School Systems Should Provide Foreign Language Classes

Hello. ä ½  Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã£â‚¬â€šBonjour. Gutentag. All of these words are communicate the same greeting. However, I bet that if most students were to elaborate on each language they wouldn’t get much farther these generic greetings. While we are introduced to the various worlds of languages from an early age, there is a lack of consistent and in depth education. From a young age, I had a desire to learn any language other than English. I took two years of Spanish in middle school and then took three years of Chinese in high school. However, it wasn’t until college where I decided to minor in Chinese that I truly began to grasp and appreciate the language. And only now in my sixth year of learning Chinese are the concepts starting to come together.†¦show more content†¦As they begin to feel comfortable, they start repeating after words they hear usually beginning with â€Å"mommy†, â€Å"daddy† and â€Å"no†. While this initial speaking usually h appens around thirteen to fourteen months, a baby can begin learning their language skills before they are born. This concept is explained in the article â€Å"The Power of the Bilingual Brain†, â€Å"The human auditory system is functional from the third trimester on, and the loudest thing an in utero baby hears is its mother s voice, speaking whatever language or languages she knows. Those sounds, with their characteristic rhythms and phonemes, are poured straight into the baby s brain and become comfortingly familiar† (Klugger). We begin developing our languages before we are even aware we have a voice. (Echoing salience) Starting the language skills at an early age is crucial and while not all have the chance to begin hearing multiple languages before birth, introducing your child to a foreign language soon after is key. At Spring Lane Elementary School in Utah the children take half of their classes in English and the other half of their classes in Chinese. Their teacher, April Ridge, studied Chinese in preparation for a two year missions trip remarks on their success, They made steady progress through the year, Ridge says. We started school in August when they could speak only English. They were able to follow directions in Mandarin by January. After that came speaking, then reading, then

Othello, By William Shakespeare - 1198 Words

A tragedy is a term used to describe destructive flaws in a character by leading to the downfall of the main character with tragic events and having an unhappy ending. The play, Othello, by William Shakespeare is twisted and full of revenge. Throughout the play there is a series of harmful plots and lies caused by Iago, the evil character in the play. Iago hates Othello from the very beginning of the play when Othello promotes Michael Cassio to lieutenant instead of himself. From this moment on, Iago creates a plan full of revenge, leading to Othello’s downfall. Iago uses Othello’s trustworthy nature, insecurities, and jealously to influence Othello into becoming someone who he is not. Othello becomes consumed with all of the lies Iago has been telling him and continues to believe all of it. In the end, Othello made his own decisions by himself and it was clear when he had to pay for his inaccuracy, but the influence of Iago’s manipulation cannot be denied. The p artial influence of Iago’s evil ways to Othello is first seen in the story when Iago decides to bring down Cassio causing him to lose his lieutenant position. When this happens, Iago assumes Cassio will do anything to get it back so Iago states, â€Å"Our general’s wife is now the general: I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denouement of her parts and graces†¦Importune her help to put you in your place again† (2.3.333-339). Iago begins his plan toShow MoreRelatedOthello, By William Shakespeare957 Words   |  4 Pagesinnocent person kills himself while not knowing the truth. The best example of that would be the play Othello by the great William Shakespeare. As little as a handkerchief could make a difference if it is a symbol for something. In the play Othello by Shakespeare, handkerchief is first introduced by Othello to his beautiful mistress, Desdemona, as a sign of their love. At the end of the play what gets Othello to take extreme measures by the location of the handkerchief. As the symbol of the handkerchiefRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1599 Words   |  7 Pages William Shakespeare’s 16th century play Othello is a duplicitous and fraudulent tale set alternatingly between Venice in act 1, and the island of Cyprus thereafter. The play follows the scandalous marriage between protagonist Othello, a Christian moore and the general of the army of Venice, and Desdemona, a respected and intelligent woman who also happens to be the daughter of the Venetian Senator Brabantio. Shakespeare undoubtedly positions the marriage to be viewed as heroic and noble, despiteRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1218 Words   |  5 PagesIn a historical time period where emphasis was shifting from religion to race and ethnicity, key indicators of differences that perpetuated into racial prejudice and racial ideologies are evident in Othello by William Shakespeare. Although racism was not fully formed at this moment in history, Othello can be interpreted as a representation and an exploration of this shift in ideology. In the past, before this change to ward racial differences, religion was the major segretory factor in signifyingRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare894 Words   |  4 Pagesthose that which occurred in Othello written by William Shakespeare. Throughout the play Othello, we see the struggles of a marriage that is not accepted by their society. Othello is a extremely cherished black general living in a primarily white community. The play begins with Othello secretly becoming married to a white woman named Desdemona. This reasons others who are white to become angry and excuse to dislike this black man further more than they already do. Othello is a downward spiral from loveRead MoreOthello by William Shakespeare790 Words   |  3 PagesThroughout Othello by William Shakespeare, Othello makes numerous poor decisions due to his jealousy. Hitting Desdemona, trusting Iago, and killing Desdemona are among a few of the poor decisions that he makes. The word jealous can be defined as feeling or showing suspicion of som eones unfaithfulness in a relationship. Othello feels suspicious of Desdemona’s and Cassio’s relationship because of the lies that Iago tells him. Many people try to tell Othello the truth but he only believes the wordsRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1923 Words   |  8 Pagesdissatisfaction or complication is shown. Firstly in Othello love is presented as ephemeral and transient while atonement love is presented as unrequited and finally in cat on a hot tin roof love is presented as painful and troublesome due to unreciprocated feelings. The tragic plot of Othello hinges on the potential of the villain, Iago, to deceive other characters, above all Roderigo and Othello, through encouraging them to misinterpret what they see. Othello is prone to Iago s ploys seeing that he himselfRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare941 Words   |  4 Pageswas Williams Shakespeare’s play Othello which depicts the tragedy of Othello, a Morris Captain. What is different