Presentation and Demonstration.docVIP

Presentation and Demonstration 1 Introduction to the presentation skills Presentation stage is one of the most important stages in language teaching. Its aims are to introduce new vocabulary, teach new structures or functions and give other necessary information. It represents the introduction to a lesson and can be achieved through using pictures, dialogues, imagination or actual “classroom situation”. Having understood the concept, students are then given the language “model” and engage in choral drills to learn statement, answer the question forms for the target language. This is a very teacher-oriented stage where error correction is important. 1.1 The necessity for presentation It would seem fairly obvious that in order for our students to learn something new (a new word, a text, how to perform a task, etc) they need to be first able to perceive and understand it. One of the teacher’s jobs is to mediate such new material so that it appears in a form that is most accessible for initial learning. Given the limited time and resources of formal classroom setting, effective and comprehensible presentations can help students to perceive and understand the new material and can also activate and harness students’ attention, effort, intelligence and conscious learning strategies. Presentations may not often occur at the first stage of learning. They usually come at various stages in a teaching session, and may be directed to individuals, groups or the whole class. Whatever the situation, the elements of a good presentation remain the same. Therefore, the ability to present or instruct new materials effectively is an essential teaching skill. Its purpose is to enable the teacher to facilitate students’ entry into and understanding of new material, and thus promotes further learning. (Penny Ur, 2000:11-12) 1.2 Techniques for effective presentation The following guidelines on giving effective presentation will be helpful for teachers: Prepare In order to give effe