Anything that demands humans to speak in front of a group, induces an unknown fear within themselves. Be it a self-introduction for a class 10 student or a PowerPoint presentation as a working professional, confidently speaking with utmost clarity is quintessential to succeed in this fiercely competitive world.
If you are a student, learning how to introduce yourself in English at an early stage can act as a lifesaver for you in the coming years. It’s really sad to see that even working professionals struggle with self-introduction and public speaking because of which they are losing the opportunities they deserve. If you don’t want to be one among them, keep scrolling for a while and never get worried about self-introduction in your life again.
Purpose of Self-introduction
As the name suggests, you as a speaker, are letting the listeners know who you are. It’s as simple as that. Hence, it should be as straightforward and as relevant as possible to not make the listeners yawn while you are on the stage. If you are a class 10 student, you shouldn’t talk beyond what’s relevant to your classmates and teachers while giving a self-introduction in your classroom.
To effectively fulfill the purpose of self-introduction in the best possible way, you need to primarily focus on two things.
- Audience
- Context
If you don’t narrate in a way the audience can receive and understand, then it’s a wasted effort. At the same time, highlighting things about yourself that are not so relevant to the context will entirely distort the purpose of self-introduction.
Key Elements of Self Introduction
Let’s understand this better by dividing the key elements of self-introduction into two categories.
Non- Verbal Attributes
No matter how sensibly you speak during your self-introduction, if you don’t understand the following non-verbal elements of self-introduction, you don’t get the attention you deserve. What are those non-verbal elements of self-introduction? Let’s have a look…
- Smile– To start with a positive vibe.
- Eye Contact– To display confidence.
- Posture– To let the audience know you are interested in them.
- Gestures– To not let the attention of the audience go away.
- The tone of voice– To sound authoritative yet authentic.
- Appearance- To look formal and respect the stage.
Content
First things first, Instead of speaking randomly, get the content ready before you face the audience. While doing this you need to keep two things in mind.
- You are allowed to speak for a limited time.
- Hence, the content you speak should be concise and well-structured.
With that being said, let’s look at the ideal way to structure the content in your self-introduction.
Structure of Self Introduction
As we discuss the structure of self-introduction, you need not structure your introduction in the order we discuss. In fact, structuring in such a way makes your self-introduction sound very boring. After you understand the structure, jump over to the templates so that you understand how to structure without necessarily following the same order.
Salutation:
Be it a self-introduction or any other public speaking activity, it should start with a proper salutation. For students, it should be extremely formal whether they are addressing the headmaster, class teacher, or just their classmates.
Eg: Good morning everyone, Hello everyone, etc. The salutation can be just as straightforward.
Personal Information
Start with your name, followed by telling where you come from. You can even add info about your parents and their occupations. But, this part is entirely optional.
Optional Personal Information you can provide includes:
Academic Information
If you are introducing yourself outside your school, mention your school name. Give information like what you are studying, and in which class you are studying. Try relating your favorite subject to your future goals to not sound boring.
Optional Academic information you can provide includes:
- Significant academic achievements.
- Extracurricular activities.
- Passion projects.
- Any leadership/ volunteering activities.
- Special skills or talents related to academics.
You need not mention all of the above-discussed points. But, wisely include them based on the context so that the audience finds it time-worthy listening.
Your Aspirations
This is that section of your self-introduction that will help you stand out unique from the rest of your peers.
Why because,
Almost all the students have similar info while presenting their personal and academic information. But when it comes to aspirations, they are unique for each student.
While talking about any of your aspirations, instead of saying what you want to do, try explaining why you want to do what you want to do. This way you can let the audience understand your purpose and hence win a good first impression.
Also Read: Best Way to Write a Leave Application
Self-introduction Templates
You may consider the following English self introduction examples and rewrite your own version while introducing yourself based on the type of audience and the stage you are standing on. We covered self introduction for students’ templates for various contexts. Check the ones that you think are helpful for you.
Self-introduction template for a newly joined student
Good morning everyone,
My name is Siddharth, and I am delighted to be a part of this wonderful school. I come from Warangal, and my family moved to Hyderabad recently. As a student, I enjoy exploring different aspects of Science because I believe it will help me achieve my dream of joining the Indian Space Research Organization. I’m excited to get to know all of you and be a valuable member of this class.
In an event where different schools are participating
Good afternoon everyone,
I’m Bhavana representing [XYZ School] in this prestigious event. I come from Vijayawada and currently study in 9th grade. I’m passionate about Mathematics, and I embrace any challenge that tests my logical ability. That’s the reason why I developed this passion for playing chess and got this opportunity to participate in this prominent contest. My goal is to become an Engineer and build something for the world from India. It’s an honor to be here among students from diverse schools, and I’m excited to learn a lot through this experience.
Self-introduction template during an event in your locality
Good evening everyone,
My name is Chethana and I’ve been a resident of this colony for as long as I can remember.
I’m in 7th grade studying at [XYZ School]. Along with my studies, I enjoy being involved in various activities that polish my creative ability. My goal in life is to become a reputed fashion designer to promote Indian ethnic styles. I’m so excited to participate in this fancy dress competition and I’d love to thank all the organizers who are encouraging students like me to explore our strengths beyond academics.
If you have clearly read all three templates, you must have noticed the following points.
- While introducing yourself to your classmates, you need not mention in which grade or school you are studying.
- While addressing an audience outside your school, you have to mention your grade and the school you come from.
- While introducing to your own community, you need not mention where you come from.
Hence, to keep the self-introduction as concise as possible, try eliminating information that is either irrelevant or the audience would already be aware of.
Must Avoid Things During Self-Introduction
- Don’t be nervous– The audience in front of you is not there to judge you. In most cases, people love to see a person nail public speaking.
- Don’t miss eye contact- For heaven’s sake don’t look at the sky while introducing yourself!
- Don’t Fake- The more authentic, the more the appreciation. Remember, you may manipulate a person but not a group of people.
- Don’t speak unprepared- If you stammer just to talk about yourself, imagine the kind of impression you get.
- Don’t be too casual- While it’s not recommended to be super serious with self-introduction, it will only have a negative impact, if you consider it too casual.
Conclusion:
To conclude, self-introduction in English for students is not necessarily a means for self-promotion but it is definitely a basic capability that every student must possess to portray their self-confidence in the most effective way. Be it in school or college, following the above tips for writing a self introduction we discussed above will help you get a good first impression and boost your self-confidence.
