Introduction to How to Present Confidently in English in 18 Weeks
●Motivation for writing this book
I wrote this book for my public speaking class at NCTU. I have simplified the concepts and English as much as possible to reduce the pain that comes with learning using only English.
The book has 7 units covering 16 weeks which cover speaker introductions, storytelling, the informative speech, the persuasive speech, entertaining speech, impromptu speech and debate. Evaluation forms for each speech are in the appendix.
Each unit includes the following sections.
Weeks of the semester:
Each unit should take two to three weeks. The first week will introduce the speech and in the second and third weeks students will present.
When will you use this?
This section introduces a practical, working application for each speech so students can see how and when they can use this speech in their daily working lives.
Sad little story about Xiao Wang:
These are short, humorous stories of what happens when students don’t learn English for their future job. Xiao Wang has a number of misadventures as a result of not being able to present in English.
What will you say?
This section covers the content that should be delivered in each speech. Example topics are given for students to use.
How will you prepare?
This section explains the organization and structure of each speech type with a practical outline.
How will you say it?
This section covers tone of voice, speed and volume and pronunciation.
What will you show?
This section gives practical tips on looking confident, body language and gestures and presentation style that speakers should use to communicate. This section also covers visual aids like PowerPoint.
How can you…?
This section introduces specific information about the introduction, body and conclusion as well as Q&A. There are other practical tips related to monitoring the audience and the speaking environment.
What should you prepare for next week?
This section introduces the homework that should be prepared for the next week.
This book is designed to cover the main types of speeches. The format is as simple and practical as possible.
Steve Wallace
●When will you use this?
Knowing how to introduce a speaker is an important skill in our professional
and personal lives. Everyone is expected to know how, but most do not. Are
you comfortable when asked to introduce a speaker? You are probably nervous
about what is expected.
Why not just let the speaker start speaking? Why are many introductions so
boring? Bad introductions are so common that introducers think they are normal
and most people don’t know the purpose and organization of introductions.
The purpose of an introduction is to gain the audience’s attention. Members
of the audience arrive one by one and need to connect as a group. The audience
may have just come from listening to another speaker on a different topic and
are thinking about those ideas. They may be talking to a friend. They may be
thinking about modifying their own speech.
A second purpose is to motivate the audience to listen. Just because the audience
is there doesn’t mean they are listening. Maybe they came to be seen,
take a short rest or get away from something else. You can motivate them by
giving a preview of the speech from the audience’s perspective. Let them know
why they should listen.
●Sad little story about Xiao Wang:
What will you say?
Xiao Wang: Everybody, I’m going to introduce the speaker today, he is
from…
Visitor: America
Xiao Wang: America, he’s an American guy. America is a big country. He’s
going to talk about…
Visitor: Presentations
Xiao Wang: Presentations, good topic, important topic. His experience is…
ah….
Visitor: I’m a teacher.
Xiao Wang: A teacher, great, an American presentation teacher. Teacher is
a good job. Important job. Teacher has students. Yes. His name is… what
is your name?
Visitor: John.
Xiao Wang: John. Old name, traditional name. welcome John!
Visitor: Maybe I should just introduce myself next time.
〈13 Speaker Introduction Tips〉
1. )Know the speaker’s name and how to pronounce it. If it is an unusual
name, help the audience learn it.
2. )Know the speaker’s title or position. Do not turn and ask the speaker “Is it Associate or Assistant Professor?”
3. )Be short. Speak for between one and three minutes. Five minutes is too long.
4. )Do not read the introduction. It will sound dead and look like you don’t know the
subject. It is okay to bring notes, but keep them hidden.
5. )Smile and be energetic in your tone, gestures and words.
6. )Know enough about the subject of the speech to sound intelligent. Do not turn to the speaker and ask what topic is.
7. )Announce the speech title that the speaker gives you. If you have any questions
about it, ask the speaker before the introduction. Many speakers choose titles that sound different from their content. If the speaker is not using a title, make sure that your description matches the speaker’s.
8. )Do not use slides, overheads or PowerPoint for introductions.
9. )Stories are good but should connect to the subject and the feeling of the presentation. Don’t use unconnected, prepared jokes.
10.)If the speaker has many amazing qualifications or publications that must be shared with the audience put them in a separate handout.
11.)Never use the phrase that “the speaker needs no introduction.” If the introduction connects the speaker to the audience and the topic then every introduction is unique. There is always something new about every speaker.
12.)You are the starter, not the performer. Do not try to compete with the speaker with
your knowledge of the subject. Do not focus on your relationship with the speaker, even if he or she is your boss, relative or husband or wife.
13.)Identify yourself by name and title, unless this was already done. Remember the
speaker also needs to know who you are.
節錄自Chapter 1 Introduction
Steve Wallace,為華樂絲學術英文編修創辦人,現任職於交通大學電機資訊學院講師,主授學術英文寫作、口語溝通、工程英文。他亦曾於工業技術研究院以及清華大學任教,從2001年開始,Steve親自編修交大博士班學生之期刊論文,並花上數百個小時研究整理其中資訊,研究如何讓台灣研究者更有效率的發表論文於國際期刊。他亦收集相當多的期刊評審委員之評論,從中了解如何增進論文登上國際期刊之機會。 Steve已經出版了十本的英文教科書,去年一年便大賣超過20000本,被全台灣28所大專院校指定使用。此次最新大作: “ How to Present Confidently in English in 18 weeks” 是一本專門為台灣的讀者所出版的公開演說工具書,是由Steve多年來的教學經驗,並配合訪問成功演講者的經驗而成。無論是教授用來指導學生或是個人自行使用,皆是讓您更有自信以英文公開演講不可或缺的好書。