Oral communication II

Universidad Técnica Nacional

Course:

Oral communication II

Portfolio

Professor: Cindy Rodriguez

Student Ivannia Soto Montoya

Year: 2015

This is the Self- assessment rubric in week #1 (both sides)

 

In this assessment I noticed I have trouble with summarizing ideas to conclude. In deed, I  always forget what others have explain before, so it is not easy to have in mind clear ideas to sum up, that is why I speak time and again, and I do not finish with accurate thoughts. The action plan will be taken notes of the 2 or 3 main points in every speech in which I will be taken part of in order to remember the person's arguments and to find the easiest way to wrap up info. Moreover, I forget to interact with the audience because sometimes, I am too nervous to connect with them... I just want to finish what I started. The action plan I will apply is to write down in my speech at least 2 questions to the audience so that I will not forget it, and wait for answers as well. Finally, I never take notes when somebody speaks. My action plan will be to take a piece of paper and a pen every class, when somebody is talking in a speech, and put away from my desk all the other things, so that I will not get distracted, and I will not forget to take notes.(just for Alice's speeches)

This is the first oral report rubric.

This image is my hot reflection

2-3 positive and areas for improvement… God willing I will…

Well the first thing is my hook; I had a quote, but I did not read it because I though it was not necessary since I just want to represent renaissance with the picture, but I did not focus on the quote. For that reason, I started asking a question and I explaining how people at the renaissance though, and how the same thinking still persists after many years. Now I realize that it was confusing for my classmates and my professor. My action plan will be to use only pictures without any sentence when I represent what I am talking to avoid confusion. Besides, when I use quotes, I will read it fist and then make a comment to take advantage of it. Secondly, I have to improve my framework because it was a little bit confusing for my classmates as well. I did not establish any framework when I was talking since I did not mention my main points before I start my speech, so may be people got lost when I talked because they could not expect anything. I tried to make my framework in a different way in which my classmates had to infer what I was going to talk, but it failed. Next time, I will be clearer setting my 3 main points. Finally, I have to choose a pattern of speech organization because I forgot it completely. For me it is a little complicated to organize my ideas and it will help me to do it. It was easier to start writing what I think and then just explain it, but I realized it was hard trying to explain without and order, and it is better to rearrange ideas so that the speech will be more understandable and effective.

Things that I did correctly

First of all, I moved every where without any fear at the beginning I though it was not a good at all because some professors had told me I  had to stop fidgeting, but when I do not move I feel quite uncomfortable and stiff. Now I am glad to know I am able to continue moving and using my hands. Then my topic was focused on giving an informative issue, and I got it. At the beginning, I mixed up some styles because I did not know how to split informative, persuasive and demonstrative styles. However, Thanks God I could accomplish the idea. Finally, my professor said that my topic was free of stereotypes what makes me feel satisfied, that means I have an assertive way to communicate thoughts, and it is nice to know I give a respectful speech using the correct issue and catching the audience attention.

This is the second oral report rubric

                                          This is my hot reflection 

2-3 positive and areas for improvement… God willing I will…

I still have trouble with my introduction and body paragraphs (the length) because I began with an anecdote that is why the intro is longer than the other parts of my speech. It is a little hard to split the information so that it will have the same length. In this case, I will start my speech with a quote in order to make it shorter. Besides, I have to search about my topics since I need data and statistics to show facts and make it clearer and more accurate to my audience. The next speech, I will bring at least 2 different facts printed or in a power point presentation. In this way I won´t forget it.

Things that I did correctly

My professor highlight that I had a good body language and that in my Keynote I keep eye contact… she said I play nicely with my tone of voice. I tried to do it as naturally as possible because in the midterm Sandra said I did not articulate words, and my voice was not smooth enough, so I wanted to do it this time. I am glad since I got it.

          This is the second oral report rubric

This image is my hot reflection

2-3 positive and areas for improvement… God willing I will…

I feel unconfortable with the idea that I had to make my classmates laugh since when you plan it, it is difficult because it sounds forced. Even though I did not make people laugh, I tried to add humor. It was funny; no body had asked me to make jokes... so that it was new for me. However, no body laughed, so I could not achieved the goal this time. Besides of that, I read some words that  forgot, so I desconcetrated for the same reason.

