Oral Presentation Skills Four components 1 Body Language

Oral Presentation Skills

Four components: 1. Body Language 2. Voice 3. Appearance 4. Oral Content

Body Language • Posture – Stand up straight – Do not sit or slouch – Demonstrate confidence • Openness – Face your audience • Eye contact – Look around, not down, or at one person • Movement – Stand to the side - Do not block your visuals – Use gestures, but do not be distracting – If suitable, move through your audience – make sure they can still hear you

Voice • Enunciation – Improper enunciation will lessen your audience’s understanding of the content • Pronunciation – Mispronouncing words will detract from your credibility • Projection – Throw your voice to the back of the room • Tone – Enthusiasm is contagious – show your interest in your topic • Volume – Speak to low and you won’t be hear; speak to high and it will distract your audience • Speed – Pace yourself: speak to slowly and your audience will be bored; speak too quickly and the meaning will be lost – Pause and key points

Appearance • Professionalism – When you look like a professional, it will be more likely you will be seen as one – Neat, tidy, and clean • Dress – Dress appropriately for your audience • Casual or Formal wear is dependent on the setting

Oral Content • Don’t read off a script • Only glance at cue cards as a reminder of your next point • Stick to your content – don’t stray off on tangents • Repeat key ideas for clarity

Practice, Practice! When you arrive on presentation day, you should be comfortable enough with the material that you can speak fluently to your audience. Never underestimate the importance of rehearsal time!