Tag: Oral Presentations

Posted in English 1103, Teaching

ENG 1103: Preparing for Your Individual Presentation/Interview . . .

Posted on by janemlucas

Dressing the Part

HPU Career and Professional Development: https://www.highpoint.edu/careerinternships/interviewing.

The page featured above, from HPU’s Career and Professional website, notes that “[y]our attire is a form of communication and can influence the impression of your boss, your coworkers and customers about your capabilities and professionalism.”

In The Language of Clothes, Allison Lurie writes: “For thousands of years, human beings have communicated with one another first through the language of dress” (3). As you prepare for your presentation, keep that in mind. We communicate with our clothes first, and what you wear will speak to the audience before you say your first words.

Closely examine the HPU Career and Professional Development page above and the one below. Pay attention not only to the clothes the models are wearing, but also to the accompanying written text.

HPU Career and Professional Development: https://www.highpoint.edu/careerinternships/interviewing.

Consider not only what the models are wearing, but also what they are not wearing. Some of the clothing don’ts are included in the bulleted points.

According to HPU’s Career and Professional Development Center, what should you wear “for nearly all job interviews”?

Other Forms of Nonverbal Communication

Just as we speak with our clothing, we communicate with our posture and gestures. Keep your hands out of your pockets to avoid signaling a variety bad traits:

  • A lack of trustworthiness. Standing with your hands in your pockets can indicate that you have something to hide.
  • Poor communication skills. Connecting with your audience involves effective gestures, which require the use of your hands.
  • A lack of confidence or interest. Keeping your hands in your pockets may be construed as a sign of insecurity or a lack of enthusiasm.
  • Distractability and an unprofessional manner. You may appear too casual if you are fiddling with items in your pocket, such as keys.
  • Indolence or arrogance. Audience members may perceive your hands-in-pockets stance as disrespectful

Proper posture is key. As I noted in your presentation assignment handout, your ears should be directly above your shoulders.

Also, do not shift your weight from one foot to the other. If that is a tendency of yours–a distracting habit called rocking the boat–stand with your feet perpendicular to each other. If you do, you will not be able to shift your weight from one foot to the other.

Do not stand with your arms crossed in front of your chest. That is widely perceived as a defensive posture.

When you walk to the front of the room, and when you return to your seat, do not shuffle your feet. Do not shuffle them at any other time, either. Like keeping your hands in your pockets, shuffling can project a lack of confidence. It can also make you more likely to trip, which you would not want to do in an interview. Some people have a tendency to shuffle when they wear such shoes as UGG Scuffettes/Tazzes and Birkenstock Zermatts. If you tend to scuff in your Scuffettes (or the like) be mindful of that tendency, and ask yourself this: Are these the shoes I should wear to my interview?

Verbal Communication

Paying attention to your nonverbal communication should not come at the cost of your verbal communication. Be concise and focused. Do not use filler words, such as um, like, and you know, indicates that you are neither.

Do not mispronounce important by omitting the sound of the first t (im-por-ANT, rather than im-por-TANT). Natural speech can be key to conveying authenticity, but that particular mispronunciation is not a dialect trait; it’s a trendy instance of t-glottalization, which replaces the t sound with a pause or catch in the throat, called a glottal stop. That phenomenon–prevalent almost exclusively among young women–has been popularized by social media and reality TV.

Some interview coaches–and HPU’s Career and Professional Development Center as well–recommend the STAR approach (Situation, Task, Action, and Result) as a method for presenting a point with an illustration. Though you are not required to use the STAR approach, it offers one effective way to show how a particular assignment or aspect of English 1103 demonstrates your qualifications.

Works Cited

“Interviewing.” Office of Career and Professional Development, High Point University. https://www.highpoint.edu/careerinternships/interviewing.

Lurie, Allison. The Language of Clothes. Random House, 1981.

