Presentation Skills Short Course

What will I learn?

Over the duration of the Presentation Skills short course, you will learn to develop an effective preparation process, including:

• Clarifying your objectives - what do you want your audience to feel, think and do?
• Structuring a clear, concise and persuasive message;
• Exploring creative approaches which make an impact;
• Adapting rhetorical devices to make your message stick;
• Handling nerves and eliminating tension, using techniques from psychology and the theatre;
• Harnessing voice and body language to engage your audience;
• Playing with status to build rapport and credibility;
• Performing prepared and impromptu speeches.
• The value of making presentations and speeches.
• Preparing content and the range of structures; the uses of storytelling; tailoring your presentation for the audience, using visual and other presentation aids.
• Body language & presence; physical warm up, relaxation techniques and confidence-building techniques; credibility, status and rapport using non-verbal behaviour.
• Warming up the voice, and building vocal power and tone to engage your audience.
• Rhetorical skills and use of imagery. How language can make your message stick.
• Practice connecting with the message and the audience.

Topics covered:

Week 1

Introductions & Objectives

• Who are you and what do you want from the course
• Presentation which will entail what the course overview
• We will be discussing fundamental principles of public speaking and presentation

Week 2

How to prepare your message for presentation

• Preparing content and the range of structures
• The uses of storytelling
• Tailoring your presentation for the audience by using visual and other presentation aids

Week 3

How to prepare yourself for a presentation – Part 1

• Body language and presence
• Physical warm up, relaxation techniques and confidence building techniques
• Credibility, status and rapport using non-verbal behaviour

Week 4

How to prepare yourself for a presentation – Part 2

• Warming up the voice
• Building vocal power and tone to engage your audience

Week 5

Using rhetoric

• An introduction to rhetorical skills and use of imagery
• How language can make your message stick

Week 6

Connecting it up

• Famous speeches, soliloquies or poetry
• Applying voice, physical presence and gesture to a prepared text

Week 7

Your presentations

• Feedback and coaching on your own presentations

Week 8

Your presentations

• Feedback and coaching on your own presentations

Please wear comfortable clothes you can move freely in as these weeks will contain gentle physical exercises. I suggest trousers for women.

Eligibility

English requirements

Good written and spoken English are required on this Presentation Skills course.

Teaching & assessment

Informal assessment will take place through group discussion, class room activities, and questions and answers sessions, as guided by your tutor.

Recommended reading

• Patsy Rodenberg (1992) The Right To Speak, Routledge,
• Ed. Brian MacArthur (1999) The Penguin Book of Twentieth Century Speeches, Penguin Books.
• Professor Max Atkinson (2004) Lend Me Your Ears Vermillion, London,
• Joseph O'Connor (2001) The NLP Workbook, Element.
• Tony & Barry Buzan (BBC,1993, 2000) The Mind Map Book
• Carmine Gallo (2010) The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience (McGraw-Hill Books)