Learn techniques to improve and deliver more effective presentations
AS the business world becomes increasingly globalised, more and more adult English-speaking students aspire to deliver good and solid presentations in English. However, presenting in English, especially as a second language, is not easy. But a smooth and successful delivery is very rewarding. Improving presentation skills take time and practice, and with support from teachers and colleagues, these will help you progress. Here are three ways to help you deliver better presentations.
1. The first minute is crucial.
If a presentation starts off flat or boring you can quickly lose your audience. The first minute is essential in making a good connection. When teaching presentation skills, the teacher will help students develop a variety of techniques to engage with the audience. Relevant stories or quotations from famous people are useful. Many also like presenters to pose questions to the floor as it motivates the audience to listen. Here is an example from a recent workshop:
Presenter: “Have you ever found it hard to focus on your priorities? Well, today I’m going to share three tips that will help you organise your work.”
While the question gets the attention of the audience, the answer draws their attention and motivates them to listen more intently. A good start!
2. Use signposting language.
A signpost tells you where you are when you are walking or driving, heading to a destination. Signposting language is very similar. It tells the audience where they are, while listening to your presentation. Signposting language creates a good flow and structure within a presentation. Below are a few examples of signposting language:
0 “I have three main points to make today. The first one is ...”
0 “To close, I’d like to tell you a quick story which shows why...”
0 “Thanks for listening, I’m happy to answer any questions you have...”
Without signposts, it can sometimes be difficult for an audience to follow a presentation and pick up the key points. So, it is important and useful to utilise signposting during a presentation.
3. It’s about you, not the PowerPoint!
Visuals and text are an amazing way to support your message but they should be used carefully to have an effect. Some of the best keynote speakers use fewer images and lesser text by focus on displaying confident body language and pronunciation to get their message across and make an impact.
At the British Council’s Business Skills Workshops, students are trained to improve their body language and pronunciation through a range of confidence-building activities. The trainer combines the above with a simplified focused approach to slide decks, for sharper and more engaging presentations.
Michael is a teacher with the British Council. He has over 13 years of experience and holds a DELTA and MA in Applied Linguistics. He encourages you to apply the three ideas when delivering your next presentation. Otherwise, visit the British Council or its website www.britishcouncil.my/adults to find out more about part-time and full-time courses, including the Business Skills Workshops that support students in enhancing their presentation skills.
