Post #6: To speak, listen and express

A final reflection on ES2007S

It is hard to fathom that the semester has already come to an end. Over the past 13 weeks, we have had plenty of opportunities to learn and practice a myriad of communication skills – things that were both known and new to us. But the over arching learning point for me would be appreciating the difference between the following:

Talk - Speak
Hear - Listen
Write - Express

At first glance, the communication techniques in both columns seem identical. However,the left column lacks one key element that the right one possesses – being aware of the party(s) involved and their understanding of your message. Yet, it is a delicate balance between appealing to your audience and being sincere about your motivations and message.

We practised this in almost every activity and I realise that for it to become natural behaviour, we must consciously put these skills to use in our everyday lives. I’ll admit that before taking this module, I considered communication workshops to be silly and useless. The resume writing and interview components of the module were what had initially attracted me. But through ES20007S, I have been able to identify many areas of communication that I can improve on. One example of this is public speaking – be it a speech or presentation.

I usually don’t write speech texts for my presentations, preferring instead to speak based on an outline. But having done one for my oral presentation, I find that it allows me to better analyse the tone and language used. Moreover, when working with a group, it prepares my team members for what I’m planning to say and vice versa. This is definitely something I will practice in the future.

Though the module is very helpful, I would recommend to future students to only take it if they have a relatively light semester. Taking 6 modules, this semester was really tight for me. And it was hard keeping up with all the assignments. But the module also is an avenue to interact closely with students outside one’s own major. In my first blog post, I had mentioned that I hoped to build on skills that will help me beyond just academia and enhance my interactions with my peers. I believe all of us have learnt things, both about ourselves and our classmates, that has made these past weeks an enriching experience for all.

It was nice getting to know all of you. Ms Lim, thank you for creating a relaxed and open environment for us to participate in. To all the graduating students, congratulations and good luck with the job search! And the rest of you, good luck with the exams and I hope to see you all around school.=]

Post #5 (Wk 13): Friends, Romans, Countrymen...

A Personal Reflection on Oral Presentation

I would say that my performance for this oral presentation was better than my usual. When I was younger, I used to participate in oratorical contests and debated regularly. However these days, having fewer opportunities to practice public speaking, I find my confidence in making oral presentations and speeches had reduced tremendously. Prior to any presentation, I’m always an anxious jitterbug. The rehearsals usually go horribly and this time around it was no different. Although I had already prepared a speech text and cards, I had difficulty memorizing it. The speech text allows one’s group mates to be prepared when it comes to slide transitions. Perhaps me not adhering strictly to the script was had affected the coordination between my speech and the clicking of slides.

But I did find that despite all my stuttering and blunders during the practice sessions, when the presentation began, I was kind of on autopilot. The prep sessions and repeatedly going through the content matter in my head definitely helped internalize the presentation points and flow in my mind. This I feel was why I was able to perform relatively well in the presentation.

Another thing I realise on hindsight is that when presenting in a group, it is very important to try to mesh the individual styles of the members. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how my group faired in this. How do you think the J&G Group performed in this aspect?

When preparing for the presentation, my group mates and I tried to cover all our bases – from the colour scheme of the sides to the wordiness of the content displayed to preparing for possible questions that would be asked. Ultimately, I think this is what made our presentation a smooth sailing one.