Presentation Skills

Teaching presentation skills means equipping learners to deliver structured, effective oral presentations in English. This is a high-demand skill in academic, professional, and examination contexts, and one that integrates speaking, organisation, and audience awareness.

Why Teach Presentations

• Real-world need: University seminars, business meetings, conferences, and job interviews all require presentation ability
• Extended monologue: Most classroom speaking is dialogic (conversation, discussion). Presentations develop the ability to sustain a coherent monologue, which is a distinctly different skill
• Integration: Presentations require research (reading), planning (writing/organising), delivery (speaking), and response (listening to questions)
• Confidence: Structured practice with supportive feedback reduces public speaking anxiety

Components

1. Organisation

Teach a clear three-part structure:

• Introduction: Hook the audience, state the topic, preview the structure ("I'm going to talk about three reasons why...")
• Body: Develop main points in a logical sequence. Each point clearly signposted.
• Conclusion: Summarise key points, restate the main message, invite questions.

2. Signposting Language

Discourse Markers and signposting language are essential for guiding the audience through the presentation:

Function	Examples
Opening	"I'd like to talk about..." / "Today I'm going to cover..."
Sequencing	"First... / Moving on to... / Finally..."
Giving examples	"For instance... / To illustrate this..."
Emphasising	"The key point here is... / What's particularly important is..."
Summarising	"To sum up... / So, the main takeaway is..."
Inviting questions	"Does anyone have any questions? / I'd be happy to take questions."

3. Delivery

• Eye contact: Look at the audience, not the notes or slides. Teach the "triangle technique": shift gaze between three points in the room.
• Voice: Projection, pace (slower than conversation), pausing for emphasis, varying intonation to maintain interest.
• Body language: Open posture, purposeful gestures, not hiding behind a podium or screen.
• Visual aids: Slides should support, not replace, the speaker. Teach the "6x6 rule" as a starting point: no more than 6 bullet points, no more than 6 words each.

4. Audience Engagement

• Rhetorical questions
• Direct address ("Think about a time when you...")
• Brief activities or polls
• Anecdotes and concrete examples

Teaching Sequence

1. Analyse models: Watch effective (and ineffective) presentations. Identify what works and why.
2. Teach signposting language: Controlled practice of functional exponents.
3. Plan: Learners structure a short presentation using a graphic organiser (introduction → 2-3 points → conclusion).
4. Rehearse: Practise in pairs or small groups. Partner gives feedback on clarity and delivery.
5. Deliver: Present to the class or a larger group.
6. Feedback: Peer and teacher feedback using a structured rubric (content, organisation, language, delivery).

Progression

Level	Task
Elementary	"Show and tell": present a personal object in 1 minute
Pre-intermediate	Present information from a reading text (2-3 minutes)
Intermediate	Present an opinion with supporting reasons (3-5 minutes)
Upper-intermediate	Present research findings with visual aids (5-7 minutes)
Advanced	Persuasive or academic presentation with Q&A (8-10 minutes)

Common Pitfalls

• Reading aloud: Learners write a script and read it verbatim. Teach note cards with keywords only.
• No rehearsal: Unrehearsed presentations are invariably disorganised and over-time. Build rehearsal into class time.
• Feedback only on language: Content, structure, and delivery matter as much as grammar and vocabulary. Use holistic rubrics.