Post #1 Fatima Galvan

After listening to all of the group presentations, I learned a lot of information about public speaking that I can use in future presentations. I enjoyed how every group spoke on different parts of preparing and giving a speech. Although some of the information were things I already knew, there were also many things that I did not know or have never really thought about before.

Group 1

Group 1 talked about the important tricks for a great presentation. From the first two speakers, I learned that there is a cycle when giving a speech. It involves delivering the message, interacting with your audience, making it enjoyable, allowing feedback, and finally, keeping it respectful. I liked how she explained the five arts of public speaking, you are able to gain credibility by coming across as confident, influential, and trustworthy. Taking a public speaking class allows you to gain presentation skills that are not only beneficial for public speaking class but also for your future when you have to speak at social gatherings, graduations, or other events. I also learned that with the amount of technology we have today, we have a lot of freedom and flexibility in how we communicate our way of thinking. When it comes to public speaking, it is very common for someone to experience speech anxiety. This is normal because speaking in front of a large crowd is not something we do everyday. This group did a great job explaining the different ways to manage this anxiety and build your confidence. It is very easy to be hard on yourself because you want to be perfect, but it is normal to make mistakes. From those mistakes, you learn and can do better the next time. You also have to stay focused on your topic, stay relaxed, not show fear, and reframe your thinking. I also learned that although communication is mostly associated with speaking, listening is just as important. Listening can help us build relationships, understand other people’s perspectives, and communicate effectively. It helps build a conversation between the speaker and the listener because you are able to provide feedback, give support, and show respect. Lastly, this group talked about the audience because giving a speech is not all about you, but also about who your audience is. When analyzing your audience, it is important to look at the demographics and where they stand on certain topics and their values. When you adapt your speech to your audience, your speech can run more smoothly and you may not have to worry so much about negative thoughts. 

Group 2

I enjoyed being a part of Group 2 and would say that my teammates did a great job! I learned that every speech has one main goal, and that is to inform, persuade, or be for a special occasion. Before you even start giving a speech, the first thing you do is brainstorm. Brainstorming the topic you will talk about can come from your personal experiences, music, pictures, and even conversations you have with your peers. The rule I learned is to give yourself plenty of ideas and be creative with them. When it comes to actually creating your speech, the thesis is one of the most important parts. It mentions what your speech is about and the possible topics you will be going over. My peer did a good job explaining that when you are researching your topic, you have to be specific about what you are searching for on search engines to find a specific article that you may want to use. The most important thing is to make sure that the information is credible and accurate. Supporting material brings your topic to life and helps you build credibility. My partner and I got to explaining the six supporting materials that may be used, such as narratives, examples, definitions, facts, and statistics. Stories help your audience understand your side, examples make ideas less complicated, definitions help the speaker and listener agree on the meaning of a work, testimony allows others to explain their experiences, facts are verifiable observations, and statistics show numerical data. Lastly, it is important to organize your speech so that you are able to give your audience a clear presentation. The main parts of the speech include the introduction, body, transitions, and conclusion. The complete sentence outline, which includes all of the information group 2 discussed, is an outline that can help you figure out all the information you would want and need to include in your speech.

Group 3

From listening to the presentation of Group 3, I learned that listeners are more likely to recall what they hear at the beginning and at the end of a speech. They explained that when you are giving your introduction, you should consider the main points you are going to be talking about and how much time you have to give the speech. You should also let the audience know that you are knowledgeable about your topic and confident in what you are saying. I also understood that to give a strong conclusion, you have to review your main points, remind the audience why your topic matters, and leave the audience with a clear ending. Because language can be vague, you need to learn how you are using language in your speech and consider how it might affect how the audience interprets your message. I learned that spoken language is very different from written language since spoken language comes down to people listening to you once and in a conversational manner. During a presentation, the media allows the audience to follow what you are talking about and can help clarify what you are saying. Using media allows someone to maximize their resources, draw more attention to their topic, and create emotional reactions. Finally, this group went over delivering your speech after all the preparation and planning that has been done. She explained really well the four types of delivery methods that someone can use when giving a speech, but for most speeches, the best method to use is extemporaneous, which is a speech that has been planned and practiced. After creating an outline, planning and organizing, practicing what you are going to say, and adding media to your presentation, you will be more prepared and able to give a better version of your speech.

Group 4

Listening to Group 4’s presentation, they started off by talking about persuasive speaking. I learned that this influences an audience’s values or actions using either a practical or issue based approach depending on the goal of your speech. To successfully persuade your audience, you have to structure your argument clearly, follow ethical standards, and avoid manipulation. From the next speakers, I learned that the speaker needs to create a strong claim, evidence, and reasoning to provide a strong argument. I also learned about the importance of informative speaking, which is to share your knowledge and provide a deeper understanding of a topic without telling the audience what to think or do. To give a good informative speech, you should organize your points clearly and use engaging language and media. This group also did a good job explaining that distance speaking allows people to communicate across different locations through new technology, like videoconferences, online presentations, and conference calls. Finally, I learned that special occasion speeches are speeches that are made for specific events, such as toasts or professional pitches, to honor or inform the audience. Group presentations are more like panel discussions, team reports, or roundtables, with each one presenting information differently to the audience. 

Overall, all of the groups did a good job presenting their chapters, and I definitely learned tips and tricks that I can use for my next presentation. I think the biggest thing I learned from these presentations is that being a good speaker takes preparation and practice.