1. Success with Cross- Cultural Presentations: Part II March 29, 2008 Colleen Meyers, Education Specialist, Center for Teaching & Learning University of Minnesota, meyer002@umn.edu meyer002@umn.edu

2. Nice to meet you!  Hun gao xing jian dao ni.  3 1 4 4 4 3  flat  rising  fall + short rise  fall

3. Review: Non-verbal Communication Approximately what percent of communication is non-verbal:  A. 7%  B. 38%  C. 55%

4. Review: Non-Verbal Communication  A. 7 %  B. 38%  C. 55%  Spoken words  Use of voice  All non-verbals

5. Cross-Cultural Communication Communication Language Interactional Skills Presentation Skills

6. Agenda  Hour 1: Relevance  Hour 2: Handling Questions  Hour 3: Day-to-Day Work Challenges

7. Part I: Relevance: Assessing and Involving your Audience

8. Relevance: Objectives Objectives: By the end of this part, participants will be able to:  Identify strategies for assessing audience background and level.  Demonstrate the ability to make an abstract term clear by building in redundancy.  Use correct intonation patterns.

9. Relevance: Example  You will see a video of “Michael” teaching about “North American English Vowels.”  Watch the video and be prepared to comment on:  What techniques does Michael use to assess his audience’s background and level?  What techniques does he use to make his concept clear to his audience?

10. Relevance: Example Strategies used to make material relevant:  Asking questions to determine background.  Building in redundancy.  Checking for comprehension.

11. Relevance: Phrases Phrases for assessing background:  Let me start by asking you a question.  Are you (all) familiar with this chart?  Has anyone seen this before?  How many of you are familiar with X? Please raise your hand.

12. Relevance: Strategies  Personal/practical example  Analogy or comparison/contrast  Word origin  Visual (picture, model, diagram, chart)

13. Relevance: Phrases  Phrases for building in redundancy:  Let me give you an example.  I think this example will clarify.  In other words, …..  In simple terms, this means….  That is, ….  Here’s a chart to help you understand.  I brought a model to show you what I mean.

14. Relevance: Phrases  Phrases to check for comprehension:  Does this make sense?  Does everyone follow this?  Any questions about this?  Is this clear?  Before we move on, any questions up to this point?

15. Relevance: Practice Defining a Term  Work with a partner. Each of you will take turns making a concept or term from your field relevant to the other:  Assess your audience’s background.  Explain the concept.  Make it relevant through an example, analogy, word origin, or other strategy.  Check to make sure the concept is clear.

16. Relevance: Feedback  Comment on:  Use of questions to assess your level/background  Effectiveness of strategies to make materials relevant to you  Use of comprehension checks.  Suggestions for improvement.

17. Relevance: Summary Remember:  Use of questions for assessment  Use of voice (volume, emphasis, pausing, and voice variation) to make questions clear.  Use of redundancy to make material relevant.  Check to ensure clarity.

18. Break

19. Part 2: Handling Questions

20. Hour 2: Handling Questions Objectives By the end of this part, participants will be able to:  Identify cultural values for answering questions in the US.  Identify strategies for negotiating meaning & handling questions.  Practice handling questions appropriately

21. Handling Questions: Cultural Expectations Which of the following visuals best represents what is expected in the US: (Draw on whiteboard.) (Draw on whiteboard.)

22. Handling Questions: Cultural Differences

23. Handling Questions: Theory  US cultural expectations:  Answers are direct.  Answers are concise.  Consider audience’s background.

24. Handling Questions: Theory Compensatory strategies:  R = rephrase/repeat  (H) = hesitate  A = answer  G = go back

25. Handling Questions: ARAG Observe Amit (Unit 9, chapter 62)  Do you think his answer is clear? Why or why not?  What suggestions would you give him?

26. Handling Questions: Rephrasing/Repeating  Rationale:  Make sure you get the question.  Make sure others hear.  Thinking time.  Focus the question, if necessary.  Decide when to delay.

27. Handling Questions: Rephrasing/Repeating  Phrases:  Are you asking…?  I think what you’re asking me is …., right?  So, you want to know….  Your question is …..  Let me repeat the question for everyone.

