Giving students confidence with their oral presentations can improve their assessment more than in any other English assignment. Lack of confidence in their ability to deliver can make it very difficult for them to receive the marks that are possible.
Some simple hints and classroom re-arrangement can significantly improve their speechwriting and lessen their performance anxiety.
Move them out of the ‘Power Position’
If your students are presenting in the classroom, consider whether having them present from the front of the room is the best option. Professional speaking coaches talk about the ‘Power Position’ (front and centre of the speaking space) as the spot where the speaker has most authority in the eyes of the audience. NLP expert Michael Grinder suggests that this is because of a process of entrainment that happens to us as students. The ‘Power Position’ is where the teacher stands.
Working on this theory, we have demonstrated that, for a lot of students, stress can be lessened by not asking them to speak from that position. As long as the presentation does not involve a slideshow, here is a quick way to set this up:
- Have all students turn their chairs around.
- Set the student up speaking from the back of the room.
- If appropriate, you could project their notes onto the screen so they can get their prompts without having to hold notes.
Plan their eye contact
When we first stand in front of a group and make eye contact with audience members, the eye contact we receive back can have a massive impact on our confidence as we move into our presentation. Students are not always good audience members. Often there will be:
- Those who are distracted or disinterested
- Those who are focusing on their own presentations (which might be coming up)
Sometimes, there will even be the students who are unable to resist the temptation to distract the speaker.
If students feel that the first thirty seconds of their presentation has gone well, the rest is likely to go well also. If they struggle for the first thirty seconds, it’s hard to achieve the success desired.
Suggest to students that they should decide who they will make eye contact with in the first thirty seconds. If they have practised in small groups, have the other group members sit in different parts of the room with the commitment that they will be good, encouraging audience members. Creating effective eye contact with an audience does not require the speaker to look at everyone. When you are standing in front of an audience, making eye contact with one person creates the impression of making eye contact with each person surrounding them.
Helping students feel confident in their presentations is one of the best ways you can help them achieve the marks they deserve.
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