Presenting in English

   

   I.                   Introduction  (may be quite informal for our purposes)

   e.g. Let's get started.   Good morning everyone...       what I want to talk about today is....  
   Feel free to ask any questions / there will be time for questions at the end.

   

   II.                Stating your purpose

   It is important to state why and what you are going to present. To do that, you may use
   expressions like take a look at, report on, give an overview, talk, outline etc.

   This morning I'm going to be taking a look at the functions and structure of...

   I'll begin by outlining the recent development in ... and then I'll go on to highlight... etc.

   

   III.             Effective opening

   It is important that you attract the attention of your audience so that they are curious to
   hear what you have to say and what comes next. An effective opening might be useful, it will
   make you feel confident as well. There are three helpful tips.

   1.      Give your audience a problem to think about. / Ask a question.

   2.      Give them some amazing facts.

   3.      Give them a story or a personal anecdote.

   e.g. Have you ever wondered why it is that...? How many people here this morning...? Did you know
   that...? According to the latest study... . I remember when ... . etc.

   

   IV.              Signposting

   Clear structure is essential so that the audience can follow and you do not get stuck. When
   you move on to your next point or change direction, it is important to tell your audience. To
   do this effectively the following signposts help you guide your audience through your
   presentation.

   to move on; to expand on; to go back; to digress; to turn to; to conclude; to summarize;  etc.

   

   V.                 Getting out of difficulties

   If you forget something, get lost, can not remember a thing - do not panic! Pause, sort out
   the problem and continue. Do not be afraid to say you mixed things up or just forgot what you
   were going to say.

   e.g. Sorry, I should mention one more thing (you have forgotten to say something)

   So, basically, what I'm saying is this / Sorry, perhaps I did not make it quite clear.... (you
   made it too complicated or difficult to follow) etc.

   

   VI.              Summary, conclusion

   Make a strong finish, recapitulate on the most important information, emphasize crucial facts.
   Make sure your audience knows you have finished the presentation. Open a discussion, welcome
   questions.

   

   time your presentation to up to 10 minutes,

   use visuals if possible (slides, maps, graphs, charts etc.)

   speak clearly and slowly -- put down unfamiliar or difficult expressions that will appear in
   the presentation on the blackboard (translate them)

   make sure your audience is attentive the whole time (make the presentation interesting, ask
   rhetorical questions, bring new facts etc.