"You're going to get a 0 if you don't do a presentation."

I've heard many teachers say something like this to students who were reluctant to give presentations in class. I've also heard them try to convince students to present because "it's important to develop public speaking skills."

And yet I've never seen these motivational efforts work. Granted, some students will slink to the front of the class just to salvage their grades. But they never even look at their audience. Instead, they read--often inaudibly--their presentations word for word. No "0" for these students, but no public speaking skills either.

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