Getting the message across Chris Pickering Skills Library

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Getting the message acrossChris
PickeringSkills _at_ Library
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Aim of session

• Planning
• Its not what you say, its the way that you say
  it
• Tips and strategies

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What have you observed?

• Turn to the person next to you and make a list
• of the good and bad practice which you have
• seen whilst in school

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Four key elements of a good presentation

• AM/PM
• Audience
• where are they coming from?
• what do they need to know?
• Message
• what are the most important things to get across?
• Presenter
• how to present with impact?
• Medium
• Whats the most effective medium to use?
• how to control it?

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Thinking about your audience

• How would you lead a discussion on whether, due
  to overcrowding, prisoners should be released
  early with-
• A group of 6th form students
• A year 7 group
• A group of prison education officers

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Issues to consider

• Vocabulary
• Prior Knowledge
• Interest levels
• Academic knowledge
• Concentration span
• Expectations
• Tone and humour
• Cultural and gender differences
• Maturity

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Purpose

• Selecting material
• How much time do you have? (Practice to make sure
  it fits!)
• What key messages do you want to get across?
• What activities are you going to incorporate?
• Do these give basic understanding or extend
  learning?
• What is your expected outcome?

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Structuring your message

• Beginning
• outline the content and your angle and grab their
  attention
• Middle
• decide the best message order for logical flow of
  ideas
• activities to underpin your learning points
• End
• summarise the main points and restate your angle

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Or put another way.

• Tell em what you are going to tell em
• Tell em
• Embed the message
• Tell em what youve just told em

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To structure your message

• Break your lesson into sections
• Aide memoires prompt cards/ notes etc
• Give each section a heading
• Write one heading and a few prompt words onto a
  card/slide
• Dont write full sentences
• Number the cards/slides in the correct order
• Divide material into essential points and extra
  points
• Adapted from Sheila Cottrell the Study Skills
  Handbook

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You the presenter

• How confident are you in
• Using your voice (clarity and volume)?
• Using body language (gestures, facial
  expression)?
• Timing (speed, detail, length)?
• Responding to audience (eye contact, changing
  pace given cues)?
• Dealing with nerves?

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Making an Impact - clarity, volume, timing and
non-verbal signals

• Getting this right requires practise and feedback
• Where you stand needs planning
• Make eye contact with the audience
• SMILE (or not?)

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Effective Communication

• Know about what you want to say.
• Look at people when you speak to them..
• Speak clearly and keeping what you say simple and
  uncomplicated.
• Choose the right time and context to communicate.
• Ensure that your words, body language and voice
• match what you are saying.
• Summarise and check that people understand you.
• Give clarity to what you are communicating by
• attending to signs of other peoples confusion,
• resentment or lack of interest.

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Names power

• Develop strategies for knowing the student on
  sight
• Repeat their names often
• Develop a seating plan with photos
• Word association helps

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Eye eye, whats all this ear?
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Breathing exercises

• 1 fuel - lungs
• 2 sound voice box
• 3 shape lips and tongue

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Feeling tense?

• Clench and release your hands
• Breathe evenly
• Have water to hand
• Stand straight
• Focus on the outcome, not the here and now
• Have your visual aids ready
• Slow it down
• Cool is cool

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On oasis of calm

• However panicked you feel, project an aura of
  control and calm
• Have all your exercises, handouts etc in order
• If possible set up before the students arrive

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Start as you mean to go on

• How do you greet your class?
• Individually
• Collectively
• Expecting a response
• Smile or scowl or dead pan

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Strategies

• Be prepared, but flexible
• Create a trusting and caring atmosphere
• Think calm, be calm
• Consistency is everything, always
• Communicate your plan clearly
• Check you have been understood
• Address problem behaviour immediately

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Strategies

• Establish and maintain eye contact
• Move around the classroom
• Increase proximity to restless students
• Signal for silence
• Wait quietly for silence (nerve-wracking but
  effective)
• Ask direct questions
• Employ positive reinforcement

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Being prepared

• Be early
• Have a structured lesson plan
• Be clear about your expectations
• Have all your resources available
• Know your class
• Be positive and calm
• Exude confidence
• Dont be side-tracked

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Your observations

• Whats on your list of good and bad techniques?
• How many of these will work for you?

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And finally..

• No man is an island, complete unto himself..
• So if in doubt, ask, seek advice and help