Kudos

Students who attended last Tuesday’s High-PURCS and completed the online assignment for the event not only showed their support for other High Point students’ scholastic endeavors but also took advantage of the opportunity to view poster displays and to hear discussions that may inspire ideas for their own projects. These classmates attended High-PURCS:

  • Jermaine Cain
  • Madison Davis
  • Sofia Marin

Kudos to Jermaine, Madison, and Sofia. For their initiative, they have a earned a bonus assignment credit.

Next Up

Wordplay Day! To prepare for class, revisit the Dictionary and World Builder pages on the Scrabble website or the Merriam-Webster Scrabble Word Finder page, and review the blog posts devoted to Scrabble tips, including tomorrow’s.

Our final Wordplay Day of the semester will include a drawing for the vintage Scrabble game pictured above.

Bonus Assignment

Even though the images of the models in today’s blog post are featured in a guide for interviewing, some of the models’ stances are don’ts for interviewees. What are those stances, and why are they interview don’ts?

Directions

  1. Determine which of the models’ stances are interview don’ts.
  2. Compose a comment of one complete sentence or more that identifies the stances and notes why they are frowned upon in interviews. You do not need to include all the reasons. One for each stance will suffice.
  3. Post your comment as a reply to this blog entry no later than 9 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, April 22. (To post your comment, click on the post’s title, and scroll down to the bottom of the page. You will then see the image of an airmail envelope with a leave comment option.) 

I will approve your comments (make them visible) after tomorrow’s deadline.

Posted in English 1103, Teaching, Writing

ENG 1103: Planning Your Individual Presentations . . .

Posted on by janemlucas

This morning in class, you will receive the assignment for the individual presentation that you will deliver during the exam period. An additional copy is posted on Blackboard, and the directions are also included below.

Overview

As a finalist for a much-sought-after internship in your field, you are required to deliver a concise and engaging presentation that highlights your achievements in English 1103 and demonstrates your ability to effectively assume the responsibilities that the internship requires of you. Among the aspects of the course that you should address are one or more of your major writing assignments and the development of your critical thinking and collaboration skills. You are encouraged but not required to address additional aspects of the course.

Directions for Planning

  1. Plan a brief presentation of approximately three minutes that highlights your achievements in English 1103 and demonstrates your ability to effectively assume the responsibilities that the internship in your field requires of you.
  2. Address one or more of your major writing assignments and the development of your critical thinking and collaboration skills. You are encouraged but not required to address additional aspects of the course.
  3. Include the following in your presentation:
  • An opening in which you state your first and last names and your major,
  • Details from your experiences in the course that illustrate the development of your writing, your critical thinking, and your collaboration skills
  • A close examination of one pertinent passage in your blog, and
  • A conclusion that provides closure and invites questions from the interview committee.

Look for presentation tips in tomorrow’s class notes.

Directions for Rehearsing

  1. In preparation for rehearsing, write your notes on index cards. If your notes are in complete sentences, rewrite them to include only words and short phrases for your key points. If your notes are too detailed, you will risk relying heavily on them and making minimal eye contact with the interview committee. Make as much eye contact as possible and be sure to make eye contact with committee members throughout the room rather than fixing your eyes on one or two people.
  2. Because you are required to project your blog on the classroom screen, you should familiarize yourself with the presentation station. Demonstrating that you are not adept at using the technology required for your presentation may jeopardize your chances for obtaining the internship. If you have not used the presentation station, I encourage you to devote part of today’s class period to familiarizing yourself with its setup.
  3. Practice good posture. As you deliver your presentation, your ears should be directly above your shoulders. If you tend to shift your weight from one foot to the other—a distracting habit that’s sometimes called rocking the boat—stand with your feet perpendicular to each other. If you do, you will not be able to shift your weight from one foot to the other.
  4. Avoid filler words, such as um, like, and you know. If you tend to use filler words, practice pausing at the points where you are likely to use fillers.
  5. Optional: Rehearse with a classmate. Take turns delivering your presentations and offering feedback. Offer both suggestions for improvement and words of encouragement.

In class this morning, you will also receive a checklist for your WordPress blog. An additional copy appears below.

