Presentation Skills
PowerPoint Presentation Skills
I have taught many classes how to use PowerPoints, including Gr.8 Socials, Gr.5 LA, ESAL 0450, Russian high school students, and Korean business students. I go over the main pitfalls/mistakes students make, such as focusing on the design rather than content, crowded slides, irrelevant or not enough info, too much clipart or distracting transitions, etc. However, my main emphasis is on how to make a persentation that people will actually remember and learn from. I often have students choose their own topics - something they know a lot about and their classmates do not - usally because it is a short-term program with no time for research and no computer lab time. I go over the principles of plagiarism, but for the reasons listed above, I allow students to use an online pwpt and give credit to the creator. The focus is on three areas: delivery, content, and listener response. The first picture below tells you the 10 things I assess for student presentations.
Presentation Activities
Demonstration Presentations
I sometimes have students present about a process they know how to do which is something they can demonstrate. This is either presented to the whole class or to small groups. Visual aids include posters, whiteboard, ELMO, Pwpt, Internet links, and other manipulatives. I often model a demonstration presentation by showing everyone how to make an origami crane. I've listened to and participated in many great presentations, including: how to understand morse code, how to play poker, how to play sudoku, etc.