Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
Students will be able to prepare and deliver presentations using core concepts and tools of public speaking
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All communication starts with the communication model, the process of creating a message and sending it to the audience, but public speaking is more than that, it is a conversation between the speaker and the audience. While we might not all be comfortable speaking in front of an audience, there are simple things we can do to gain confidence, and as an audience member, listening is so important but a difficult task. This module focuses on the beginnings of creating communication and an understanding of how difficult it can be to an active listener.
To achieve these objectives:
As speakers, we might get to choose our topics, decide on our information, research for the most credible sources, but everything that we do is for the audience. Understanding the audience is key to creating a well-received speech and ensuring that we are presenting information that is ethical and correct matters in public speaking. Before we begin to create a speech, we need to think about the audience.
To achieve these objectives:
While many of us might wonder how public speaking will help us in the future, all of us will present special occasion speeches in celebration of an important event sometime in our lives. Whether we are toasting a wedding or celebrating our family at their reunion, crafting a thoughtful and touching special occasion speech will be the memorable highlight of the event.
Photo by Arthur Chauvineau on Unplash (opens in new window)Analyze an audience to develop and adapt presentations accordingly.
To achieve these objectives:
A good topic is important, and our own personal connection to the topic matters to establish credibility in the presentation of information, but the audience will always think “prove it,” and that is what research and credible sources add to a speech. Personal connection and stories add emotion and interest to a speech, but facts, statistics and expert testimony let the audience know that our information is correct, that we can support our ideas. Research is the proof the audience needs to believe a speaker.
To achieve these objectives:
All the best research and topic ideas won’t matter if your audience can’t understand or follow the information presented in a speech. Organizing our information helps the audience connect the main points and adds interest to your information. This is an opportunity to present your information in the best light using an appropriate organizational pattern. Finally, an introduction and conclusion are the first and last things an audience hears. We want to start strong and end strong, give the audience something that catches their attention and leave the audience with something to remember. We only have one chance to share information that matters to us, we want our audience to walk away with something valuable for the time they spend listening to the speech.
To achieve these objectives:
The most widely used speeches in business are informative speeches, whether it is teaching someone how to do their job, or explaining a new policy at work, we will all us informative speeches in our professional life. Informative speeches are designed to present information so that the audience can learn something new, or gain a better understanding of an idea. In today’s world, many of us will also be using online speeches to present our information. As with all speeches, taking the time to plan, prepare and practice can help make this a memorable event for the audience, and help them learn something meaningful.
To achieve these objectives:
While the contents of the speech are important, and having a clear structure is essential to create a meaningful message that the audience can understand, the speaker is also very important to the speech. How the speaker delivers the speech, the excitement in their voice, or their gestures that direct the audience to a key piece of information all matter as well. Choosing the topic and the message is only half of the creation process, the other half is ensuring that as speakers, we are adding to the speech and helping the audience engage in the presentation
Photo by Alberto Bigoni on Unspash (opens in new window)
Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
To achieve these objectives:
Persuasion is the chance to share ideas that matter in a way that persuades the audience to take action or to change their beliefs. While it seems like an easy task, we are all bombarded with persuasive messages every day, from billboards to social media ads, we are asked to buy products or do activities. We don’t do everything that people try to persuade us of, and creating a persuasive speech is more difficult than it seems. While we are passionate about our topics, sharing that passion with our audience requires some careful planning and research to ensure that the audience believes us and takes the action we advocate for.
Photo by ASIA CULTURECENTER on Unsplash (opens in new window)
Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
To achieve these objectives: