Course Title: Public Speaking Techniques and Presentation Skills
(6 weeks, 10 sessions, 40 hours)

Week 1

Session 1: Public Speaking Techniques and Presentation Skills / How to Prepare and Overcome Stage Fright (4 hours)

• How to use words masterfully to achieve goals, build connections, and influence others

• Communication techniques and public speaking methods: a structured system for overcoming the fear of public speaking and boosting confidence

• How to communicate effectively during a public speech or presentation

• Self-presentation: how and why to present yourself to an audience

• Which audience would we like to present to and why?

• What will be the general and specific goals of the presentation?

• Types of credibility / Trust as a means of influence

• What does the audience value more – trustworthiness or competence?

• Mental dialogue during audience interaction: how do we respond to internal questions during communication?

Session 2: Types of Audiences (4 hours)

• Audience types – positive, negative, neutral – what should we know about the audience? / Methods for pre-analyzing the audience

• What audience characteristics should be considered when defining the content of a presentation?

• How is audience type determined (attitudes, knowledge, interest)?

• Audience interaction: how to use the three key techniques – social activity, emotional impact, and novelty

• Psychology of the audience, analysis, and adaptation process:

  • How to adapt and identify with the audience

  • How to use universal topics (practical examples from brand marketing campaigns)

  • Personalizing ideas and connecting topics to the audience

Week 2

Session 3: Organizing a Public Speech – Part I (2 hours)

• Organizing public speeches and storytelling techniques for better understanding, impact, and results

• Preparing the main text: general and specific goals, central idea, key messages

Testimonial:

• Using testimonials for emotional impact on the audience

• How to use testimonials to persuade and increase credibility? Use of expert testimonials and lay/peer testimonials

• Source credibility and dynamism

• Source credibility and competence

Part II (2 hours):

• Practical assignment / Presentations in front of the audience

Session 4: Informative Presentation
Part I (2 hours):

• How to plan an informative presentation and define its objectives

• How should the informative presentation respond to daily human needs (in-basket agenda)?

• Specifics of positive audience motivation

• Concise and coherent communication skills focused on informing, not persuading

Part II (2 hours):

• Practical assignment / Presentations in front of the audience

Week 3

Session 5: Persuasive Presentation
Part I (2 hours):

• Ethical and unethical persuasive strategies:

  • What are the key factors in persuasive motivational presentations?

  • What argumentation methods are used?

  • How to organize a motivational presentation (four methods)

• Psychology and methods of persuasion:

  • How do people react to opposing or dissonant viewpoints?

  • In what cases does dissonance lead to attitude change?

Part II (2 hours):

• Practical assignment / Presentations in front of the audience

Session 6: Emotion as a Persuasion Strategy
Part I (2 hours):

• Persuasion strategies and emotional impact on the audience

• How emotions affect the audience and which emotions are most often used in persuasive communication

• Emotion as a persuasion strategy or unethical communication?

• Use of “fear appeal” in persuasion strategies (specific examples from private companies and public figures’ PR campaigns).

  • When does it become unethical, and under what conditions?

Part II (2 hours):

• Practical assignment / Presentations in front of the audience

Week 4

Session 7: Nonverbal Communication
Part I (2 hours):

• The role of body language in self-positioning: how body language affects communication outcomes

• Key nonverbal communication parameters for evaluating a speaker

• Influence of body language on self-confidence

• Balancing form and content, nonverbal and verbal communication (delivery style)

• Who wins debates – what determines success: what to observe in others, what to focus on yourself, and what decisions to make

• Observing audience reactions / nonverbal cues and feedback during the presentation

Part II (2 hours):

• Practical assignment / Presentations in front of the audience with a live camera

Session 8: Storytelling in Public Speaking
Part I (2 hours):

• How to create a compelling narrative / the transformative power of storytelling

• Storytelling as one of the most powerful tools for influence in public speaking (also in marketing and strategic communication)

• How stories make any proposal more memorable and how we can craft a narrative to connect, persuade, and inspire action or change

Part II (2 hours):

• Practical assignment / Presentations in front of the audience with a live camera

Week 5

Session 9: Video Portfolio / Project Presentation (4 hours)

• The final course project will be the creation of a video portfolio demonstrating each participant’s public speaking skills

• Course summary: project evaluation, feedback, and career recommendations

Session 10: Video Portfolio / Project Presentation (4 hours)

• The final course project will be the creation of a video portfolio demonstrating each participant’s public speaking skills

• Course summary: project evaluation, feedback, and career recommendations

• The studio-recorded video portfolio will showcase participants’ confidence, communication techniques, and professional readiness

• Final result: participants will receive their video portfolio along with a certificate upon course completion