Teaching and Persuasive Communication: Class Presentation Skills

Pat Hamm's handbook introduces the novice teacher and reminds the expert of some key areas of rhetorical choice. If one thinks of teaching as an attempt to influence (in the broadest sense of the term, including the production of knowledge among listeners), then the choices we make about what to say (e.g. how ideas are supported and developed) and how to say it (the dozens of selections of language, structure, nonverbal cues, delivery styles, and so forth) become means of influence, strategies that we can manipulate in an attempt to achieve our teaching goals.

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Contrary to intuition, the brunt of the impact of a speaker's presentation is through nonverbal communication; it has been estimated that the meaning received by the audience is derived from approximately 1/3 verbal reception and 2/3 nonverbal reception. When the verbal and nonverbal messages are contradictory, most people will believe the nonverbal message they are receiving, not the verbal one. Hence, the nonverbal messages, conscious or unconscious, that are being sent by the speaker through appearance, attitude, gesture, and dress, are crucial to the communication of ideas. In addition, the speaker's ability to read the audience and change speaking strategies accordingly will also impact the effectiveness of the transmission of the message.

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A presentation can be considered a form of formalized conversation. In order for you to get your point across to your audience, you must have a clear picture of the nature of your audience and its relationship to your topic. To transmit your message efficiently, you must have a listener or audience focus. What is the audience's attitude toward the topic? What is the relevancy of this topic to the audience? What is the state of audience's current knowledge of the topic? Is the audience homogeneous or heterogeneous in terms of attitude and knowledge, and how will this impact the receipt of your message? Is there only one opportunity to speak in front of this audience or will there be multiple opportunities? These are the types of questions you must ask yourself when you are organizing and developing your talk.

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Both facts and opinions are used to support arguments; the selection of the mix between fact and opinion depends on what your intent is. Research has indicated that facts alone will not alter an audience's opinions (Ilardo, 1982); therefore, the evidence used to support a particular argument must be selected with the intended audience's current informational and belief state in mind. Evidence that is consistent with the audience's current beliefs is more likely to be accepted, particularly if the sources of that evidence are also acceptable to the audience (Ilardo, 1982). The evidence selected must also be understandable to the audience: use of extremely complicated or technical evidence can bore or even anger an audience. If the use of complicated evidence is necess

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Develop an introduction that sparks the audience's curiosity and gives them a reason to listen why is this topic important to them?

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