Professional Oral Communications????

LETHAL LADY

I started college this week as a mature student and as the thread title says I have a module called POC (WTF) on my course. On Monday night I have to give a 5 minute talk about myself.

I have some thoughts of coarse but I would like to ask your opinions and ideas. I do not want to be the next Billy Connolly but at the same time I dont want to look like the next Enda Kenny. All comments appreciated and thanked.

PS I am actually very nervous about this and I am genuinely looking for tips.

AnamGlas

Hehehehehehehehehe..... oral

jaffacakesyum

Maybe you should communicate some professional oral my way

starbelgrade

Is it an inter course?

Saila

LETHAL LADY wrote: »

I started college this week as a mature student and as the thread title says I have a module called POC (WTF) on my course. On Monday night I have to give a 5 minute talk about myself.

I have some thoughts of course but I would like to ask your opinions and ideas. I do not want to be the next Billy Connolly but at the same time I dont want to look like the next Enda Kenny. All comments appreciated.

te he...

starbelgrade

I'm still trying to imagine what a Billy Connolly / Enda Kenny hybrid would look like.

*shudders*

Dangerous Man

LETHAL LADY wrote: »

I started college this week as a mature student and as the thread title says I have a module called POC (WTF) on my course. On Monday night I have to give a 5 minute talk about myself.

I have some thoughts of course but I would like to ask your opinions and ideas. I do not want to be the next Billy Connolly but at the same time I dont want to look like the next Enda Kenny. All comments appreciated.

Talk about your bastard ex-husband and you bastard kids and how they don't appreciate you and you're sick of it and you're doing this thing now for yourself because Jaysus Christ you never did anything for yourself before and those bastards certainly didn't do anything for you and is it so wrong to want to do new things and meet new people and have them look after themselves for a while?

LETHAL LADY

Dangerous Man wrote: »

Talk about your bastard ex-husband and you bastard kids and how they don't appreciate you and you're sick of it and you're doing this thing now for yourself because Jaysus Christ you never did anything for yourself before and those bastards certainly didn't do anything for you and is it so wrong to want to do new things and meet new people and have them look after themselves for a while?

I just watched Julia Roberts escape I have no fear.

John Doe1

Throw in a few race hate fueled jokes and end with a zinger about abortion;)

LETHAL LADY

Saila wrote: »

te he...

Break out the box of tissues some w**ker spotted a spelling mistake.:p

Duckworth_Luas

LETHAL LADY wrote: »

I started college this week as a mature student and as the thread title says I have a module called POC (WTF) on my course. On Monday night I have to give a 5 minute talk about myself.

I have some thoughts of coarse but I would like to ask your opinions and ideas. I do not want to be the next Billy Connolly but at the same time I dont want to look like the next Enda Kenny. All comments appreciated.

Your mom goes to college!

bnt

Start with the basics: speak up. Look at the back of the room, not down at notes. Which means that you won't be reading from notes; if you have any, they're just there to prompt you on the structure of your talk.

I won't repeat the usual advice about imagining your audience naked ... mmm ...

Emiko

Coarse thoughts about oral communications?

Behave.

It's not about what you say, it's about how you say it.

Gesture in a subtle way.
Smile (also in a subtle way, you don't want to seem like a freak).
You're a mature student, so you have the advantage of being able to make them believe you're all confident/wise/experienced without having to try too hard. Bluff your way into looking confident.
From time to time look into the crowd casually without actually catching anyone in the eye.

Good luck!

G_R

Also, speak slowly and clearly. Nothing worse than a public speaker who no one can understand.

5 mins is quite a long time to be talking about yourself so make sure you have plenty prepared. That said, only have bullet points written in front of you. If you have a whole speech written out, it's very hard to stop reading from it once you have started, and once you do start reading from it, your audience becomes disengaged.



Huh, whataya know, I did learn something in College last year.

Ledger

When i done this module last year, one thing I was told again and again was to not use any notes or cards, they distract and stop you from making good eye contact with the audience.

If you have the option of using powerpoint presentations, then do. It's like having cards but your hands are free to express yourself with gestures which are very important, and you still have your bullet points on the screen to fall back on.



