Ashley Montesino-Padron - Blog #1 - 09/17/2025

 

I enjoyed the presentations. I felt anxious, but it turned out good. I believe my group did an amazing job. We had good communication and did everything possible to make sure the presentation would go smoothly. Everyone worked hard. I enjoyed all four presentations and learning new things. Everyone gave strong presentations. You can tell that they did their research and worked hard. 

Group 1:

My group had chapters 1, 2, 3, & 5. I hope my part is good. Aquilah did a great job talking about how to overcome the fear of public speaking. She talked about speech anxiety which is "the fear of speaking in front of a group." She talked about the main sources of uncertainty, such as the role as a speaker, the lack of confidence, uncertainty about the topic, the audiences' reaction, etc. She later mentioned about giving yourself a confidence boost. You can do this by recognizing your strength, using positive self-talk, and practicing mindfulness breathing. She talked about how to prepare before your speech, how to act during the speech, and what to do after. Aurora gave a good explanation of chapters 1 & 2. For example, public speaking class is the most valuable college course and helps you build a life skill. Adrian talked about listening in public speaking and why it matters. I like how he used statistics. He explained the components of listening. He listed some effective listening strategies, such as mindful listening, suspend judgement, and slow listening. Calixto talked about knowing your audience. For example, knowing your setting. How you're going to present your speech based on location, occasion, and the time of day. Carlos gave a good explanation of chapters 3 & 5.

Group 2: 

This group had chapters 4, 6, 7, & 8. This group did a good presentation on what is the purpose of your speech and how to start writing your speech. I like how Isabelle talked about the rules of brainstorming and evaluating & selecting a topic. I enjoyed how they explained how to identify your specific purpose. Are you going to persuade, inform, or is it a special occasion? Daniel talked about thesis and that "it must be specific, concise, and preview main points." It was later talked about how to prepare to research your topic. I like how they said to use libraries, databases, primary and secondary sources, events, social media, and talking to experts. I like how they showed how to maximize your searches, such as trying advanced search tools and keywords. They also included recognizing and avoiding plagiarism. It's important to give credit whether it be a book, website, or speech. 

Group 3:

This group had chapters 9, 10, 11, & 12. I like how Venshell talked about the importance of having a strong opening and ending in your speech. A strong opening captures your audiences' attention. I like how she compared a strong opening and an opening that is disorganized and dull. She explained how to write a powerful conclusion. I like how Kevin talked about language and culture. He explained slang, idioms, clichés, jargon, and euphemisms. I didn't know what jargon and euphemisms was. I learned something new. I like how Matthew explained dynamic vs. static and immediate vs. distant. He also gave a good explanation on inclusive and visual language. I like that he provided a guideline for using language in speeches. I like how Melany explained some basics of visual design and compared two images. She showed other visual and audio media such as video, music, whiteboards, and document cameras. I like how Lillian showed that you can use different presentation software such as PowerPoint, Canvas, and Google Slides. She explained how to deliver media effectively and the common mistakes that one makes. At the end of this presentation, Julien explained about selecting a delivery method and I like how he explained it. Sometimes we may forget little details, but its those little details that can affect your delivery. Delivering your speech isn't only about what you're going to say, but how you manage your voice during your speech. He explained that you need to control your breathing and to speak loud and clear. It's important to know what you're going to say and how you're going to say it, but body language is also important. He explained that the speaker should dress appropriately, make eye contact, use facial expressions, and have good posture. Overall, this group had an amazing presentation on how to prepare and deliver your speech effectively. 

Group 4: 

This group had chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17. This group's presentation is about different types of presentations. The first type of speech is informative speeches. Victoria explained different characteristics. I like how she explained that informative speeches need to be accurate and clear. She also provided a guideline for effective informative speeches. This guideline is helpful for writing an effective informative speech. Adriel explained that practical persuasion is trying to convince an audience to do something specific. I like how he provided an outline. He also gave a little presentation, trying to persuade us to buy those black JBL headphones. I enjoyed Mrs. Sinkoff demonstrating her lip gloss. He gave a good explanation on persuading a negative or positive audience. He also explained three types of audiences: divided, uninformed, and apathetic. Meli explained different parts of an argument, which I find helpful. To write a good argument, you need to know the different parts of an argument. She explained how to use claims, evidence, and reasoning. She gave a good explanation on each part of an argument. She explained that the speaker should avoid fallacies. She gave a good explanation and examples. Yamil provided a guide for distance speaking, which is something common nowadays. I find this guide helpful. I also like how Grace explained about being a media spokesperson, making contact, and the digital media we have at our reach. 

Conclusion: 

To sum up, each presentation showed me how to get better at public speaking and how to write an effective speech. You learn something new every day.