Teaching Oral Presentation Skills to College EFL Students

Odiléa Rocha Erkaya, Turkey

Dr. Odiléa Rocha Erkaya has been assistant professor of EFL at Eskisehir Osmangazi University, College of Engineering in Turkey for the past 14 years. Prior to teaching at this university, she taught EFL in Brazil and ESL in the USA. Her research interests are in the areas of writing and speaking, vocabulary development, and students’ and teachers’ motivation. E-mail: opre_br@yahoo.com

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Abstract
Introduction/Background
Rationale for teaching oral presentation skills
Sections of the Lecture
Conclusion
References
Appendix

Abstract

The main goal of an oral communication skills course is to teach students to communicate in English in a fluent manner. The course is not complete, however, until instructors teach students oral presentation skills. Oral presentation skills are an extension of oral communication skills: The former deals with planned usage of language; and the latter, mostly with unplanned usage of language. Once students have acquired some fluency in oral communication skills, they can learn oral presentation skills. What I do in one of the oral communication skills courses I teach to college English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students is to combine listening and speaking skills with global issues in two thirds of the course. In the last part of the course, I teach oral presentation skills, skills necessary for other courses and indispensable when students become professionals. Thus, this paper will show instructors how to teach students who have some fluency in English to prepare and deliver presentations.

Introduction/Background

Although much information on how to prepare and deliver presentations can be found on the Internet (see Cohen and Jensen, 2000; “Communication Skills – Making Oral Presentations,” 1999; Gallo, 2006; “Giving an Oral Presentation,” n.d.; “Making Effective Oral Presentations” n.d.; “Oral Presentation, n.d.; “Oral Presentation Skills,” 2008; Storz et. al., 2002), if instructors ask students to prepare and give presentations on any given topic, most students will not take the time to do research on preparation and delivery of presentations. They will probably think that what they have observed throughout school is enough for them to put a presentation together and deliver it.

Therefore, it is imperative that whenever possible instructors add oral presentation skills to their syllabi, particularly to those of oral and written communication skills courses. The rationale is that eventually students will need oral presentation skills, that is to say, while they are still pursuing their college degree and after they graduate.

The reason I add oral presentation skills to my oral communication skills courses is that my students must make and give presentations in some courses. No other courses in the department teach students oral presentation skills. Also, once my students become engineers, they will need to give presentations. The proper place for students to learn oral presentation skills is in college where they can practice preparing and delivering presentations under the supervision of an instructor.

Rationale for teaching oral presentation skills

There may be several reasons that instructors should include oral presentation skills in their courses. I teach oral communication skills courses to Electrical/Electronics and Computer Engineering majors and four major reasons compel me to add oral presentation skills to my courses:

1. No other courses in the Electrical/Electronics and Computer Engineering Departments teach students oral presentation skills;
2. In some of the courses from both Electrical/Electronics and Computer Engineering Departments, students must prepare and deliver presentations;v
3. Students majoring in Electrical/Electronics Engineering and in Computer Engineering are required to give an oral presentation of their senior project (a research paper written in the last semester of students’ program of study) to their committees; and
4. Once students from both departments graduate, they will be required to give presentations. No matter what language they use to prepare and give presentations, learning oral presentation skills in college will be a valuable tool for their future.

When referring to oral presentation skills, Cohen and Jensen (2000) start their article by saying, “It’s on every job description that’s ever been written by a biotechnology company: ‘Candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills’” [italicized by writers]. They continue by stating that “the value of presentation [italicized by writers] skills is oftentimes overlooked” (para. 1). Cohen and Jensen consider oral presentation skills “one of the best ‘career enhancers’ that . . . [one] can add to . . . [one’s] collection of marketable qualities” (para. 3).

