Lesson video

Hello and welcome.

Thank you so much for joining me for today's English lesson.

My name is Mrs. Butterworth and I will be guiding you through the learning today.

Now this lesson is all about delivering a presentation confidently, so we'll be thinking about your role as an audience member, how you respond to audiences, and of course how you prepare to deliver a presentation in a confident manner.

Okay, let's get started.

So in this lesson you will understand how to ask and respond to questions and use effective preparation techniques for confident delivery.

Before we delve into the lesson, let's look at some keywords that you will see come up throughout the lesson.

So these words are active listening, constructive, insightful, and concise.

Now, active listening, we talk about active listening skills, don't we? And they're really important when you are being an audience member.

This means that you are fully concentrating, understanding, and responding thoughtfully to what someone is saying.

So we're going to be using our active listening skills today.

If you are being constructive, you are helping to improve or develop something in a positive way.

So we're gonna be thinking about constructive questions.

Insightful means to be able to see and understand things clearly and in a way that provides further ideas or solutions, and we're gonna think about asking insightful questions.

And I think the key part here is those insightful questions that will allow our speaker to further their ideas in their presentation.

And then concise means to express ideas in a clear way, which is brief and to the point, so concise.

So the outline of our lesson looks like this.

We're going to begin by considering how to ask and respond to questions, before moving on to preparing to deliver confidently.

So let's start with those questions.

So I'd like you to discuss, please, I want to hear your thoughts.

What does it mean to be a supportive and respectful member of an audience? Okay, I'm going to show you in a minute how some of our Oak pupils answered, but I would like you to discuss the questions first.

So pause the video and discuss, what does it mean to be a supportive and respectful member of an audience? Get discussing.

Ah, great, some really thoughtful answers there.

So this is what some of our Oak pupils have said.

So Andeep says that using active listening skills to show that you are engaged and present, so that is part of being a supportive and respectful member of the audience, so great suggestion, Andeep.

And we've got one of our keywords there.

Sam says about asking relevant questions that allow the speaker to develop their ideas.

I think that's a really good point, that that is being really supportive, isn't it? If you're allowing the speaker to develop their ideas, to further their presentation, asking questions can show that you're being really supportive.

And Sofia says that being a supportive and respectful member means being encouraging and supportive before, during, and after the presentation.

Again, another excellent point, because as an audience member, it isn't about just during the presentation.

You want the speaker to feel confident and supported before, whilst they're doing their presentation, and when they finish, like offering those words of congratulations or support can mean so much to people.

Although you'll be on your own delivering your presentation, public speaking can be considered a group task.

Yes, it really can.

Because the role of the audience is just as important.

So you should be aiming to, as an audience member, encourage success and be supportive, demonstrate active listening skills, positively interact with the speaker, and ask relevant and constructive questions.

So think about your own experiences of delivering a presentation or public speaking and be the audience that you wish you had, okay? And you want to be supported and listened to and helped to develop, so we need to make sure that we are doing that as an audience member too.

True or false? Your role as an audience member isn't important.

Is that true or false? Answer now, please.

That's right, well done to everyone that answered false.

But can you develop that answer further by explaining why? Say your answer now, please.

Great, yes, as an audience member, you are required to be supportive and help the speaker succeed through active listening and constructive questioning.

Well done, everyone.

Let's keep going.

So I want you to just spend a moment thinking to yourself, what makes a good question? Just spend a few moments thinking about that now.

Okay, so you may have thought about the following.

That it needs to be relevant.

So your question needs to be connected to the speaker's topic, so this is why it's so important to listen.

It needs to be clear, so it needs to be easy to understand and specific.

We don't want to baffle or overwhelm our speaker.

And it needs to be constructive, so you need to show interest and aim to clarify or expand ideas rather than challenge or criticise, and I think that's a really important point there.

Particularly if you disagree with something that a speaker has said, you don't want to be overly aggressive or challenging or critical.

You want to ask a question that maybe expands or clarifies.

So let's have a look at this question.

Small individual changes can have a big.

Start again, here's the topic.

Small individual changes can have a big impact on climate change.

And the audience question is, why is this important? Now I want you to discuss, please, how could this question be improved? Okay, pause the video to discuss your answers, off you go.

Okay, yeah, so lots of you picking up on these ideas.

So the question, it could be more relevant to the topic, couldn't it? So we know that the topic is about climate change and changes, but just saying "Why is this important?" it does sound a little bit challenging as opposed to being relevant to the topic.

