Speaking Step 8

Speaking: The oral transmission of information or ideas.

Step 8: I speak engagingly by using visual aids to support my points

Outcomes

To achieve Step 8, learners will be able to use visual aids to support the points they are making when they are speaking.

The focus in the last step was how to talk engagingly by using facts and examples to support the points that have been made. This step extends that by looking at how visual aids like props, drawings or written slides can help to make speaking more engaging.

Learners need to be able to:

Understand what visual aids are and how they can help
Know how to use visual aids effectively
Understand some of the traps to avoid when using visual aids

Introduction

A visual aid is something that helps to illustrate or show what is being said.
Examples of visual aids include:
- Images or photographs
- Written text, particularly a summary of key points (for example, bullet points)
- Films or animations
- Props or models

Skill Starter

Learn the Rule!

Explain to learners that there is a new rugby rule in all non-professional matches where individuals cannot tackle above the waist.

In groups of three, learners need to show and explain this rule, with one individual talking it through and the other two showing it in one or more relevant freeze frames. Groups have 5 minutes to come up with the freeze frame and then another 5 to present it to another group.

10 mins

Group activity

Active

Discussion

Teach & Apply

Visual aids can be helpful in sharing new ideas with listeners, or if you are trying to help people imagine something that they have not seen before. Visual aids will also help people to follow and understand your talk.
If you are sharing statistics or facts to support what you are speaking about then sometimes a visual graph can help listeners to understand that information better.
There are a few ways you can use them effectively:
- Make sure the visual aids are relevant, clear and short
- Make sure the visual aids are attractive and varied
- Think about the size of your audience and the context
However, you also need to make sure you avoid any traps when using them: do not introduce a visual aid too soon; do not just read your visual aids; do not use too many.

Optional Activity

Our Favourite Game

Learners to work in groups and think of their favourite game as a team. They then need to think about how they would explain the rules of that game to others using different pieces of equipment and visual aids.

Once they have had time to practice this, learners should then present their speeches to listening teams to teach them how to play. They should get feedback on how well they used those visuals.

Optional extension: each team could then play the games using the explained rules.

20 mins

Group activity

Active

Discussion

Reflection & Assessment

Embed these strategies across your teaching and coaching to help learners apply what they’ve learnt.

Ask learners to talk about how they see visual aids being used every day, this might be at school (pictures, slides, posters) or beyond it (news presenter, story visuals, etc.).

Use these ideas for ways of assessing this skill step to help you check learners’ understanding and confidence.

This step is best assessed through a structured observation where learners have to present on a topic using visual aids.
Ask these reflective questions:
- What are visual aids and what examples can you give?
- When have you seen someone use a visual aid effectively?
- When have you seen visual aids used badly?