appendix 4 How to How to make an oral presentation An oral presentation is an individual or group report about a specific subject. It is a form of evaluation of the speaking, organisational and interdisciplinary competences. To make a successful oral presentation you need a certain fluency in the spoken language, ability in the organisation of the speech and a good knowledge of other school subjects related to the subject of your speech (e.g. Art, History and Geography). There are two styles of presenting: a speech, just using words a multimedia presentation accompanied by visual aids (slides, photographs, charts, videos). Preparation Do a thorough research on the subject you have to present Prepare an outline of your presentation, that is a plan, a sort of menu pointing out the logical structure of the speech. It may be in the form of notes or a slide. Remember to be clear and concise because the audience should not lose attention. Do not write complete phrases but just key words in order to let the audience grasp your core message. Structure The structure usually consists of three parts: Introduction: state the topic and present a brief summary of your presentation. Give also reasons for the structure of the speech explaining where you got the information, how you selected and organised them. In the case of group work explain how you proceeded in the partition of the topics and why. When the subject is not given and you are asked to choose the topic of the oral speech individually, it is better to give reasons for the choice. Body of the speech: speak in detail about each aspect introduced in the presentation of the speech. Each part may be supported by visual aids. Conclusions: summarise the main points of your speech. 338 Do s Gain eye contact with as many people as possible when you present Make the points few and clear, your knowledge of the subject is best expressed through a well organised speech than through a long and boring presentation Check the pronunciation of words you do not know. Practise and time your presentation. Each group member should speak the same amount of time. Support what you are saying with the help of visual aids providing data or images (maps, photographs) Remember the audience s attention time is limited and precious Predict questions Be confident about handling the technology you need to use for your presentation Rehearse your presentation talking out loud. It s always good to do a run-through the day before the presentation Be familiar with every part of the speech, even if it is in charge of another group member.