Blog Checklist

You will have the first half of class and the first few minutes of the second half to plan your presentation and edit your blog. In the remainder of the class period, you will compose a summary (one paragraph, minimum) of the work you completed. Will include specific examples of the details you plan to include in your presentation and/or changes you made to one or more of your blog posts.

Next Up

Wordplay Day! To prepare for class, revisit the Dictionary and World Builder pages on the Scrabble website or the Merriam-Webster Scrabble Word Finder page, and review the blog posts devoted to Scrabble tips.

Posted in English 1103, Reading, Teaching, Writing

ENG 1103: Delivering Your Presentations, Observing Your Peers, and Reflecting

Posted on by janemlucas

This morning, in the first half of class, you and your classmates will deliver your group presentations. Keep in mind that when you are not presenting, you will still play a vital role in class as an audience member. Pay close attention to the other three presentations. Jot occasional notes in your journal, but don’t keep your head down for a substantial length of time. Making eye contact with the speakers and nodding your head are gestures that will convey your appreciation for your classmates’ efforts.

In the second half of class, we will look back at the four articles that served as your subjects, and you will compose reflections. Directions for your reflections are included below.

Directions

Compose a short piece of writing (two paragraphs, minimum) that reflects on your individual preparation and delivery of your portion of the presentation and your group’s presentation overall. Elements to address include the following:

  • The roles of your reading and writing: How did the processes of rereading the text and writing and rewriting your remarks contribute to the effectiveness of your delivery?
  • The introduction of your group members and opening remarks
  • The examination of points in the article
  • The conclusion
  • Poise, eye contact, and avoidance of filler words
  • The group’s cohesiveness

After you have reflected on your group’s presentation, compose an additional paragraph that addresses a presentation by one of the other groups. Choose the one that stands out the most to you. What element or elements of that presentation made it particularly effective and why?

Next Up

Wordplay Day! To prepare for class, revisit the Dictionary and World Builder pages on the Scrabble website, or the Merriam-Webster Scrabble Word Finder page, and review the blog posts devoted to Scrabble tips.

Posted in English 1103, Reading, Teaching, Writing

ENG 1103: Continuing to Prepare . . .

Posted on by janemlucas

As you continue to prepare for your presentation, be mindful of the valuable roles that reading and writing play in the process. Although the final product is your group’s three-to-four-minute oral presentation, your work began with reading and writing: reading the article that serves as your subject, and writing the plan that you composed in class yesterday.

Have you thoroughly reread the article that serves as your subject? If not, turn back to the text itself at least two more times before Wednesday. Chances are, on a second or third reading, you will notice details you didn’t notice before, ones that you may want to add to your presentation.

In addition to recording key words on your notecard, write out your portion of the presentation in your journal. Though you will not be permitted to have your journal in hand during your presentation, the act of writing down your remarks and rewriting them will help you commit them to memory.

As you practice delivering your presentation, be sure to limit the time that you look down at your notecard and your copy of the reading. Your ability to limit those glances will be greater if you spend ample time rereading the text and writing and reviewing your remarks in your journal.

Robert Klara’s “Scrabble”

Yesterday, while you were planning your presentations, I distributed copies of Robert Klara’s article “Scrabble.” If you plan to focus on Scrabble for your final essay and annotated bibliography, Klara’s article will serve as your starting point.

Unlike the articles you read for your presentations, Klara’s does not report on research, though he does quote journalist Stefan Fatsis, author of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players. Klara’s article also provides historical context.

If you choose Scrabble as the subject for your final essay and annotated bibliography, include among your sources at least one newspaper or magazine article that reports on Scrabble research, or include the original research itself, published as a peer-reviewed article, such as “The World of Competitive Scrabble: Novice and Expert Differences in Visuospatial and Verbal Abilities,” by Diane F. Halpern and Jonathan Wai, available through the HPU Libraries.

Next Up

In class tomorrow, you will deliver your group presentations. Afterward, in the second half of class, you will compose a short essay that reflects on both your own presentation and one by another group.

