Making Student Presentations Effective and Beneficial for Everyone!

In this practical workshop based on materials from "QualityTime-ESL: The Digital Resource Book", participants will watch short films and see how students manage to perform certain oral assignments in an authentic ELT classroom. They will have an opportunity to comment on written instructions and experiment with them by playing the part of students in pair work activities.

If you are planning to attend this session, I suggest you print out the 20-page digital handout that you will find below the summary and bring it along.

Summary

Teachers will have an opportunity to see how students manage to perform certain oral assignments in an authentic ELT classroom. They will receive material they can immediately use with their students in electronic files they can “customize” to suit specific needs. Short clips will demonstrate the following oral presentations: introducing a classmate, presenting an on-going project in a PowerPoint slide show, giving a thank you speech, doing an interview, presenting an ad.

Teachers will, for certain activities, discuss in pairs the instructions given, the results obtained and possible adaptations they would make. They will “test” the activities themselves pretending to be students. Although these assignments may be considered “traditional”, the new aspect lies in the type of instructions given and the opportunity for both teachers and learners to be inspired by what other students have done.

These clips have been shown at several conferences and teachers have been impressed by the language and style of the students. Yet these students are very typical ELT learners, who have always had difficulties speaking in front of others. The solution lies in the instructions given (detailed with guidelines concerning vocabulary/structures), the language training prior to their performances (oral exercises—comprehension, expression), and the models that are shown.

Today electronic files offer teachers the possibility to share and “personalize” teaching materials to better meet student needs. QualityTime-ESL: The Digital Resource Book is my way of sharing what has worked the best for me with teachers worldwide in the hope of enhancing teaching techniques and cooperation.