It's really vague and could be more specific.

And it could be more constructive by asking the speaker to clarify or expand on ideas.

Like, "Why is this important?" would probably have been covered in the speech or the presentation.

And you know, this person considers this important, which is why they've picked the topic.

So "Why is this important?" isn't necessarily a constructive or specific enough question.

Okay, so what about this question? So what inspired you to choose climate change as your topic? So how about this question? Could it be improved? Pause the video to discuss your answers to the question.

Off you go.

Okay, great, in terms of the other question, it is more specific and relevant.

It says climate change in it, so we can see that they are thinking about the topic.

But actually it could be even more constructive by focusing on a specific part of the presentation and encouraging the development of ideas.

"What inspired you to choose climate change?" will offer some areas to develop, but it could be even more specific and even more constructive.

Okay, what about this question? How do you think individuals can best contribute to climate action on a small scale? Okay, so what do you think about this question? What makes this question more insightful? We've got our keyword there, so remember that idea of insightful, like developing information and ideas.

Okay, so what makes this question more insightful? Pause the video to discuss your answer to those questions.

Off you go.

Okay, yeah, lots of you have come up with some really interesting ideas there, because absolutely it refers directly to the speaker's topic of climate change, showing genuine interest in an actionable step.

So it's like, well, how can we contribute to this? Okay, so it shows that the audience member is interested, it's specific, and it also seeks constructive information, okay? It's not so broad and vague that the speaker may struggle to answer, but it's specific enough that they can develop their ideas.

So they can offer specific, they can offer specific ideas of how an individual can contribute.

So it's a really good question.

So which question out of A, B, and C could be considered the most effective? Remember, we are aiming for relevant, specific, and constructive.

So pick your answer now, please.

Okay, so well done to everyone that said A, so what do you think are the most effective ways individuals can support mental health in their communities? So you can see here it is relevant to the topic.

We don't even know what the topic is, but that question tells us, doesn't it? We know that it's about mental health and we know that it's about community.

So without even seeing the topic, the question is so relevant that it tells us what it is.

It's specific because it's asking for effective ways that individuals can support.

And it's constructive because it's really allowing the speaker to offer some more detailed information as well as their own opinion.

So, if the audience are asking questions, you may also be required to respond to questions as the speaker.

Now you want to be able to respond respectfully and confidently, okay? So ways that you can do this are to acknowledge the question.

So you could start by saying, "Thank you for that question.

It really highlights an important part of what I was trying to share." Or, "I appreciate that you brought that up.

It's a thoughtful question that adds to the discussion." So you can see that these responses sound really respectful and also really confident.

And by saying these, it will give you a bit of more thinking time as to what you are going to answer specifically.

Clarifying, so if you are struggling with the question, you can always ask for clarity.

So you could say, "Could you clarify what you mean by that? I want to make sure I'm addressing your question fully." Or, "Just to be sure I understand, are you asking about the impact on younger audiences specifically?" So don't be scared to take some time to get the audience member to re-ask the question if you are unsure.

It's much better than just shrugging the question off and going, "Oh, I don't understand, I don't know." Just asking for clarity can really help you to work through the question.

And keeping responses concise.

So, "To answer briefly, the main point is that.

." "I'd say the key takeaway here is.

." So you can see those sentence starters really help you to keep your responses concise.

It can be easy to start rambling or taking too long to answer the question when you are answering spontaneously, so trying to keep your responses concise can really help.

Okay, so let's give this a practise now.

So in pairs or small groups, I would like you to practise delivering your presentations.

And I would like you to also take it in turns to be the audience and the speaker.

So you should have a turn at presenting and answering questions, and also being an audience member who is asking the question.

So remember, as the audience, you will need to demonstrate your active listening skills, so this is a good time for you to practise that as well.

Ask questions that are relevant, clear, and constructive.

And as the speaker, you will need to respond to the questions in a concise and respectful way.

Okay, so think about everything we've looked at, all the examples that we have looked at, and really draw on that to help you with this.

Okay, I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Pause the video and get practising.

Great, some really thoughtful questions being asked and some really thoughtful responses.

I think it's so important to practise the asking and answering of questions because it can catch you a bit off guard sometimes when you're doing it for the first time, so I think thinking about this before a presentation is a really good thing to do.

So I'd like you, please, to discuss now, what did you find most challenging? Was it asking or responding to the questions? And can you give yourself a what went well and an even better if? So a WWW and an EBI.

