“I’m an English teacher and teaching students how to design and integrate visual aids is just not my job!”
Not true!
Presentation is a communication skill and Business English involves teaching communication skills. Our students need to be instructed on how to manage business communication effectively, powerfully and creatively. If giving presentations is part of the curriculum, then guiding students on how to design and incorporate visual aids in these presentations is fundamental. Visual aids are not an afterthought or add-on but an integral part of any presentation. They demonstrate organisation of materials, clarify content and provide focus.
Here are 6 reasons to teach students how they should integrate visual aids into their presentations:
1. Another Dimension
Visual aids support. They help – “aid” – the listener to understand content, underline important detail and break down complex ideas and thoughts. Used in a creative but nevertheless logical way, they can add an extra dimension and transcend the spoken word, assisting the presenter in putting across the message in English.
2. Attention
Well-designed visual material sparks interest and focus and thus helps to keep attention and minimise distractions. Moreover, it appeals to those listeners who have visual preferences. Using both auditory and visual material can actually expand cognitive load rather than add to cognitive overload.
3. Memory
Presentation is about giving a message and a good presentation is about giving a message that is remembered, hopefully long after the presentation is finished. Visual information helps the presenter to take the listeners through the steps of listening, from attention to retention. It is likely that it is a striking image that is recalled and takes the listener back to the content, message and presenter.
4. Emotion
Just think for a few seconds about how these two contrasting images make you feel:
Emotion promotes learning and builds a relationship between the speaker and listeners, a pivotal reason for selecting presentation as the means of communication. Images foster emotions and emotions in turn make content more meaningful. The presenter shows a relatable human side and listeners respond. They feel – empathy, sadness, happiness, fun, inspiration, disappointment, joy, wonder, astonishment – connect and remember.
5. Professionalism
If you teach students to integrate visual material in a proficient organised manner, they will give better presentations. If you inspire them to be creative, original and imaginative, they will deliver great presentations. They will get noticed in the workplace because they are professional. They will demonstrate they understand presentation, can manage information and communicate effectively. They will show that they care. You will have done your job and have the satisfaction of having passed on an important building block of any future career to your students.
6. You
If you teach presentations, then you are going to have to listen to and assess many student presentations. If you teach the necessary skills, then your life is simply going to be easier and more enjoyable. You won’t have to sit through hours of presentations that do this:
but rather ones that delight, interest and inspire you!
This video tells your students all they need to know about designing and using visual aids: