Hello everyone! Welcome to public speaking. Today’s first presenter is Ranjit. And, I would ask everyone to give him their full attention. Chantal, could you dim the lights, please? The British imposed a lot of unpopular taxes on the American colonists and didn’t let them elect representatives to the British government. In retaliation, the Americans started to boycott British goods. In 1773, Americans in Massachusetts dumped a shipload of British tea into Boston Harbor. This became known as the Boston Tea Party. As punishment, the British imposed laws known as the Intolerable Acts, including the Quartering Act which made Americans let British soldiers live in their homes. Some of the American colonies created a Declaration of Rights and Grievances which they sent to Britain. But, the British just sent soldiers to the colonies to put down any rebellion. This led to the first battles of the revolution at Lexington and Concord. Thank you Ranjit. I know it’s very hard to give a presentation in front of the entire class. Now, would anyone like to offer Ranjit constructive feedback about his presentation? Any tips for what he might do differently next time? For example, were you all able to hear what Ranjit was saying? Not really! He needs to speak louder and face the audience. Yes, great suggestion. Anyone else? He was reading from his paper so it didn’t feel like he was really talking to us, you know? Exactly. It’s important, when you’re speaking, to look up every sentence or two and make eye contact with someone in the audience. Anything else that Ranjit could do to appear more relaxed and feel more confident? He could smile more. Yes! Smiling makes us feel relaxed. Oh, and make sure your phone is off before you speak, next time! I do have one more suggestion. To connect with listeners, it’s a great idea to use a personal story or experience as an example. Can you try that next time? I think so, yes. Next week, my presentation will be about the causes and effects of stress. We look forward to hearing it! Ranjit is first up again today, and I look forward to his new presentation. Jorge, could you dim the lights please? Good morning! Today, I’d like to talk about the causes and effects of stress and how to cope with stress. Stress has many causes, including work or school, life events, changes, or unrealistic expectations of yourself. Some effects of stress include headaches, trouble sleeping, depression, or lack of concentration. I know how hard it can be to deal with stress. Last year, I started working after school to save for college. But, I didn’t have time to do homework, and my grades went down. I had trouble sleeping, I only ate junk food, and I stopped hanging out with my friends. Fortunately, I was able to talk with a school counselor to manage my stress. She suggested that I reduce my hours at my job, eat healthy foods, and get some exercise. So I literally started walking home from school and bringing my lunch. I also asked my teachers for extra help. Now, I feel better! It’s important to recognize when you are stressed and to ask for help. Thank you. Great work, Ranjit! I want you all to reflect on how much stronger today’s presentation was. Ranjit looked us in the eyes, he spoke clearly, he smiled at us, and he used a personal anecdote to help us feel more connected to him. Well done. Thank you, sir.
