Teaching Aid 6: Oral Report, or, The Art of Public Presentation

In the 2002/3 evaluation, many of the Braunschweig English Department graduates answering the questionaire claimed that as far as presentation techniques were concerned, they had not learned a thing during their course of studies. Since I started working here only in 2001, none of them had been in one of my classes, but I am fiercely determined that if I possibly can, I shall change this record at least for my students…

One of the most neglected fields in our course of studies is that of presentation techniques. Which is strange, considering how important good presentations in the classroom are, how they can save a seemingly difficult or tedious subject, and how they can trigger the liveliest of discussions!

Unfortunately, bad presentations are also one of the most damaging, discouraging and disspiriting aspects of studying: Every one of us (me too) has memories of classroom presentations that were so bad and boring that we seriously pondered the idea of giving up studying altogether.

The following is supposed to provide some basic guidance, give some practical hints and advice as well as disclose some tricks from my personal sea-chest. However: Always remember that what I found useful may not work for everybody else, or not work in the same way. I shall return to this when discussing personal format.

General guidelines

- Be aware of the dramatic situation. The classroom situation is dramatic. Better be prepared to respond adequatly. There is no way by which we can escape communicating.

I have always marvelled at how many students apparently think that if they don't say anything, they are invisible. This is not the case. "Invisible" students are simply bad students as far as I am concerned.

This insight entails a number of necessary alignments and arrangements before you can start speaking.

- Believe in what you are doing. Or at least make it appear as if you believe in what you are doing. A visibly detached attitude – reading the text as if it wasn't yours, or as if you weren't particularly interested in the situation - is not so much a sign of coolness as it is a source of irritation for your audience.

- Type it up. You will be speaking English – if it is not your mother (or father, for that matter) tongue: Prepare a typewritten, double-spaced, font size 12 copy of what you are going to say. This does not mean that you should read everything from the paper – but have it there and ready in case of necessity. Also, this way it will be easier to à time yourself beforehand.

- Time yourself. Ask beforehand how much time exactly will be alotted to your presentation. Oral reports should normally not exceed 10-12 minutes. Rule of thumb: One A 4 page, double spaced, equals roughly 3 minutes speaking time. Read your text aloud at home, and time yourself reading it. Speak slowly, slower than you would under normal circumstances. Allow for pauses.

Media

- Use and prepare other media. Always try to use at least one medium other than yourself and your voice. Integrate them into your presentation. Do not use them as gimmicks.

- Technical equipment, availability: Make sure the technical equipment you need is there in time, and in working order. Test it out beforehand. If you use the blackboard, at least wipe it. Even better: Have some of what you are going to write on the blackboard already written out before you start.

- Technical equipment, use of: Notably when using transparencies on the overhead projector, let one of your friends do the placing. It leaves a much more skilled and professional impression if you splice in the transparencies as you need them, and they come up without you ever turning around to them, except maybe to point out something, or to add something with a marker pen. A power point presentation does pretty much the same thing. Avoid rotating gizmos and other such truck: The most important part of your presentation is still your text, and your voice. Everything else should be auxiliary to your role and function in the presentation.

- Other auxiliary means, use of: If you can, prepare a surprise moment - something that is not visible right away, or the function of which does not disclose itself immediately. At the right moment pull it out, set it in motion, whatever.

Okay, this is close to having a card up your sleeve at poker – but here, it is legal. And don't forget: This is a dramatic situation.

- Involving others: If quoting passages from texts, or dialogue passages, it is better to get other students to read those parts. If you are not sure how it will work, pre-arrange / rehearse with friends.

Better make sure you've got reliable friends in the classes you're attending…

- Discussion: A good classroom presentation should allow for a discussion. Again, there is no law against prearranging / rehearsing some questions and answers with your friends. Even better: If you have additional show material for the discussion period.

Positioning: Personal Format

As far as mimics, gesture, and positioning as well as movement in the classroom are concerned, there is no one form that fits all. Some will feel (and look, and come across) better while sitting at a desk while speaking. Some do well using gestures very sparingly. Others will gesticulate agitatedly, rant and rave and pace to and fro across the room, enacting their presentation to the hilt and further, and still not look ridiculous.

Ultimately, the actual performance is a question of personal taste – but, and this is capital letters BUT: make sure that however you are doing it, it is your own choice of style. Don't 'just stand there' – as a matter of fact, there is no such thing as just standing there, unless you are a buddhist monk with seven years practice, which most of us are not. Make your positioning and your style of presentation a conscious decision, based on your own abilities and on the demands of the situation.

Squatting there over your paper and mumbling away as fast as possible without a glance at your audience is no viable option, however, but an atrocity. There are some basic rules:

- Look at your audience. At least from time to time, look around. I would recommend avoiding to focus faces, though – it makes people uneasy, and establishing eye contact may distract you, too.

- Speak up. In order to be intelligible, you must speak considerably louder than you usually would talking to your neighbor in class. Take into account that while you are speaking, others may still be talking to their neighbors. Not only will you get an idea of how great this kind of discoursive behaviour is for the one in front of the class, but you will notice that under these conditions you have to speak even louder.

- Sit or stand straight. No hunching forward, no bending backwards. Straight.

But remember: It must be your own style, and it must come across convincingly.

Handout

Of course there should be an evident relation between what you are saying and what is on the handout. But the two texts should by no means be identical. Ideally, the handout

a) summarizes and highlights the main points of your presentation

b) presents, in written form, passages and expressions that may be 'difficult'

c) gives the verbatim quotes

d) cites your sources

e) provides additional information that is not part of your presentation.

f) and it is in the hands of your audience before you start speaking!

Example: Introducing an author, the handout lists the important life data and publications in chronological order, whereas in your presentation you start with a famous or descriptive quote by or about the author, then focus on one or two of the important features of his/her life and work, including some material which you quote directly, then finish with an anecdote. The whole discourse underscored by four or five transparencies of author photographs, publication covers, or work illustrations, maybe a cartoon.

Whatever 'difficult' terms you use are on the handout – the 'translation', if that should be necessary, is part of your oral presentation.

Good luck.

W. Hochbruck, Braunschweig, March 2003