Posted in English 1103, Reading, Teaching

ENG 1103: Planning Your Group Presentations

Posted on by janemlucas

This morning in class, after your Scrabble debriefing, I will distribute your group presentation assignment, and you will have the remainder of the class period to devote to planning the short presentation that you will deliver in class on Wednesday. An additional copy of the assignment is included below.

As an exercise in collaboration and oral communication, you and three or four of your classmates will plan, rehearse, and deliver a concise presentation focusing on a reading that addresses one of the practices implemented in the course. If you were absent when copies of the articles were distributed (see the titles in the group assignments below), download and print copies from the Blackboard readings folder.

Presentation Assignment Directions

  1. Plan a presentation of three or four minutes, total, that addresses the most significant points covered in your group’s designated reading. (The lists of group assignments and designated readings are included below.)
  2. Include in your presentation the following elements: (1) an introduction that mentions each group member’s first and last name (each group member may introduce himself or herself, or the group may assign one member the responsibility of introducing everyone), the title and author, or authors, of the reading, and a brief overview of the text, (2) A close examination of two or more points in the reading, and (3)) A conclusion that provides closure without restating the introduction and that invites questions. One strategy to consider for your conclusion is to address the relevance of the practice (the subject of your reading) to your work in English 1103, your work in other courses, and/or your life outside of the classroom.
  3. Do not create a digital component, such as a PowerPoint or Google Slides show. You will not be permitted to use any digital devices during your presentation. Instead, you will rely only on a single three-by-five-inch index card with your notes and your paper copy of the reading.
  4. Aim for cohesion. Turning briefly to the previous speaker and addressing him or her by first name, repeating a word or idea of his or hers, and connecting it to your own remarks are ways to unify your presentation. If your presentation seems to be a series of individual talks rather than a single group presentation, it lacks cohesion.
  5. Every group member is not required to speak for the same length of time, but every member is required to deliver a portion of the presentation.

Directions for Rehearsing

  1. In preparation for rehearsing, write your notes on a single three-by-five-inch index card (one card per group member). If your initial notes are written in complete sentences, rewrite them to include only words and short phrases for your key points. If your notes are too detailed, you will risk relying too heavily on them and making minimal eye contact with the audience. Plan to make as much eye contact as possible, and be sure to make eye contact with people throughout the room rather than fixing your eyes on one or two people.
  2. Practice good posture. As you deliver your presentation, your ears should be directly above your shoulders. If you tend to shift your weight from one foot to the other, stand with your feet perpendicular to each other. If you do so, you will not be able to shift your weight from one foot to the other.
  3. Avoid filler words, such as uh, um, like, and you know. If you tend to use filler words, practice pausing at the points where you are likely to use them.
  4. Take turns delivering your portions of the presentation, and offer feedback to your group members. Offer both suggestions for improvement and words of encouragement.

Group Assignments

  • “Blogs vs. Term Papers”: Avery Clark, Madison Davis, Sofia Marin, Travis Pecararo
  • “Skim Reading is the New Normal”: Zach Dick, Nicole Marin, Tommy McHugh, Elise Claire Palmisano, Davis Smith
  • “Why Writing By Hand is Better for Memory and Learning”: Nick Beeker, Jermaine Cain, Izzie McLawhorn, Sierra Welch
  • “A Break from Your Smartphone Can Reboot Your Mood . . .”: Aidan Berlin, Marcus Gerhardt, Ewan Paterson, Dylan Virga

Grade Criteria

  • An A presentation includes all elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing and demonstrates the group members’ poise and ability to avoid filler words.
  • A B presentation includes all elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing but may be marred by group members’ lack of poise and/or inability to avoid filler words.
  • A C presentation includes most but not all elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing and may also be marred by group members’ lack of poise and/or inability to avoid filler words.
  • A D presentation includes only some elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing and may also be marred by group members’ lack of poise and/or inability to avoid filler words.
  • An F presentation includes few if any elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing and may also be marred by group members’ lack of poise and/or inability to avoid filler words.

Next Up

In class on Wednesday, you will deliver your group presentations. Afterward, in the second half of class, you will compose a short essay that reflects on both your own presentation and one by another group, one that was notable for its strengths.

