Improving Presentation Skills

Ways To Improve Your Presentation Skills

There aren’t many people who claim they enjoy giving presentations. It’s certainly not everybody’s cup of tea. However, the presentation is a powerful tool. They allow people to share their ideas without interruption. The presenter can also argue their points while being backed up with data and intriguing findings, too, making their efforts at persuasion far more effective.

Of course, homeschooled pupils like yourself can face different challenges here too. Public speaking skills can be hard to practice if you’re learning frequently involves one-on-one study. Now let’s talk about all of this in more detail. Here are a few ways to improve your presentation skills!

Know Your Audience

Some people can get too caught up in what they’re talking about instead of who they’re talking to. It’s an easy trap to fall into when you’re giving a presentation. You might find that your presentation ‘really comes together’ when you start tailoring it for your audience.

While you’re preparing, ask yourself:

Who is assessing me, and what am I specifically being assessed on?

Why is my audience here?

Am I expected to be formal or informal?

How much time have I been given to speak?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, ask ahead of time. Doing so will give you insights into your audience and help you tailor your presentation to their needs. It can also help you with your nerves and help you get out of your own head; the presentation isn’t about you, but your audience.

Try to remember everyone is on your side, too. As you can probably guess, no one wants to sit through a bad, boring presentation. So, they are rooting for you!

Refine Your Body Language

To some degree, giving a presentation is a performance. After all, not many stand at the front of a room to monologue to people for fun. Therefore, it’s a good idea to try and pay closer attention to your body language and what it communicates. Remember, there is a science to body language, and people can read into that as much as anything you might say during your presentation.

Instead of crossing your arms and putting your hands in your pockets, use them to gesture as you speak, whether to animatedly talk or direct your audience’s attention to findings of interest. Stand tall and proud, and be sure to smile, too!

These might seem like elementary points to make, but they’re easily forgotten in the build up to, and during, a presentation. When you have these basic principles down, you will feel more confident in your presentation and put your audience at ease, meaning you all get more out of the experience.

Structure Things Simply

While we can all build up presentations in our head sometimes, the structure of them is typically very simple. It’s important not to make more out of it than it needs to be.

Nobody likes to be overwhelmed with information. So, with that in mind, remember to:

Keep the written parts of your presentation concise. Use bullet points and simple language to convey your points clearly.

Talk around the written parts of your presentation. Use the text as prompts that you can elaborate on with speech, creating a stronger connection between what is seen and what is heard. Do not just read what is written verbatim, or your in-person role is redundant.

Find the flow in your presentation. One part of your presentation should lead to the next, helping you and your audience better organise the information in your heads.

There’s no need to get carried away and present a jumble of ideas. Each presentation should be a straightforward journey.

Conclusion

Hopefully, these tips should not only enhance your presentation skills and thereby your presentations, but also ensure you actually enjoy the experience too. After all, you’re simply sharing knowledge, when all is said and done. The people who come prepared and share their findings cheerfully will create a good time for all, so give it your best shot.

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