about Shakespeare play is that the tragic hero is the black Othello and the villain a white Iago. Therefore, Shakespeare depiction of Othello as a tragic character and Iago as a villain, challenges Elizabethan’s stereotypes regarding individuals of African descent. Shakespeare challenges the stereotypical â€Å"type –casting of the black man† in Elizabethan society by depicting Othello asRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1152 Words   |  5 Pages‘Othello’ was a tragedy of incomprehension at the deepest level of human dealings as no one in the play came to an understanding of himself or any of the surrounding characters. The play ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare focused on tragedy through the anguish of the main character ‘Othello’ which lead to the suffering and death of numerous characters including himself. Appearance Vs. Reality challenged human dealings within the play ‘Othello’ as no-one came to see anyone’s true self and no-one seesRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1178 Words   |  5 Pagesprofitable in condition of good and immorality. Othello is presented as good and Iago as evil, but Iago and Othello’s relationship also shares a distrust of their wives. The overall logical argument is based on love, jealousy and betrayal between two lovers that ultimately leads to their separation because of Iago’s evil plan. I am using this article to agree with Berry s view on how Iago separates two lovers just so he can take retaliation on Othello by manipulating everyone to unmasking their trueRead MoreOthello, By William Shakespeare1825 Words   |  8 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s plays transcends time and is renowned for their captivating plots and complex characters. Othello by William Shakespeare is a tragedy play that portrays major themes such as racism, manipulation, and jealousy just to name a few. Throughout the whole play, these themes are represented through the conniving character from the play, Iago. Out of all the plays Shakespeare has written, Iago is believed to be the most complex villain of all times. During the play, Othello, a black

Groupthink Cmmunication Process

Question: Discuss about the Groupthink Cmmunication Process. Answer: Introduction Groupthink is a concept of psychology, which is a form of flawed decision making in organized groups and in which there exists inadequate critical thinking. Groupthink exists when a need to match is operating (Bnabou 2012). The coin was termed first in 1972 by psychologist Irving Janis. He identified eight symptoms of groupthink: Unnecessary optimism Discounting cautions The belief that the other person has ethical motives The belief that people who are not part of the group are conflict makers A pressure of not wanting to disagree with team members Failure to express different opinions or doubts Assuming that the majority of the opinion is the whole of the opinion Team members who guard the team leader from differing information or dissidents (Houghton 2015) Bay of Pigs and Its Reason of Failure Irving Janis, while forming his theory of groupthink, studied the incident of the United StatesBay of Pigs Invasionof April 1961. After studying this episode, Janis concluded that repeatedly decision makers are blinded by their individual desires of self-esteem from being a part of an important group (Kramer and Dougherty 2013). John F. Kennedys presidency saw three major national security crises, out of which Bay of Pigs was a big failure. The Bay of Pigs crisis was a decision making process that upshot as a negative outcome, failed in achieving the objective and ending the crisis. In 1961 when President Kennedy was elected, Dwight Eisenhower saw that he was being briefed about the upcoming Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba that he initiated. Kennedy was briefed about the Agencys plan long time before he took office, but at that time, he did not raise any objection against it. Even after that, after his taking office, the planning continued (Kennedy et al. 2014). Allen Dulles, the CIA di rector briefed the CIA subcommittee of the HASC on the planned operation activities of the Agency against Fidel Castro organization of the Cuban resistance parties and training of the paramilitary force that would invade the island. Several members of the committee wondered how the 1000 exile-army would stand up against the 200,000 of the Cuban army. Dulles answered that he believes that the exiles would be able to light the fuse that would in turn ignite a general disturbance on the Cuban island (Polk, Kennedy and McNamara 2013). It was nowhere mentioned in the Agency records that other subcommittee members of the Agency were also briefed beforehand. Later on Legislative Counsel Warner told Professor Barrett that CIA subcommittee leaders of the Senate would also have been told. Barrett also mentions that the chairperson of SFRC, Senator Fulbright, was included in the operations by the president himself. Fulbright, on learning about the administrations intentions, wrote a personal letter to President Kennedy in an attempt to persuade him to stop the operation from going forward. In reply, Kennedy asked him to meet at the State Department for personally expressing his misgivings (Polk, Kennedy and McNamara 2013). During the Bay of Pigs incident, President Kennedy was still new and inexperienced in that role and in that situation he was given to handle an awkward situation that he inherited from the previous administration. The existence of the Cuban exiles, who were getting CIA trainings and had been given the assurance that the US would assist them in the Cuban invasion, was a tricky situation to handle. His first mistake was that for the advisory task group he formed he did not provide any direction. In addition to that, he also did not clarify whether the goals were to dispose away the political issues of the overtly enthusiastic and visible Cuban exile army or to achieve any foreign strategic objective vis--vis Cuba (Twombly 2013). The President failed in the perspective of effective leadership because of the following reasons: Failing to communicate with the exile force the expectation that all the members are responsible for the team productivity Failing to recognize and solve the outcomes of the large size of the group and its altering composition with each meeting Failing to identify and solve issues that have resulted because of the heterogeneous attributes of the group, especially the aspect that a portion of the group was in a preferable position with more information in comparison with other team members Failing to point out roles, egg on norms and set levels for encouraging team members so that they can freely express their individual views and face up to assumptions made by others (Rasenberger 2012) Failing to ensure that the team members, other than him, took an in general national standpoint; instead the different parts of the team were allowed to back its individual memo throughout the span of the group. The Kennedy team ignored all the objections put forward by Fulbright, and even Arthur Schlesinger, and moved ahead with belief in the morality of the plan. The team stereotyped Castro and did not bother the question the CIA assumptions about the ineffectiveness of the Castro army and his ability. While studying the incident, Janis claimed that the incident that followed (Cuban Missile Crisis) could have been prevented