996022 Oral Presentations (S) (WiSe 2008/2009)

Do you know

• how to start, end and give an overview of your presentation;
• how to end one point and move on to the next;
• how to hesitate in English;
• as chairperson, how to introduce and thank speakers;
• how to ask a favour/for help,
• how to show interest in the person you’re talking to, and
• what to talk about over a meal/a glass of wine?

If you aren’t sure how to handle these situations competently in English, then you should come to this language workshop that combines the two aspects of the title - oral presentations and social English. This 3/2-day seminar will help you to UNDERSTAND AND PRACTICE THE TEN KEY ASPECTS of making presentations and spontaneous conversation in English.

In the presentation part of the workshop course members can give their own presentations in a friendly, informal atmosphere and will get feedback on all relevant aspects, including verbal and non-verbal matters. In addition, the skill of being the chairperson will receive extensive attention (for instance, communicating with speakers, running question and answer sessions). A final item in this section of the workshop will be a panel discussion, in which members can again practice the cut and thrust of scholarly debate (i.e. reacting to a point, arguing a case and defending their opinions).

The other part will do a similar job on social communication in English. A knowledge of what to say, and how to say it POLITELY, in informal settings is difficult to acquire but extremely important if social intercourse is to be successful – in other words, if you want to be thought a nice and pleasant person, and not just a clumsy egghead or mastermind with no social graces. There will be various opportunities to practice your social English (the more structured ones being an informal party and a joint lunch of course members).

In short, this workshop offers you, in a relaxed, non-threatening environment, the opportunity of a trial run for the real thing (an international meeting where English is the conference language), both for giving a scientific talk and for conducting an everyday conversation in English.