So pause the video so you can discuss those questions and give yourself the what went well and even better if.

Off you go.

Okay, well done, everyone.

We have thought about those all important questions and being a supportive and effective audience member, so now we're going to think about preparing to deliver confidently.

So before public speaking, it is natural to feel nerves or even excitement because nerves and excitement can feel the same way, and it's so natural to feel this.

And I want you to discuss, please, how might these feelings feel or present themselves, okay? So what sensations you feel in terms of nerves or excitement before public speaking? Okay, pause the video so you can discuss this question, or you may just wish to sit quietly and think by yourself.

Off you go.

Okay, great, so I've got some of our Oak pupils here to describe what they think.

So Aisha said that she feels quite jittery and shaky, "like there's lots of adrenaline going through me." And again, these are quite similar, whether it's nervousness or excitement, that jitteriness and that shakiness can appear in both.

Alex says, "I start to worry about what could go wrong or forgetting my words." I think we can all relate to Alex there.

It can feel, it's a real worry, isn't it, before giving a presentation.

And Lucas says that he gets butterflies in his stomach and finds it difficult to concentrate.

And again, I think we all have these feelings before public speaking.

And I think this is why the preparation before you speak is really important, because it can help to manage these feelings, it can help to manage these thoughts.

So yes, giving yourself time to prepare can help you to begin to manage the feelings of nervousness and excitement.

So preparation could include a number of things.

You could try some vocal warmups.

So one of my favourite things to do are tongue twisters, and these can be a really effective way to warm up your voice and manage nerves.

Now an example that I like and that I used to do when I used to perform on stage a lot is this.

The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue, okay? The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

And actually it can feel a bit silly and a bit stupid, but that's part of it as well.

Because if you are smiling and thinking about that tongue twister, you're going to momentarily forget about those nerves.

So, body warmups.

Things like shaking out your arms and legs, stretching your neck feels really great, and rolling your shoulders can help to begin to manage some of the effects of adrenaline, okay? So actually just like shaking your hands quite vigorously can really help with those nerves.

So do you know any other tongue twisters? Can you share them now? So pause the video to share your tongue twisters.

Off you go.

Ah, what a great sound.

There's some really interesting ones there that I hadn't heard before, so that's really great.

So some of the ones that you may have come up with that I know, I'm gonna try and say them so I'm gonna have to speak very slowly 'cause they are tongue twisters, after all.

She sells seashells by the seashore.

She sells seashells by the seashore.

And then this one.

Peter Piper pecked, I've already got it wrong.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

I always find that one so hard.

And then, I saw Susie sitting in a shoeshine shop.

So you can see how not only do they start to warm up your voice and your mouth, but the silliness of them can just really help to distract you from your nerves and just really help to find the enjoyment in public speaking.

Okay, so I have a video for you now, which I would like you to watch.

And when you have finished watching the video, I would like you to try out some of the warmups, okay? And remember, feeling silly and self-conscious is normal and all part of it, so please don't worry if that's how you feel, okay? So if you can do it with some other people, it can really help with the experience.

Okay, are you ready to watch the video? Great, so I'm pressing play now.

So you are preparing to deliver a presentation or take part in some public speaking.

Now, I used to perform on a lot of big stages and I do lots of public speaking, so I know how daunting this can feel.

Now as part of my drama school training and something that I still do now is we would always think about doing vocal exercises before just to warm up the voice and also start to shed some of those nervous feelings or excitement.

So one of the things that I still love doing are tongue twisters, okay? And my favourite tongue twister is this one.

Maybe you want to join in as well.

So it's the teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

And the more you exaggerate, the more you're going to get your face loosened up.

And once you get good at it, you can start playing around with it, so you could do it really fast.

The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

Or really slowly.

The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

The teeth, the lips, the tip of the tongue.

You could do it high pitched or low pitched, you could even sing it.

But doing those tongue twisters can just really help to get your voice ready to go and also just start relaxing your face.

Now I know you're probably thinking, "I look a bit silly," and you may feel a little bit silly doing these tongue twisters, but that's part of it too, because doing these, especially if you can do it with other people, can just start to help you focus on something else, it can start to make you feel a bit more relaxed.

And obviously, you know, you start to release that dopamine and those really feel-good feelings that can just help to alleviate some of those nerves that come with public speaking and performing.

And as I just mentioned about the nerves or excitement that you might be feeling, this can sometimes generate some extra adrenaline.

So again, you could feeling a bit shaky or a bit jittery, and this is totally normal.

