VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE

COURSE SYLLABUS
I. General information

1. Course title PRESENTATION SKILLS

2. Course code NVA106

3. Type of course (compulsory, optional) Compulsory

4. Level of course Bachelor

5. Year of study (if applicable) 1

6. Semester when the course is delivered 2

7. Number of course credits allocated 3 (2 theoretical credits + 1 practical credit)

Independent study: 90 hours
8. Name of lecturer(s) N/A

9. Mode of delivery (face-to-face, distance Face-to-face

learning)

10. Prerequisites Students are required to have completed all the

Language Skills courses.
11. Language of instruction English

12. Work placement(s) N/A

II. Course overview

This course is designed to prepare students for success in typical presentation situations and provide them with
practical skills of presentation, fundamental principles of organization, research and delivery that are needed
for effective speeches. The thematic topics of the course are as follows:

● Techniques in effectively preparing, organizing, and delivering different types of speeches in both
academic and other settings
● Techniques of oral presentation and persuasion 

● The use of visual aids (pictures, charts, graphs, power point) to enhance speaker presentations 

● Cultural conventions and the use of verbal and non-verbal messages in public speeches

III. Course learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. prepare for a presentation in terms of the audience analysis, information/materials gathering, ideas
organization, and the introduction/conclusion development of a presentation
2. apply appropriate techniques, including using language, projecting the voice, and using body language
1
 3. select ICT applications for learning and research
4. demonstrate communication and teamwork skills
5. develop creativity, problem solving and critical thinking skills
6. show appreciation of standards of professional conduct

IV. Recommended or required readings

Required readings
● Lester, A. (2009). Present for Success: A powerful approach to building confidence, developing impact
and transforming your presentations. Marshal Cavendish International.
● Lucas, Stephen, E. (2009). The art of public speaking (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill. (Chapters 4, 5 and 6)
● Powell, M. (2002). Presenting in English: How to give successful presentations. Thompson.
Recommended readings
● Comfort, J. (1995). Effective presentations. OUP.
● Ellis, M. & O’Driscoill, N. (1992). Giving presentations. Longman.
● Mandel, S. (2000). Effective Presentation Skills: A Practical Guide to Better Speaking. Course
Technology.
● Reynolds, G. (2010). Presentation Zen design: Simple design principles and techniques to enhance
your presentations. Pearson Education.
● Reynolds, G. (2012). Presentation Zen: Simple ideas on presentation design and delivery (2nd ed.).
Pearson Education.
● Williams, E. J. (2008). Presentations in English: Find your voice as presenters. Macmillan.
Websites
● http://changingminds.org/techniques/speaking/speaking.htm
● https://www.ted.com
● http://sixminutes.dlugan.com
● http://soappresentations.com/downloads/

V. Course contents and schedules

Sessions Course contents Required Planned learning activities

readings and teaching methods
Course introduction (course syllabus, Lester (2009): pp. Lecture
assessment, evaluation forms) 1-14 Group presentation
1
Discussion
Presentation Nerves
Peer feedback
Planning your Presentations Lucas (2009): pp. Group presentation
74-140 Discussion
Peer feedback
Lecture
2 Practice: Plan and do audience
analysis + Come up with a
topic for group presentations
Homework: Gather materials to
support the chosen topic

