Abstract:

The current paper is an experiment that relates to the necessity of introducing Public Speaking training to students of technical universities and getting students used, in this way, to speaking in front of an audience, after a thorough acquisition of good oratorical skills. The experiment took place at a technical university during English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classes, with students of Management, Forestry, and Land Surveying. Presentation and debate tasks use and strengthen all four language skills – reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students learn the essential elements of preparing and delivering a speech. They learn how to develop the information needed, the art of capturing the audience in the first few minutes of the talk, how to add stories, anecdotes, jokes that will make the presentation enjoyable and meaningful to the audience, how to persuade the listener to agree to the ideas presented, how to use body language. Eventually, when doing a presentation students will be self -confident, and will project their ideas in a rational, attractive manner. They find this experience not only interesting, even fascinating, but also beneficial and rewarding.

Keywords:

Presentation, debate, audience, listener, experience, skills, body language.