Learning and Leadership › Women’s Academy › Leadership and Management › Effective Communication & Public Speaking › Course Materials
Public speaking is a skill learned through practice, not an inborn talent. This course teaches the structure of a good speech, managing fear, body language, storytelling and presenting online, through short recorded exercises.
Course page in the learning system
Course details
| Level | Beginner to intermediate |
| Estimated duration | 8 hours of study and practice |
| Prerequisite | None |
| Language of instruction | Farsi-e-Dari (with key English terms) |
| Cost | Free |
| Assessment | A test after each section and a final exam; pass mark 70%; certificate after Academy approval |
After this course you will be able to
- Write a short speech with a clear introduction, body and conclusion
- Manage the fear of speaking in public with practical techniques
- Strengthen your message with body language, voice and eye contact
- Use storytelling to persuade and inspire
- Give a clear, professional presentation in an online meeting
Course outline
- Audience and purpose
- The main message in one sentence
- Three-part structure
- Why we feel afraid
- Practice and preparation
- Breathing and calm
- Pace and pausing
- Body language
- Eye contact
- Story structure
- Examples and numbers
- A memorable ending
- Camera and sound
- Simple slides
- Questions and answers
Week-by-week learning path
With about 30 to 45 minutes of study and practice a day, you will finish this course in 6 weeks:
| Week | Topic | Weekly output |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Foundations | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 2 | Fear and confidence | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 3 | Voice and body | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 4 | Storytelling | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 5 | Online presentations and slides | Lessons, practical exercise and short section test |
| Week 6 | Final project and final exam | Completed project and a score of 70% or more |
Final project
A three-minute recorded speech (audio or video) on an educational or inspiring topic, with a structured script, a story, a number or example, and a memorable ending, plus an improved second version after feedback.
Project assessment criteria:
- Clear structure (introduction, body, conclusion)
- Effective story and example
- Voice, pace and pausing
- Progress between the first and second versions
Key course terms
Public speaking
Audience
Key message
Storytelling
Body language
Eye contact
Pause
Presentation
Assessment and certificate
- After each section: a short test (70% recommended before continuing)
- Practical exercises in each lesson are for learning; send your questions via Questions the link provided.
- End of course: final exam (pass mark 70%) and submission of the final project
- Digital certificate after review and approval by the Academy: Request a certificate
Teaching approach
Each lesson includes learning objectives, explanations with real examples and images, key terms in Farsi-e-Dari and English, common mistakes, a practical exercise, a self-test and a summary. In every lesson you can put your questions to the teacher using the Questions button. The courses are impartial, free and open to all young people.
Get ready now
- Speak about yourself for one minute and record it on your phone
- Listen to the recording and write down one point to improve
- Watch a short inspiring talk and note its structure
Free and reliable resources
These resources were selected by the Academy team. Most are in English; Chrome’s Translate feature can help if needed. Large files (books, exercise files, videos) will be placed in the Academy’s official Google Drive folder when the course opens and linked from this page.
- OpenLearn – The Open University, hundreds of free short courses with a certificate of participation
- BBC Learning English, free English lessons with audio and video
- Coursera, courses from leading universities worldwide; most can be viewed free of charge (Audit)
Help and questions
Questions about this course: [email protected] · All courses: Online Learning Centre · Active course: Computer and Internet Basics
Women’s Academy, Afghanistan Youth Parliament · Free and open to all young people