if the new President and his team had followed the proper methods of group thinking instead of the wrong one (Gioe, Scott and Andrew 2014). Conclusion In the case of the Bay of Pigs invasion, both President Kennedy and the historians poorly judged the result. The outcome was negative no doubt, with regards to the ensuing crisis and the group experience, along with the divisive outcome for the group that demoralized the team members. This flawed decision from President Kennedy and his advisors while authorizing the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba is the case usually employed to demonstrate the event of groupthink. The State departments apparent failure to effectively coordinate the Bay of Pigs crisis response resulted in it being a true example of groupthink failure in history. References Bnabou, R., 2012. Groupthink: Collective delusions in organizations and markets.The Review of Economic Studies, p.rds030. Gioe, D., Scott, L. and Andrew, C., 2014.An International History of the Cuban Missile Crisis: A 50-year Retrospective. Routledge. Houghton, D.P., 2015. Understanding Groupthink: The Case of Operation Market Garden.Parameters,45(3), p.75. Kennedy, J.F., Juan, F.C.J.R.F., Guevara, A.B.C., Ameijeiras, E., San Romn, P. and Oliva, E., 2014. Bay of Pigs Invasion.False Flags, Covert Operations, Propaganda, p.52. Kramer, M.W. and Dougherty, D.S., 2013. Groupthink as communication process, not outcome. Communication Social Change, 1(1), pp.44-62. Polk, A., Kennedy, R. and McNamara, R., 2013. The Bay of Pigs Invasion.Foreign Policy. Rasenberger, J., 2012.The brilliant disaster: JFK, Castro, and America's doomed invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs. Simon and Schuster. Twombly, J., 2013. Presidential Decision Making. InThe Progression of the American Presidency(pp. 125-136). Palgrave Macmillan US.

Critical Thinking Social Media

Question: Write an essay on Critical thinking for the usage of the social media? Answer: Introduction This report has been prepared for Jack and Jill PLC Company. The company manufacture high quality automobile parts that are sold to the clients and companies. Management of the company proposes to analyse the relevance of the social media method for communicating with the clients and the customers for the company. This report highlights the relevance of effective communication process for the management to interact with the clients (Bragg, 2007). Social Medias like Facebook and Twitter has become one of the efficient methods for interacting with the clients located at different locations. Through this process, the company can inform the clients about the tasks that have been undertaken by the management to the clients. In this method, it is possible for the management to communicate the product details with the clients and get a feedback from the users. With the help of the social strategies, it is possible for the company to analyse the expectations of the potential buyers. Through this method, the management can develop strategies for connecting with the clients and provide accurate information about the services that is required by the management (Koch Richter, 2009). Social strategies include developing effective communication process through which the company can interact with the clients and promote the services. This is one of ether effective methods for increasing the promotional activities, with the customers. The online communication process is quite reliable, fast, and cheaper than the other methods that are available for the clients to interact with the company. In order to increase the sales, it is essential for the company to develop positive and long term relationship with the potential buyers. This is possible through the development of social communication strategies. Strategies for communication The strategies adapted for communicating with the members have to include the below mentioned factors Analysing social challenges Through this method, the company can reconnect with the clients which is done through the formation of the groups. Strategy This includes the plan through which the strategic changes and plans can be introduced by the company for improving the production activities for the management. This is done to reconnect the people and enable the members to share the details and other services associated with the task performance. Analysing the challenges The online communication process has to be effective and simple. This will help the company to approach maximum number of clients and provide the best information through which the marketing strategies can introduce by the management of the company (Piskorski, 2011). The communication method has to outline the values through which the customers can be serviced with the best options related to the service. In this process, the social solution for the strategies has to be adopted and implemented in an effective manner. In this process, the lower costs and the willingness to increase the communication process has to be developed and implemented by the management in an effective manner. The profitable segmentation has to be analysed as this will help the management in choosing the better strategy through which the changes can be introduced by the company (Skul, 2008). The process adopted for communication has to be simple and effective as this will help the management to reach out to maximum number of clients from different markets. Strategies adopted by the company needs to be tested as this will help in approaching the clients and convincing for the purchase of the products and services that will be useful for the product promotional activities. In this process, the business houses work towards helping the clients in handling the economic needs, rather than handling the social needs for the company. The social stage that has been developed by the company has to be communicated with the clients, and for these corrective measures has to be implemented by the management. Through this process it is possible for the management to introduce an effective step through which the changes can be introduced by the company. Through this process, the management of the company can develop an effective strategy through which the level of competition can be incr eased for the clients. In this process, an attempt has been made or develops defensive methods through which the changes within the business executing can be developed and implemented (Gotta et al., 2006). Conclusion Business strategies and social communication process plays an important role in the development of the company. The challenges involved with the process have to be developed and implemented. This will help in improving the sales for the company. References Bragg, A.B. (2007). Reflections on pedagogy: Reframing Practice to Foster Informal Learning With Social Software. Retrieved: March 20, 2007 from: https://www.dream.sdu.dk/uploads/files/Anne%20Bartlett-Bragg.pdf Boyd, D. Ellison, N. (2007). Social Network Sites, Definition, History and Scholarship. https://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.html Gotta, Mike and OKelly Peter (2006). Collaboration and Content Strategies: Trends in Social Software Koch, M., Richter, A. (2009). Enterprise 2.0: Planung, Einfhrung und erfolgreicher Einsatz von Social Software in Unternehmen (aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage.). Oldenburg Piskorski, M. J. (2011). Social strategies that work. HarvardBusiness Review, 89(11), 116-122. Skul, D. (2008d). How To Use Social Network Marketing To Your Advantage. Relativity Business Technology, Solutions.https://www.relativitycorp.com/socialnetworkmarketing/article32.htm

