Thursday, February 6, 2014
Speaking Assignments
Creating the kind of speaking assignment that motivates interesting student speeches can be tricky. This week, you are reflecting on that process by examining an old assignment and thinking about the kinds of speaking skills that students might need in their major and/or careers. Here, I'd like you to reflect on what you think makes an effective speaker in any communication context.
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This particular question is similar to one that I ask my students when going over effective presentations and oral communication. First, I ask them to name people who are “good” speakers/presenters (and they offer a list – sometimes I am not familiar with the names they throw out – but I list all names on the board). MLK is always on that list, so I have a short clip ready to go and ask students to take notes of what makes him and his speech effective while I play a portion of it. We use what they extract as a means to move to develop our list of effective oral communication/presentations. In that lesson, I highlight the need to think about audience and purpose and constraints while emphasizing the importance of content, clarity, and both verbal and nonverbal aspects; I also mention that another decision is going to be regarding their use of medium, if any and if given an option. We build off these ideas, listing out some exacts and some questions that will assist when they move to their own projects. I begin with that in-class activity, as I feel as if those highlighted elements cross over into any oral communication context and stress a key question for me when thinking generally about oral communication: What is appropriate for that context? This question pushes analysis, and I also rely on first asking students this very question when they inquire about presentation exacts. (Do I need handouts? Do I have to dress up?) Having shared those aspects on which I focus in lessons, I also know that I do not always give my own conference presentations the amount of time and preparation I should and can at times, for whatever reason, misplace my confidence, affecting the level of effectiveness. So knowing is one thing; executing is another.
When my students and I discuss what makes a good presentation of a design solution, we list attributes and talk about exemplars from our own classroom critiques. The list of attributes is very consistent from class to class and semester to semester. It always includes: clarity (being specific and using the most precise words possible), organization (leading the audience through from beginning to end in a logical way,) enthusiasm (seeming to care about your own work as you present it), subject area expertise (actually knowing a lot about your topic), and confidence (projecting the sense that you know what you're talking about and that you're fairly comfortable with the presentation format). In my experience, these attributes hold true in most contexts, not just a studio classroom critique or a client pitch. I think confidence is the most difficult of these to master, because with everything else, enough advance preparation gets you where you need to go. But it's possible to be really nervous even if you are prepared. Because all of the speaking assignments I give are meant to (1) get students to interact with content and (2) build their confidence with public speaking, confident/polished delivery is never part of my grading rubric for graded speaking assignments. I use "evidence of careful preparation in advance" as a metric instead. We talk about the relationship between preparation and confidence … but, as Rachel said, I know this doesn't always work out 100% for me when I speak in an intimidating context. So I focus on helping my students practice and design the rubric to reward the things that will eventually make a difference, even if they don't in the context of my specific assignment(s).
Here is my brainstormed list. It’s a combination of things from rubrics that I’ve used in the past to grade various assignments… and other things that I think of off the top of my head.
Variety of vocabulary.
Eye contact. Looks around at the listener(s) or camera, not down at your notes all the time (if you have them) or the wall.
Appropriate speed. Not too fast, not too slow. This is challenging for my students. They are so focused on pronunciation that they end up being very slow. I obviously do not expect them to speak very fast, but I don’t think they realize that native speakers will lose patience in them.
Correct grammar. I actually don’t focus on this. When incorrect grammar starts to interfere with comprehension, then it becomes more important.
Appropriate register.
Appropriate tone, facial expressions.
Appropriate intonation and pausing. Students sometimes over practice or read, and this makes them sound like robots.
Introduction that makes me want to listen. (like when Bill Nye started the debate last week. I thought it was very clever to start with a story about bowties. It made us curious about what his point was, but it was also endearing because we associate him with bowties.) This isn’t actually applicable in all communicative acts because you can’t always have an introduction, but I somehow needed to include the fact that I appreciate anecdotes, connecting emotionally with the audience, humor, being interesting, and creating suspense.
I look forward to seeing you all again this week!
