
 Once we complete formulating our thesis, we need to develop the information
that elaborates it. Collecting material requires some research.
  For most of the professional presentations, we may have to consult the
library, Internet, magazines, newspapers, organizational records,
statistics and publications. Sometimes, we may even have to collect
information through surveys or interviews.
 Once we finish collecting material and ideas for our presentation, we should
assemble them at one place. We may list all the ideas on a piece of
paper and then organize them.

Q-2: WRITE OUTLINING AND STRUCTURING OF PRESENTATION.

People vary in their ability to speak confidently in public. When we face an audience we
should expect to feel a little nervous. Always prepare more material than required, as this
will help you feel confident. Arrange the contents of your presentation into three major
parts namely (I) introduction, (II) middle part and (III) conclusions.
In other words, say what you want to say; say it; then say what you have already said.
(I) Introduction:
 Introduction comprises the opening statement, the aim and the objectives of
presentation.
 The beginning can be with a sincere greeting, question, quotation, anecdote,
a short story, analogy so as to grab the attention of the audience.
 A good introduction is a vehicle to lead the audience into the main body of
the speech with smooth transition.
(II) Main Body:
 The main body or discussion supports your aim or specific purpose of
presentation. The major pointes highlighted in introduction would be
expanded here.
 There are different patterns of organizing the content in the middle part.
They are:
 Chronological
 Categorical
 Cause and Effect
 Problem Solving
 Persuasive
Speaker can make this part or presentation authentic by providing facts, figures,
examples, illustrations, statistics, testimony, analogy or definition. Speaker is always
advised to avoid too many points. Devote enough time to each point so that you can
convince the audience what you are saying.
(III) Conclusions:
 We can conclude the presentation by reviewing the main points.
 A signal such as to sum up, to conclude, to review, in the end, etc. must
be used to indicate the end of the presentation.
 We can also conclude with quotation, joke, anecdote with which we
commenced our presentation to bring it to a full circle.
 After this the presenter can invite the questions for discussion. Make questioners
feel that their questions are welcome. Maintain the polite and firm
attitude while answering.

Q-3: PREPARE AN OUTLINING OF PRESENTATION ON ANY TOPIC

WHICH YOU WANT TO DELIVER.

ROLE OF STUDENTS IN NATION’S DEVELOPMENT

Introduction:
Today‟s students are Tomorrow‟s future. The role of students in developing a country
is huge. You can‟t expect a country to develop if it doesn‟t have literate people. These
students who are studying would be working tomorrow. They would be working for
the public, private sector etc. These students would be the pillars on which the
country would be standing on. So the role of students is like building blocks of nation
and if they are left unnoticed might cause long term major problems for the country.
So don‟t underestimate a student today and a student won‟t let you underestimated in
future.
Students in a developing country can work for social and national progress.
University and college students can educate the uneducated people and can be
engaged in a universal education program. Both male and female students can serve
their country by getting militarily trained. Students can take part in social welfare
activities for general social progress. If they all join, they can develop the following
things:
(1) Education (2) Agriculture (3) Industry
(4) Society (5) Economy (6) Indian financial market
(7) Indian politics (8) Defense. For Examples:
(1). Ankit Fadia is an independent computer security consultant.
(2). Harine Ravindran worked on project to eliminate voltage fluctuations.
(3). Saina Nehwal is well-known Indian badminton player.
(4). Vijender singh Beniwal is an Olympic medalist Indian boxer
from Kalwash, Bhimani district in Haryana.
(5). Suhas Gopinath was announced as “Young Global Leader” for 2008 -2009 by
the world economic forum, Davos.
Conclusion:
Today things have changed and once again we are a free nation. However, the glory of
the past is yet to be achieved. Honesty is another important trait that enables people to
discharge their duties and responsibilities in a proper manner. This should be learnt and
developed during the student life itself. The students can revive the lost glory of India
with a strong will, sacrifice, honesty and character.

Q-4: DISCUSS MODES OF DELIVERY FOR PRESENTATION.

