elizafilbyThis post has kindly been written for us by workshop organiser Dr Eliza Filby

Do you suffer from a lack of confidence or nerves when you speak?  Are you finding that you spend a lot of time writing conference papers that fail rather than fly?  Aspiring historians can make as much impact in what they say than as from what they write – whether it be through teaching, job presentations, media engagement or conference papers and yet we receive very little helpful training in core communication skills. Indeed in the age when students are now ‘customers’ and academics are increasingly encouraged to disseminate their research to a broader audience, it has never been more important for academics to be effective communications.

Most public speaking course however are delivered by ‘external’ coaches who have no understanding of what is required in the academic world. The one-day course provided by the IHR is designed for historians (at any stage of their career) who wish to rid themselves of nerves and inhibitions and to think imaginatively and broadly about how to communicate their work to various audiences. The course is entirely interactive; you will not sit there and listen to ‘experts’ but will be called upon to practise your skills.

Working with a professionally trained actor and an academic, this workshop will take participants through the process of how to write and deliver a speech. In the first session you will cover how to structure a speech for different audiences, the use of appropriate language and imagery, audio-visual aids and how to master the academic Q&A. In the second session, we will focus on your performance. Drawing on acting techniques used in the leading drama schools, participants will discover how to improve their diction, resonance, range and articulation as well as relaxation and breathing techniques to calm nerves.  For this day, all participants will need to prepare 150-word punchy summary of their research designed for a non-academic audience (on printed paper) as well as one powerpoint slide designed for an academic audience (on a memory stick). All participants will present their work, be taken through the Q&A  and receive individual feedback.

For more details and to register see here.