1. Use the questions listed in Unit 3 to create a list of all the tasks you will need to plan, design and create a presentation
2. Keep a copy of this list to use when you begin to think about your first presentation.
3. You may wish to add to or modify this list after you have completed your first presentation
Activity: knowing your audience - 5 minutes
1. Put yourself in your audience's shoes. What kind of presentation would you like to watch?
2. Make a list of your 'ingredients' for a dream presentation. Try to come up with at least 5 things that you think would make for a really entertaining and memorable presentation.
3. It might help to think about a presentation you've enjoyed. What made this presentation stand out from the crowd?
4. Keep a copy of these notes to use for inspiration when you start to create your presentation.
Activity: every presentation should tell a story - 10 minutes
1. Take a look at this presentation on 'death by PowerPoint': Death by PowerPoint
2. Think about the story which runs through this presentation?
3. Browse the the Slideshare site: Slideshare.net
4. Take a look at some of the presentations on the site. You can search for a topic you're interested in, or look at some of the featured presentations. See if you can find a story running through the presentations you view.
Activity: visual aids - 10 minutes
1. Think about a presentation you have seen where the visual aids enhanced the presentation. How did the visual aids enhance the presentation? What type of visual aid was used? Did the visual aids help explain any key points?
2. Think about a presentation where the visual aids did not enhance the presentation. Why was this? How could the visual aids have been improved in this presentation?
3. Make a note of your thoughts in your work book and refer back to these notes when you start to prepare visual aids for your next presentatio
Activity: extreme communication skills - 10 minutes
1. Watch the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsboPUjrGc
2. Make notes on the verbal and non-verbal communication in the video.
3. How much do you think the communication affected their performance - was this in a positive or negative way?
Activity: talking not reading - 10 minutes
1. Choose a passage of text that's roughly 100 words long. (this can be anything at all)
2. Read this passage aloud and then think about the following:
Could you have made eye-contact with an audience?
Do you notice the difference between formal written and more informal spoken English?
Is it possible to project your voice well while looking down at a page?
Activity: how can you better your grade? - 10 minutes
1. Read the list of points above that outline what assessors are looking for during a presentation.
2. Pick out the two or three that you instinctively feel that you will struggle with; for example if you know you are nervous about public speaking, pick the last one.
3. Make a note of these points and when you have to give a presentation make a concerted effort to work on these areas. You may find it useful to look at our other presentation courses to help you improve in these areas.