Paid, Earned, Owned Media The Difference

Content is a broad term. However, it’s important to understand that there are three primary content types that can be used to support your content marketing strategy: paid, earned, and owned media. Knowing how to combine these three types of content is critical to the success of your online marketing. Here, we’ll look at the differences between these content types and how you can strengthen your online marketing by developing each type of content. The Differences Between Paid, Earned, and Owned Media What is Paid Media? In digital marketing, paid media is any form of advertising you pay for to promote your business online. You can use it to direct traffic to existing content and also to encourage earned media (see below). There are various paid techniques you can use: †¢ Social media advertising. †¢ Native advertising (advertising on third-party websites). †¢ Pay-per-click advertising, such as Google Ads. †¢ Display advertising. What is Earned Media? Earned media refers to any online publicity you gain from promotional efforts other than paid or owned media. For example, it happens when people talk about your brand on social media, or if a news site mentions your business. It could be the most valuable form of content because it’s the most trusted. Examples of earned media: †¢ Brand mentions on third-party websites. †¢ Reviews, recommendations, and testimonials. †¢ Shared articles and social media posts. †¢ Social media comments. †¢ Guest blog posts. †¢ A listing in organic search engine results pages. What is Owned Media? Owned media is simply any content that you have created or have control over. This type of content has three main goals: to engage prospects with valuable content, drive conversions, and build customer relationships. The primary forms of owned media include: †¢ Website content. †¢ Blog content. †¢ Social media content. †¢ Email newsletters. †¢ Gated content such as whitepapers. Amplifying Your Content with Paid, Earned, and Owned Media By combining these three types of media, you can strengthen your content marketing considerably in terms of engaging your audience and generating leads. Here are 10 common ways to use these types of content in your marketing efforts. Paid Media 1. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter Ads Paid promotion on social media is easy to set up, but it’s important to use the channels that are most appropriate for your audience. You can then target your posts based on user demographics, location, interests, or the device being used. Content promotion networks work by promoting your content on relevant third-party sites. You usually pay on a cost-per-click basis and your content appears as a featured snippet or link. As your content appears on topic-related sites, it’s less off-putting than traditional advertising and can be more effective. According to one study, consumers look at native ads 53 percent more than display ads. 3. Search Engine Marketing One of the most common ways to promote content is with paid search ads. Google Ads is the most popular, but you can do the same on Bing, Yahoo, and other search engines. Your ads will appear alongside organic search results and are based on search engine queries, so it’s an efficient way to get your content in front of your target audience. Earned Media 4. Reviews and Testimonials Reviews and testimonials are important for building your brand’s credibility. The right endorsement at the right time could be the social proof your prospect needs to make a purchase decision. Around 59 percent of consumers say user-generated product reviews affect their buying behavior. During the sales process, encourage customers to leave reviews on suggested sites and ask for positive testimonials to publish on-site. 5. User-Generated Content Encourage user-generated content by asking users questions about how they use your products and services. Hold social media contests. For example, ask users to submit photos using your product and offer a prize to the best entry. You can also use original social media hashtags based around a common theme or question. Encourage your audience to join in the conversation. 6. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) SEO is earned media because you can’t pay for higher organic search engine rankings. You have to earn your search rankings by delivering content that includes search terms you want to rank for. A large part of this strategy is on-page SEO, which means you need to keep your website content updated with relevant content and ensure your metadata is aligned with your marketing goals. 7. Guest Blogging Are you developing relationships with other organizations and websites? For earned media to be effective, you need to build connections with journalists, influencers, customers, and social media followers. These connections will ultimately lead to more content shares, mentions, and comments based around your brand. Reach out to other bloggers with content that shows your expertise and is also interesting to their readers. 8. Social Media Content It’s also important to reach your audience on the channels they regularly visit. Listening to conversations on social media will give you some great insights into your customers’ needs, which can help shape your content strategy. Post links to your top-performing content to drive more traffic to your owned media. If you post an infographic or image, include your brand’s logo so you get the credit when it’s shared. 9. Email Newsletters You don’t have to have years of marketing experience to get positive results from email marketing. There are various online platforms you can use to create and deliver compelling email content to your audience. You might pay for an email marketing service, but it doesn’t make it a â€Å"paid† channel. Essentially, you own your list of subscribers, and it’s up to you to encourage action with engaging content delivered to their inbox. 10. Gated Content Long-form content helps to build your brand’s credibility on particular topics. Think white papers, ebooks, and how-to guides. Consider â€Å"gating† your best content behind a form. This means users have to provide their email address to gain access to the content. It’s a simple way to add perceived value to your owned content and build your email list at the same time. Just remember to add clear calls-to-action to guide prospects in the direction you want them to go. A Healthy Balance Paid, earned, and owned media each have their own advantages. Paid media is more targeted, you’ll see immediate results, and the costs are predictable. Earned media can reach a wider audience and is the most credible. With owned media, you can deliver a more diverse range of content that you have more control over. The right balance depends on your industry, your budget, your goals, and how much time you have. A healthy strategy is to use them in harmony to enhance results. For example, you can share a blog post on social media and also pay to promote it so that it reaches a wider audience. This way, you may earn some extra views, shares, and links. Now you have owned, paid, and earned media working in unison. How can you use paid, earned, and owned media together to enhance your content marketing?

