This presentation looked at the benefits of using oral presentation tasks and what the expectations should be of academically sound presentations. It then discussed different activities and strategies that could be used to exploit presentation tasks to their fullest.

1. Oral Presentation Tasks:
Making the most of the Trojan Horse
Averil Bolster
Peter Levrai

2. The Place of Presentations
• Identified presentations as a major type of
academic oral discourse (Ferris & Tagg, 1996)
• Widespread part of student experience
(Alexander, Argent and Spencer, 2008)
• Academic presentations are ‘an integral part
of the network of academic genres’ (Zareva,
2009)

3. Features of Academic Presentations
• Based on interviews with faculty staff.
Research -
based
arguments
Verifiable &
Referenced
Synthesised
sources
Demonstrates
mastery of
subject
Time aware
Encourage
further
discussion

4. Multi-purpose Presentations
Academic Skills
Transferable Skills
Presentation Skills

5. Presentation Skills
Oral Fluency
Designing &
using visual
aids
Body
language
Dealing with
questions

6. Transferable Skills
Planning &
organisation
Group work,
collaboration,
cooperation
Time
management
Public
speaking

7. Academic Skills
Answering a
question
Research &
referencing
Argumentation
Genre
awareness

8. In the
classroom

9. General Principles
You are the model,
every lesson
Planning might be
quiet but
preparation can’t
be
Encourage
students’
presentation voice
Audience matters Content is king

10. Presentation Skill Development
The Carousel
• Students choose one
section of their
presentation e.g.
introduction
• Present it to different
people in turn

11. Presentation Skill Development
Present to self
• Present to a mirror
• Ideally, record
themselves present
• Then give themselves
feedback

12. Presentation Activities
Distilled Presentation
Students give the same
presentation three times.
• 10 minutes the first time
they present
• 5 minutes the second
time
• 1 minute the last time

13. Presentation Activities
Meaningful Tasks
A good presentation
task has:
• Context
• Audience
• Purpose
Describe
your
home
town
to potential
tourists
assessing
business
opportunities
evaluating
quality of life

14. Presentation Activities
Audience Matters
• Students prepare a
presentation on the
subject they study.
• First for high school
students.
• Then for university
students.
• Then for professors.

15. Conclusion
• It’s not just about getting students to talk.
• Good presentation skills alone do not
make a good academic presentation.
• Oral presentations should have the same
academic credibility as an essay.
• Through presenting students can learn
things valuable for their studies and future
career.

16. References
Alexander, O, Argent, S, Spencer, J (2008) EAP Essentials: A
Teacher’s Guide to Principles & Practice. Reading, Garnet
Publishing Ltd.
Ferris, D and Taff, T (1996) Academic Oral Communication
Needs of EAP Learners: What Subject-Matter Instructors
Actually Require. TESOL Quarterly. Vol 30, pp31-58
Zareva, A (2009) Informational packaging, level of formality ,
and the use of circumstance adverbials in L1 and L2 students
academic presentations. Journal of English for Academic
Purposes. Vol 8, pp.55-68

17. A good presentation …
… generates
questions