Not your usual approach
A sampling of ideas from Deborah Healey
What is the secret of ...
◦ Learning English?
◦ (note the pause)
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Start with something to activate schema –
learners’ background knowledge
◦ Pictures
◦ Interesting question
◦ “Hook” to catch learner attention
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Learning objectives – so learners know
where the lesson is going
◦ Objective for this presentation: Teachers will
discuss ways to add interactivity to their
lectures, leading to their creating an interactive
PowerPoint presentation
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Just letting students click on the slide show
Teacher talk the whole time
Q&A where the teacher has all the questions
AND the answers
So what is it?
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This PPT show combines many techniques – far
more than you should have in a typical lesson.
Use only 1-3 maximum.
Blank slide
ConcepTest
Think-Pair-Share
Interpreted Lecture
Rapid Reflection
QuickWrite
See more possibilities at
http://www.thiagi.com/interactive-lectures.html
Say this during while showing the blank slide –
not on its own slide, as we have here
 Using a blank slide can re-focus attention off
the screen and onto the speaker
 You need to have something useful to say, of
course.
 It can also serve as an excellent transition to
the next topic.
 In our case, it’s specific techniques to use
that promote interactivity.
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What are three ways to activate learners’
background knowledge (schema)?
Share with a partner, then share again with
the people near you
Come to consensus – any questions?
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This can come at any time during the
class.
It can be short answer, multiple choice,
true/false
Why would you do this at the beginning of
a class? Why at the end? Why in the
middle?
Think about a time that you might use
this, and share with a partner.
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Think individually
Talk with a partner
Share with the large group
How might you use a ConcepTest? (Think,
then discuss with a partner, then we’ll share
with the group.)
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Good for discussion time if people know what
they are supposed to do
Otherwise, leave instruction slides visible
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How would you explain a ConcepTest?
How might a blank slide be useful?
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Stop and have someone in the class explain
what you just talked about
Use simpler language for an academic lecture
Repeat and review
Best to do this just after the concept is
discussed by the teacher
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Using PowerPoint as an organizer so that you
can do OTHER THINGS more easily
◦ Discussions about the audio or video clip
◦ Writing the group’s responses in a Word document
on the screen
◦ Responding to the website activities
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Easily move among websites
(Insert -> Hyperlink)
◦ Include learner activities, not just showing
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Open Word and Excel documents on your
computer (hyperlink)
◦ Use Word as a blackboard; use Excel for learner
activities
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Play audio and video from the web
(hyperlink) or from files on the computer
(Insert-> Movies and Sound)
◦ Have a learner activity associated with these
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Make sure all files are in the same folder as
your PowerPoint show if you are using a file
from your computer.
Link to a website: www.nicenet.org
◦ Demonstrate how to join or how to post a comment
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Link to a local Word file: sample.doc
◦ Use this for taking notes
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Make sure all files are in the same folder as
your PowerPoint show if you are using a file
from your computer.
Insert a sound from a file on your computer
or link to a sound online
◦ Introduce an activity; do a dictation or cloze; etc.
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Insert a video from a file on your computer or
link to a video online
 Smooth transitions between activities.
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What else can you do if PPT is an organizer?
◦ Think, pair, share
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You don’t always need to go in a straight line
from beginning to end
Right-click in Slide Show mode to bring up a
menu; jump to another place
Include internal hyperlinks
Why would this be useful?
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Go back to a previous point or jump
forward (in response to a ConcepTest)
Posing a question:
◦ If yes, go to one place
◦ If no, go to a different place
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You control PPT; it doesn’t control you
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Jumping around with a hyperlink
◦ Yes: let’s go on
◦ No: please show me again
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Create a Jeopardy game
Create a Concentration game (matching pairs)
Learners can use this on their own
Use it in a one-computer classroom as a
whole-class activity
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Using templates (from Microsoft.com or
teacher-created)
Power in the hands of students
◦ Useful knowledge for the work world
◦ Useful knowledge for academic presentations
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They often know more than we do...
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Are you willing to give up control?
Will you create a real learner-centered
environment?
Or not?
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Take two minutes to write down three
techniques that you plan to use in a future
class.
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Very short time
Beginning – activate background knowledge
Middle – check comprehension
End – review and reinforce learning
Can be graded, but usually isn’t