 Having something to say is not enough; one must also know how to say it.
Most audiences prefer delivery that combines a certain degree of formality with the best
attributes of good conversation - directness, spontaneity, animation, vocal and facial
expressiveness, and a lively sense of communication.
 There are four modes of delivery which can be used for making presentations:
Extemporaneous Mode:
 Extemporaneous presentation is the most popular and effective method. Here
rehearsal of presentation to be made is must but cramming must be avoided.
 It also requires meticulously and well organized content so as to make the
presentation more effective.
Manuscript Mode:
 In manuscript presentation, material is written and the speaker is supposed to
read it out aloud word for word. You should be wise enough not to attempt to read a
speech until you have become proficient reader. Unfortunately most speakers are not
good readers. They make it uninteresting by reading in a dull and monotonous way.
 For effective use of this mode, you should have gone through the material
several times before and till you become absolutely familiar with the text. You should
know what is written where.
Impromptu Mode:
 The impromptu mode, as the word suggests, is what you use when you have to
deliver an informal speech without preparation. For example, at a formal dinner party
you may be invited to deliver a vote of thanks.
 Don‟t panic and babble something in an unmethodical way. Be as brief as
possible during your impromptu presentations.
Memorization Mode:
 This method of presentation is very difficult for most of us. Probably a handful of
you can actually memorize an entire speech.
 This type of delivery stands somewhere between extemporaneous and manuscript
presentation.

Q-5: NARRATE TYPES OF VISUAL AIDS GENERALLY USED IN

PRESENTATION ALONG WITH SOME TIPS PERTAINING TO THE USE OF
VISUAL AIDS.

 Visual aids are an important part of written technical communication. Most

technical reports, whether they are laboratory reports, project reports, or feasibility
reports, include illustrations such as tables, graphs, maps, diagrams, charts, or
photographs. In fact, texts are complementary in technical communication.
 Visual aids are also used extensively in presentations, to support the facts and figures
being presented.
 Graphics can be used to represent the following elements in technical writing.
 Concepts: This element depicts non-physical, conceptual things and their
relationships. If you want to show how your company is organized (that is the
relationship between the different departments and officials), you could set up an
organization charts i.e. boxes and circles connected with lines that show how everything
is hierarchically arranged and related. This is an example of a graphic depicting a
concept.
 Objects: Photographs, drawings, diagrams and schematics are the types of graphics
that show objects. If you are describing a fuel-injection system, you will probably need a
drawing or diagram to explain the system properly.
 Numbers: Numbers are used while presenting data and statistics. If you are
discussing the rising cost of housing in a particular city, you could use a table, with the
column showing the data for 5-year periods since 1995. The rows could be for different
types of housing. You could show the same data in the form of bar charts, pie charts, or
line graphs.
 Words: Graphics are also used to depict words. You have probably noticed how
textbooks put key definitions and examples in boxes with words.
Advantages of using Visual Aids:
(1). Arouses interest and focuses on essentials
(2). Leads reader to quicker comprehension
(3). Support and reinforces words
(4). Saves much time and effort in explaining and interpreting complex ideas
(5). Simplifies numerical data
(6). Emphasizes and clarifies certain facts and relationship
(7). Makes the description vivid and eye-catching
(8). Renders a professional flavor to the communication

Types of Visual Aids:

Dependent
Tables Independent
Phrase
Illustrations

Graphs
Charts
Figures Drawings
Photographs

Maps
MODULE 4 :
LISTENING ABILITY

Q-1: WHAT IS LISTENING? STATE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

‘LISTENING’ AND ‘HEARING’. EXPLAIN IN BRIEF, THE TYPES OF
LISTENING.

„Listening is a process of receiving, interpreting and reacting to a message received from

the speaker.‟
Difference between Hearing and Listening:
 Hearing and listening are not the same. In fact, hearing is solely depends on the
ears, is a physical act, everyone can hear without deliberate effort.
 On the other hand, listening requires voluntary attention and then making sense of
what is heard. It requires a conscious effort to interpret the sounds, grasp the meanings of
the words and react to the mess.
Types of Listening:
(1). Appreciative listening: Appreciative listening is listening for deriving aesthetic
pleasure, as we do when we listen to a comedian, musician, or entertainer.
(2). Empathetic listening: When we listen to an upset friend who wants to expel his
feelings, we provide emotional and moral support in the form of empathetic listening. For
example, when psychiatrists listen to their patients, their listening is classified as
empathetic listening.
(3). Comprehensive listening: This type of listening is needed in the classroom when
students have to listen to the lecturer to understand and comprehend the message.
Similarly, when someone is giving you directions to find the location of a place,
comprehensive listening is required to receive and interpret the message.
(4). Critical listening: When the purpose is to accept or reject the message or to
evaluate it critically, one requires this type of listening. For example, listening to a sales
person before making a purchase. Similarly, when you read a book with the objective of
writing a book review, you use your critical abilities.