Things that I did correcely

I tried to do my speech as real as possible,  Even though the presentation was about a fake situation. I kept eye contact with my classmates, and I spoke loud and clear. I did not feel nervous that much as I usually felt since we were sitting down i a circle what made me feel a little bit more self- confident.

Final essay

First of all, I feel very proud and satisfied since the course was challanging what meant effort for me. At the beginning I felt tired but then I try to follow the teacher’s rhythm, well a little bit. I am glad to experience real speeches which I had to investigate because I am not just learning English but also interesting topics that are very common in daily students conversations, and now I can argument according what I searched. Besides of that, I know teacher did not give a cheat of paper with new words. However, I do learned by heart vocabulary since I had to read articles about several issues, what help me out to find the proper way to express my opinions or arguments. This course help me with other courses, how to convince others, the tripartite things, the body language. I know there are other courses already taken about these aspects, but until now I put it in practice. When I had a different Audience apart from my classmates, I could feel the pressure to do the best and the goal was no to bored people, and the same time to control those feelings that nobody knows how until the moment you have to, otherwise the speech could become a real nightmare. Moreover I could see how my classmate thrives with their own obstacles. That is why I felt inspired to grow with them. One of them has been Tony; I have seen him in the way he has spoken, fluid and natural. At the beginning he seemed to be nervous and stress out but now he knows how to control his emotions. Even though I have to improve my grades, I am happy to see what I have done of course thank God.

The first challenge how to speak in public, I realized that even though somebody could have the best topic the audience gets bored, so the tone of voice has to be present to catch people’s attention. The first challenge was to keep people with me throughout my whole speech. I could see that at the time, I spoke and changed the tone of voice the people liked it, and at the same time it helped me to get rid of nervousness I do not why , but it happened. The second challenge was to go upstairs in that stage in the auditorium and keep my self there during five minutes. There has not been a teacher that pushes me up to that point with my emotions since nobody teaches how to control yourself, but when Cindy gave some tips like do what you love, understand that we you are capable, and enjoying that kind of adrenaline without screw my whole work and effort, was a big, big, big challenge.

On the other hand my personal learning starts with the structure of a speech, and how important are all of them, their function. For example when a student starts the speech with a quote, it catches the attention of the audience, and if this process does not occur, the speech could lose the purpose. The data is essential as well to convince, and support, but I did not understand until one of them was missing on my presentation, and I noticed which its role was. Furthermore, I could control body language, and I can use it as a complement every time I speak. It does not matter where I am; it is a good tool to communicate my thoughts accurately.

My conclusions

This course makes me to assimilate new experiences that I could face in the future on a real uncomfortable situation and it changed my way of thinking, what is not growing, it is getting old. And I would rather grow. I know I must continue searching about different issues by my own, and continue working on several techniques to get a outstanding speech since we never know when it is time to shine. I have to remember how important is to back up what I think, and availability of time is indispensable to have an excellent speech. These aspects may be easy, but they were not for me. Now that I have thrived in my speeches I feel glad and grateful.

Alice's essay...

 I could noticed that Ivania  did not have control of her hands and she continually moved her legs because she was very nervous in her first speech, but in the second oral presentation she tried to be aware of it and could stop fidgering. 

The following images were taken when she was presenting the Keynote( oral report #2)

Then she play with her voice, so it caught the audience attention. She has been learning how to control emotions, and once she told me that one of the biggest challanges would be to speak infront of many people in the auditorium because she felt it would be almost impossible.However , she was there in the Ignite, and eventhough she forgot what to say, she continued on that stage enthusiastically. 

There was other presentation in which was suppose to make people laugh. Iva did not know how to do it. She had to give a speech about my "wedding day". What i liked was she talk about real experiences that I could feel identified.

And finaly I gave her a piece of advice, and it was to use data because in almost all of her speeches she talked about her experiences, but data was necessary to back up what she said, and there were a lack of it. However; in the Ted Talk she did. To sum up, she had worked hard, but Iva has been moving forward in this course.

This is a video that I would like to share... Things are not easy but we are conquerors...