That will be 50 euro please...

xoxyx

I reckon, having started a course as a mature student, you should begin by talking about what led you, personally, to take that course. Give a bit of background and that should take up two minutes at least. Then, talk a bit about yourself and your interests - "I have two sisters. I like x kind of music because x. I read x and listen to x radio station because x. I am a morning person / evening person because x". Finish off with "Well, that's me. I'm hoping to achieve x, y and z from this course, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better."

Take your time saying what you want to say.

Remember that most of the people in your class will probably be nervous about this too. Just don't make it too complicated, have fun and, in a few days' time you'll be wondering what the big deal was!

Kevin Duffy

Ledger wrote: »

When i done this module last year, one thing I was told again and again was to not use any notes or cards, they distract and stop you from making good eye contact with the audience.

If you have the option of using powerpoint presentations, then do. It's like having cards but your hands are free to express yourself with gestures which are very important, and you still have your bullet points on the screen to fall back on.



That will be 50 euro please...

I'd have to assume you failed, so your €50 fee seems high.

Ledger

Kevin Duffy wrote: »

I'd have to assume you failed, so your €50 fee seems high.

No I passed all my exams, why would you assume I failed?

BBDBB

xoxyx wrote: »

I reckon, having started a course as a mature student, you should begin by talking about what led you, personally, to take that course. Give a bit of background and that should take up two minutes at least. Then, talk a bit about yourself and your interests - "I have two sisters. I like x kind of music because x. I read x and listen to x radio station because x. I am a morning person / evening person because x". Finish off with "Well, that's me. I'm hoping to achieve x, y and z from this course, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you all better."

Take your time saying what you want to say.

Remember that most of the people in your class will probably be nervous about this too. Just don't make it too complicated, have fun and, in a few days' time you'll be wondering what the big deal was!

you cant go too far wrong with this OP ^^

Kevin Duffy

Ledger wrote: »

No I passed all my exams, why would you assume I failed?

Ledger wrote: »

When i done this module last year, one thing I was told again and again was to not use any notes or cards, they distract and stop you from making good eye contact with the audience.

:pac:

allthedoyles

Sounds like toastmasters to me :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkNP16rlzRM

Ledger

Kevin Duffy wrote: »

:pac:

I'm a bit slow today could you tell me what you're on about?

Kevin Duffy

Ledger wrote: »

I'm a bit slow today could you tell me what you're on about?

You for real? A module on Professional Oral Communication and you say "I done" it last year? Done?

ottostreet

Read the thread title, immediately thought to myself 'hehehehhe....oral', went into thread, that's the first reply.

AH, you never disappoint.

Ledger

Kevin Duffy wrote: »

You for real? A module on Professional Oral Communication and you say "I done" it last year? Done?

Ok, I DID it last year. Better?

4leto

Yeah I don't think I would have 5 minutes of material about myself I am just not that interesting.

I suppose your passions is about yourself and those are what is interesting about a person, so talk a bit about them.

Good luck with it, the nerves will pass when you start talking and you will flow.

Jess16

"Professional Oral Communications" -Sorry but did we not leave this kind of nonsense behind with the Celtic Tiger? If you've reached adulthood without being able to speak then take it up in your own time. It's a drain on resources to clog up colleges with this crap

face1990

One of the best ways I found to improve your public speaking is by watching other people in your class (which I presume you will) and look at which ones engage with the audience and which don't, and why.

My tips:
Don't worry too much about humour until your comfortable with speaking in general.

Speak loudly & make eye contact. If there's a lecturer there, don't just be talking to the lecturer. It alienates the rest of the class (who get bored and eyes glaze over) and it's kinda weird & uncomfortable for the lecturer.

Don't read of a sheet or off a powerpoint. There's nothing more boring and pointless than reading word for word from a projector that everyone else can see as well.

Know what you're talking about. Not only will it make for a more informed presentation, but you'll feel a lot more confident too.

EDIT: Just realised you'll be talking about yourself. Disregard that last point!

mconigol

LETHAL LADY

Jess16 wrote: »

"Professional Oral Communications" -Sorry but did we not leave this kind of nonsense behind with the Celtic Tiger? If you've reached adulthood without being able to speak then take it up in your own time. It's a drain on resources to clog up colleges with this crap

Ahem it is a module in a finance degree so I dont really know what you are trying to get at. I am able to speak thank you but talking about myself for 5 minutes is a bit daunting. Thanks for the helpful advice:p.