Sensei Rob's Five Rules of Presentational Speaking
Sensei Rob's Five Rules of Presentational Speaking provide beginning speakers with five easy-to-remember guidelines related to physical delivery. Learning and implementing these rules will improve the delivery habits of any speaker.
Sensei Rob's Five Rules are:
- Speech Stance
- Stay Put
- Sway Not
- Still Hands
- Solid Gestures
This video, in my experience, provides a number of benefits for students who see it and instructors who use it. First, it provides terminology that students and instructors alike can use when discussing speech performances. This shorthand has the effect of increasing the quality of feedback that students receive on speeches because two words can be used to communicate several sentences worth of description. Additionally, it provides students with a mental checklist which can be easily recalled as they rehearse their presentations. While this didactic approach may be unconventional, it is effective because of the principle of cue-specificity in memory recall. The uniqueness of the presentation of the five rules allows students to more readily recall the speaking principles. Additionally, the video provides a number of tips and tricks to help ameliorate or eliminate common problems students have when delivering speeches. Having watched the video, students are well-prepared to practice their speeches and improve their speech delivery behaviors.
Here's what others are saying about Sensei Rob's Five Rules:
"I used the video because it was a succinct, entertaining and engaging way to help my students remember some important rules about presentational speaking. I've shown the video to seven sections, and all have responded extremely positively. The video's given me and the students a reference point from which to draw when discussing their speech performance, how to practice and how to improve their skill sets."
“The video is entertaining while highlighting common mistakes made in presentations by beginning speech students. The organization of the presentation enables the students to easily remember the main points. The students enjoy watching me laugh through the video. It has never lost its entertainment value for me. Why? Because Rob hits on a very accurate representation of the foibles of many... even most... student presentations!”
“I use "Sensei Rob's 5 Rules" as an introduction to the major components of delivery. The rules are simple and catchy enough that they're not overwhelming, and yet they are still comprehensive. The students respond well and even use them in their peer feedback. I usually end up referring back to them throughout the entire semester!”
“I use Sensei Rob's 5 Rules of Presentational Speaking because they are an effective way of teaching physical delivery. I know that they are effective because even later in the semester, the students still refer to the rules in peer feedback and in their own self-evaluations. For example, they will make comments such as "good speech stance" and "sway not." They've also made comments later on in the semester about how it has helped them prepare and improve for future presentations.”
“I show Sensei Rob's video to my classes because it is a fun, different way to talk about delivery. The students really seemed to enjoy watching the video and it was nice for them to hear the principles of presentational speaking delivery from someone besides me. Not only is the video fun to watch, it also reinforces the things we have been talking about in class.”