Communication Public speaking Response
ANSWER
Blanca, you’ve highlighted some valuable points regarding the pros and cons of using visual aids in speeches. It’s evident that visual aids can greatly enhance a presentation by improving audience understanding and engagement. When used effectively, they can clarify complex concepts, evoke emotions, and maintain audience interest. However, you rightly pointed out potential distractions when visual aids are not integrated seamlessly or when they overload the audience with information.
Your personal preference for using visual aids depends on the context of your speech. It’s natural to feel nervous when speaking in front of an audience, and visual aids can serve as a helpful crutch for some, making the experience more manageable. Still, it’s essential to balance their use with professionalism and relevance to your topic.
In the case of a motivational speech with storytelling, your presence and storytelling skills might be sufficient to captivate the audience. Ultimately, the decision to use visual aids should align with your message and your comfort level as a speaker. Effective public speaking involves adapting your approach to suit your audience and content, and you’re on the right track by considering these factors.
QUESTION
Description
Please respond to blanca with 150 words
The pros for visual aids when giving a speech is for the audience to understand and make sense from what the speaker is saying and showing. This gives increased understanding and helps draw conclusions. Visual aids can also spark interest in the audience which means more listening. It can also help explain what the speaker is saying, gives clarification, and even builds emotional connections. The cons for visual aids is when it distracts the audience. Usually this happens when the speaker passes an item around, gives a handout, or demonstrates a very wordy PowerPoint. The audience will stop listening to the speaker when they look at an item or read from a handout or PowerPoint. Another con is when the visual aid is not professionally done or it doesn’t make sense with the speech, the audience can get distracted or become uninterested in what the speaker is saying. If I wasn’t so nervous to give out a speech to an audience, I wouldn’t use a visual aid. It also depends what speech I would be giving out but if it were about a motivational speech with storytelling, I wouldn’t present a visual aid. But as the person I am right now, I do not mind presenting a lengthy PowerPoint with my speech in front of the class. I get very nervous when everybody looks at me, so I would prefer them looking at the PowerPoint than me, but that does not show professionalism at all, so overall I wouldn’t use a visual aid when I give a speech on how to become successful in life.