Sections of the Lecture

1. Section One

1.1. Preparation of Presentations

In one of my oral communication skills courses, students learn to prepare oral presentations after being taught listening and speaking skills. Students are more prepared to learn oral presentation skills after they have been introduced to listening and speaking skills strategies unless they have already acquired fluency in English. Given that Electrical/Electronics and Computer engineering students have a good knowledge of computer programs, they do not need to learn how to use Power Point or any other similar programs to prepare presentations.

To teach students how to prepare presentations, I use as examples presentations developed by former students who have taken my oral communication skills courses. Each presentation consists of several slides:

• Slide 1 (title page) -- It includes the title of the presentation, student’s full name, department, university, date, etc. (see title page of the student’s presentation in the Appendix).
• Slide 2 (outline page) -- It has an outline. The outline should have phrases, not sentences, and all phrases should be parallel (see outline page of the student’s presentation in the Appendix).
• Slide 3 on (body pages) -- They deal with the body of the presentation. In these slides, students may write few sentences only if they are quoting someone directly. Also, students should remember to include a maximum of four points per slide unless the points are very short phrases. The slides should serve as a reminder of what the speaker plans to discuss or is discussing (see body pages of the student’s presentation in the Appendix). The audience should listen to the speaker and not read the information written on slides. Although there is no need to add a slide for the conclusion, students must conclude their presentation before going to the last slide, references.

In reference to conclusion, Cohen and Jensen (2000) advise those who read their article that “At the end, don’t just let the talk die; your message will die with it. Close in some logical way, summarizing your key points or putting your message into some group context. Or segue into the next presentation, which guarantees you a new friend, the next speaker” (para. 10).

I suggest that if the presenter can say something that makes the audience go “Bravo!” he/she should do it. Last minute impressions stay in people’s mind longer than first minute impressions although it is important to start in a way that grabs the audience’s attention from the beginning. “You can’t afford to have your audience lose interest in those first moments,” states Gall (2006, para. 3).

• Last slide (references page) -- It shows references used to prepare the presentation (see references page of the student’s presentation in the Appendix).

To conclude the information on how to prepare presentations, I remind students that their presentations should always have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

1.2. Use of Visuals and Sounds

A variety of visual aids is available for students to choose from: maps, tables, graphs, charts, short films, videos, etc. Both visual aids and sounds make presentations lively. Students may use both, provided that the images and sounds they select pertain to the topic of the presentation. To illustrate, students see a former student’s presentation whose theme was countries in which people spoke English as a Second Language. The student chose India as the country. In the background of the title page of his presentation, the student put a picture of Taj Mahal. As background sound, the student used Indian music. Both picture and music matched the subject of the student’s presentation.

In the presentation found in the Appendix, students can see that the presenter used pictures and a map. Therefore, whenever appropriate, students can make use of different visuals to make their presentations more vibrant.

1.3. Use of Fonts and Colors

There is nothing worse than going to a presentation and understanding that the presenter has not taken time to project his/her slides before the presentation to see how they look. One thing that may happen is that fonts are too small and even impossible for those who are sitting in the front row to read what the presenter has written or simply photocopied from a book. Fonts should be large enough for the size of the room in which the presentation will take place, at least size 20. Also, they should be the standard type, such as Times New Roman.

As far as colors are concerned, any colors are fine as long as the background color and font color contrast. Thus, if the background color is dark such as dark blue, black, or brown, fonts should be very light in color such as light blue, light gray, light beige, etc. Power Point offers suggestions on contrasts.

