JUSTIFYING AND APPLYING ORAL PRESENTATIONS IN GEOGRAPHICAL EDUCATION

Teaching students the ability to communicate is acknowledged to be a c entral objective of university education. The oral presentation of res earch findings by students represents an internationally used device b y which skills in spoken communication are developed and tested. Often , however, presentations are demanded from students with little prelim inary advice being provided on the keys to effective oral presentation . As well as addressing the shortcoming of inadequate coaching by prov iding practical advice on spoken delivery, this paper justifies the ap plication of oral presentations in university geography classes and pr ovides a strategy for assessing such formal talks. The paper should be of value to teachers, students and others about to fulfil a public sp eaking commitment in an educational setting.