As I started thinking about this topic, I sort of laughed to myself because speaking in biology often does not evoke what many students immediately deem as “interesting speeches” if you take interesting to mean “fun” or “attention-grabbing.” The interest in biology speeches normally has to come from the audience members’ desire to learn more about the topic at hand, since these speeches are meant to inform or teach, and usually follow a rigid format. Speaking in biology at the higher level follows the same sets of rules for any other oral speaking assignment but with what seems to be some added guidelines.
I agree with several of the comments posted already as to the elements of effective speaking in general. The speaker needs to be well prepared and organized. This means the speaker needs to be aware of the type of audience he/she will be addressing, to thoroughly understand the topic he/she will be covering and how it fits into any bigger agenda, and know how he/she will manage to highlight only the necessary information in the given time constraints in a clear and concise manner. The speaker, no matter how knowledgeable on the topic, needs to rehearse and practice with visual aids. I think this point is key because knowledge of a topic does not necessarily translate to an effective or good speech without any work or preparation! As speaking effectively in biology in particular means interacting with and explaining data and/or results of experimental findings, whether their own or from other researchers, students are expected to be able to do this with proficiency. As this is a skill is expected to excel in this field, it is absolutely essential for students to master. All of the previously discussed skills should be delivered with enthusiasm and confidence. Not only do I give all of my students feedback on all of the criteria listed above (content, preparedness, clarity, use of language, time limit, visual aids, posture, enthusiasm) but I also let them see how their peers evaluate them on the same criterion to give them a sense of how effective they are at getting their message/points across.
These are the main things that stand out to me the most when I attend presentations.
Interest/enthusiasm for subject
Sadly, charismatic speakers are not usually the first thought when people think about scientific presentations. However, there are a few out there. If you are lucky enough to attend a presentation by someone who has this gift, you are allowed a brief window to see what they do in the topic. Their enthusiasm can inspire in you a desire to further pursue information in a field when you would have never thought to do so before. They do this not by compromising the topic they are presenting, but by allowing you to see how much they enjoy what they do.
Content- know your audience
This brings me to content. A speaker that can hold your interest explains things to the average level of the audience so that most everyone should understand. This is not easy and sometimes it means you have to adjust what you say while you are speaking.
Body language/eye contact
We have all been at the painful presentations where the person seems uncomfortable. These are painful for the presenter and the audience, and quite often you are so distracted by their manner that you can’t concentrate on the message. However, if the speaker projects a comfortable demeanor (no matter what they feel on the inside) with appropriate eye contact, you also put your audience at ease and allow them to listen to the information.
Tone (including pausing, pacing, and intonation)/projection
All presentations should have a logical progression that leads the listener to follow the train of thought of the presenter. Tone is critical to impart some of these unspoken transitions. Part of this, to me, is the appropriate use of pauses and intonation.
Explain your graphics
In science, presentations are largely “data driven”. If you present a talk that does not contain data, usually in the form of tables, graphs, and diagrams, then your talk will not be well accepted because it lacks support for the statements you are making. However, it is not enough to just have a table on a slide and expect the audience to understand why it is there. Accurate descriptions and explanations of the material presented are required. Speaking in the sciences requires proficiency in this area.
Correct grammar/pronunciation
On the one hand, you can argue that this last point is “picky”. On the other, precision and attention to detail is necessary in science. Improper grammar on slides or consistent mispronunciation (regional differences aside) can project the impression that you are sloppy; not something you want if you are seeking funding or collaborators. Well, it would seem that I just allowed the opportunity for you to correct this post. Go for it, I probably need the assistance! :)
Well, I thought I had posted but it looks as though I did not do it correctly. As first thoughts on the subject of effective speaking, I think knowing the audience -- what it expects, its familiarity with the topic -- is key. Also, having something to say that has a point to it is equally important.
mea culpa,
after reading this and reviewing the ONE speaking assignment I have EVER given in ten years of teaching, I realize that I have a lot to learn and a lot to do. Mea Culpa part two: so help me God (and Wendy) that I might have changed my answers last week about the barriers to writing if it was the barriers to speaking. In some ways, I feel like teaching speaking (look at different parts of the room, don't say um, don't read from a script) is somehow "further" beyond my job duties than writing. I realize, of course, that this is the wrong way to think about the job--and about the relationship between speaking and writing, but hey--I am an imperfect vessel.
