Success in the field of study abroad often depends on the ability to communicate effectively. This communication takes the form of both oral communication and written reports and public speaking. As a member of the modern workplace, it’s especially important to master the skills of natural, fluent and compelling oral expression. To help you achieve this, this document provides a series of practical guidelines and strategies to improve your presentation skills and increase your confidence in public speaking.
Suggestion 1: Highlight the theme and key points
At the beginning of your speech, coalesce the core ideas so that the audience has an idea of what is about to be communicated. For example, “The main idea of my speech today is ……” is a straightforward statement that gives the audience a sense of what the speech is about. Next, structure the content so that the key messages are presented in a clear order of priority. Measure the number of points to be included in the presentation, keep it concise and to the point, and improve fluency and organisation.
Suggestion 2: Use clever transitions
In order to lead the audience smoothly into a new stage of the discussion, you need to introduce the next topic in a unique way, using phrases such as: “Let’s now move on to ……” or “Next I’ll mention ……”. In addition, make sure that all transitions have a long enough pause so that the audience has time to adjust their thinking, seating position, or fiddle with any necessary equipment.
Suggestion 3: Use tables or charts
As technology advances, there are more and more presentation tools and formats to choose from, but the favourite remains the fact that still pictures trump moving images. Portraits, landscapes or artwork are hardly as appealing to the viewer as data graphs at any given time. Therefore, if possible, try to prioritise the use of tables and charts to present your content. With this intuitive statistical approach, you can easily illustrate complex concepts with a strong logic.
Tip 4: Summarise key points succinctly
The wrap-up session at the end of your presentation is crucial. Not only does it organise the audience’s thoughts and refresh their memory, it also helps the observer to assess the speaker’s performance and level of understanding. It can be summarised in simple and direct terms, such as: “In summary