(5). Active Listening: Active listening is the most useful and important listening skill.
In active listening, we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the message
means, and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our
own new message. We repeat or paraphrase our understanding of their message and
reflect it back to the sender for verification.
(6). Passive Listening: We listen passively and attentively. Passive listening occurs
when a listener does not verbally respond to the speaker e.g. watching TV.
Q-2: EXPLAIN TRAITS OF A GOOD LISTENER.

 Although acquiring the skill of active listening needs much effort, it is not
impossible. A few guidelines are given below:
(1). Being Non-evaluative: The speaker is not to be evaluated for his personal
qualities. Our behavior should convey the impression that we accept the speaker without
making any judgment of right or wrong, good or bad, suitable or unsuitable.
(2). Paraphrasing: To clarify a point, one can simply paraphrase what the speaker
has said and enquire from the speaker whether one has heard it accurately. Use phrase like
the following ones to ensure that the information has been paraphrased correctly:
„As I gather, you want to tell …‟ So you mean to say that …‟ „Oh! Your feeling towards
…‟ „Do you mean that …‟
(3). Reflecting Implications: The listener‟s aim here is to reflect eagerness and zest
by verbal or non-verbal means, thereby giving positive feedback. One can use phrases
like:
„I am sure if you did that, you would be in a position to …‟ „So this might lead to a result
which …‟
„So you are suggesting that we might …‟
„Will that help us to alleviate the problem of …‟
If you use this technique with genuine intention of understanding more, one can certainly
help the speaker by boosting his confidence and making him believe that the listener has
grasped the content well.
(4). Reflecting Hidden Feelings: Sometimes, one has to go beyond the explicit
feelings to unravel the underlying feelings, intentions, beliefs, or values that may be
influencing the speaker‟s words. The listener must try and empathize or identify
themselves with the speaker, to experience what they feel. One can express one‟s
sentiments by using phrases such as:
„If I were in your place, I would not have handled the situation so well.‟ „That must have
been a satisfying experience.‟
„If I was in such a situation, I‟d have been very upset.‟ „If that had happened to me, I‟d have
been very upset.‟
(5). Inviting Further Contributions: In a situation where we have not heard or
understood enough yet to respond with empathy and understanding, we must prompt the
speaker to give more information. Phrases such as the following can be used:
„Can you throw more light on …‟
„It would be great if you can expand more on this.‟ „What happened after that?‟
„How did you react when …?‟
When we want a speaker to expand on his subject, we must ask open-ended questions, which
require more than a straight yes or no answer. Open-ended questions encourage a speaker
and help the listener gain more information. The listener must keep statements and questions
short and easy to understand.
(6). Responding Non-verbally: Listener can show active interest by adopting certain
postures and sending non-verbal signals that communicate their interest in what the speaker
is saying. These include regular eye contact (without staring), body leaning slightly towards
the speaker, etc. Occasionally, certain receptive utterances such as „yes‟ can also be used to
indicate that one is following what the speaker is saying, while being careful not to overdo it.
By giving such non-verbal signals, the listener help the speaker feel more confident and
reflects interest and understanding. This also helps generate more trust between the listener
and the speaker.

Q-3: WHAT IS LISTENING? DISCUSS BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING.

 „Listening is a process of receiving, interpreting and reacting to a message received

from the speaker.‛
 Thinking is the biggest obstacle in listening process which diverts the mind from the
original track and hence, the speaker doesn‟t achieve the good response from listener. In
addition, some more barriers affect too. They are:
(1). Physical Barriers: Physical barriers to listening could be noise and physical
discomfort or any physical factor.
(2). Psychological Barriers: Any psychological or emotional disturbance can prove to be
a barrier to effective listening because it leads to lack of interest and concentration.
(3). Linguistic Barriers: If one listens to something in a language or dialect that he is
not able to follow, a communication will breakdown.
(4). Cultural Barrier: If the speaker and listener belong to different cultures and share
different values, listening and comprehension could become a difficult process.

READING FLUENCY

Q-1: EXPLAIN PURPOSE OF READING.

