Speeching skills Obama

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Presentation skills

How to become a better presenter 

(in English)

01:11

How does Obama create a connection with his audience?

1. He tells a shocking fact
2. He relates his story to the American dream
3. He tells a joke
4. He relates his story to patriottism

02:29

Obama uses a classic rhetorical strategy: a three-part argument.
He talks about ... (3 correct answers)

1. poor elderly people
2. disadvantaged children
3. racism
4. taking care of others

03:29

Obama uses three techniques in his speeches: detail, storytelling and antithesis. What is antithesis?

1. confronting his audience with unpleasant truths
2. pretending to be a victim
3. creating contrast with structure and examples
4. making things bigger than they are

05:52

What can you take away from this speech? What technique would you like to try?

1. Creating a connection
2. Using three-part arguments
3. Using enthusiastic body language
4. Using antithesis / contrast

We can't all be Obamas...

...but we can improve our presentation skills (in English) with some simple techniques!

1. Effective openings 
2. Using your voice 
3. Rhetorical techniques

1. Effective Opening

• Give them a problem to think about
• Give them some amazing facts
• Give them a story or personal anecdote

Drag the function to the correct verb

to turn to

to move on

to expand on

to go back to

to recap

to elaborate on

changing direction

making your next point

giving a wider perspective

referring to an earlier point

repeating the main points

doing a deeper analysis

2. Using your voice

• Complete phrases vs. individual words
• Pausing and stressing in the right places: it can change meaning
• Keep interest by varying your speed
• Slow down to make your most important points
• Give your message time to sink in
• Intonation: voice going up, down or staying level.

3. Rhetorical techniques

Softening

Repetition

Rhetorical questions

Dramatic contrast

Tripling

Creating rapport

3. Rhetorical techniques - 1

Repetition

• Simple repetition: it really is very, very difficult
• Doubling: Fewer and fewer people agree on this.

Rhetorical techniques 2

Rhetorical questions

• Involve the audience
• Sounds more conversational
• Creates anticipation
• Can be used to introduce a bold statement

Rhetorical techniques 3

Dramatic contrast

• Dramatic contrast reinforces your point
• The stronger the opposition, the bigger the effect

Rhetorical techniques 4

Tripling: important points in threes:

• Our service is swift, efficient and professional

Combine tripling with a rhetorical question and short answer:

• How did the president lose the election? It's simple. By underestimating the minority vote, by overestimating his support in the rust belt and by telling republican voters not to vote by mail.

3.6 Creating rapport

Rhetorical techniques 5

Creating rapport = a connection

1. Using we, us, our, ours, you, your(s) 
2. Using question tags
3. Using negative questions: Haven't we all had this experience before?
4. Using short expressions such as: you know, you see, as a matter of fact, now, then, well, actually, OK

00:24

Which kind of opening does the speaker use?

1. a story or anecdote
2. a problem to think about
3. an amazing fact

00:36

Which rhetorical technique did the speaker just use

1. Dramatic contrast
2. Softening
3. Creating rapport
4. Tripling

01:44

Which of these does the speaker use? There is more than one correct option

1. intonation and body language
2. rhetorical question
3. signposting
4. repetition

02:58

Which rhetorical technique does the speaker use here?

1. dramatic contrast
2. softening
3. repetition
4. creating rapport