2
 Organizing and Outlining Lester (2009): pp. Group presentation
15-28 Discussion
Powel (2002): pp. Peer feedback
10-19 Lecture
3 Practice: Prepare the outline
and organize ideas + Apply the
learned techniques and phrases
to prepare for group
presentations
Group presentations (A1) Group presentation
Peer feedback
4 (Evaluation should be made based on Instructor’s feedback
students’ choice of topic, and
organization of ideas in the presentation.)
Using Language Lester (2009): pp. Group presentation
29-47 Discussion
Powel (2002): pp. Peer feedback
62-85, 92-103 Lecture
5
Practice: Choose a topic, and
prepare the script for mini
individual presentation 1 +
using appropriate language.
Projecting your Voice Lester (2009): pp. Group presentation
49-60 Discussion
Powel (2002): pp. Peer feedback
6 32-61 Lecture
Practice: Using voice varieties
+ Rehearse for mini individual
presentation 1
Mini individual presentation 1 (A2) Group presentation
Peer feedback
7 (Evaluation should be made based on Instructor’s feedback
language use, and voice used in the
presentation.)
Body Language Lester (2009): pp. Group presentation
61-85 Discussion
Peer feedback
Lecture
8
Practice: Applying body
language in presentations +
Prepare for mini individual
presentation 2
Using Visual Aids Lester (2009): pp. Group presentation
87-123 Discussion
Powel (2002): pp. Peer feedback
20-30 Lecture
9
Practice: Practice using visual
aids in presentations + Prepare
for mini individual presentation
2
Mini individual presentation 2 (A3) Group presentation
Peer feedback
10 (Evaluation should be made based on Instructor’s feedback
students’ body language and use of
visual aids in the presentation.
3
 Managing the Environment Lester (2009): pp. Group presentation
125-140 Discussion
Peer feedback
11
Lecture
Practice: Prepare for final
individual presentations
Trouble Shooting Lester (2009): pp. Group presentation
141-153 Discussion
Powel (2002): pp. Peer feedback
12 104-119 Lecture
Practice: Dealing with
issues/problems during a
presentation
In-class discussion for final individual Discussion
13 presentations Peer feedback
Instructor’s feedback
Final individual presentations (A4) Individual presentation
14 Peer feedback
(Evaluation should be made based on the Instructor’s feedback
provided evaluation form.)
Final individual presentations (A4) Individual presentation
(cont.) Peer feedback
15 Instructor’s feedback
(Evaluation should be made based on the
provided evaluation form.)

N.B.: The schedule was planned with 15 four-period meetings and thus should be amended by Instructors
to fit 12 five-period meetings.

VI. Assessment scheme

Percent of
Assessment tasks Scores Weighting
final grade
A1. Group presentation (3-5 min./group) 50%
A2. Mini individual presentation 1 (3 Midterm 50% 30%
min./student)
A3. Mini individual presentation 2 (3 30%
min./student)
Final 70%
A4. Final individual presentation (5 70%
min./student)
100% (Passing Grade:
5/10)

(See detailed rubrics attached.)

VII. Course alignment matrix

Programme
Teaching
learning Assessment
Course learning outcomes (CLOs) and learning
outcomes tasks
activities
(PLOs)
CLO1 – prepare for a presentation in terms of the
audience analysis, information/materials gathering, ideas L + D + GP + A1 + A2 +
PLO1 – L2
organization, and the introduction/conclusion P + PF A3 + A4
development of a presentation
4
 CLO2 – apply appropriate techniques, including using PLO1 – L2 L + D + GP + A1 + A2 +
language, projecting the voice, using body language P + PF A3 + A4
L + D + GP + A1 + A2 +
CLO3 – select ICT applications for learning and research PLO3 – L1
P + PF A3 + A4
D + GP + P +
CLO4 – demonstrate communication and teamwork skills PLO3 – L1 A1
PF
CLO5 – develop creativity, problem solving and critical L + D + GP + A1 + A2 +
PLO4 – L1
thinking skills P + PF A3 + A4

CLO6 – show appreciation of standards of professional L + D + GP + A1 + A2 +

PLO5 – L1
conduct P + PF A3 + A4
(Note: L = Lecture, D = Discussion, P = practice, GP = Group presentation)

VIII. Course policies

A. Grades
Grade Policy: All grades are public and transparent to all students. Instructors are required to inform students
of their midterm scores during course time. Any queries about their midterm scores should be raised and
answered TWO WEEKS prior to the instructor’s submission of the scores to the Faculty Academic Office.
Group Work Policy: All group members are required to take part in a group oral presentation and/or written
project and thus receive the same score(s) based on the whole group’s performance. Once formed, groups
cannot be changed except for cases of students’ extended hospitalization.
B. Technology and Media
Students are encouraged to contact instructors via email after class hours if they have any queries about the
course contents, lessons, etc. The instructor’s email address should be provided in the first meeting of the
course.

C. Student Expectations
1. Attendance in all sessions is strongly recommended. Participants are required to give advance notice of
their absence in case of illness or any other situations. However, 80% is the minimum attendance required
for a student to take the final test.
2. The use of mobile phones and/or laptops for personal purposes without instructors’ permission is forbidden
during class time.
3. Participants are expected to be well prepared and take an active role in class discussions and work
collaboratively with their peers.
4. Forms of plagiarism and cheating will lead to a failing grade or zero on the assignment or test.

Date of approval: January 2021

Approved by Prepared by

Department of Language Skills

Nguyen Dang Nguyen, Ph.D.

Dean, Faculty of English Linguistics and
Literature