Communication and Presentation Skills (16 Hours)

Week 1:

Session 1 (2 hours)

Topic: Public Speaking Techniques and Presentation Skills / Preparing and Overcoming Stage Fright

Key Objectives:

• Learn how to use words skillfully to connect with and influence others.
• Discover a step-by-step system to overcome stage fright and build confidence.
• Practice effective self-presentation techniques: how to introduce yourself and set the stage.
• Explore the importance of identifying the target audience and the purpose of your talk.
• Understand basic persuasion and emotional engagement tactics.
• Examine non-verbal communication cues (posture, gestures, eye contact) for self-presentation.
• Get a brief introduction to positioning yourself confidently in front of a camera.

Session 2 (2 hours)

Topic: Understanding Audience Types

Key Objectives:

• Differentiate among positive, negative, and neutral audiences.
• Learn research methods to understand audience traits and tailor presentation content.
• Identify audience attitudes, knowledge levels, and interests to adapt your delivery.
• Apply three engagement techniques (social engagement, emotional impact, novelty).
• Delve into audience psychology: how to adapt and create a sense of identification.
• Use universal themes (with examples from brand marketing) to strengthen connections.
• Personalize ideas using anecdotes and situational analysis.
• Incorporate demographic characteristics into your audience approach.

Week 2:

Session 3 (2 hours)

Topic: Organizing Public Speaking & Using Testimonials

Key Objectives:

• Organize your presentation for clarity, impact, and desired outcomes.
• Structure your main text, define objectives, and plan key messages.
• Explore the use of testimonials to enhance emotional impact and credibility.
• Differentiate between expert and peer testimonials, and evaluate source reliability and competence.

Session 4 (2 hours)

Topic: Informative Presentations

Key Objectives:

• Plan and structure an informative presentation with clear objectives.
• Ensure your presentation addresses practical, everyday needs of the audience (“in-basket” approach).
• Recognize characteristics that foster positive audience motivation and engagement.
• Practice concise and coherent delivery tailored to inform rather than persuade.

Week 3:

Session 5 (2 hours)

Topic: Persuasive Presentations

Key Objectives:

• Understand ethical versus unethical persuasion methods.
• Learn about key factors that influence persuasion (e.g., credibility, emotional appeals, logic).
• Organize motivational presentations using strong arguments and a clear flow.
• Recognize and avoid common logical fallacies (hasty generalization, ad hominem, etc.).
• Manage cognitive dissonance and address conflicting opinions diplomatically.

Session 6 (2 hours)

Topic: Emotion as a Persuasion Strategy

Key Objectives:

• Explore emotional impact as a powerful persuasion tool.
• Use emotional appeals effectively in your communication without resorting to manipulation.
• Review case studies on fear appeals in private and public PR campaigns and discuss ethical considerations.
• Learn to maintain credibility while stirring the right emotional response in your audience.

Week 4:

Session 7 (2 hours)

Topic: Non-Verbal Communication and Teleprompter Skills

Key Objectives:

• Balance form and content by aligning verbal and non-verbal cues (tone, body language, facial expressions).
• Practice receiving and responding to real-time feedback during a presentation.
• Learn teleprompter techniques for maintaining a natural, confident presence.
• Develop improvisation strategies to handle on-the-spot changes or unexpected events.

Project Preparation

• Final Week: Course Recap and Project Presentation
• Preparing for live presentations and on-camera work.
• The final project of the course will be the creation of a video portfolio showcasing each participant’s public speaking skills.
• The professionally recorded video portfolio in a studio environment will be provided to the participant upon course completion.
• Project evaluation, feedback, and career recommendations.
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