2. Section Two

2.1. Delivery of Presentations

Once students learn how to prepare presentations, they are ready to learn how to give presentations. Several factors should be considered when giving presentations:

1. The presenter is the center of attention at the time of his/her presentation. As a result, he/she should look professional. To illustrate how serious students take my word for it, I must say that some of the male students have worn their best clothes—a suit, a formal shirt, and a tie—to their presentations.
2. The presenter should know where to stand so that the audience can see him/her and the projection of the presentation without difficulties.
3. The presenter should know how to begin his/her presentation. According to Brown and Brown in “Starting a Presentation” (2006-2007), getting audience’s attention, welcoming the audience, introducing themselves, informing about the aim of the presentation, and informing how questions will be handled (para. 1) are some of the ways.
4. The presenter should know how to organize his/her presentation. In “Signposting,” Brown and Brown (2006-2007) provide examples of phrases and sentences that the presenter should use when he/she wants to move to the next point: “Moving on to the next point” or “I’d like to move on to the next point if there are no further questions.”
5. The presenter should know how to elaborate on a subject: “I’d like to expand more on this problem we have had in Chicago.” Also, when presenters want to go back to something they mentioned before, they can affirm: “Going back to something I said earlier, the situation in Chicago. . .” (para. 1).
6. The presenter should know how to conclude. He/she should use a phrase that indicates their intention: in conclusion, to conclude, etc.
7. The presenter should use proper verbal communication. He/she should keep his/her tone of voice appropriate for the size of the room in which he/she is presenting. The author of “Oral presentation Skills: Voice and Pronunciation” (2008), explains that the presenter should think of quality of voice--“loudness, speed (fast and low), variety, pitch (high and low), silent moments or pauses” (para.7). Pronunciation is also important. Usually, my students ask me how to pronounce certain words or they check a dictionary for pronunciation.
8. The presenter should have proper non-verbal communication. He/she should maintain eye contact with the audience. Eye contact helps the presenter to show interest in the audience and “keep audience’s attention” (“Oral presentation Skills: Body Language,” 2008, para. 2). Moreover, the presenter should be aware of his/her body movement. He/she should avoid moving from side to side in a tense manner. He/she should “stand straight but relaxed” (op. cit., para. 2).
9. The presenter, especially an inexperienced one, should bring notes on sheets of papers or cards with brief information he/she may need to glance at during the presentation. However, he/she should refrain from reading from notes. In “Oral Presentation” (n.d.), the author agrees that “inexperienced presenters should bring notes with them to keep themselves in track but should avoid reading from their notes or memorizing their presentation” (para.11). Cohen and Jensen (2000) have this to say about notes: “Nothing bores an audience faster than the presenter who avoids any and all eye contact with them by reading words from a prepared speech” (para. 7). To make sure that a presentation runs smoothly, the presenter should practice it several times before the day of the presentation. Nevertheless, he/she should not memorize the presentation. Being well prepared will help him/her to feel secure and calm at the time of the presentation, and not go over the time allocated for the presentation.

One quotation that summarizes what oral communication should be about and should be shared with students follows:

Oral communication is the ability to explain and present . . . [one’s] ideas in clear English [or in any language], to diverse audiences . . . using appropriate styles and approaches, and an understanding of the importance of non-verbal cues. . . . It requires the background skills of presenting, audience awareness, critical listening and body language. (“Communication Skills,” 2004, para. 1).

2.2. Selection of Presentation Topic

Once students learn how to deliver presentations, they should choose the topic of their presentation. The choice depends on the theme suggested by the instructor or on the course oral presentation skills is taught. Students should select three topics and discuss with their instructor why they have chosen such topics and what they plan to do. I advise my students on their choice and the best way to approach the topic if they cannot do it by themselves. Nevertheless, most students know what they want to do. While they are working on their presentation, they may consult with me about any difficulties they may be having or any issues related to their presentation.

2.3. Evaluation of Presentations

In reference to the evaluation of oral presentations, students should be evaluated by both their classmates and instructor. The evaluation should focus on organization (introduction, body, and conclusion), content (choice of topic, appropriate information to support the topic, transitions, vocabulary, and grammar), and delivery (verbal and non-verbal communication, and time management). Each presentation should be assessed on a scale from 1-5, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest score. When a student finishes his/her presentation, the evaluations can be immediately shared with him/her, so other students can also benefit from the evaluation. The author of “Teaching Oral Presentation Skills to Undergraduates” (2007) agrees, “Offer on-the-spot feedback to speakers so that all might benefit, but provide written feedback to each student as well.” He/she also suggests videotaping each presentation (para. 1). I have videotaped advanced students and it worked well. Students themselves identified their strengths and weaknesses, and did much better in their next presentations.

