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Saturday, February 14, 2009

Commander-In-Chief = Master Communicator


Historic achievements aside, President Barack Obama has been such a successful communicator because of his passion and dedication to making change and making things right. Vaulted into the national spotlight just four short years ago at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, it was clear to many that this "skinny guy with big ears and a funny name" would not go quietly into the night.

Each president has their own communication style and some say President Obama's rhetoric in his main speeches is the best of the modern era including Reagan. Linton Weeks wrote in his NPR article "The Art Of Language, Obama-Style", that Obama is a first-rate orator and is getting much better at his impromtu responses.
Because he understands on a profound level that language is the way to hearts and minds, it makes sense to observe his word choice and manner of speaking very closely. In terms of style, Obama has a new way with words. Obamantics, maybe?

After listening and watching to your teaching sessions, with which speaking style are you most comfortable? Do your words match your intended message and do your students understand what you are trying to say? Are there times when your students looked confused or do they transition quickly from instruction to activity periods? Could you say the same thing with fewer words in order to minimize confusion? Mastering effective communication skills is a never-ending process because it encompasses all that we do, say, and emote in the oral, physical, and written senses. The NPR article mentioned that perhaps even Obama has not hit his speaking-ablility "ceiling".

And here is the rest of it.

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