Advanced Presentation Skills - Lesson 3

© 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc.

SkimaTalk Official Course

Advanced Presentation Skills Lesson 3: Using Signposts

1.  Practice, Practice, Practice

2.  Being Clear & Concise

3.  Using Signposts

4.  Using Emotion & Emphasis

5.  Know Your Audience

6.  Your Final Presentation

Advanced Presentation Skills

2 © 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc.

Today’s Lesson!

Session Guidelines

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Your session with your SkimaTalk instructor will be structured as follows:

Introduction / briefing

Deliver presentation (Using pages 11 – 13)

Teacher feedback / discussion

Exercises and feedback

5 min

5 min

5 min

10 min



Overview �

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What are Signposts?


Signpost: a word or phrase that guides the audience on the order or important elements of a presentation.

Example:

When I wake up in the morning, I always follow the same routine. First, I take a shower. Next, I get dressed. Finally, I eat breakfast.

Signposts

Signposts Will Help You Tell a Logical, Concise Story


Signposts will help you… l  Explain the order of events: use words such as first, second, and last to outline the

order of events.

l Highlight important information: use words such as the most important and the least important to highlight the importance of information.

l Build a logical argument: use words such as the primary reason and the secondary reason to build your argument.

Examples of Signposts


Order of Events Importance Logical Argument First The most important The first option

Second The least important The second option Third Also important is The final option

Before Equally important is The primary reason After Of most concern is The secondary reason Next Of less concern is The last reason

Finally Lastly

To conclude

Signposts in Action


Argument: Reasons why California is better than New York.

Argument without signposts California is better than New York. California has a diverse climate; you can ski and surf on the same day! California has a great economy with lots of technology companies. California has some of the best universities in the world, including Stanford and UC Berkeley. Argument with signposts California is better than New York for three reasons. First, California has a diverse climate; you can ski and surf on the same day. Second, California has a great economy with lots of technology companies. Lastly, California has some of the best universities in the world, including Stanford and UC Berkeley. For these three reasons, California is better than New York.

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Preparing For Your Presentation


You should spend 30 minutes preparing for your SkimaTalk session. To prepare, please take the following steps:

Review the presentation & sample presentation notes for this course (pages 11 – 17).

Revise the presentation notes (pages 14 – 17) by adding signposts where appropriate.

Practice delivering the revised presentation notes in front of a mirror.


Are You Ready?�

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Practice Presentation: Slide 1


The Grand Canyon: One of the Most Amazing Places on Earth

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The Grand Canyon is most famous for its amazing views and beautiful colors.

Amazing Views Beautiful Colors



It is also famous for its many large whitewater rapids

Granite Rapid (mile 93)

Crystal Rapid (mile 98)

Lava Falls (mile 179)

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Sample Presentation Notes: Slide 1


l  The Grand Canyon in the United States is considered one of the world’s great natural wonders.

l  Today I will explain to you why it is so famous!

TITLE SLIDE �



l  The Grand Canyon has amazing views. o  One reason the views are so great is because the canyon is over 1 mile deep! o  The canyon was formed by erosion, so you see many types of rocks as you move

down the canyon. o  There are almost no trees in the canyon, so you have unobstructed views of the

canyon walls.

l  The colors in the Grand Canyon are incredible. o  The different rock types are each a different color. o  A second reason the colors in the canyon are incredible is that the sun reflects off

the deep canyon walls at strange angles.

AMAZING VIEWS & COLORS



l  The Grand Canyon is also famous for its big whitewater rapids.

l Granite Rapid is the first big rapid in the Grand Canyon. o  This rapid is located at mile 93. o  It is one of the most famous rapids on the river.

l  Crystal Rapid is a rapid that is filled with big boulders. o  This rapid is located at mile 98. o  The rapid was formed in 1966 when a big flood washed boulders into the river.

l One of the last big rapids is Lava Falls, which is the most famous rapid in the Grand Canyon. o  Lava Falls, at mile 179, is a short rapid, but many consider it to be the most

difficult rapid in the Grand Canyon.

FAMOUS WHITEWATER RAPIDS

Sample Presentation Notes: Conclusion


l  I hope you enjoyed learning about the Grand Canyon and everything that makes it so amazing!

CONCLUSION �


Discussion�

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For Discussion: Example #1


Read the argument below and discuss how you can improve it by adding signposts

Argument: Italian food is the best food in the world.

Italian food is the best food in the world.

Most Italian food uses lots of fresh produce like tomatoes and olives.

Italian food includes a variety of dishes, including: pasta, pizza, and great wine.

Finally, Italian food is often cooked in olive oil, which gives the food a special flavor.

For Discussion: Example #2 (time permitting)


Read the argument below and discuss how you can improve it by adding signposts

Argument: Learning to walk is a 3-step process for babies.

Babies usually go through three steps when learning to walk.

The first step in the process is learning to crawl, which typically happens between 7 and 10 months of age.

Babies usually learn to stand between 9 and 12 months after birth.

Babies typically learn to walk between 12 and 15 months after birth. By 15 months, most babies are walking well.

© 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc. 21

End of Lesson We hope you enjoyed it!

Education

Advanced Presentation Skills - Lesson 3