Using a Sample Essay For Essay Exams

Using a Sample Essay For Essay ExamsThere are many benefits of using a sample essay for essay exams. Essay exams tend to be very short and straightforward, this makes them easy to prepare for and gets your mind working hard on the topic. The best way to prepare for this type of exam is to practice using a sample essay for essay exams.Many students write essays on a daily basis and often find it difficult to write a truly original essay that stands out. The key to writing a successful essay is to write something that people don't usually write. The first step to writing a unique essay is to start with a sample essay that has the headings and sub-headings.Having headings and sub-headings is a good idea as it will help you keep everything in one place. You can then organize the paragraphs so that they flow nicely. This will make it much easier to understand the topic of the essay and help you with comprehension.Each paragraph should have a focus of a specific topic. As well as this each paragraph should have a sub-heading. The key to writing a truly unique essay is to stick to the topic in your head and work from there.Headings and sub-headings should also be used to bring the essay into focus. When you take an essay, you will notice that it takes a long time to read and summarise the information within it. Use headings and sub-headings to help you create a frame of reference.Once you know what the different sections of the essay are you can begin to form your ideas. A good essay needs to contain your main points and go into depth on a single topic or sometimes both. This can be very hard if you don't know where to start with your essays and this is where using a sample essay for essay exams can really help.The best part about using a sample essay for essay exams is that you can copy the entire content without worry. You will have the choice of using all or just parts of the essay. If you do need to use a lot of text then you may find that you need to cut and past e several times until you get it perfect.Remember that the only way to really prepare for essay exams is to take as many practice tests as possible. The best way to do this is to use a sample essay for essay exams. You can quickly build up a portfolio of your skills by taking the time to read through a number of samples and then focus on those topics.

Making Effective Oral Presentation Essay Example

Making Effective Oral Presentation Essay Example Making Effective Oral Presentation Essay Making Effective Oral Presentation Essay Making Effective Oral Presentations Northeastern University, College of Business Administration Edward G. Wertheim, Ph. D. Associate Professor Human Resources Management Retrieved March 2, 2009 from http://web. cba. neu. edu/~ewertheim/skills/oral. htm#visual |Outline of this Note | |Introduction | |Podium Panic | |Four Basic Steps | |1. trategy | |2. structure | |3. style | |Are You Distracting the Audience and Drawing Attention away from your Message? |Regional accents or colloquialisms: (or Id rather jump in the Boston Hahbah than give a speech) | |Physical mannerisms | |Voice Tone | |Keeping your Audiences interest | |4. upplement: questions and challenges | |Conclusion: A Checklist for your Presentation | |Appendices | |[pic]An Outline for Your Presentation | |[pic]An evaluation form that will be used for your presentation | |[pic]Using Visual Aids Effectively | | Introduction While hard work and good ideas are essential to success, your ability to express those ideas and get ot hers to join you is just as important. Much of this verbal expression will be one on one or in small groups but periodically (and for some of us often) you will be involved in more formal and public speaking in front of larger numbers. If this thought makes you nervous you are not alone. Many speakers lack the skills and confidence to make effective presentations. We have all been victims of speakers (eg. teachers) who put us to sleep. Despite knowing how ineffective many speakers are, many of us have found that, despite the best intentions, we havent fared much better. We knew the topic and the ideas were written down, but the presentation still didnt go well. Was it the way you delivered the speech? Was it because the audience didnt seem interested? [pic]Podium Panic Everyone experiences stage fright, speech anxiety, or talking terror. Surveys show that fear of speaking in front of groups is one of the greatest fears people have. Some surveys find people actually claiming that the thought of giving a speech is more frightening than falling off a cliff, financial difficulties, snakes, and even death. The following lists some techniques people use for coping with this fright: your audience understands your nervousness; they know what you are feeling and will forgive it; similarly they will forgive honest mistakes nervousness is usually invisible; most will not notice the small changes in your voice or occasional mistakes; most speakers who describe themselves as nervous appear confident and calm to the audience be yourself; let the real you come through; relax, practice some deep breathing techniques; begin in your comfort zone; practice with friends; share your fears with friends check out the room first; check out the space, the equipment, the lights concentrate on the message begin with a slow, well-prepared introduction; have a confident and clear conclusion most important: be prepared and practice The problem of poor communication is complex and cannot be solved by a single book, a course, and certainly not by this short guide. We will point out the critical elements and questions to think about. The approach presented here is predicated on the notion that there is a speechmaking process that involves a few basic steps and within each are particular strategic decisions. [pic] FOUR BASIC STEPS formulate a strategy for the specific audience develop a flexible, flowing structure combined prepared material with an enhancing, not distracting, presentation style; it is important to remember that how you present is as important as what you present. supplement the presentation with confident, informed responses to questions and challenges [pic] 1. STRATEGY understand your purpose and role: It is critical to be clear about your purpose in the communication. This involves knowing your audience, the occasion, and the expectations of your audience. Knowing the audience will be a criti cal determinant