The Art of PresentationActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning works well here because speaking confidence grows through immediate feedback and peer modeling. Year 1 students need repeated, low-pressure chances to practice with partners before presenting to the whole class.
Learning Objectives
- 1Demonstrate clear articulation and appropriate volume when speaking to a small group.
- 2Identify and explain two non-verbal cues that indicate attentive listening.
- 3Compare the effectiveness of prepared versus unprepared responses during a short presentation.
- 4Design a simple visual aid to support a spoken idea.
- 5Evaluate their own presentation delivery based on a simple checklist.
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Pair Practice: Mirror Talks
Partners face each other and take turns sharing a favorite toy or animal for 1 minute, practicing eye contact and clear words. Switch roles and give one star (good thing) and one wish (improvement). Repeat twice for fluency.
Prepare & details
What makes someone easy to understand when they are speaking?
Facilitation Tip: During Mirror Talks, have students practice one sentence at a time so they focus on pronunciation and eye contact before moving to longer thoughts.
Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging
Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet
Small Group: Idea Web Shares
In groups of 4, students draw a quick web of 3 ideas about their weekend, then present one by one with eye contact and clear speech. Group members signal understanding with thumbs up. Discuss what helped clarity.
Prepare & details
How do your face and body show that you are paying attention?
Facilitation Tip: In Idea Web Shares, give each group a single marker so students take turns adding one idea, which keeps ideas organized and builds turn-taking skills.
Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging
Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet
Whole Class: Confidence Circle
Students sit in a circle; each shares a sentence about their name or family while making eye contact around the group. Class echoes key words to reinforce clarity. Teacher models first.
Prepare & details
Why is it helpful to think about what you want to say before you start speaking?
Facilitation Tip: Start Confidence Circle with volunteers first so shy students see that brief, friendly eye contact feels natural and safe.
Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging
Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet
Individual Prep: Puppet Pals
Students plan a 30-second puppet show script on a daily routine, practice alone with a mirror for eye contact, then share with a partner. Note preparation differences.
Prepare & details
What makes someone easy to understand when they are speaking?
Facilitation Tip: For Puppet Pals, let students rehearse behind a small screen so they feel less exposed while refining their delivery.
Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging
Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet
Teaching This Topic
Teachers should model speaking slowly with pauses and short phrases, not long speeches. Avoid correcting too much early on; instead, point out what worked first. Research shows that young speakers build confidence fastest when they practice with supportive peers before performing for the class.
What to Expect
Successful learning looks like students speaking at a steady pace, making brief eye contact around the room, and sharing ideas in short, clear sentences. By the end, they should adjust their voice and focus based on peer reactions.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Pair Practice: Mirror Talks, watch for students who believe speaking louder always makes them clearer.
What to Teach Instead
Use the pair’s shared worksheet to mark volume, pace, and clarity with smiley faces, guiding students to adjust their volume downward while keeping clarity high.
Common MisconceptionDuring Small Group: Idea Web Shares, watch for students who think eye contact means staring without blinking.
What to Teach Instead
Give each group a small flashlight to pass as they speak, signaling when to look at the speaker and when to look at the idea web, reinforcing brief, natural glances.
Common MisconceptionDuring Individual Prep: Puppet Pals, watch for students who believe they can present well without planning.
What to Teach Instead
Provide planning cards with three large boxes for main points and a fourth for a closing phrase, so students fill in ideas before speaking, cutting filler words.
Assessment Ideas
During Pair Practice: Mirror Talks, circulate and listen for clear pronunciation and steady pace, marking a simple checklist with three items: ‘Pronunciation clear?’, ‘Volume steady?’, ‘Eye contact made?’.
After Small Group: Idea Web Shares, ask the class: ‘Which idea in the web was easiest to understand and why?’ and ‘Who showed good listening with their eyes or nods?’.
After Whole Class: Confidence Circle, provide cards asking students to draw one way they made eye contact and write one word that describes speaking clearly.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge: After Puppet Pals, ask students to add a second puppet that asks one question, practicing turn-taking and listening.
- Scaffolding: During Mirror Talks, provide sentence stems on cards for students who need extra support.
- Deeper exploration: After Confidence Circle, invite students to record a short video of their best practice session to watch back and reflect.
Key Vocabulary
| articulation | The clear and distinct pronunciation of words so that others can understand you easily. |
| eye contact | Looking at the faces of the people you are speaking to, which shows you are engaged and confident. |
| pace | The speed at which you speak; speaking too fast or too slow can make it hard for listeners to follow. |
| non-verbal cues | Signals given by your body, such as nodding or leaning in, that show you are listening and paying attention. |
Suggested Methodologies
Planning templates for English
More in Speaking and Listening Skills
Active Listening
Practicing how to respond to others and ask clarifying questions.
2 methodologies
Collaborative Discussion
Working in groups to solve problems or share opinions politely.
2 methodologies
Telling Personal Stories
Practicing sharing personal experiences clearly and engagingly with an audience.
2 methodologies
Following Oral Instructions
Developing the ability to listen carefully and follow multi-step verbal directions.
2 methodologies
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