A gesture is the movement of any part of the body to convey some thought or emotion. Gestures should always be purposeful. They must be natural and seem to grow  out  of  what  you  are  saying.  Avoid  artificial gestures and mannerisms that do not help to express an idea. Whenever you speak, you and the Navy will be judged  by  your  appearance.  Immaculate  grooming  will give you added confidence in facing your audience and will add emphasis to what you say. Voice Control The quality of your voice has a direct bearing on the effect you will create. Make sure you are loud enough to be heard. Nothing is quite so exasperating as trying to read a speaker’s lips to find out what he is saying. Volume should be increased so the person in the last row can  hear  every  word  you  articulate.  Expressiveness  is important too. An expressive voice varies the rate of speaking  and  appears  to  be  conversational  in  tone. Delivery Rate Some thoughts should be spoken slowly, some with feeling and some with excitement. Above all, the rate should be natural for the idea expressed and should serve to emphasize important ideas. Of course, the words selected  to  convey  your  ideas  must  not  be  overlooked. No speaker will ever have to contend with the criticism that he has a dull or faltering voice if he earnestly strives to get his point across and avoids sounding wooden and mechanical in delivery. AUDIOVISUAL AIDS Learning  Objective:  Identify  the  audiovisual  aids  used to  support  speeches. There are several types of audio and visual aids that a speaker can use to support his oral presentation. The materials  and  equipment  we  will  discuss  now  are available at the visual information or graphics divisions of  most  commands,  or  they  may  be  borrowed  from nearby training aids centers or video libraries. They can also be procured through normal supply channels by the speech writer or by the speaker himself. Most large public affairs offices, as part of their standard  office  equipment,  maintain  such  items  as 35mm  Carousel  and  overhead  projectors,  screens,  audio cassette recorders, stock video footage, a 35mm slide file,  videocassette  players,  television  monitors,  and  so forth. For the actual operation of this equipment, refer to the various manufacture’ guide books. Audiovisual aids (equipment and materials) fall into the  following  four  general  categories: Directly  shown  devices Optically  projected  aids Actual  objects  and  models Audio  or  sound  effects In  your  speaking  situation,  you  must  decide  what category   (or   combination)   will   best   serve   you   in increasing   your   ability   to   communicate   your information  to  a  particular  audience. DIRECTLY  SHOWN  DEVICES Directly shown presentation devices are reliable and relatively inexpensive. This category consists of charts,  graphs,  posters,  maps,  dry  marker  or chalkboards,  slap-ons  and  handouts. Charts A chart may range from a simple list to a complex portrayal   of   the   function   and   structure   of   an organization.  A  well-made  chart  is  simple  and uncluttered and adds immeasurably to the interest and clarity  of  your  presentation. A chart frequently used is the strip-tease outline chart.  This  chart  contains  a  brief  outline  covered  with strips of paper. The strips are removed when the right word,  symbol  or  phrase  is  needed  to  reinforce  the  oral presentation.  Of  course,  the  words  or  phrases  should  be arranged  in  logical  sequence,  corresponding  to  your  key word  outline  or  prepared  manuscript. The following is a list of rules you should keep in mind when you use a chart: l l l l l Use short phrases and words and illustrate their meaning,  inapplicable. Use  type  and  lettering  large  enough  to  be  seen easily. Use  highly  visible  colors. Do not use too many colors. Keep it simple. 6-18