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Speaking & Writing about writing & speaking | Author |Speaker | Teacher
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Ms Claire Duffy
Speak for yourself!
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Memorable multi modals - Lighten up!
Multi Modal presentations can be a disiaster unless you have a good understanding of how the elements work together. A theory ...
2 min read


Look good and present well
Your Appearance has a great impact on the audience and on your effectiveness as a communicator. Dressing well for the occasion is part...
3 min read


Analogies, the wonder tool for making sense.
What happens if you want to interest  your listeners in something unfamiliar – a  new idea, technique, or approach to something, which...
3 min read


In praise of poetry
Reciting poetry, along with pretty well all training in reading aloud, has disappeared from the modern classroom. And I think we’re the...
3 min read


LISTEN. Seriously. Just. LISTEN.
To be an effective communicator, you have to be a good listener first. Take these key concepts on board: • Attending: This means showing...
2 min read


Storytelling : ‘bore no more’.
To be good presenter you do need to tell good stories. So here is how to start developing those skills. Master them  – and you will bore...
3 min read


Nuke those nerves!
To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, ‘if it’s true that more people fear public speaking than dying, then most of the people at a funeral would...
2 min read


Choose your gestures
Speakers need to be authentic. Poorly chosen gestures are a sure way to undermine that. As the researchers say: ‘While a hand gesture can...
2 min read


Voice matters: How your voice works
Making best use of your voice is important. Let’s look now at how  it actually  works. Your voice is part of your anatomy, so we’re going...
6 min read


How to read aloud in public
First let’s dispel the idea that the existence of  a script means  most of the work is done.  It isn’t.  If you have to  read aloud in...
3 min read


Developing the speech
Notice I avoid saying ‘write the script’. The spoken word and the written word are different, and this presents a trap for speakers. The...
2 min read


Resolving conflict
A reluctance to deal with conflict  constructively hurts our world. Good ideas remain unspoken, people create silos, and leaders don’t...
3 min read


Microphones: a beginner’s guide
Mics come in several types. The first clips to your lapel or collar. It has a battery pack, which you wear at your waistband, A lapel...
2 min read


Presentations: lessons from a Dog and a Frisbee
I am limited in my experience  of  financial institutions, and Mr Banks in Mary Poppins is  the only person I know of from the Bank of...
3 min read


Shape and Structure | Arrange your stuff
The way you assemble  your material is crucial for making the right impact. There are some basic components which any essay or ...
3 min read


Managing panel discussions.
As moderator  your job is to get things to sparkle. You set the agenda, the questions, and the pace. You are the manager, the referee,...
5 min read


Three pillars of speaking success
About 2300 years ago, Aristotle wrote down the secrets to being a powerful speaker. These same secrets have formed the basis for nearly...
2 min read


Getting mad in public
When do public speakers and presenters  need to get mad? Well…. If you are involved in a cause, or you’re an activist, a politician, or...
2 min read


Oral Presentations: Finish with oomph
How do you close in a way that makes them feel galvanised, reinforces your message and makes you memorable? Â Not by shuffling and...
3 min read


Teachers - your voice!
Teachers treat their main tool of trade to huge stress every single day. Â Whenever you talk loudly, over background noise, across large...
2 min read
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