The pandemic has forced the hands of teachers and students to shift to virtual classes. That means to convey the key points of a topic; teachers have to create presentations and use it to teach the more practical parts of the subject. They need the presentation so that they have the points with them. Also, it is the best way to teach students too.
Even before the pandemic a lot of schools and colleges used presentations to teach their students. It is a common teaching method in prestigious colleges and night schools. So, it is not new, but for teachers who always interacted with students, face-to-face might find teaching through presentation online a bit challenging.
Also, since it is online teaching, your presentation would be a bit different than the one you make for seminars or meetings with colleagues, and all. However, the basics haven’t changed. So, here are a few tips that will ensure that your slideshow for your online classes comes out smooth and informative.
Let’s check these out.
- Find the right template
As a teacher, you have tons to do, like grading papers or making worksheets along with the responsibilities of your home. So, give yourself a break and use a template for your slideshow. You don’t have to create a presentation from scratch, that takes tons of time. Finding a perfect template that suits your subject and the age bracket of your students is simple in all slideshow software like Canva or PowerPoint or Slidesgo.
- Keep the content simple and effective
You want your students to see the key points of the subject on the slides. But you also want them to pay attention to what you are explaining to them. Right? The best way to do that is by keeping the text of the slides simple. Writing paragraphs explaining your subject is never a good idea as it distracts the students. They would be busy noting them down or reading and will completely miss what you are saying.
Thus, to keep your presentation efficient, use bullet points (five per slide) and write only the main points. The rest you are there for.
- Make the presentation fun
The pressure to teach a class of 50 using skype or zoom is high, and you do have back-to-back classes. But still, try to keep the presentation- both the slides and lecture a bit fun. Add in a joke or have fun while teaching so that students remember and learn better. When something is fun, we retain it more.
- Start correctly
Don’t rush the class by starting the presentation as soon as everyone joins. The better start for your class is when you take the time to interact with the pupils first. Then tell the students that today, you will play a presentation for the subject. Make the students understand the objective of the slides, and then start playing it.
- Use visuals for support
Whether you are teaching math or biology or even computers, you can use tons of images or short clips or graphs and tables to teach. They can even replace text and are a great way to show examples for any fact that you state in the slides. Therefore, make sure you use the best images or clips and use the ones which are relevant to the subject.
Also, make sure there are not more than two images per slide. Otherwise, it will clutter the slide and won’t come out nicely.
- Include mind maps
Mind maps are an interesting way to start or end a slideshow. It incorporates all the takeaways of the subject and helps students retain the same. It is an organizational hack that allows you to establish a hierarchy from topic to key points and then to examples.
- Use flashcards
Creating flashcards in your slideshow gives you a unique way to interact with the students and flourish their learning. Use audio or video or image for the same.
- Work on body language
You are not used to teaching in front of a camera. So, it will take some time to get used to it. And thus, practice the way you present the slide minding your body language. Sit straight, don’t slouch, and use hand gestures to make it interactive.
- Make use of Infographics
Infographics can substantially aid students in learning a difficult topic. You can find relevant infographics online or create yourself using simple online tools. For a biology class on different organs and their functions, an infographic is a great visual to get the students remembering about it.
- Keep the transitions to a limit
When you are teaching a class online, you want them to pay attention to what you have to say and use the slides as a reference. You do not want the students to get distracted by words flying and sliding off the screen. Right? So, yes, never use such fancy animation as they do not look, professionals.
Instead, add wipe left to right transitions so that points come one by one and you are better able to talk about one more point before moving on.
- Give students time to process
If you are using the presentation for a subject for over 10 minutes during the entire forty-five minutes class, be sure to let the students catch a breath. They need to process the slide and the information that you shared with them. So, after a while, take a pause, and interact with the students.
Ask them if they have questions about a particular slide or topic before moving on. Interaction is the main element if you want the students to remember what they have learn during the slideshow.
- Be yourself
Students are just as nervous as you to learn online with aids and presentations helping them with practical parts. So, be casual and not come across as distant or formal. Try to keep the environment light by saying a joke or something funny.
These tips will help you create a better presentation and present it to the class. A presentation can help a student understand the topic better, so carry on with your presentations and teaching with these tricks.