Posted in English 1103, Reading, Teaching, Writing

ENG 1103: Delivering Your Presentations and Composing Your Reflections

Posted on by janemlucas

This morning in the first half of class, you will deliver your group presentations, and in the second half, you will compose reflections. Directions for your reflections are included below.

Directions

Compose a short piece of writing (two paragraphs, minimum) that reflects on your individual preparation and delivery of your portion of the presentation and your group’s presentation overall. Elements to address include the following:

  • The roles of your reading and writing: How did the processes of rereading the text and writing and rewriting your remarks contribute to the effectiveness of your delivery?
  • The introduction of your group members and opening remarks
  • The examination of points in the article or textbook
  • The conclusion
  • Poise, eye contact, and avoidance of filler words

After you complete your reflection on your group’s presentation, compose an additional paragraph that addresses a presentation by one of the other groups. Choose the one that stands out the most to you. What element or elements of that presentation made it particularly effective (or not) and why?

Next Up

Wordplay Day! To prepare for class, revisit the Dictionary and World Builder pages on the Scrabble website, the Merriam-Webster Scrabble Word Finder page, and review the blog posts devoted to Scrabble tips.

Remember that your blog response assignments are due at the beginning of class on Friday, October 24.

Posted in English 1103, Reading, Teaching, Writing

ENG 1103: Continuing to Prepare for Your Presentations

Posted on by janemlucas

As you continue to prepare for your presentation, be mindful of the valuable roles that reading and writing play in the process. Although the final product is your group’s three-to-four-minute oral presentation, your work began with reading and writing: reading the article or textbook sections that serve as your subject, and writing the plan that you composed in class yesterday.

Have you read more than once the article or textbook sections that serve as your subject? If not, turn back to the text itself at least two more times before Wednesday. Chances are, on a second or third reading, you will notice details you didn’t notice before, ones that you may want to add to your presentation.

In addition to recording key words on your notecard, write out your portion of the presentation in your journal. Though you will not be permitted to have your journal in hand during your presentation, the act of writing down your remarks and rewriting them will help you commit them to memory.

As you practice delivering your presentation, be sure to limit the time that you look down at your notecard and your copy of the reading. Your ability to limit those glances will be greater if you spend ample time rereading the text and writing and reviewing your remarks in your journal.

Next Up

In class tomorrow, you will deliver your group presentations. Afterward, in the second half of class, you will compose a short essay that reflects on both your own presentation and one by another group.

Posted in English 1103, Reading, Teaching

ENG 1103: Planning Your Group Presentations

Posted on by janemlucas

This morning in class, after your Scrabble debriefing, I will distribute your group presentation assignment, and you will have the remainder of the class period to devote to planning the short presentation that you will deliver in class on Wednesday. An additional copy of the assignment is included below.

As an exercise in collaboration and oral communication, you and two or three of your classmates will plan, rehearse, and deliver a concise presentation focusing on a reading that addresses one of the practices implemented in the course. If you were absent when copies of the articles were distributed (see the titles in the group assignments below), download and print copies from the Blackboard readings folder.

Presentation Assignment Directions

  1. Plan a presentation of three or four minutes that addresses the most significant points covered in your group’s designated reading. (The lists of group assignments and designated readings are included below.)
  2. Include in your presentation the elements listed below (in items three through five).
  3. An introduction that mentions (1) each group member’s first and last name (each group member may introduce himself or herself, or the group may assign one member the responsibility of introducing everyone), (2) the title and author, or authors, of the reading, and (3) a brief overview of the text.
  4. A close examination of two or more points in the reading.
  5. A conclusion that provides closure without restating the introduction and that invites questions. One strategy to consider for your conclusion is to address the relevance of the practice (the subject of your reading) to your work in English 1103, your work in other courses, and/or your life outside of the classroom.
  6. Do not create a digital component, such as a PowerPoint or Google Slides show. You will not be permitted to use any digital devices during your presentation. Instead, you will rely on your index card with your notes and on your paper copy of the reading.
  7. Every group member is not required to speak for the same length of time, but every member is required to deliver a portion of the presentation.

