Oral

Presentation
Skills
 WHAT IS A PRESENTATION?

• Any opportunity to communicate your point of view or

ideas to an audience.
• This can be informal or formal, impromptu or prepared,
individual or group.
 Stages

1. Planning
2. Writing
3. Completing
4. Delivering the presentation
Planning
• Get to know your listeners
• Analyze the circumstances around your talk
• The location and the size of the audience
 GET TO KNOW YOUR LISTENERS

• Clarify the interests and needs of your listeners

• Determine what values, hopes, advantages, fears and
concerns listeners have.
 ANALYSE THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND
YOUR TALK
In adjusting your presentation to the audience, you have to decide:
• What level of language and style to use?
• What is the circumstance and occasion of speech or talk?
• Is it a sales presentation, a speech at a wedding, or an informational
speech?
• Is it a light-hearted, persuasive, political, joyful, passionate speech?
• What is the time length and situation of the presentation?
 THE LOCATION AND THE SIZE OF THE
AUDIENCE

• The room size, seating arrangements, layout, set-up and acoustics

• The technical arrangements, e.g. microphones, power points,
computer, audio-visuals, lighting, music, and whether assistance is
available (and have you notified your requirements in advance?)
• What controls are there for air-conditioning (too cold, too hot),
lighting, moving people in/out?
• What are the seats like?
Writing
• Brainstorm the topic
• Get the hard information
• Write a draft and read it aloud
• Use visual aids
 Brainstorm the topic

• Write down everything about the topic that comes into

your head.
• Jot down anything you feel may be useful – quotes,
ideas, anecdotes, facts, figures, examples, anything.
 GET THE HARD INFORMATION

• Gather sufficient evidence to back up your ideas.

• The facts, statistics, quotes and opinions that your
research produces will add to the persuasiveness of your
presentation.
 WRITE A DRAFT AND READ IT ALOUD

• When you write the first draft of your speech, it should

contain the three basic elements:
• The introduction
• The discussion
• The conclusion
 USE VISUAL AIDS

• Help to create interest and to illustrate points that may

be hard to explain using words alone.
• Help the speaker to remember details of the
presentation and, if used tastefully, can help to improve
the speaker’s professional image.
 Types of visual aids

• Overhead projector.
• Whiteboard.
• Flip charts to prepare.
• Video clips.
• Models and/or Maps
• A computer-based program such as Microsoft PowerPoint.
Completing
• Practice, practice, practice
• It’s natural to feel nervous
 Tips
As you rehearse, consider how you look and sound. Remember to:
• Try not to stand behind a lectern.
• Express your power confidently.
• Stand tall.
• Make good use of facial expression and gesture to add feeling and
greater meaning to your presentation.
• Use your voice well.
 Tips
• If nervous, take a deep breath.
• Pause to take deep breaths.
• Look at your audience.
• Use gestures appropriately, move your arms around to demonstrate
your points.
• Respond to the looks and body language of your audience.
• Say to yourself, ‘I have something of value to say, and these people
love to listen to me’.
 Tips
• Just because you are nervous doesn’t mean that you must freeze
and do a bad job.
• Keep on practicing until your material becomes second nature. It
will be there in your head.
• Remind yourself that you are there to help the audience take
something of value away.
• Dress one level better than your audience is dressed – this gives
you further confidence and makes you look professional.
 Tips

• Leave yourself with plenty of time – don’t rush about.

• Be early.
• Eat and drink only lightly.
• Have a glass of warm water.
• Speak slowly, clearly and with impact.
• Project your voice to reach the back row of the audience.
Delivering the Speech
The following seven factors will contribute towards our success
during the presentation.
• Your start.
• Audience mood.
• Your voice.
• Body language.
• Your visual aids.
• Timing.
• Conclusion.
 The start

The greatest battle is won when you make a great start.

Bear the following points in mind:
• Be confident.
• Know the topic well.
 Audience mood
• Be empathic with your audience mood.
• Watch your audience’s body language.
• Watch their facial expressions, glances exchanged, shuffling of feet.
• Be professional.
• Project the right degree of formality.
• Use good pace and drive.
• Don’t be arrogant – this will turn your audience against you.
• Control your enthusiasm.
 Your voice

• Use it with skill.

• Be clearly audible.
• Use a microphone if necessary.
• Keep your head up.
• Open your mouth wider than during normal speech.
• Speak more slowly so the audience can digest what you are
saying.
• Stress/ accent/ pitch/ volume
 Body language

• Positioning of our body – stand in a good posture, do not pace

around too much.
• Use your hands in proper gestures to support your points.
• Good use of eye contact – gains and holds attention and
establishes rapport.
• Avoid mannerisms that irritate, e.g. swaying side to side, fiddling
with marker pens, pointers or spectacles.
• Placing hands in pockets.
• Pacing to and fro.
 Your visual aids

• When using flip charts or white boards, write from the

side.
• Stand so that you do not block the view of the screen or
flip chart.
• Do not speak to the board or screen.
 Timing
• Make sure you end on time. Nothing is worse than going overtime
unless you have checked with the audience first. Keep to your allotted
time.
Conclusion
• Finish with a bang. Go out on a high note. Ask the audience for action.
• Whatever else, leave no doubt in your audience’s mind that you have
come to an end of your presentation.