UNIT 16: PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES AND INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES

The first impression not always is the most important, but is the one that will give learners an idea of how it will work and the teacher’s methodology and also what a lesson will be about. That’s why a teacher needs to be ready for giving a good introduction to a topic for the first time and get learners’ attention.

This unit emphasizes what I just wrote before. On the one hand there are presentation techniques, which are the ways used by a teacher to present or introduce new language such as vocabulary, grammatical structures and pronunciation for the first time. On the other hand there are introductory activities, which are those, used by a teacher to introduce a lesson or teaching topic.

The introductory stage of a lesson helps students to focus on the lesson and its content. There are two kinds of introductory activities: The first are known as warmers and are often used to raise students’ energy levels or to make them feel comfortable with the class right before it starts. They are not always connected to the topic of the lesson. The second are called lead-ins and are used to focus on the topics or new language of the lesson. They can also focus and motivate students and make link between the topic of the lesson and the students’ personalization.  

I also learned that the presentation stages (Presentation, practice and production PPP lesson and the Task-based learning TBL lesson) also must include introductory activities.

One of the ways I will include this on my future teachings will be according to the presentation stage. For example: for PPP lessons I will have an aim for it. I will also contextualize the new language, I mean; I will put it in situation that reflects its meaning. 

I will also apply eliciting or do a choral drill to make sure students remember previously studied language needed to practice and make sure students do less controlled and free practice, among other things I can do. For the TBL lessons I will have a complete task as the aim of it. I mean an activity in which students try to achieve something real and have to communicate to do it. I will start the class by proposing a discussion on the topic of the lesson followed by some tasks they can do. I will also explain some possible vocabulary or language needed to complete those tasks and they will do the exercises based on that new language.

For more details about the topic, visit the below links:

• Williams, M. (2011) Presentation techniques and introductory activities. Retrieved from:        http://teachingknowledge.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/pppytbl.pdf

• LANGUAGE LINK (1997) Presentation techniques, approaches and introductory activities. Retrieved from: http://jobs.languagelink.ru/tefl_clinic/teaching_knowledge/glossary/presentation_techniques_approaches_and_introductory_activities.php

• Ayara, E, E. (20013) What are the presentation techniques and introductory activities? Retrieved from: https://prezi.com/favx3bysftea/what-are-presentation-techniques-and-introductory-activities/