28. Handling Questions: Hesitating Reasons:  Thinking time  Compensates for language  Builds rapport (names)  Shows respect

29. Handling Questions: Hesitating  Phrases:  Good/Interesting question!  John’s asking …..  Let me see.  Let me think.  We…ll.  Hmm. Let me put it this way.

30. Handling Questions: Answering  Phrases:  Generally speaking, ….  Yes and no. Let me explain.  It depends.  The answer is “yes.”  It’s almost always “true.”

31. Handling Questions: Going Back  Rationale:  Questioner satisfaction.  Closure.  Indicates next question.  Additional questions.

32. Handling Questions: Going Back Behaviors to Observe:  Questioner nods  Questioner says,  I see.  OK.  Uh-huh.  Uh-hum.

33. Handling Questions: Going Back If the questioner seems satisfied, the speaker may say:  Anything else?  Any other questions?  Other questions?

34. Handling Questions: Going Back If the questioner does not seem satisfied, the speaker should say:  Did I answer your question?  Does that make sense?  Is that what you wanted to know?

35. Handling Questions: Practice using ARAG  Work in pairs.  Answer each question using R(H)AG.  Listener checks.  Feedback.  Switch roles.

36. Handling Questions: Delay Tactics  Phrases:  I’m not completely sure. Let me check & email you, OK?  Off the top of my head, I don’t know the exact figures. I’ll look them up & get back to you.  I don’t know the answer. Anyone here know the statistics?  I’m sorry. I’m an engineer—not a manager.  That’s a long, complicated question. Why don’t we talk later?  That’s a complex question. The short answer is ….

37. Handling Questions: Summary  Don’t answer immediately.  Make sure you truly understand intention of question.  Thinking time.  Delay, if necessary.

38. Break

39. Part III Everyday Work Challenges

40. Work Challenges: Objectives  By the end of this hour, participants will be able to:  Identify strategies for dealing with work challenges (with supervisors, subordinates, and/or peers)  Practice using appropriate language for dealing with these challenges.  Get feedback from peers on the effectiveness of strategies/language.

41. Brainstorming Challenges  Individually, take a few minutes to write down one or two of the challenges you have faced or might face at work.  Label each challenge as:  w/ a supervisor  w/ a subordinate  w/ a peer

42. Challenges: Group Work  Based on your type of challenge, get into 3 groups:  Challenges pertaining to subordinates  Challenges pertaining to supervisors  Challenges pertaining to peers

43. Challenges: Group Work  Now, take 5-10 minutes to discuss strategies for dealing with your group’s challenges.  Then, role-play one of the challenges using 2 (or more) of the group members.  Debrief the role-play by discussing whether the strategy worked and why (or why not).

44. Challenges: Large Group Debrief  As a large group, each small group will share 1 of their challenges:  What was the challenge?  What strategies did you come up with?  When you role-played, did the strategy work?

45. Success with Cross- Cultural Presentations  Reflection:  1) What were 2-3 of the most important concepts or strategies you learned today?  2) How will you implement them in your work?  3) What additional questions, if any, do you have? (3 X 5 cards)

46. Follow Up  Email me at: meyer002@umn.edu meyer002@umn.edu  Contact me at: 612-625-3312  Office: 315 Science Classroom Building, University of Minnesota (Mpls. Campus)  Success with Presentations (DVD + presentation skills materials used in workshop) can be ordered at:  www.eslvideos.com www.eslvideos.com

47. Thank you! Xie xie!

48. Haibo’s Tips  Who’s Haibo?  Why am I quoting him?

49. Tip 1: Humor  Humor matters. I’m sorry if I didn’t pronounce your name correctly because I’m not a native English speaker.

50. Tip 2: Involvement  Keep the audience involved. The audience was happy to be involved.

51. Tip 3: Volume  Always speak loudly. It brings out your confidence, especially a non-native speaker.

52. Tip 4: Slowly  Slow Down. This demonstrates your calmness and makes it easier for the audience to follow you.

53. Tip 5: Making Powerpoint  Powerpoint—brief text, impressive visualization.

54. Tip 6: Using Powerpoint  Tell your story. Use easy English; talk to your audience rather than read your slides.

55. Tip 7: Relax  Before the presentation—relax and enjoy your show!

56. Audience Survey How many of you have given presentations in English ? In what context? (seminar, conference, one-to- one) What challenges did you face?