 Reading is one of most important academic tasks faced by students; it is equally

important in the commercial working world.
 Reading consists of two processes:
(1). Word recognition
(2). Comprehension.
 The purpose of reading is to make sense out of what you read.
 Besides reading academic texts and professional documents, we require to read
several other kinds of texts for the various purpose mentioned here:
(1). Enhancing reading ability.
(2). Knowing about what is happening around.
(3). Enhancing general awareness on the developments in science, technology,
education, business, sports, entertainment, etc.
(4). Expanding vocabulary. (5). Developing writing skills. (6). Deriving pleasure.
(7). Developing overall personality.
(8). Understanding and appreciating various styles of writing.
 Reading is not passive activity. It is interactive in which reader brings his
background knowledge, vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, experience with the text and
other strategies to the text in front of him. Perceiving a written text in order to understand its
content is called Silent Reading.
 Saying a written text aloud is referred as Oral Reading. This can be done with or
without an understanding of the contents.
Q-2: EXPLAIN TYPES OF READING.

 We read different texts for different purposes. There are two types of reading
according to the purpose of reading: (1) Intensive reading and (2) Extensive reading

(1). Intensive Reading:

 Intensive reading is reading carried out for a complete or comprehensive
understanding of the text by focusing on vocabulary, sentence structure and also the coherence
among the various parts of text. It may also be called academic reading.
 Intensive reading involves several skills like predicting the content, understanding
the gist, scanning, identifying the topic sentence and its role in each paragraph of the text,
transferring of information, understanding discourse coherence, and sequencing of sentences.
 Example: When we read a textbook on Chemical Engineering, we may sincerely try
to grasp the meaning of almost all words. We may also have to retain the grasped
information in our memory over a period of time for answering question in examinations,
performing practical sessions, etc.
(2). Extensive Reading:
 Extensive reading is a type of reading that is carried out for an overall or a general
understanding of the text without aiming for 100% comprehension.
 When you are involved in extensive reading, you may not focus on vocabulary,
syntax, etc. but you may try to differentiate between the core and supporting ideas.
 Example: We read a newspaper article to get information and facts quickly, read a
novel for pleasure, read a notice to get information.

Q-3: WHAT IS READING COMPREHENSION? NARRATE REASONS FOR

POOR COMPREHENSION AND STATE HOW COMPREHENSION SKILL
CAN BE IMPROVED.

 Reading comprehension refers to the ability to understand information presented in

written form.
 This skill usually involves in understanding textbooks assignments, articles in
newspapers and journals, various business documents, reading passages given in
competitive examinations, etc.
 One‟s level of reading comprehension skills will affect even one‟s interpretation of
directions, such as „what to do‟ and „when to do‟ that appear on certain documents such as
instruction manuals, puzzles, etc.
 Reasons for Poor Comprehension:
 The reason for lack of understanding could be situational, depending on the type of
reading matter, the subject of the material, and your mental or physical state.
  Not all failures in all contexts can be attributed to the same factor. For example,
inability to understand a biology text may be due to vocabulary problems or unfamiliar
technical jargon, while failure to comprehend a mathematical text may be conceptual, or lack of
understanding of the fundamental concepts.

 The main reasons for poor reading comprehension are:

 Inability to understand a word.
 Inability to understand a sentence.
 Inability to understand how sentences relate to one another.
 Inability to understand how the information fits together in meaningful way.
 Lack of interest or concentration.
 Improving Comprehension Skills:
 Improved reading comprehension skills can positively impact many aspects of
student academic performance. Performance in exam and quizzes could greatly improve as
students become more proficient and effective reader.
 The following are some of the ways in which comprehension skills can be
improved:
 Read a variety of materials. Do not limit yourself to textbooks.
 Read a fairly long portion of the material. It would be difficult to assess reading
comprehension based on one or two paragraphs. Try to read an entire section or chapter
instead.

 After reading, recall as much of the information as possible. Jot down points if
you like. Then check the accuracy and completeness of your recollections. If the main ideas
are presented in a particular order, see if you can recall the structure.
 Consider how interesting the subject matter is and how much you already know
about the subject.
 Answer questions about the material after reading it.
 These strategies may help you in achieving the following purposes:
 To enhance understanding of the content in text.
 To improve understanding of how information is organized in a text.
 To improve attention and concentration while reading.
 To make reading a more active process.
 To increase personal involvement in the reading material.
 To promote critical thinking and evaluation of reading material.