What is important is thinking about the preparation before you speak.

So again, tongue twisters can help with that, but also just shaking your body out can help just to kind of loosen out, moving your head around.

My favourite, rolling your shoulders, again can just really help to start displacing some of that adrenaline.

And again, you probably think, "I look really silly." But again, that's all part of it.

It's about feeling relaxed, about feeling confident, and just really managing those nerves or excitement.

So give it a go now, pick a tongue twister and try that, and just try really loosening up your body and dispelling some of that adrenaline.

Let me know how you get on.

Okay, fantastic stuff.

So I just want you to discuss now, how did trying the warmups make you feel, okay? How did it make you feel? Do you feel less nervous? Did it make you laugh? But just pause the video to discuss your answer to that question.

Off you go.

Okay, so thinking about tongue twisters, which of the following would not be considered a tongue twister to help you vocally warm up? Okay, which would not, so we're looking for not, so A, B, or C, which one of these is not a tongue twister? Select your answer now.

Well done to everyone that got C, the cat sat on the mat, because although it rhymes and it has a bit of rhythm to it, it doesn't have those repeated sounds that make a tongue twister.

So if we look at the first one, Betty bought a bit of butter.

Betty bought a bit of butter.

You can see the tongue twister in it.

And this one, okay, I'm gonna have to think about this so I don't get it wrong.

Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.

So you can see how those tongue twisters can be really effective.

Okay, so I'd like you to discuss now, when delivering your presentation, what do you need to ensure you remember to do? So I want you just to think about all the things you need to remember to do before we think about delivering.

So pause the video and discuss your answers.

Okay, well done.

So you may have considered some of these.

So prepare, so I think one of the things you need to remember as well is about setting your posture, okay? So remember, we're rolling our shoulders back, we're elevating our head, our feet are planted firmly on the ground, and we're taking a few breaths.

And please, do take that time before you start speaking to do that.

It just gives you such a good place before, such a good place to present from.

Body language, don't forget your body language.

So you're aiming for open body language and a naturalistic use of gestures.

So pop your arms, relax beside you, and just really think about making sure that you are oriented towards the audience, that your chest is open, and that you're just really using that open body language.

Eye contact, so aim to look at your audience and use facial expressions.

Remember, you don't have to look at one person really intensely for your whole presentation.

You can look around and address your whole audience.

And finally, your all important voice.

Make sure you are using pace, pitch volume, and those meaningful pauses to emphasise key parts and engage your audience.

So one instruction for this second practise task.

You need to deliver your presentation, so you have all the tools that you could need to make sure that you are prepared and ready to go, okay? And just remember, standing to speak, that you've got that open body language, your upright posture and your head raised to really help with that projection of your voice.

That you are using your eyes to look out across your audience, and use those facial expressions to really emphasise the tone of your speech.

And remember you're speaking clearly, so use your voice effectively.

You know, remember that tone, your pitch, your pace, volume, and pauses.

So slow down, it should feel slower than everyday speech.

And don't forget to make some pauses just so that your information or key ideas can just resonate, have time to resonate with the audience and give you time to take a breath.

Okay, you've got this, everyone.

I really am so excited for you.

I cannot wait to hear your presentations.

So pause the video and deliver them.

You did it, well done.

You should feel so proud of yourself because public speaking is such a great achievement.

And I'm sure that lots of you are just feeling really, really happy with what you've achieved.

Even it was just a small part of a presentation or you managed to get through to the end, it is all an achievement that you should be really proud of, so well done.

So I'd just like you to finish up by completing the following reflection sentences.

I am proud that I.

And in future public speaking, I will ensure that I.

So you've got your sentence starters there.

Complete those reflection sentences.

Off you go.

Well done, everyone.

You have made it to the end of the lesson and you have delivered a presentation.

What an achievement.

So let's just remind ourselves of everything we have done this lesson as well as those fantastic presentations.

We know that being an effective audience member can mean being supportive, respectful, and encouraging success, so well done, everyone, for achieving that.

That when asking questions, you should aim to make them relevant, clear and constructive.

When responding to questions, you should aim to answer in a concise and respectful way.

And I saw lots of you doing that today, so well done.

And as we know, it is natural to feel nervous, okay? But effective preparation, like those vocal and body warmups, can help.

So it's been great doing those tongue twisters with you.

Again, well done, and thank you so much for joining me today.

I'm so proud of all of you for that, so I'll see you again soon, goodbye.