7 Tips to Help ESL Students Give Amazing Oral Presentations

 

 

English presentations are hard, especially if you aren’t a native speaker, but giving an outstanding presentation is actually easier than you think...

Presenting is nerve-racking in your mother tongue, forget standing up and giving a presentation in a foreign language! Luckily we have a few presentation tips for advanced ESL students that will get you through the first one, and leave you feeling confident for any that follow!

 

 

 

How to give an amazing presentation

1. Stand up straight and move around the room – hunching is a big mistake as this indicates a lack of professionalism to the listeners. Instead stand up straight and move around; it will help you overcome some of those initial nerves by giving you an outlet for that extra energy. It will also keep listeners focused as they will be engaged in watching you move instead of standing like a statue.

 

 

 

ESL oral presentation activities

2. Ask questions (and anticipate obvious answers beforehand)– this will give you a break from speaking and allow you to collect your thoughts. It will also keep the audience engaged in what you are discussing.

 

 

 

 

3. Prepare in advance – being unsure about what you are going to say will cause you to become nervous if you forget a piece of information. Practicing the presentation will allow you to get comfortable with the material and work on your pronunciation so that you won’t trip up on any difficult words.

 

 

 

Presenting - organization

4. Have a structure to your presentation – include a brief introduction that states what/why you are presenting, then state your main points, and then provide a conclusion that summarizes the most important aspects of your topic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using Powerpoint for Presentations

5. Prepare an aesthetically pleasing and useful physical presentation – this will give the audience something to refer to while you’re speaking, and it will also serve as a useful tool for you in case you forget a piece of information.

 

 

 

 

 

How to Look Confident During a Presentation

6. Don’t introduce the presentation by stating “My English isn’t that good” – this will not only make you feel less confident, but it will make audience feel less confident about what you’re saying as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Dictionary7. Look up any vocabulary relating to the topic/industry you are presenting on – this will enable you to explain your topic in a clear manner to your audience, and will also give you a better understanding about questions they may ask.

 

 

 

 

Of course the only real way to feel comfortable speaking English is to practice, practice, practice! Our English for Professionals course promotes English

language development in areas ranging from written usage to speech and pronunciation practice.
If you have any questions regarding our program please contact Customer Service at:

Phone: (617) 277-1990.

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