/ Giving a Talk










 Your role as a front-line extension worker demands that you are
 often performing before an audience: during field days, at training
 sessions, 4K Clubs and women's groups, in seminars and staff
 meetings-on many occasions when you are called on to inform,
 instruct and advise. Performing in public is an art that is developed
 only through constant practice; but in this chapter you should find
 some general guidelines and hints that should help you get the
 most out of your practice in the field.
 However, you are you. Therefore, you should work out a style that
 suits your own personality. Don't try to be somebody else by
 imitating a teacher from your past or one of your colleagues. For
 instance, some people are good at telling jokes and some are not.
 Some people find they can touch an audience with their quiet
 sincerity; some can excite their listeners with their own dynamic
 enthusiasm. But find your own style. Whatever your own person-
 ality, you can develop an approach that both suits you and works
 for your audience.

 It is, though, important to take into account how your audience will
 be receiving you. Remember that the farmers in your area will not
 be accustomed to interpreting diagrams or learning from sophisti-
 cated teaching aids. But they are very familiar with the spoken
 word! Especially the older members of your community will have
 been well exposed to messages being conveyed by word of mouth-
 in barazas, stories and songs. You will often need a picture to
 describe more easily a structure or a process-but many of your
 audience will expect to be stirred by what you say.