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| Oral Communication
99FF
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Oral communication in this case includes both second language skills and public speaking. As an interpreter and general extrovert, I have opportunity to develop both areas. Often, people in Central America think I am from Spain, not only from my complexion but because of my very good Spanish. Yet they know it is not Central American, it is something much stranger. Thus, I infer, the only other place where people speak strange but native Spanish is in Spain. Of course true Spaniards laugh at the implication that I am one of their own. I am highly fluent in Spanish, speaking, reading, and writing. I am in my eighth non-consecutive year living in Central America and I am married to a Costa Rican woman. I have run many workshops and given professional presentations in Spanish. I t ook a course on persuasive speaking at Dartmouth College and since have given many speeches and presentations using the techniques tht I learned, combined with my interpretation skills. My approach is to practice considerably and learn (not memorize!) my presentation and then use an outline only as a reference. Most of the time I am interacting directly with my audience, using props, moving around through the audience, using humor, volunteers, and other techniques of effective public speaking. A couple of notable presentations include the keynote address to the 2003 annual conference for the Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education — when the scheduled keynote didn't show up! I also gave a presentation in Spanish in front of 70 international professionals in World Heritage Site management and protection at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre’s seminar on tourism planning and major archeological sites in February 2006. Granada, Spain. I was the only speaker of nearly two dozen to stand up, using a wireless mike, walk around near the audience, and use objects. |
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March 15, 2006
