AS English Language CourseworkScripted Presentation Preparation:The non-verbal features of language

The aim of this slideshow is to help you to deliver and analyse your

scripted presentations on Rhetoric

How to present your speeches:1. Use of facial expressions

There is a vast range of facial expression: if your audience lose the thread of what you are saying, they will look at your face for clues as to your meaning.

How to present your speeches:1. Use of facial expressions: the mouth

The speech comes from your mouth, and if you smile or scowl with your mouth, if it is upturned or downturned, your audience will react accordingly; if you bite your lips or cover them your words will lose their power, as you will be seen to be nervous or have something to conceal.

How to present your speeches:2. Use of gesture

Since its beginnings 2,000 years ago, orators have always been aware of the importance of gesture in rhetoric, as a way of enforcing words through body language. Using your head you can affirm or deny; using your hands you can welcome, include, indicate, count or curse; it is a powerful tool of control.

How to present your speeches:3. Use of standard paralinguistics

• Tone – serious, light etc., changing organically according to your script and audience reactions. In general, keep it animated, enthusiastic.

• Volume – loud, soft etc.• Pitch – high, low, imitating others, etc.• Inflexion – how you vary all the above• Laughs (genuine, ironic), gasps, tuts, whistles,

pauses (pregnant, audible ellipses, aposiopesis, etc.), snorts of derision, etc. etc.

How to present your speeches:4. Use of posture

• Posture (the way we position ourselves) is closely related to gesture:

How to present your speeches:4. Use of posture

• What does this posture suggest?

• What does this posture suggest?

How to present your speeches:4. Use of posture

• Unless you’re acting something out, always keep an open posture, as that creates audience rapport

• An unchanged posture reflects stagnation, but too many changes of posture are distracting

• Keep a straight back, whether standing or sitting, as this suggests focus; a hunched posture implies boredom or indifference

• Subtly mirror your audience to create rapport.

How to present your speeches:5. Use of proxemics

How to present your speeches:5. Use of proxemics

• Proxemics is related to the idea of personal space – the closer you are to someone, the more intimate the relationship

• People engaged in a casual conversation are between 1.5ft and 4ft apart; when addressing a crowd, 10-12ft

• Don’t allow barriers (e.g. the desk) between yourself and your audience

• Vary the proxemics organically – according to the reactions of your audience.

How to present your speeches:6. Use of gaze

Gaze is the way you use your eyes, and the eyes are the windows of the soul.

How to present your speeches:6. Use of gaze

• A wide range of emotion – including hostility, interest and enthusiasm can be conveyed just through the eyes

• Frequent blinking – along with dilation of the pupils – indicates that you like whoever you are talking to

• Psychologists say that to convince people you should make eye contact, at lease every 4-5 seconds.

How to present your speeches:7. Use of haptics

• Be careful with this one – it’s touching your audience

• Subtle touching is used to communicate affection, familiarity, sympathy, etc.

• In an experiment with librarians, it was found that those who touched borrowers on their elbow without them realizing enjoyed much closer rapport with them.

How to present your speeches:8. Finally, the use of appearance

How to present your speeches:8. Finally, the use of appearance

• Famously, if you dress inappropriately for an interview, you risk losing the job

• Similarly, if you dress in a distracting way for delivering your speech, you risk taking the minds of your audience off what you’re saying

• Other factors which will influence your audience would be makeup, hairstyle and colours

• Best dress neutrally, so they can concentrate on your words.

Non-verbal features of language: Recapitulation

• Facial Expression – Why important?• Gestures – Why important?• Posture – Why important?• Paralinguistics – Why important?• Proxemics – Why important?• Gaze – Why important?• Haptics – Why important?• Appearance – Why important?