Tips for Students Giving Presentations in English

Students come to us for help with lots of language-related topics. Some may have a more specific need than others, however: help preparing for a speech they're giving.

Naturally, public speaking can be a pretty nerve-wracking experience for most people, but even more so if it's in a second or third language!

We've collected some tips you can share to help students be more prepared and feel more confident when they step on stage.

Students should…

…Know the topic

Successful speeches require at least two things: knowledge and confidence. Therefore, the first and most important thing to impart to students is the need to know their topic well. Knowing the material not only prepares them to speak on it, but it also boosts their confidence in their ability to perform at a high level. 

If your student has a choice about what to speak about, it would be best for them to focus on something they have a personal interest in. In addition to already being familiar with it, their enthusiasm for the topic will naturally come out, which will make the audience more likely to become engaged themselves.

However, they may not have control over the focus of their presentation. In this case, encourage them to study their subject as much as they can. Recommend that they look for resources both on and offline, and that they speak with others who may have useful information to share.

Also, don't forget: it's possible your student has selected you as a tutor because you have a particular skill or interest listed in your tutor profile.

…Study examples

When doing any task, it’s helpful to look at others who have done it well and see what can be learned from them. Encourage your student to find a speech that they enjoy and study it. What is the presenter doing that they like? How have they structured their speech? What parts do the audience seem to particularly enjoy? How can the student imitate these things in their own speech?

If they need examples of speeches to study, you can suggest they browse through the many TED talks that can be found online. Perhaps they can even find an example of someone speaking about a similar topic or theme that they can use for reference.

…Use visual aids

Visual aids are things such as charts, graphs and pictures that can help the audience understand the content of a presentation more clearly. They are a great tool since they allow the audience to learn by using both their eyes and ears.

Visual aids also make the speaker's job easier because they do some of the “talking” for the presenter. Rather than explaining points in detail, the speaker can point to the materials, which provide the information — hopefully in a clear and nice-looking format. 

Be sure to introduce common phrases such as "As you can see here~" and "According to this graph~" that students can use when referring to their extra materials. There are also phrases such as "This data tells us~" to make conclusions based on the information shown in visual aids.

…Use humor (maybe)

Everyone loves to laugh, so humor is a very powerful tool in almost any situation. If you feel your student is up to it, you can suggest they add a bit of humor in order to lighten the mood and make both themselves and the audience feel more relaxed.

Naturally, different cultures have different ideas about what is funny. On top of that, the appropriateness of humor will greatly depend on the topic of the speech and the circumstances under which it will be given.

Allow your student to bounce their ideas off of you and see if the specifics of their unique situation are a good fit for adding a little humor.

The focus should be on the fundamentals, so students shouldn't step too far out of their comfort zone in order to include a joke. However, if you feel they can handle it at their level of English skill, a quick joke can do a lot to get the audience on their side and reduce the student's anxiety.

…Practice, practice, practice

Knowing the topic well is the most important thing, but it’s only one part of a successful speech. The next is being able to talk about it in a way that is interesting and easy to understand for the listeners.  

Aside from any friends or family members the student may practice with, you are the perfect candidate for playing their "audience." Students will likely have specific things they would like you to pay attention to and provide feedback on; it will mostly depend on their level and comfort speaking English. However, it's not a bad idea to listen for the standard things such as pronunciation, intonation and general speaking rhythm.

Additionally, don't forget to check their body language. A presenter standing perfectly still won't be very appealing to their audience and will likely make their speech seem dull. Work with students to help them make smooth, common gestures that will add a subtle but very important sense of naturalness to their presentations. 

…Anticipate follow-up questions

Even when the speech is done, it may not be the end of the presentation. It is very common to have Q&A sessions after a speech when audience members can ask the speaker questions about what they've heard. This possibility may be especially worrying to students since they won't know exactly what will be asked.

Naturally, you can ask your own questions to give them an idea of what to expect. But go beyond and try to think of other possible things listeners may want to know or want clarification on. This will go a long way toward helping your student be prepared when the time comes.

Wrap-up

It may be intimidating to them at first, but your students can deliver great speeches if they prepare properly. This means knowing the topic well and being able to talk about it comfortably. It also includes utilizing visual aids and humor in order to provide some variety and liveliness to the presentation. Finally, it means practicing until they feel comfortable — or at the very least, less nervous. 

Preparation with you could be invaluable for students hoping to deliver a great speech and doing it free from worry or stress.