During their course, all students will one day or another have to go through the dreaded box of the oral exam. However, few are the young people (or the oldest) who feel comfortable in the exercise. The same is true when it comes to making an oral presentation in front of an audience, a memory defense or « selling » yourself during a job interview. But being comfortable when expressing oneself orally is a quality that will be useful in a lot of circumstances. Nael Giannini, president of Felobel, the Belgian Eloquence Federation, gives us some practical advice on how to improve.
1. Establish a clear plan for your speech
Before even considering speaking in front of an audience, you should know very precisely what you are going to say. What ideas do we want to convey? What do we want to insist on? « The structure of the discourse is very important », emphasizes Nael Giannini. It is not a question here of writing all your text and learning it by heart but rather of establishing a plan with the main ideas. The preparation time before oral exams should, for example, be used to highlight effective keywords which will allow students to not lose track of their ideas when speaking.
When you have more time to prepare your presentation, it is advisable topay particular attention to transitions. « To keep it flowing, people are advised to memorize the first sentence of each paragraph. » That way, if at any point they feel lost, the speaker can always get back on their feet and confidently deliver the first sentence of the next paragraph. « Some people panic sometimes when they know they haven’t said all they have to say, but you have to realize that the audience listening to them is not aware of the content of the presentation. So he will never know that not everything has been said. » However, forgetting too many ideas can harm the message, which is why the expert advises people who speak to always have the outline of their speeches with them.
2. Take care of the introduction and the conclusion
To be convincing and eloquent, it is also necessary to take care of its introduction and its conclusion. This can make all the difference during a job interview or an oral presentation, for example. « The introduction must captivate directly those who listen to him. It is thus necessary to avoid an introduction that is too academic in favor of a hard-hitting sentence or an anecdote that will arouse the curiosity of the public.
For Nael Giannini, the conclusion must also be worked on. Too many people conclude their presentation with a « here you go » or a boat phrase. According to him, « the conclusion must be a summary of the ideas conveyed during the presentation. Ideally, these ideas should be reformulated and sublimated. But, above all, the public must instantly understand that this is the conclusion. For this, we can play on the intensity of the voice in particular ». The conclusion is important not only because it is the last image that your interlocutor will have of you, but also because it is the moment when you will be asked questions. It is therefore essential that the end is fluid and that all these stages are linked well.
3. Rehearse in front of a mirror
To perform well during an oral presentation, you have to practice, practice and practice again. Many repeat out loud, but ideally you really need to record yourself looking in a mirror. The mirror will indeed allow you to see when you are less comfortable, to identify your tics but also to get used to being watched. « By listening to each other again, we can also see what can be improved : the moments when we searched too much for words, the moments when it was not clear, etc. » Of course, you should not be too severe with yourself, but seeing yourself can easily correct certain problems that the we can meet.
« Many people don’t know what to do with their hands during a presentation. I advise them to practice in front of a mirror to express several emotions: joy, anger, sadness. To achieve this, they can think back to moments in their personal life By telling these moments aloud in front of a mirror, they will realize the gestures they use to express specific emotions.When they have to give a presentation and appeal to these emotions, they can easily tap into their panel of gestures. » The expert also advises to dare to make gestures during a presentation. « It’s always better than being static, » he says. « Sometimes people are afraid of appearing ridiculous if they do too much, and suddenly they don’t give their all. However, you never judge those who give all their energy in a presentation, » he explains. .
4. Pay attention to his rate of speech and the intensity of his voice
When stressed, people tend to speak faster and quieter. Recording and re-listening allows you to be aware of the problem. To avoid these pitfalls, Nael Giannini also advises warm up your voice. « Before the presentation, you can start a sentence by whispering it and end it by shouting. This allows you to practice making contrasts but also to wake up your voice. do the next one by speaking much too quickly. This should allow you to be aware of your speed and to play with your voice. Once you have mastered your voice, you can play with it: speed up when enumerating and slow down when we talk about particularly important things during the presentation.
5. Manage stress
Good preparation should reduce stress. But, of course, he will always be present. To put the odds on your side, however, you can do breathing exercises before speaking. « It’s also an opportunity to recite the first sentences of each paragraph to be sure to manage the transitions », concludes the eloquence specialist.
An event for students
Aware that being comfortable speaking in public is not easy, Annabelle, a master’s student in law at the ULB, decided to organize a conference on this subject, on May 2 at 4 p.m. at the Salle Somville of the S building of the ULB. With The Inspiration Club, a student group aiming to inspire and motivate young people, she had the idea of bringing in several experts who will give advice to higher education students. « There will be two comedians, who will tell how they managed to manage stress and how they got started. But also Shauna Dewit, a famous Tiktokeuse who will explain how you can speak in front of a screen without being afraid of ridicule. » Finally, Feliobel, the Belgian Eloquence Federation will be there to give in-depth advice. “All participants will be able to follow workshops and exchange views,” she explains. « I find that it can be beneficial for everyone », explains the young woman, who had the idea when she realized that her friends did not necessarily dare to speak during the practical work.
The conference, reserved primarily for higher education students, is totally free. « The ULB has made a room available to us », specifies the student. If no fee is requested, registration is however mandatory!
> To register, it’s here.
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