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This article was written in collaboration with Patrick Muñoz. Patrick is an internationally recognized voice and speech coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal strength, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting, and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. Named Los Angeles’ Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, he is a voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies and a member of the Voice and Speech Coaches Association. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved after it receives enough positive comments. This article has 90 testimonials from our readers, which has earned it Reader Approved status. This article has been viewed 1,598,862 times.
Giving a class presentation can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. This wikiHow will give you a lot of guidance on how to give a class presentation with minimal stress.
Write the notebook cards on the index cards. Write the main ideas on your index cards. Don’t write down details or you’ll be staring down at the cards in your notebook as you read. Put some fun facts, interactive questions, and other interactive activities on flashcards to share with the class.[1]
- Write down the key words or main ideas. If you need to look at your cards, you’ll only want to scan the card for information, not read every last word.
- Most of the time, the act of putting the information on your index cards will help you remember it. So while you may not necessarily need note cards, they are a nice security blanket if you forget what you were going to say.
- You don’t want to read directly from notebooks during a presentation.
Practice. In most presentations, it’s pretty obvious who practiced and who didn’t. Work on what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. You’ll feel much more confident doing the right thing and removing the likes and ums rather than those trying to “critique”.[2]
- Practice in front of your family or friends, or in front of a mirror, as you practice your presentation. It’s probably best to do this in front of friends you may not know well, as it will help you replicate the feeling of being in the front of the class.
- Ask your friends for feedback once you have finished your presentation. Was the presentation long enough? How was your eye contact? Did you stutter at all? Are all points clearly stated?
- Critique your performance in practice. Challenge yourself to work on anything you think you can improve during the actual presentation. When it’s time to turn in the actual work, you’ll feel secure knowing that you’ve worked the hardest on what was hardest for you.
make your own Investigation. To give an interesting presentation, you need to know what you’re talking about. You don’t have to become an expert or read every book or website ever written on your topic, but you should be able to answer any question your teacher or classmates ask you.[3]
- Get quotes from trusted sources. Good quotes make a good presentation great. Taking what smart people have said and putting it into your presentation will not only make you look smart, it will also show your teacher that you’ve spent time thinking about what other people have said.
- Make sure your sources are trustworthy. Nothing can shatter your confidence like a fact that turns out not to be. Don’t always trust the information you get from the Internet.
Smile with your audience. When it’s time to present, nothing can draw an audience into your presentation like a good old-fashioned smile. Be happy; you’ll be teaching your whole class something they didn’t know before.
- Research has shown that smiles are contagious; means that once you smile, it’s hard for everyone not to. So if you want your presentation to go smoothly, force yourself to smile. It will make everyone smile; And maybe those smiles will make you laugh.
Be confident in your presentation. When you give a presentation to your class, your teacher basically wants you to take over their work for a while. It’s your job to make sure everyone understands what you’re trying to tell them. Be sure to pay attention to how your teacher is doing before your presentation, because teachers are expert presenters.[4]
- Think about your intention before speaking to the audience. Do you want to educate, enlighten or entertain this audience? What effect do you want to have on the listener?
- Visualize success before, during and after your presentation. Be modest in what you do, you don’t have to be brash, but envision a successful presentation at all times. Don’t let the thought of failure creep into your mind.
- In many ways, your trust is as important as the information you provide. You don’t want to spread misinformation or skimp on the research, but much of what will be judged, and what other students will infer, will be your level of confidence. Also, if you are confident, you will be able to brainstorm with the class.
- If you need a confidence boost, think about the big picture. After 10-15 minutes, your presentation will be over. What will your presentation mean in the long run? Probably not a lot. Try to do the best you can, but if you are nervous, remember that much more important moments in life await you.
Make eye contact. Nothing is more boring than listening to a presenter looking at the floor or the cards. Chill out. Your audience is made up of your friends and you talk to them all the time; talk the same way now.[5]
- Try to look at each person in the classroom at least once. That way, everyone will feel like you’ve engaged with them. Plus, you’ll look like you know what you’re talking about.
Make sure you have an inflection in your voice. Your goal is to engage the audience, not lull them to sleep. Be lively about your subject. You talk about it like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. Your classmates will thank you.[6]
- Inflection is a type of movement that radio DJs put into their voice; It is the increase in the tone of your voice when you get excited. You don’t want to sound like you just saw a lion, but you also don’t want to sound like you just saw a squirrel. Change it to make the presentation more interesting.
Use hand gestures. Move your hands as you speak, using them to emphasize points and keep your audience interested. It will also direct your nervous energy to a better place.
Good conclusion. You’ve probably heard presentations that end with something like “um… yeah.” Your conclusion is your final impression on the audience, including your teacher. Make it exciting by presenting a final stat or come up with something creative to do at the end. Your conclusion can be anything as long as your audience knows you’re done.[7]
- Tell a story, perhaps one with a personal touch. Stories are great for history or English presentations. Maybe you can tie your presentation to a little anecdote about a famous historical figure?
- Ask a provocative question. Ending with a question is a good way to get your audience thinking about your presentation in an interesting way. Is there a particular conclusion you want them to come to?
Return to your seat with a smile. Know that you just succeeded on your report and you just did something that many people could never do. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get applause. Just stay confident.
- Some people can get so busy before a presentation that they pass out and may pass out during the speech. If this applies to you, be sure to prepare especially well and maintain your blood sugar before you come. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 7 Not Helpful 0
- Do not keep your mobile phone in your pocket as it will interfere with the microphone (if present). ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 6 Not Helpful 5
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Source: HIS Education