Directions for Rehearsing

  1. In preparation for rehearsing, write your notes on an index card. If your initial notes are written in complete sentences, rewrite them to include only words and short phrases for your key points. If your notes are too detailed, you will risk relying too heavily on them and making minimal eye contact with the audience. Plan to make as much eye contact as possible and be sure to make eye contact with people throughout the room rather than fixing your eyes on one or two people.
  2. Practice good posture. As you deliver your presentation, your ears should be directly above your shoulders. If you tend to shift your weight from one foot to the other, stand with your feet perpendicular to each other. If you do so, you will not be able to shift your weight from one foot to the other.
  3. Avoid filler words, such as uh, um, like, and you know. If you tend to use filler words, practice pausing at the points where you are likely to use fillers.
  4. Take turns delivering your portions of the presentation, and offer feedback to your group members. Offer both suggestions for improvement and words of encouragement.

Group Assignments for Section 8

  • Writing Analytically: Gi Amitrano, Amanda Franco, Madux Iovinelli, Campbell Nelson
  • “Skim Reading is the New Normal”: Casey Burkom, Aly Deters, Raven Houston, Luke Simpson
  • “Blogs vs. Term Papers”: Angelina Anzideo, Avery Falor, Ethan Howard, Nikki Parbhoo
  • “To Remember a Lecture Better, Take Notes by Hand”: Kylie Bussell, Dorian Grosber, Nolan Lafayette, Chloe Freeman
  • “A Break from Your Smartphone Can Reboot Your Mood . . .”: Reese Danback, Preston Erwin, Lexie Owensby

Group Assignments for Section 18

  • Writing Analytically: Niko Bencharit, Mariana Pavajeau, Haven Tucker
  • “Skim Reading is the New Normal”: Annaliese Abboud, Grayson Crouch, Bella Richardson, Heloise Richer
  • “Blogs vs. Term Papers”: Kamauri Brown, Garrett Hickey, Maddie Tyranowski, Bailey Upchurch
  • “To Remember a Lecture Better, Take Notes by Hand”: Adrienne Brown, Myra Chatwal, Connor McFadden
  • “A Break from Your Smartphone Can Reboot Your Mood . . .”: Cameron Anderson, Ellie Tejada, Jorja Mangeot, Shane Richardson

Grade Criteria

  • An A presentation includes all elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing and demonstrates the group members’ poise and ability to avoid filler words.
  • A B presentation includes all elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing but may be marred by group members’ lack of poise and/or inability to avoid filler words.
  • A C presentation includes most but not all elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing and may also be marred by group members’ lack of poise and/or inability to avoid filler words.
  • A D presentation includes only some elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing and may also be marred by group members’ lack of poise and/or inability to avoid filler words.
  • An F presentation includes few if any elements outlined in the directions for planning and rehearsing and may also be marred by group members’ lack of poise and/or inability to avoid filler words.

Next Up

In class on Wednesday, you will deliver your group presentations. Afterward, in the second half of class, you will compose a short essay that reflects on both your own presentation and one by another group, one that was notable for its strengths.

Posted in English 1103, Teaching

ENG 1103: Final Preparations for Your Check, Please! Presentation

Posted on by janemlucas

As part of your final preparations for your Check, Please! presentation on Wednesday, practice your posture and polish your remarks. If you can meet with your group members before Wednesday’s class, devote some time to creating smooth transitions between speakers. If you cannot meet with your group members before Wednesday’s class, focus on your individual segment and leave your transition work for Wednesday.

You may also find it helpful to review these preparation tips from Garr Reynolds, author of Presentation Zen. Some of his tips aren’t applicable to your presentation; for example, you shouldn’t aim for ten minutes (your presentation should be roughly five) and you do not need to prepare a handout to distribute to the audience. But his advice regarding structure, simplicity, and audience awareness will serve you well.

Next Up

In class on Wednesday you will deliver your Check, Please! group presentation, and afterward you will compose a short reflective essay focusing on the processes of planning, rehearsing, and delivering it.