in what information is presented and how it is presented. tailor your message to the audience understand their needs, desires, knowledge level, attitude toward your topic be concrete, specific, practical, and relevant clarify your objectives is it to motivate? inform? persuade? teach? each calls for a different approach clarify what role you will be performing coach? advocate? teach? be devils advocate, watch dog, or messenger? develop a logically compelling case for your plan how will it help resolve a pressing problem, advance a salient value, or help reach a common goal research your topic In the classroom situation you may have to make a presentation about a topic about which you are not an expert In the working world, you will likely know a lot about the topic. Nevertheless, you will likely have to research the topic through internal trade documents, trade journals, or special interest publications. You will also likely find computerized data bases useful as sources of information. Subscription data bases such as CompuServe, Dow Jones News/Retrieval, The Source, and BRS/After Dark are some examples. Obviously the World Wide Web is a gr owing source of information. Librarians will assist you in your search. For those services that base charges on time on-line, it is important to be very well prepared for your search. [pic] 2. STRUCTURE Once you know what you want to say, you need to consolidate the materials into a meaningful message. You cant assume that the information will speak for itself. Your audience is capable of hearing your information in very different ways based on your organization and presentation. The audience needs to have these basic questions answered. 1. Why should I pay attention to you when I can think about more interesting things? 2. Now that I am listening, why should I care about this issue? 3. I agree with the significance of the topic, but how are you justifying your ideas? 4. So, now that I am convinced, what do you want from me? The following lists some points to think about when organizing your ideas begin by placing your topic in context; you might want to provide an outline or a road map provide the intended, expected benefits, organization of the presentation, and ground rules organize the body of the presentation logically make it easy to follow go from the simple to the complex when appropriate, plan ways to encourage audience participation maintain credibility: discuss the pros and cons conclude on a high note include an overall summary and proposed actions or options incorporate visual aids effectively (see box below) dont let mechanics of presentation interfere with your message prepare for contingencies practice your presentation and prepare for contingencies rehearse think about what might happen and prepare what if the overhead bulb blows ou t; what if the audience is more prepared than you expected what if there is an unexpected question if a disruption is particularly obtrusive, you might relieve the tension with a joke or humorous comment [pic] 3. STYLE Effective presenters recognize that communication is both intellectual and emotional. Organizing your ideas is part of the task. The other is to gain and maintain attention. The following lists some basic techniques to maintain attention: convey controlled enthusiasm for your subject the audience will forgive a lot if the speaker is enthusiastic -pay attention to posture, tone; dont lean your audience will mirror your attitude radiate confidence without preaching dont confuse enthusiasm with loudness; try to convey a range of emotions from concern, anticipation, excitement, dismay where appropriate, candidly discuss pros and cons; explain advantages first; present risks or challenges; Are You Distracting the Audience and Drawing Attention away from your Message? When we want the audience to focus on what we have to say rather than on us, it is important to think about anything that might detract from our message. This can be a sensitive issue since some of these facto rs are personal or part of who we are. Regional accents or colloquialisms: If we are in an audience of people who share our accent no one will notice. However, if we are in a more general audience, our accent may make the audience focus on this rather than our message. This is not to say that you should abandon your ethnic or regional identity and individuality; however, you need to be aware of the impact of accents on audience. This can be done positively as the Kennedys have done; but more often these mannerisms tend to detract negatively. We dont have to all talk alike but we need to know how we are perceived. physical mannerisms: speakers who pace, pound the podium, jingle change in their pockets, or do other things can focus attention on themselves rather than the subject; sometimes this can be done for affect, but more often it is inadvertent and distracting. voice tone: Professional speakers generally emphasize the lower registers of their voices (both men and women) and avoid dramatic variations in the pitches of their voices. Occasionally this rule can be broken for affect. clothing and jewelry: same as under regional accents Keeping your audiences interest provide variety and relief if possible; novelty and uniqueness will increase the impact alternative moving and standing still, speaking and listening, doing and thinking; use physical space and body movement to enhance your message try to add s tories, anecdotes, testimonials, analogies, demonstrations use humor appropriately make it in good taste presentations are movies not snapshots; prepare the space for movement try to position yourself to enhance rapport with the audience eye contact is your primary tool for establishing audience involvement; look at your audience in random rotating order use gestures naturally; do what is natural to you: some gestures are wrong jingling change in a pocket, toying with notes, shifting from one foot to the other; any repeated gesture Once you obtain attention, you must retain it. Audiences members drift in and out, without giving complete attention all the time. You need to help the audience refocus periodically. The following are some examples: I will give the three basic reasons why change is needed Transitions such as now that we have analyzed the problem, we need to look at the possible solutions. Conclusions: the discussion so far leads to this final thought Straightforward Conclusion: if you enact this program, three basic