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Deborah Grayson Riegel

American author Mark Twain once commented: “There are two kinds of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars.”

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American author Mark Twain once commented: “There are two kinds of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars.”

In other words, no matter how experienced you are when it comes to making presentations, there is going to be some particular audience, topic, or timing that is going to give you some sleepless nights and an upset stomach in the morning.

But for a growing subset of global business professionals—those who need to present in English when English isn’t their native language—the anxiety related to speaking in public is even more pronounced.

Considering the language barriers to overcome, the cultural norms to learn, and the general challenges associated with public speaking, nonnative English speakers have it harder than most.

This course makes it easier.

Dozens of courses provide instruction in how to improve your presentation skills. But Business Presentation Skills for Nonnative English Speakers is a practical, tactical, and supportive how-to course aimed at addressing the unique problems that nonnative English speakers like you experience when they attempt to deliver a presentation in public.

This isn’t an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) course, nor is it an accent-modification class. It’s a tool kit to help you develop your confidence, competence, and cultural comfort when you have to make business presentations in English and English isn’t your first language.

My name is Deborah Grayson Riegel, and I’ve taught presentation and communication skills all over the world – from the Beijing International MBA program at Peking University in China to Wharton Business School in the United States, and with global clients all with company names you definitely know and with products and services you probably use every day.

This course captures the tips, tools, and techniques I’ve shared with my clients from every continent (except for Antarctica – so far. ), and have written about in my book, “Tips of the Tongue: The Nonnative English Speaker’s Guide to Mastering Public Speaking”.

This course is for you if:

  • English is your second (or third or fourth) language.

  • Your job requires you to make presentations frequently.

  • You work for a global company.

  • You experience anxiety when speaking in public, and your worries are worsened by the extra burden of having to speak in English.

  • You feel like your English is pretty good—until you have to make a presentation in front of an audience.

  • You are afraid that you’ll say the wrong thing, gesture inappropriately, or bore the audience.

  • You worry that your struggle to present in English will undermine the message you are trying to get across.

  • You are self-conscious about your accent.

  • Presenting in virtual or hybrid environments creates additional challenges for you.

  • You want improve FAST. (If you do the work in this course, you should get better quickly. )

This course will help you to:

  1. Develop your Confidence

  2. Increase your Competence

  3. Improve your Cultural Comfort

...when making business presentations in English.

And what if your first language is English? Keep watching. If you could use a refresher on how to structure your presentation, engage your audience, manage the questions and answers (Q&A), and more, then you’ll find a lot in here that’s useful for you, too.

I hope you join me on this learning journey. I have so much to share with you.

Let's get started, shall we?

Warmly,

Deborah Grayson Riegel

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Recognize what makes a successful business presenter in any language
  • Overcome the specific challenges of nonnative english speakers while maintaining your authentic voice
  • Identify and reduce visible signs of anxiety in making presentations
  • Increase confidence in a variety of presentation settings
  • Speak clearly and understandably in english, regardless of accent or fluency
  • Reduce reliance on speaking notes when presenting
  • Organize ideas quickly and logically
  • Use body language to express ideas, increase understandability, and build connection
  • Master challenging questions and answers
  • Present data and stories effectively
  • Design and deliver slides (without reading them!)
  • Integrate your own cultural norms and language into presentations to educate, engage, and inspire
  • Show more
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Syllabus

Part 1: Setting the Foundation for this Course

Welcome! In this lecture, you'll learn what to expect in this tool kit to help you develop your confidence, competence, and cultural comfort when you have to make business presentations in English -- and English isn’t your first language.



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I interviewed some of my global clients and colleagues to learn what specific challenges they faced when they attempted to make a presentation in English. In this lecture, you'll learn what they had to say about their roadblocks and struggles -- as well as their hope for developing their skills.

While different cultures may approach presentations differently, in this lesson, you'll learn five behaviors exhibited by the most successful presenters in any culture!


Here are five more presentation behaviors that are valued across the globe.

It’s hard enough becoming an excellent presenter, and doing it in a language that isn’t your native tongue is even trickier. Here are four special considerations to help you get the most of every presentation opportunity.



The first step to learning any new skill is knowing what you know, and knowing what you don’t. Take one minute for this quick self-assessment. You can download the written version of this assessment, or just write down your answers somewhere you can revisit them at the end of this course.