Conclusion

This paper intended to show instructors the importance of teaching oral presentation skills to college EFL students. It is best to teach oral presentation skills to students who have been introduced to listening and speaking strategies or to those who have already acquired some fluency in English. The reason is that these students are better equipped to make the transition from oral communication to oral presentation skills.

Taking into consideration my students’ needs, I divided oral presentation skills into two main sections:

1. Preparing presentations
2. Delivering presentations

In Section One, students learn how presentations are put together, from the title to the references page. In Section Two, students learn how to behave in front of an audience, what they may say when they start, move along and end their presentation, how to use verbal and non-verbal communication, how to use notes, etc.

Cohen and Jensen (2000) conclude their article by reminding readers of important points they emphasized in their article. This is a good way to conclude the lecture on how to deliver presentations: “Remember why you are giving a presentation, what you want to convey, and what you want your audience to recall. Keep your visuals clear, your time focused, and check a mirror before you enter the room. Have the self-confidence that comes from adequate preparation. Then, give a great talk. . .” (para. 19).

References

Anonymous. 2004. “Communication Skills.” Life-Long Learning. Retrieved 06/02/08, from http://science.universe.edu.au/

Anonymous. 1999. “Communication Skills – Making Oral Presentations.” Dept. of l Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Retrieved 08/25/08, from http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/dept/Tips/present/comms.htm

Anonymous. n.d. “Giving an Oral Presentation.” University of Canberra: Academic Skills Program. Retrieved 08/25/08, from www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/learning/oral

Anonymous. n.d. “Making Effective Oral Presentations.” College of Business Administration, Northeastern University. Retrieved 08/25/08, from
http://web.neu.edu/~ewertheim/skills/oral.htm

Anonymous. n.d. “Oral Presentation.” English for professional Communication. Retrieved 08/25/08, from http://ec.hku.hk/epc/presentation/

Anonymous. 2008. “Oral Presentation Skills.” Langues Sciences Humaines. Retrieved 08/25/08, from www.it-sudparis.eu/lsh/ressources/ops.php

Anonymous. 2008. “Oral Presentation Skills: Body language.” Langues Sciences Humaines. Retrieved 08/25/08, from www.it-sudparis.eu/lsh/ressources/ops.php

Anonymous. 2008. “Oral Presentation Skills: Voice and Pronunciation.” Langues Sciences Humaines. Retrieved 08/25/08, from www.it-sudparis.eu/lsh/ressources/ops.php

Anonymous. 2007. “Teaching Oral Presentation Skills to Undergraduates. “The McGraw Center. Retrieved 08/25/08, from
http://web.princeton.edu/sites/mcgraw/mcgraw_minigraphs_04.html

Brown, C. and Brown, P. 2006-2007. “Signposting.” Effective Public Speaking Skills. Retrieved 06/02/08, from www.effective-public-speaking.com

Brown, C. and Brown, P. 2006-2007. “Starting a Presentation.” Effective Public Speaking Skills. Retrieved 06/02/08, from www.effective-public-speaking.com

Cohen, J. and Jensen, D. 2000. “Oral Presentation Skills.” Search Masters International. Retrieved 08/25/08, from www.searchmastersinternational.com

Gallo, C. 2006. “Grab Your Audience Fast.” Business Week Online, 19-21. Retrieved 08/25/08, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/

Storz, C. et al. 2002. “Oral Presentation Skills: A Practical Guide.” Institut National de Télécommunications. Evry, France: INT.

Appendix

Although the slides seen in here may be black and white, the student’s slides were colorful. The student gave me permission to keep her name and ID number in her presentation.

The Teaching Advanced Students course can be viewed here