Do You Really Need Special "English Presentation Skills"?
Recently, a student asked me about "English presentation techniques." I had to clarify whether they meant teaching presentation skills in English or specifically techniques for giving presentations in English. This raised an interesting question: Are there special techniques unique to giving presentations in English?
To be transparent, while I present in English as a non-native speaker (I've even given lectures to international students at Tohoku University in Japan), I acknowledge there's room for improvement in my language skills. However, this brings me to an important question: Do presentation skills really differ based on country or language?
To illustrate this point, when we read books about presentation skills, do we categorize them as "Chinese presentation techniques" or "English presentation techniques"? In fact, many excellent books about presentations (including some I recommended recently) were originally written in English and later translated into Chinese. But when we read them, we don't think of them as "English presentation techniques," do we?
Here's another perspective: Many presentation enthusiasts often reference TED talks, which feature numerous outstanding presentations. Do we think of these as "English presentations" or simply "great presentations"? When you watch Steve Jobs present on stage, are you learning "presentation skills" or "English presentation skills"?
In my view, while there are "presentations in English," there aren't really "English presentation techniques." Presentation skills are universal, regardless of whether you're presenting in Chinese or English. Language proficiency is a separate matter that depends on your regular practice and effort. The key is to master presentation techniques first, then adapt them to different languages for smooth delivery.
When I gave lectures in Japan (in English to international students), I first created my slides in Chinese and then converted them to English. Since most of my slides relied on visuals with only key terms, the audience had no trouble following along (one key point per slide, combined with extensive visualization meant the audience didn't need to spend time reading the slides). The real challenge was translating my fluent Chinese presentation into clear and effective English. This required extensive practice beforehand. Remember though, practice doesn't mean memorization – it means speaking out loud to yourself, and for important presentations, even recording yourself. Yes, I admit it's more challenging when working with both techniques and language. But whether you're presenting in Chinese or English, one truth remains constant: No matter the language, thorough preparation and dedicated practice will always be the key to success!
—*Written by Dr. Jeff Wang, author of "Techniques of Teaching" and "Work-Life Balance Techniques"*