At the end of this section, you will understand what contributes to your presentation anxiety, and have several concrete strategies to overcome your concerns.

Presentation anxiety is natural and normal. But letting your fear get in the way of your professional competence and competence -- and your career -- isn't the best option. Here's how to put it in perspective.

Everyone gets nervous at one time or another – even the most experienced speakers. And yes, even native English speakers! Whether it’s presenting a new topic, presenting to a new audience, or presenting to an audience who knows you well – and who will see you again tomorrow, we all have scenarios that make us feel more or less comfortable and confident.

Download the checklist to help you identify which concerns undermine your confidence, so you can work on them.


Your mindset matters. It can even control your body! Here's how to rethink FEAR so that your mind is working for you rather than against you.

Who know that breathing was such an important part of preparing to speak? Well, now YOU do. Here's how to use this simple technique to put your mind at ease.

Chances are, the biggest fears you have about public speaking are made up in your head. (Really!) Here's how to challenge your catastrophic thinking with actual facts.

Do you think that presenting would be easier if only there were nobody in the audience? Here's how to make the presence of other people work for you rather than against you.

What if you can't stop sweating or shaking? Here are some concrete tips to mask signs of anxiety that you're afraid your audience will see. (And chances are, it's WAY more noticeable to you than it is to them.)

By the end of this section, you will know how to structure a presentation, answer challenging questions, and present slides and stories that capture your audience's attention (in a good way).

The 3 V's of communication are all important to master to become an excellent presenter. Learn what they are in this video!

If your presentation is unfocused or disorganized, you will lose your credibility. Learn how the "Presentation Diamond" provides a simple structure for organizing your presentation quickly.


You have only seconds to make a powerful first impression. In this lecture, you'll learn what to say and how to say it to make a meaningful, memorable impact right from the start.

In this video, you'll learn three organizational frameworks:

  1. Problem Solution

  2. Chronological

  3. Geographic

Download the handout that accompanies this video, as well as the next video. It will include concrete examples of each framework.



In our last video, we shared three organizational frameworks:

  1. Problem Solution

  2. Chronological

  3. Geographic

In this video, we’ll explore three additional ones to give you a wide range of options:

  1. Cause and effect

  2. Middle ground

  3. Rule of Three


In order to make your main points come together fluently and fluidly, you need to connect and weave those points together through a logical flow of ideas. Transitions ease the listener into the next idea, provide internal structure, create suspense and intrigue, and serve to hold your whole presentation together.

Download the attached worksheet to follow along.



As much as you might dread taking questions from the audience, they actually provide an excellent opportunity to increase buy-in, clarify ideas, and determine next steps.  Download the attached handout to follow along with the 8 questions you need to ask yourself before you tackle the Q&A.

Every presenter needs concrete strategies for how to handle questions -- including those you know the answers to, and those you don't. This lecture will offer you approaches and language you can use to help you take control of the Q&A.

Hopefully, the questions your audience ask you are simple and friendly. But sometimes, you will get a question from a frustrated or angry colleague, client, or boss. What should you do? Watch this lecture to find out!

Should I use data? Should I tell a story?

The answer is yes. You need to know how to do both, and which one you use will depend on who is in your audience.

At the end of this section, you will learn how to manage your pace, pitch, and pauses so that you are MORE than just understandable -- you are powerful!

Pausing is a gift. It's a gift to your audience so they can catch up their processing with your speaking. It's a gift to you so you can catch your breath, drink some water, "read the room", and check your notes. Here's how to embrace the power of the pause.

How do you know if you're speaking too loudly or too quietly? Watch this video to find out!

It can take a while for an audience to really understand a nonnative English speaker -- but not as long as you think.

Download the handout for an exercise that will help you determine whether you're speaking at the right speed for your audience to capture and consider what you're saying.

By the end of this section, you will know how to use you hands, eyes, and overall movement with ease.

Every presentation is an opportunity to create a positive impression. And while the verbal language you use, as well as your tone of voice, can signal to your audience how to feel and think about you, no element of communication is more powerful and influential than your body language. Here's what to do, and what NOT to do.

Download the attached handout so you can practice your stances.

Eye contact can have different meanings in different cultures. Here's how to get more comfortable with looking people in the eye while you're speaking, even if it doesn't feel natural to you.

If you stand behind a podium or table, you'll look like you're hiding. Here's how to move around the room with confidence.

