Lessons · Occupational dimension
Speaking With Confidence: Presenting, Debating and Being Heard
Nerves, planning a talk, voice and body language, slides, questions, debating, speaking on video and everyday speeches. 8 lessons, about 1.6 hours in all.
- 01Why speaking feels scary, and how nerves can help11 min A racing heart before a talk is not a sign that you are bad at speaking. It is your body getting ready to perform. The Workplace module's…
- 02Planning a talk: purpose, audience and one clear message12 min Most weak talks fail before the speaker says a word, because the plan was fuzzy. Get the purpose, the audience and the one main message…
- 03Voice, pace, pauses and body language12 min How you say something shapes whether people hear it. The good news is that delivery is a set of small, learnable habits, and some of the…
- 04Slides that help, not hurt11 min Slides should make your message clearer, not compete with you for attention. The Workplace module gives basic slide rules such as size and…
- 05Handling questions, interruptions and going blank11 min The moments people fear most are the unplanned ones: a hard question, someone talking over you, or a sudden blank. Each has a simple…
- 06Debating and persuasive speaking13 min Debating trains you to build an argument, test it against someone else's, and disagree without falling out. Those skills help in essays,…
- 07Speaking online and on video11 min More and more speaking happens through a screen: online classes, group calls, recorded presentations and video tasks for university or job…
- 08Everyday speaking: introductions, short speeches and two languages12 min Most speaking is not on a stage. It is introducing yourself at an open day, saying a few words at a family celebration or speaking up in…
Further reading
Books to take this module further. We have not been paid to include any of them. Under 18? Ask a parent or guardian before buying online.
- TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking (Amazon, opens in a new tab) Chris AndersonThe head of TED explains how to find an idea worth sharing and shape it into a clear, well-delivered talk, including how to handle nerves.
- Confessions of a Public Speaker (Amazon, opens in a new tab) Scott BerkunAn honest, funny account of what really happens when you speak in public, with practical advice on nerves, tough audiences and talks that go wrong.
- Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (Amazon, opens in a new tab) Garr ReynoldsA classic guide to simple, story-led slides that support your talk rather than distract from it.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links open a search on Amazon UK. The full reading list