THE MESSAGE

ORAL COMMUNICATION IN CONTEXT

By MA. JULIE ANNE C. GAJES

No

matter which model of communication

you study, every model includes the most
important element of all: the message.
You can't have communication without a
message. The word "message" actually
comes from the Latin mittere, "to send. "
The message is fundamental to
communication.

Origin of the Word

With

regard to public speaking and speech

communication, your speech is your
message. But you may have other intentions
for your speech as well: the message behind
the message. Perhaps you have a
singular goal, point or emotion you want
your audience to feel and understand. Every
single word that you use to craft your speech
then, works to achieve that singular goal,
point or emotion.

Goal of the Message

As

the sender, the speech writer and speech

giver, you may also be getting messages back
from your receivers: your audience. This is
what's known as feedback, when the receiver
sends a message of response back to the sender.
In this way, messaging becomes a
dynamic conversation of feedback as the sender
sends his or her message to his or her audience,
receives feedback from the audience, and then
adjusts the message accordingly based on said
feedback.

Work of the Speaker

Messages

can be sent both verbally and nonverbally. You can say one thing with your
words, but depending on how you say it and
the non-verbal cues such as posture and eye
contact, you may send an entirely different
message to your audience. That said, it's
important to consider all aspects of your
overall message, from verbal to non-verbal
to the meaning and message behind the
message, when crafting your speech.

How it affects communication

DELIVERY

The

most important element of an oral

presentation is, of course, the content and
ideas you are trying to communicate.
However, the communication of content is
often impeded by a poor manner of
delivery. Effective public speaking involves
the whole person, not just ideas. Manner of
delivery includes style of speech, handling
of equipment, dress, and movement.

You

must rehearse so that your presentation will

be clear, concise, and delivered in a relaxed and
understandable manner. Part of your rehearsal is
the drafting and report-planning process you must
go through to organize your topic, as well as the
process of preparing your visuals.
Get information on the kind of room in which you
will be delivering your oral report. How big is it?
What kind of sound system, if any, is available?
Always try to familiarize yourself with the physical
setting of your presentation beforehand.

Rehearsing Oral Presentations

Check

out any equipment you will be using, such

as overhead projectors, ahead of time. Be
prepared to give the talk in an alternative format
if properly functioning equipment is not available.
Never write out a full text of your talk with the
intent of memorizing it. A memorized written text
contains syntax appropriate to the page and the
eye but will be difficult for the audience of an oral
presentation to follow. If you are nervous, you
may forget key memorized passages and become
confused.

Use

visuals as your main cue cards--if they

are well designed, they will communicate
your key ideas to the audience and serve as
notes for you as well.
Write transitional phrases on the hard-copy
version of your visuals. Avoid using index
cards with notes on them. They will be
difficult to handle during your presentation
and will add to the clutter of materials at the
podium.

Your

first rehearsal should simply be a review of the

order of presenting your material. Riffle through your
visuals until you have an intuitive understanding of their
order and of their relevance to the organization and to
the purpose of your presentation.
Once you have established this intuitive flow for your
presentation, try delivering a version of the complete
report, noting those places where transitions or key ideas
are weak. Repeat this process several times until you are
satisfied that you have covered your topic clearly
and concisely with language appropriate to
your audience.

relaxed, extemporaneous style of speech and delivery will suit

most formal and informal oral report situations. Effective
speakers can deliver a presentation with great clarity yet with a
relaxed and open manner. Extemporaneous speaking does not
rely on a memorized text, nor is it a droning reading of a written
manuscript. Instead, this style of speaking relies on visuals as
cue cards. Let the main items on your overheads prompt you. If
you have rehearsed your presentation, you will have a store
of prepared but not stiff, memorized speech at your command.
Extemporaneous speaking employs syntax close to that of
conversational speech, without needless digressions or
repetitions. Extemporaneous speaking allows you to react to any
audience interaction on the spot without fear of deviating from a
memorized script.

Style of Speech

Identify

and try to avoid your verbal tics. All

speakers have verbal tics, those phrases or
sounds (for example, "okay," "umm," "and")
that they insert during pauses or between
sentences. Verbal tics, if repeated often
enough, will annoy an audience and distract
them from the content or argument you are
trying to develop.
Speak clearly and loudly. If you cannot be
heard you cannot communicate your ideas

Modulate

your voice to show emphasis. Oral

communication does not have access to the rich store of
typographical styles available to the writer to show
emphasis. You can, however, show emphasis by stressing
various words or by repeating key terms both in your visual
materials and in your speech. In addition, varying your rate
of speech will alleviate boredom and keep your audience
alert.
Face the audience and establish eye contact with them. If
you do not face the audience (and sometimes nervous
speakers don't), most likely you will seem distracted; if you
are facing the screen, you will not be audible. As you face
your audience, establish eye contact with them.

Point

to the screen to indicate parts of a

figure. If you bend over the overhead
projector and useyour hand or a pen to point
out parts of an overhead, you will most likely
obscure the full projectedimage and leave
your audience in the dark. Move back from
the projector, stand beside the screen,and,
while facing the audience, use a pointer or a
hand-held laser arrow to emphasize elements
ofthe overhead.

Handling Equipment

Avoid

excessive movement around the podium.

Unnecessary movements can distract the audience's
attention from the content of your presentation. Similarly, a
stiff, rigid posture will distance some audience members.
Adopt a relaxed yet inoffensive posture at the podium.
Remember, the audience is more interested in what you
have to say than in you. If you are delivering a formal oral
presentation before a large audience, position yourself so
that you do not obscure the screen behind you. Limit your
range of motion, moving comfortably between the podium
and the screen if necessary to underscore important items.
Do not meander around in front of an audience.

Movement

Hand

gestures may be used to show

emphasis, but as with verbal tics, be sure
you are not indulging in nervousness by
gesticulating unnecessarily.
Always face the audience to maintain
good eye contact and so that your voice
will project into the room.

Why

is it important to
learn about the
elements of the different
communicative
strategies?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

A speaker is allowed to say uhmm

from time to time.
Fix the microphone before any speaking
engagement.
Look at the ceiling when you are not
sure about what you are going to say.
Memorize your speech.
It is alright to read your report only
during the report.

Identify whether the statement about

oral delivery is correct or not.