Public Speaking and Presentation Skills

Introduction:

Public speaking is fundamental to success in professional and public life. This program will help participants create simple, clear and compelling presentations and deliver them effectively, whatever the situation.

Objectives:

By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Define the role of the public speaker in relationship to the audience, the content of the speech, and the purpose of the speech
• Describe and participate in the process of preparing a speech
• Identify and perform the skills necessary for effective public speaking
• Demonstrate understanding of the importance of language, voice, gestures, and visual aids in an effective presentation
• Demonstrate the ability to share information and increase audience understanding about a chosen topic through public speaking
• Demonstrate the principles and skills of persuasive speaking
• Achieve increased awareness of public communication and its relationship with society from the roles of speaker and consumer

Course Content:

I. The Foundations of Public Speaking

• Identify the historical roots of public speaking as a skill or art
• Identify and define the basic elements of the communication process
• Explain the relationship between skill in public speaking and personal success

II. The Public Speaking Situation

• Recognize and address the problems/concerns that confront beginner speakers (topic selection and narrowing, communication apprehension, etc.)
• Recognize and explain the ethical responsibilities of public speaking

III. Preparation for Public Speaking

• Define, explain, and perform an audience analysis
• List, define and compose general and specific purposes and a central idea for a speech
• Explain the relationship between topics, general and specific purposes, and central ideas
• Recognize different types of supporting material used for speeches
• Recognize the role research plays in supporting speeches and speaker credibility, and be able to perform relevant research

IV. Speech Planning and Organization

• Name and explain the three functional parts of a speech
• Identify and explain the common organizational patterns for speech ideas (chronological, spatial, topical, etc.)
• Identify the goals of an introduction, and the variety of methods used to achieve them
• Identify the goals of a conclusion, and the variety of methods used to achieve them
• Develop a fully planned speech through the use of a preparation outline

V. Increasing Awareness of Language in Public Speaking

• Explain the role of language choices in public speaking
• Identify techniques to improve language usage in public speaking
• Employ awareness of appropriate language choices in public speeches

Course Content: (cont.)

VI. Developing Presentation Skills

• Recognize the appropriate delivery methods for different speaking situations
• Explain the importance of rehearsing a speech for maximum effect
• Illustrate effective verbal and non-verbal delivery skills

VII. Speech Genres

• Compare and contrast the characteristics of informative, persuasive and entertainment speeches.

Informative:

• List and define types of informative speaking and techniques used in effective informative speaking
• Identify and explain various ways to overcome common problems in informative speaking
• Prepare and present an informative speech

Persuasive:

• Define and explain various theories of persuasion in public speaking
• Define and explain Aristotle’s three modes of artistic proof: logos (logical proof), pathos (psychological or emotion proof), and ethos (credibility)
• Analyze the major fallacies in arguments
• Prepare and present a persuasive speech

Entertainment:

• List and define the types of entertainment speeches
• Explain the appropriate techniques and guidelines associated with each type

VII. Effective Listening Skills

• Explain the role listening plays in effective communication
• Explain the significance of active listening
• Explain the listening process
• Identify the different types of listening skills and the situations in which they are employed
• Identify methods for improving listening skills