Speaking to a Group
Preparing and delivering an
engaging talk
January 14/10
Alyssa Taylor
Psychology
Brian Crosland
Mechanical & Aerospace
Outline
 Introductions
 Activity: Determine the types of talks you do
 Address fears & anxieties related to speaking
 Structure and delivery of a talk
 Make a talk engaging
 Summarize
Before
After
Introductions
 Name
 Degree and major
 What is your favourite sport / game / activity?
Keep in mind
•
•
•
•
Stand up
Breathe
Hands relaxed at your sides
Make eye contact with various
people
• Speak clearly
Activity 1
 Break into groups of 4-5
 Group discussion
– What kinds of talks will you be giving?
– (E.g. pre-lab lectures, discussion/tutorial groups, lectures,
conference presentation, etc)
– What makes you most anxious?
Dealing with Fear
and Anxiety
Fears & Anxieties
 Shaking, dry mouth, blushing/blotchy, gas,
sweating, nausea, cramps, I gotta pee!
 Blanking out
 Confusing the material
 Technology problems
 Distracting posture/movement/gestures
 Unfortunate tangents
How to Deal with Fear & Anxiety
 The audience wants you to succeed!
– In almost all cases they will not jeer, or boo, or walk out
during your presentation.
 Stop and breathe. Breathing helps you:
–
–
–
–
Calm your nerves
Gather your thoughts
Eliminate filler words such as “um” or “like”
Sound smart(er)
How to Deal with Fear & Anxiety
 Be organized and prepared
– Check the technology
– Time the talk (and then + or -)
– Prepare additional questions/activities
 Practice in front of others
– Friends, family, colleagues
– Toastmasters
– Public speaking and leadership development clubs
– More than 250,000 members worldwide
– Great place to learn, practice, build confidence
– Carleton has three clubs, (two open to the public)
How to Deal with Fear & Anxiety
 Use humour and/or honesty
– A little bit of humour goes a long way to break monotony
– Honesty and personal experience strengthen your
message
 Learn from your experiences
– Ask a friend to listen to a talk and offer suggestions
– Videotape your talks and watch them afterward, and
again when preparing your next talk
– Ask a TA mentor to evaluate your teaching, focusing
specifically on communication skills
The Talk Itself
Planning a Talk
 Audience
– Large or small? Young or old? Voluntary or mandatory?
 Know the location
– Projector, computer? Desks, auditorium, or couches?
Microphone? Parking?
 Plan the speech
– What is your message? What are your supporting
points? What is the best structure for your speech? (See
handout for some examples)
Tips
 Start with a good opening to draw attention
 Are there specific learning objectives?
 Plan the flow of concepts, and how you’ll transition
between them
 Less is more (AKA don’t forget to pause!)
 Be creative in your presentation style
 Strong visuals, designed with slides in mind
 Work hard on your wrap-up and summary – it’s
usually what sticks in the audience’s mind the
longest.
Delivering Material
 Eye contact, gestures, movement
 Voice
– Volume
– Enunciation
– Variety in tone and rate
 Avoid filler words (pause instead!)
 Offer clarifications where needed
 Be genuine, your enthusiasm is contagious!
Activity 2
 Form groups of two
 Think-pair-share
 List:
– Two instances when a speaker was awesome. What
made it so good?
– Two instances when a speaker was horrible. What made
it so bad?
But first…
Example Speakers
Good Speaker
Poor Speaker
Tips for Engaging Interest
 Know your audience!
 Make the content meaningful
– Critically reflect on arguments/evidence
– Relate to personal examples and audience’s experience
– Formulate applications of principles
 Incorporate active learning (when appropriate)
 Engaging questions
 Gestures and movement
Activity 3
 Form groups of 4
 Each member choose a section from the handout
 Individually, prepare a 3-4 minute talk based on the
material from your section
– Try to make it as engaging as possible, following the
points discussed in this workshop
 Take turns delivering your talk in front of your group
members
Summary
 Dealing with anxieties
– Breathe, practice
 Preparing the talk
– Know audience, plan outline, strong opening / conclusion
 Delivering the material
– Breathe, smile, have fun
 Engaging interest
– Know audience, good content, be animated
What Next?
 tTAd Day Reception
– Tory Foyer, right now!
– Free food and TA networking
 Learn, Practice and Improve
– Carleton Toastmasters Club, carletontm.ca
– Wednesdays, 6:55, Frontenac Residence Multipurpose Room
– Sprott Toastmasters Club
– Wednesdays 12-1pm, DT 702, contact
[email protected]