12 replies to this topic

[louise prins]

I wonder if any kind person could put me in the right direction.I am studying for a degree in Early years and education and i have to do a presentation on either a nursery rhythm or a childrens progamme using posters and handouts.I am really shy and find this sort of thing really daunting.Please help.

[leo]

what is it that you require? Is it a nursery rhyme- ehat kind of information would you need?

[Susan]

Hallo Louise and welcome. :D
I think it would be helpful if you could post the exact details of your assignment. Iam sure there are others out there who are doing this and others of us who will help you all we can.

[hali]

Hi louise and welcome to the site.... :D

[Steve]

Hi Louise, and welcome to the Forum! :D

As Susan says, I'm sure you will get a lot more specific help if you post the assignment details.

Is it the subject matter you find daunting, or the prospect of standing in front of an audience and talking? If it's the latter I'm sure there are a lot of people who will empathise with you! There are techniques you can adopt that make this kind of nervousness less overwhelming.

[louise prins]

Thank you for replying to me :D
Im afraid that i haven't been told too much about the presentation,only what i have just stated.So i am not sure as to whether to speak about the history of the rhyme as it were or to talk about how i can make it relevent to children for use in the foundation stage such as creative ,physical etc.And yes i am very daunted about standing up in front of lots of my college collegues.I have no problems standing up in front of kids-but adults ugh!!!
Im sorry if this all sounds trivial,but i haven't done anything like this since 21 yrs ago when i left collage after N.N.E.B.
Thanks again for making me so welcome.This is a great site.

[leo]

you know what the say- if you are worried about speaking in public, just imagine all the people you're talking to are naked. That's suposed to help you get rid of your inhibitions- at least thats the theory or was it imagine them in the nude for some other reason- or is it just my overactive imagination :D (or excuse)

Therre is a book called nursery rhymes by opie- i can see it on my book shelf as i type. T is has an extensive list of rhymes and the hisotrical significance and the background of most rhymes. would that be a starting point to consider?

Hope i was of some help

[Rea]

Louise, if it's aboput the history of nursery rhymes I found this web site recently. Hope it's of some use. www.rhymes.org.uk :D

[louise prins]

Thanks Leo and Rea for your help and interest.I hope i can be of some help to you in the future

[Beau]

Louise,
Just wanted to welcome you to the site. Hope you are managing to crack on with your presentation now. :) As to the standing up and actually doing it part - I'm afraid it's only something you get used to if you do it alot. The only bit of advice I can give is practice your presentation alot just in case your nerves really get the better of you. :D

[Steve]

Hi Louise -

Just a couple of suggestions which can help get over the nerves side of presentations:

When you get up to begin, don't feel you need to furiously launch into things. It can help steady your nerves if you look around the room first, even looking at the faces of the people. Take a couple of breaths and take your time. They're waiting for you, and although it might seem like a long time, a couple of seconds can help you get used to the space you're now dominating.

Make sure there's a glass of water available before you start. If you're the sort of person who gets a real surge of adrenalin or a dry mouth, just start by saying 'Good Evening/morning', then take a drink from your glass. Again, it will feel like a long time while you're doing it, but if you practice the opening, you will make it look quite natural - and it doesn't look odd to the audience.

If it's appropriate, start with a question - perhaps one that requires the audience to raise their hands or respond in some way. This gives you the opportunity to stop again, while you wait for this response. Again, meet their eye when you ask the question, and then wait and look around enquiringly. This will give you another opportunity to stop and collect your thoughts - and by the third time, you should find you have settled into the talk with much less in the way of nerves.

Finally, try to resist the temptation to stand or sit behind a table, overhead projector or whatever else is in the room. You'll always engage the audience better if you find a fairly central place where you become the dominating presence in the room. And from here, once you've launched into the meat of the talk, you will find that it's actually more relaxing than peering around a piece of furniture from the back of the room - you'll certainly make more of an impact!

Hope these help. Good luck with it! :)

[Sue R]

Wow, Steve,
That was some really good advice, very well put! You've obviously done it before!

I can only endorse everything Steve and others have said. You'll probably really enjoy it, once you get going. I always do, although I suffer agonies with nerves beforehand!!!

Sue :D

[Mimi]

Louise you must ask College to give you more information with regard to this assignment. If you need some questions ask - Who is this presentation aimed at ? What is its purpose? Where will you be expected to present it? What resources will be at your disposal - overhead projector, video? When and for how long ?
It is wrong of your college tutor to place you in this position. They sound as if they haven't thought this through. :) :) :)