Free Essay: Strengths and Weaknesses in Oral Presentation

My significant strength as an English language learner is broad grammar knowledge. I have an excellent base of English grammar that I can say is better compared to that of my American classmates. It is reflected in my oral presentation since, in the past, I have had numerous grammatical structures described for me in different points of learning English. For example, while the majority of Americans lack a comprehensive understanding of the distinction between an adjective and a verb, I have the advantage since I have attended many grammar lessons.

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However, a considerable weakness in my oral presentation is nervousness. I often get nervous before oral presentations. I exhibit nervous symptoms such as feeling butterflies in the stomach, dry throat, sweaty palms, and panic that makes my mind black about what I am presenting. Luckily, I have a plan that I have tested and verified that will help me address this weakness.

An effective plan to eradicate nervousness in oral presentations will involve preparing and rehearsing the presentation as well as taking deep breaths immediately before beginning it. Kim (2020) emphasizes that it is significant to often be well-rehearsed and prepared before a presentation to gain confidence in what you will be presenting. Therefore, I will be taking my time to prepare my oral presentation by going through written scriptures of things I will deliver to my audience. This will give me a deep comprehension of the topic. I will also be practicing my oral presentations either in front of a mirror, with friends, or my family. This will allow me to receive feedback on things I need to improve that will eradicate nervousness while presenting. Besides, immediately before an oral presentation, I will be taking deep breaths. Kim (2020) argues that, by practicing a deep breath, the brain receives sufficient oxygen while the slow pace of breathing facilitates the body to calm. Therefore, this plan will help ensure I do not panic or experience dry throat, sweaty palms, or feel butterflies in my stomach due to nervousness.

I gained a lot of insights, particularly from watching my peers' presentations. For example, I learned how utilizing storytelling during an oral presentation makes it remarkable. Stories are one of the most effective strategies for captivating the attention of your audience (Kosara & Mackinlay, 2013). I was, nevertheless, not excluded from this effect. My attention was attracted, and I devoted much of my attention to their presentations. Even though days have passed since I watched my peers' presentations, I recall the topics they presented as if I viewed them a few seconds ago.

References

Kim, L. (2020). 15 Ways to Calm Your Nerves Before a Big Presentation. Retrieved May 7, 2020, from https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/15-power-up-tips-to-make-you-a-better-presenter.html.

Kosara, R., & Mackinlay, J. (2013). Storytelling: The next step for visualization. Computer, 46(5), 44-50. DOI: 10.1109/MC.2013.36