Your hands communicate to your audience whether you're closed or open, disagreeable or agreeable, and nervous or confident. Here's how to make sure you come across the way you want to be perceived.

Your slides can enhance your presentation, increase understanding, and inspire buy-in. And they can also bore, overwhelm, or confuse your audience. Here are a few simple tweaks that you can make to your slides to make them less of a distraction and more of a vehicle for understanding.


Download the attached handout to follow along.

By the end of this section, you will understand how to present yourself with "cultural intelligence" without losing your authenticity.

In this video, you'll learn three cultural considerations to be aware of when presenting in English.

Times have changed, and your language needs to be gender-inclusive. This can be tricky if your native language has feminine and masculine gender marks for pronouns, nouns, adjectives, etc. Here's how to speak in a way that's inclusive and respectful of everyone.

As a professional, you want to show that you are respectful of your audience. And you also want to make sure that your audience is respectful of who you are, too. No matter where you were born, or where you live now, you are entitled to bring your full self to your work. That includes your presentations. Here's how to bring your unique background and culture to the forefront.

Wrapping it All Up

Before you watch the final video, take a moment to assess your readiness to put what you learned into practice. (You will remember these questions from the beginning of this course.)

Feel free to follow along by downloading the written version of this assessment, or you just write down your answers to compare them to how you responded in the beginning of the course.



You did it!  And I am proud of you for putting the time and effort into completing this program.

I hope that you have learned many useful techniques that you can actually use immediately in your very next presentation. And trust me: I am using many of these myself every single day.

Please keep in touch. Let me know if I can be helpful to you and your colleagues in any way.

Once again, I have includes a resource sheet to help you with your ongoing learning.


Here’s to many successful business presentations!

Respectfully yours,

Deborah Grayson Riegel


Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Demonstrates an awareness of specific language and communication issues faced by non-native English speakers, which can help you build confidence in your presentations
Teaches specialized strategies and techniques for non-native English speakers to succeed in business presentations
Provides guidance on overcoming common challenges faced by non-native English speakers during presentations
Instructor Deborah Grayson Riegel has extensive experience teaching presentation skills globally, bringing valuable insights to the course
The course is designed to improve presentation skills in a variety of settings, enhancing your adaptability and effectiveness
While primarily geared towards non-native English speakers, the course can also benefit native English speakers looking to refresh their presentation skills

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Business Presentation Skills for Nonnative English Speakers with these activities:
Study English Grammar
Reviewing English grammar can help you avoid making common mistakes in your presentations.
Browse courses on English Grammar
Show steps
  • Review grammar rules
  • Complete grammar exercises
  • Take a grammar quiz
Attend TED Talks
Watch TED Talks to observe how successful presenters structure their presentations, engage their audience, manage questions and answers, and more.
Show steps
  • Visit the TED website
  • Select a TED Talk on a topic you're interested in
  • Watch and observe the presentation
Enunciate in front of a mirror
Practicing enunciation will help you to speak more clearly and understandably in English, regardless of your accent or fluency.
Browse courses on Pronunciation
Show steps
  • Stand in front of a mirror
  • Practice speaking clearly and slowly
  • Pay attention to your pronunciation
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Attend a Toastmasters meeting
Toastmasters is a great way to improve your public speaking skills in a supportive environment.
Browse courses on Public Speaking
Show steps
  • Locate a Toastmasters club near you
  • Attend a meeting
  • Participate in a speech or discussion
Create a presentation on a topic you're passionate about
Creating a presentation on a topic you're passionate about will help you develop your public speaking skills and share your knowledge with others.
Browse courses on Presentation Creation
Show steps
  • Choose a topic
  • Research the topic
  • Create the presentation
  • Practice delivering the presentation
Start a blog about public speaking
By writing about public speaking, you can deepen your understanding of the topic and share your knowledge with others.
Browse courses on Public Speaking
Show steps
  • Choose a blogging platform
  • Create a blog
  • Write and publish blog posts about public speaking
Contribute to open source projects
Contributing to open source projects is a great way to improve your coding skills and work on real-world projects.
Browse courses on Software Development
Show steps
  • Find an open source project to contribute to
  • Read the project's documentation
  • Make changes to the project's code
  • Submit a pull request

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Learners who complete Business Presentation Skills for Nonnative English Speakers will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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