aaaaat any rate,
I think that effective speaking is not contextually dependent. once a good speaker, always a good speaker. As a needy extrovert, I have never given much thought to my own public speaking--it seems to come naturally. That being said, I do rely on a lot of my "tricks" from public speaking class in college and the notion that being "comfortable" goes a long way to engaging the audience. Nothing is worse to LISTEN to than a speaker who is clearly nervous. Which is not what nervous people want to hear, but its true. If you appear composed and collected, the attention of the crowd will be on the material, rather than your flaws. in that regard, I suppose there are a lot of strategies, though I promote one that learned from a champion ball room dancer. But I will not reveal this secret until class. :)
I must admit that the speaking component of classes that I instruct is generally lacking. More often than not, my students "report" back to me in a very mechanical and rote means. I often times give my students prompts to serve as a "jumping off" point for things that they can consider when speaking. I can honestly say that this does not serve them well in terms of delving more deeply into what it is they are investigating and speaking about.
Based on the challenges I have encountered, I believe that the following things are important:
* a passionate knowledge of the subject matter (or at least a healthy sense of being inquisitive)
* a connection to the audience that is clear and relevant in terms of eye contact and content
*the use of language that is grammatically correct and delivered in a confident manner.
I most definitely look forward to gathering suggestions/advice in this area!
Until Wednesday!
I think it is important for the speaker to know their topic, inside and out, whether reading a paper or speaking from an outline or notes. They must have good diction, inflection of tone, and appropriate volume pacing (not too loud or soft, fast or slow). It is good to make eye contact with the audience, as well. The presentation should be practiced in advance so there are no surprises with technology and so you know how long the presentation is.much time the presentation requires.
I think it is important for a speaker in any context to be professional, engaging, and aware of the audience. Obviously speakers should be on-time, dress well, have a visual presentation/handouts, and make sure they do not say anything that could offend anyone in the room (I have observed several speakers where they make very inappropriate jokes during their presentation to lighten the crowd but it only makes things worse). Second, they must engage the audience - so like Kim said (and many others above) - they need to be an expert on what they are talking about. I can usually tell if they know what they are talking about if they have very simple slides (too much clutter means they have to refer back to their slides as a crutch). By appearing knowledgeable they should not simply read from a script or a power point presentation (TED talks are good examples of what I think a "good speakers"). Finally, if they are aware of their audience they should make sure they don't "talk down" to them as other "experts" may be in the room. In addition, a good speaker should be very aware of the non-verbal response(s) of the audience. A good speaker should be able to "think of their feet". Keep in mind, people might have questions or your presentation may be boring. So, appropriate breaks to ask questions is also critical. I also think that speakers should be aware that people are spending their time to see them speak - so don't waste the audiences time with things they already know...and finally practice, practice, and practice. Practice makes perfect.
I admit to not thinking as originally or creatively as some of you when it comes to describing an effective oral presentation. My thoughts usually run to the standard items found on most rubrics - vocal delivery, nonverbal cues, organization and quality of content, and visual aids. I think most of my graduate students do a reasonably good job on assigned oral presentations in my class, and so my grading job is more fine-tuning than complete overhaul. That being said, there are the occasional students who are nervous to the extent it diminishes their efforts, and I would take great satisfaction in helping *them* overcome that hurdle. My students even show some enthusiasm and take ownership of their presentations - despite the fact that they usually contain a heavy dose of technical material that could be considered dull by some!
This is a great start to the list. I always find it interesting how much we tend to linger on the delivery aspect of public speaking. While this is extremely important, we first have to make sure that students have something important to say and know the best way to adapt it to the audience. I think your comments said that, but I like to point out that that is where we start in CMS 111, in the Speaking Center, and in this seminar. More to come tomorrow!
Late to the party. I would only add that I would want my students to understand why they were doing a speaking assignment at all, instead of or in addition to a writing assignment. What speaking adds to the communication matrix.
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