benefits will result [pic] 4. SUPPLEMENT: QUESTIONS AND CHALLENGES USE OF QUESTIONS ask friendly questions dont use questions to embarrass or badger; avoid known sore spots avoid asking risky questions that is, questions that may imply lack of knowledge or intelligence make the interchange a mutually satisfying experience; ive respondents time to think and phrase their answer; help people save face by summarizing what they have said so far and asking if anyone else has something to add dont let respondent wander or attempt to take control of the presentation; a polite thank you, thats what I was looking for can get you back on track if extensive audience d iscussion is desired, avoid isolated one-on-one dialogues with specific individuals when challenged, be candid and firm but avoid over responding maintain control of the session be firm and assertive without being aggressive or defensive dont let interruptions disrupt your composure avoid circumstances that require an apology anticipate questions and prepare responses; rehearse answers to difficult questions if necessary, offer to obtain additional information and follow up use questions to strengthen your main arguments-answer questions candidly but positively link objections to attractive features avoid rhetorical questions ask interesting questions that are thought provoking but not too difficult to answer ask some open ended question with no right or wrong answers encourage sharing experiences, feelings, opinions put you elements into questions make them relevant to the audiences personal experience prepare key questions prior to the presentation; it is difficult to think of good questions on your feet Guideline for Answering Questions | |Anticipate Questions: think of the ten most likely questions and plan out your answer | |Understand the Question: paraphrase it if necessary; repeat it if needed | |Plan the Answer: particularly if you anticipated the question | |Do Not Digress | |Be Honest: if you cant answer the question, say so | |Reinterpret Loaded Questions: if attcked try to show the similarity to other situations | |Control Interchan ges: if a questionner becomes a heckler try to enlist the audience; if a questioner digresses, try to remind | |the audience of the goal of the presentation | |Use the Last Question to Summarize | [pic] Conclusion: A Checklist for your Presentation You owe your audience and yourself a good presentation, but creating an effective presentation takes planning and practice, so some final pointers Start preparing early; dont wait until the last few days to prepare prepare it early, let it rest a little bit and come back to it practice your entire presentation-including your slides if you can practice it before a group of colleagues or friends Think about Your Audience: who are they and why are they here; what are their interests; what do they know; what do they want to know; what is a worthwhile investment in their time Be clear about your purpose: are you informing or persuading; tell them what you are going to do, tell them, tell them what you told them; what do you want the audience to know, feel, or believe afterwards Use an Effective Introduction: orient the audience; explain why it is important; set the tone, establish a relationship between the speaker and the audience; establish credibility; avoid weak introductio ns such as apologies, jokes, rhetorical questions Organize your presentation clearly and simply: Prioritize topics and allocate time accordingly stick to only 3-5 main points; have a well thought pattern (examples are problem/solution, chronological, cause and effect, topical); use transitions to move smoothly from one point to the next Use supporting materials to flesh out main points Use examples, statistics, expert opinions, anecdotes Compose for the Ear, not for the Eye: use simple words, simple sentences, markers, repetition, images, personal language (You and I) Create an Effective Conclusion: summarize, set final image, provide closure; dont trail off, dont use trite phrases dont just present data or summarized results and leave the audience to draw its own conclusions you have had much more time to work with your information than your audience; share your insight and understanding and tell them what youve concluded from your work Sound spontaneous, conversational, enthusiastic- use key phrases in your notes so you dont have to read, use the overhead instead of no tes; vary volume, dont be afraid of silence, dont use fillers like um Practice, Practice, Practice Use Body Language Effectively: relaxed gestures, eye contact; dont play with a pen or pointer, dont block visual aids Use Visual Aids to Enhance the Message: you will probably need to use overhead transparancies in your presentation but to be effective, they must be designed and used properly use visuals to reinforce and clarify, not overwhelm; keep visual aids uncluttered; use titles to guide the audience if you use tapes or disks, make sure the equipment is compatible Analyze the Environment: check out size of room, placement of chairs, time of day, temperature, distractions check out AV equipment ahead of time; have a spare bulb Cope with Stage Fright by Remembering: its normal; it can be helpful, everyone feels it [pic] Engleberg (1994) proposes a 7 P approach to the principles of public speaking. You might find these helpful. Purpose:- Why are you speaking? What do you want audience members to know, think, believe, or do as a result of your presentation People : Who is your audience? How do the characteristics, skills, opinions, and behaviors of your audience affect your purpose Place: Why are you speaking to this group now and in this place? How can you plan and adapt to the logistics of this place. How can you use visual aids to help you achieve your purpose Preparation Where and how can you find good ideas and information for your speech? How much and what kind of supporting materials do you need. Planning: Is there a natural order to the ideas and information you will use? What are the most effective ways to organize your speech in order to adapt it to the purpose, people, place, etc. Personality: How do you become associated with your message in a positive way? What can you do to demonstrate your competence, charisma, and character to the audience? Performance: What form of delivery is best suited to the purpose of your speech. What delivery techniques will make your presentation more effective. How should you