PowerPoint
What the
resource is, how it works and what you need to make it work:
PowerPoint
is a presentation software, if you want to talk about something you can make a
presentation and engage the audience that you are talking to. The program uses
a graphical approach to presentations in the form of slide shows that accompany
the oral delivery of the topic. Anyone can create a presentation, it is easy to
learn and it is already used worldwide. PowerPoint presentations can be made
into photo albums, you can complete it with music background, you can write a
text and you can use many cool effects. Most of the schools have already this
software in the school computers which makes it easy for the pupils to use it
in the classroom environment. This software can be used by adults and by
children that know how to use a computer. Nowadays the children learn how to use
a computer in a very early age and to learn use this software would e no
problem since it is easy to understand. If the pupils have difficulties on
understanding how to use the software, the teacher can make a short introductory,
showing the class how it works. You need to buy the Microsoft office package
and you need a computer to be able to use it, then you can start making your
presentation as you want, the only thing standing in your way is your
imagination.
How the
resource can be used by teachers:
PowerPoint
can be used in many different ways. As a teacher you can use PowerPoint to make
presentations for example when wanting to teach the pupils about a task or to
explain the language. You can also use it to tell them stories, you engage the
pupils more if you show them different pictures instead of only reading, it
creates a funnier environment in the classroom and you can catch the attention
from the pupils especially if they are in the earlier year of school.
How the
resource can be used by pupils:
The pupils
can use PowerPoint by making every kind of presentation. For example if they
want to practise their language speaking, they can make a presentation about themselves;
they can make the presentation with lots of photos and music and tell what
their life is like.
The pupils
can also use PowerPoint if the teacher has given them a task that involves oral
presentation, they can use PowerPoint as support in what they are talking
about.
Other
considerations when using this resource:
There are
many ways in using PowerPoint and these things that I have mentioned are only
few examples on what you can do. A negative thing in using PowerPoint presentations
is that it has so many effects and while making your presentation you can
overdo it. It can be too messy and hard to follow up for the audience that is
listening. It considers me that a child’s mind is nothing like adults and when
using this way they can be stuck on details that are not so relevant for the
presentation. But after all, if they are going to make a presentation in the
classroom than the audience will be in the same age as the one who is making
the presentation and it will not be so much difference in their mind when it
comes to how they think and what they like.
Serjan Hajra
Serjan Hajra
Hello Sejran!
ReplyDeleteI chose to comment on your blog post as PowerPoint is a program I have used a lot, both as a teacher, student and in previous professional experience outside the area of education and teaching. Further, I found several valid points in your blog post that I think are important for teachers to have in mind when using PowerPoint.
You write that one of the pros about using PowerPoint for presentations in the classroom is the fact that you can include visuals (pictures) as well as written text and audio, as pictures will help getting through to learners – especially the younger ones. I definitely agree that this is one of the stronger arguments for using a program like PowerPoint when doing a presentation in front of the class. 'A picture conveys more than a thousand words' and pictures can be very efficient to use when explaining something. I have read that when children who are not yet strong readers (or not able to read at all) look at a page with both written text and pictures, they are (naturally) going to notice and consider the pictures rather than the written text. We might claim that adults do the same as pictures speak so clearly, but I have actually read that if an adult reads a book with a lot of pictures to a child, the adult will focus on the text before actually considering the pictures (indeed, I have noticed that I tend to do just this). My point is that we need to always have the recipient in mind when putting together PowerPoint presentations; if the recipients are meant to be young children, we should consider what part we wish the pictures to play, even more carefully than with adults. Are they meant to aid in the explanation of something, along with speech or written text? Or might it be better to sometimes consider only speaking – perhaps the audience will pay more attention to what you are saying then. Or maybe you might want to focus on only a picture, and not have any verbal language or sounds 'competing' for the childrens' attention. So I think there is a lot to consider, from a pedagogical point of view, with regards your choices of visual, audio and written text (as you briefly point out in the last paragraph, stating 'other considerations'). However, different children (and, indeed, people) learn in different ways, so the more ways of communication, the better – as long as it is done with consideration and thought.
You mention that the pupils may use PowerPoint in order to tell stories (e.g. about their lives). I agree that this is an excellent way to use different ways of expressing yourself, as you are able to use pictures, music and other sounds to accompany verbal language – written or spoken. Using pictures and sounds, gives the pupils a way to choose what to emphasise – it helps to use different shades or nuances of language, something that is often difficult for L2 learners with merely verbal texts.
Something that I like about PowerPoint that you did not point out is how it is a useful tool for the presenter in terms of structuring and organising what is going to be said (when complementing your PowerPoint with oral speech). With the help of the slides and other functions, the PowerPoint provides support for the presenter as it helps you to remember what to say and when to say them.
When it comes to making photo albums with music, etc., I find that other programs such as Photostory and iMovie may be a bit easier to use. In general, when involving recorded sounds, I find that PowerPoint tends to act a bit clumsily. Therefore, it is good to know a little about a few similar programs in order to choose one that is easy and appropriate for your specific project.
Lisa Carlson