Guest Lecture on Public Speaking Skills

One of the Public Speaking Lecturers of the English Department, Faculty of Humanities Udayana University, Anak Agung Sagung Shanti Sari Dewi, S.S., M. Hum., M.App.Ling, was invited to give an online guest lecture in the English Department of Faculty of Economics and Humanities, University of Dhyana Pura on 20 April 2021. The event was attended not only by the students of the department, but also by the general public. 


On the occasion, Ms. Shanti emphasized how communication skills has become one of the main skills that should be mastered by all students. This skill will not only be beneficial to support their studies, but, most importantly, when they enter the world of work. “Oral Communication skill is the major skill that university graduates found useful nowadays”, she explained. In one of her lecture’s session, she shared tips on how to be fantastic on stage and to overcome all the obstacles the speaker/communicator might face before and during a presentation, which are mostly lack of confidence, nervousness and anxiety. Making the best preparation is one of the solutions offered, including understanding the following three key points, namely 1) know the need of audience; 2) know the materials thoroughly; and 3) know our weakness and strong points. She also encouraged the audience to keep practicing, and eventually closed her lecture by delivering a quote from Waldo Emerson “All the great speakers were bad speakers at first”