US Academic Expectations: Oral Communication Skills By: Jillian Johnston

Learning Outcomes Understand the expectations of an Oral Presentation Learn about the different skills that go into Oral Communication Practice identifying and applying these skills Understand how to develop presentations

US Academic Expectations Participation Presentations US Assumptions: Professors and students are partners in learning. Students learn best when they are involved in the learning process. When students participate, they are showing interest and engagement with the materials in class.

Participation How to participate: Share your opinions Answer questions posed by students and professors Ask questions to clarify or deepen your understanding Actively interact in assigned class groups

Presentations When you present, you are: Sharing your findings on an assigned topic Engaging your audience so they can best learn the information you are sharing

What makes this presentation effective? What does she do well? Stop at 1:19 How to Make Stress your Friend

What is an Oral Presentation

Oral Presentation Skills Verbal Non-Verbal Breathing Volume Pacing Movement Pronunciation

Pronunciation Be sure to enunciate- pronounce the word clearly Practice difficult words (e.g. names or places) Confidence Key words needs to be clear, smooth, and understandable Identify words that you are unsure of how to pronunciation that the speaker pronounces clearly. Which part of the word is difficult for you? Are you making the correct mouth movements

Which words should you practice pronouncing? Some people become "hangry," or irrationally irritable, upset or angry because of hunger. But how hunger turns into hangriness is a mystery, says Isabella Martinez, a doctoral candidate at the University of Connecticut in psychoneurobiology, who wanted to understand the phenomenon. “hangriness” People’s name – Isabella Martinez Place – Connecticut “Psychoneurobiology” “Phenomenon”

Breathing When you take a breath Quiet (do not draw attention) Usually at the end of a sentence If you breathe during a sentence make sure it is at the right spot Commas ( , ) Hyphens/Dash ( -- ) Semicolon ( ; ) Make a mark every time a breath is taken- including within a sentence Is the breath distracting?

Volume Loudness of your voice Emphasize important points Engage the audience with different volume Exaggerating points for dramatic effect Circle the words or phrases where the speaker uses a different volume This may be LOUD or quiet

Pacing Talking pace Asking if there are any questions Too fast vs. too slow Be sure you have time to enunciate Appropriate pauses Asking if there are any questions Engage with the audience to break up how often you speak and get information Mark a pause Mark when she talks slowly and mark when she increases the pace

Movement Body movement Walking or Changing Position Facial expressions Hands, head, shoulders, legs Walking or Changing Position Facial expressions Emotion, Interest Eye Contact! Watch for: Hands in pockets Arms crossed on directly at your side Fidgety Know the room set-up How does the presenter move. Take note of all the different movements Notice facial expressions, can you notice when she emphasizes something or wants to portray a certain emotion

Let’s try out these skills What we are doing: Divide into Groups, with each group taking one skill. As you watch the video, look for how your skill is applied in the speech In your group, discuss your final answers to share with the class. How to Make Stress your Friend

What do we notice?

Making Good Transitions Smooth transition from sentence to sentence Appropriate pauses Know what comes next Make sure your notes flow Can you use reference cards? Practice, practice, practice! In front of a mirror paying attention to other skills With your group too! Avoid filler words Uh, um, & hmm Reference cards: key points that spark interest Why Identify when the speaker pauses to change a thought Does this transition feel “smooth”…why? Which other components affect tranitioning

Developing your Presentation Ask for help! Develop key ideas Arranging your Presentation (Introduction, Context, Conclusion) Support and Evidence Summary of Ideas Ask if there are questions Visual Aids- i.e. PowerPoint, Prezi (prezi.com) Prepare notes and rehearse practicing verbal and non-verbal skills Try and engage your audience Enjoy yourself! Plan time to lower your stress levels