practice? Further Reading Antonoff, Michael, Presentations that Persuade, Personal Computing, 27 July 1990, 60-68. Benjamin, James and Raymie E. McKerrow, Business and Professional Communication, Harper Collins, New York, 1994. Engleberg, Isa N. The Principles of Public Presentation, Harper Collins, New York, 1994. Osborn, M. and S. Osborn, Public Speaking, Houghton-Mifflin, Boston, 1988. [pic] Supplemental Information [pic] An Outline for your Presentation INTRODUCTION What? overview of presentation (use visual aids if necessary) Why? purpose of presentation why subject is important How? format you will use; what can the audience expect to see learn Who? if more than one person, provide introductions and indicate roles dont expect audience to memorize these BODY The following list suggests alternative formats for presenting information: multiple formats can be used within a single presentation: rhetorical questions and answers logical progression indicate steps e. g. A then B then C time series order information from beginning to end, earlier to later, and so on compare and contrast use same structure to compare different events, individuals or situations problems and solutions; dont present problems without working toward some recommended action simple to complex use successive building blocks to communicate complex processes or concepts deductive reasoning moving from general principles or values to specific applications or examples inductive reasoning from specific applications/examples to reach general principles or conclusions CONCLUSION review, highlight and emphasize key points, benefits, recommendations draw conclusions where are we? what does all of this mean? whats the next step? [pic] USING VISUAL AIDS EFFECTIVELY. PURPOSE both quality and number of visual aids should enhance, not distract from message display or distribute an outline to help audience follow long or group presentations use variety to increase intere st; remember the value of pictures, graphs, symbols and objects APPEARANCE never use a transparency of a typewritten page use a plain font (e. g. Swiss or Helvetica) of substantial size (18 point or more) if you use color, dont use more than three colors ask yourself Can the audience quickly and easily grasp what they see? Are they spending time reading and not listening? FORMAT-TEXT make one and only one key point per visual unless the audience is very familiar with the subject organize material into natural categories and contrasts? before vs. after, problem and solution, advantages vs. disadvantages, beginning to end; costs vs. benefits include no more than three or four points under one heading dont use whole sentences or paragraphs use bulleted words or short phrases only, except for quotes FORMAT-GRAPHS no more than three curves on a line chart or graph dont use a page full of numbers translate complex numbers into representative pie charts or bar graphs use diagrams or models to present complex concepts; use multiple charts illustrating different stages or parts of the full model; start with simple framework and build components successively into the full model or process [pic]Properly Designed Transparencies use high quality lettering at least 3/16 high; avoid hand-written slides and low resolution dot matrix print limit the number of overheads used; allow at least 1-2 minutes per overhead a well designed diagram or chart can often make your point more quickly and clearly than words avoid visual clutter-dont over use fancy graphics that might distract the audience have a good reason for showing each and every overhead Be Careful: dont block the audiences vision; limit the time your back is to the udience make sure you know how to operate the equipment; prac tice it ahead of time; have backup cords, bulbs, adapters, etc; prepare for the worst make sure you know the lighting requirements for your equipment; know where the switches are and what settings are needed; bring a small penlight in case the room has to be darkened and you need to see notes or equipment [pic] Group Presentation Evaluation Form (ver. 5) Rate the Group Presentation (5= Excellent; 1= Poor NA= not applicable) Comments would be very helpful. Group Number:____ Group Topic:________________________________ ____1. Introduction: Did the introduction capture your interest; was necessary background given; was a clear purpose conveyed ___2. Organization: Was there a clear organization; were transitions between sections clear and effective; did the organization lead to a clear conclusion? ___3. Content: Did the group support their points; was the supporting material relevant, up to date? ___4. Visual Aids: Were visual aids used effectively and appropriately, carefully prepared? ___5. Conclusion: Were key points reinforced; was a sense of closure provided; if appropriate, was a course of action proposed? ___6. Delivery: Were the speakers natural, enthusiastic; did they speak clearly; were appropriate gestures, posture, expreesions used ___7. Discussion: Were questions answered accurately, clearly, effectively? ___8. Overall Rating General Comments (use back): [pic] Presenting Overseas An American woman making a presentation to a group of German male colleagues began in a casual, lighthearted style. Several of the men snorted, stood up and headed for the door, declaring her presentation a waste of time. She spoke loudly and sharply, telling them to sit down and be quiet. They did, and she switched to an assertive, formal tone without qany of her fun techniques. The Germans paid attention. International Hearld Tribune, May 20, 1997 This anecdote illustrates that doing business internally requires concise, to the point yet diplomatic communication due to the lack of time to build relationships and sell ideas. International execuitives have to discipline themselves to listen completely and ask questions; this is particularly important when not everyone in the room has the same native language. A particular problem for many is the niceness problem; these occur when nice people are shocked to see how aggressive top-level communications and team communi ations can be in some places, and when they cant cope with aggressive peers. Another problems is conciseness. Many of us are trained to give an introduction, body, and conclusion and the mroe you say the better. In some places there is no patience for this slow, gradual building. In this case, you need to make the point first, prove it concisely and make recommendations.