HOW TO BE A GOOD…

Having good language skills may not be needed in a lot of today’s jobs, but it can definitely help you start a career that is closely tied to words. Imagine being a politician, a comedian, a public speaker or a teacher without this essential skill. What would be the odds of your success?

(1) …………...… : (i) ............. it is important for you to have a way with words, you need to practise speaking in front of a mirror, work on your pronunciation and improve your body language. It is (ii) ............. equally important to learn to pace your speech well. Bring down your speaking speed in order to allow yourself time to think, observe the dominant atmosphere in the room and pick your words wisely.

(2) ………...…… : Not only do you need to keep people engaged and have them keep listening to you, but you also need to keep them laughing and entertained. To do this, you must have a good sense of humour and be able to develop a rapport with your audience very quickly. (iii) ............., you will be left with an audience who badly want you off the stage. Even though this job requires natural talent, you still need to learn the basics of what makes people laugh. Taking a few courses on writing jokes and the anatomy of laughter can prove extremely useful.

(3) ………...…… : In addition to being humorous and having a good rapport with students, you need to exert authority over them. Obtaining and maintaining authority in a classroom is essential to the success of your lessons. (iv) ............. being cherished, you need a reasonable amount of respect so that students do not count on your compassion and forgiveness but ‘fear’ your authority and being in control. To achieve this, choose your words and moments of silence wisely and add appropriate body language to complement your words.