Resource of the Week #132: “Presentation Tips for Non-Native Speakers”

Hello again. As you may recall, our resource last week was an article titled “How to Give Better Talks”. This week’s resource is an article on a related topic. The title: “Presentation Tips for Non-Native Speakers”.

This article is from the Science Careers website, associated with the journal Science. The author is Elizabeth Pain, Science Careers contributing editor for Europe. The tips can aid non-native speakers giving talks in any language.

Among the tips in this article are the following:

• Identify words that often occur in your research field. Then practice their pronunciation with native-speaking listeners.
• Use slides more than you otherwise might, so the audience can see all your main points.
• Prepare notes, so you can consult them if you forget a word. (However, do not just read your notes.)
• Rehearse repeatedly. And get feedback from those listening.
• Speak slowly, to help people understand what you say. When pronouncing initialisms (such as DNA and HIV), pause between letters.
• If you have trouble understanding a question at the end of your talk, perhaps ask a native speaker whom you understand well for clarification.

I found this article helpful and well written. I recommend it.

Until the next post—

Barbara