Following your Scrabble debriefing this morning, we will examine Allison Aubrey’s “A Break from Your Smartphone . . .” and Jonathan Kay‘s “Scrabble is a Lousy Game.” After that you, you will have the remainder of the class period to plan the Check, Please! group presentation that you will deliver in class on Wednesday.
Overview
As an exercise in reviewing the first four lessons of Check, Please! and as an exercise in collaboration and oral communication, you and your classmates will deliver a concise and engaging presentation that addresses two or three of the most significant points covered in the first four lessons of Mike Caulfield’s course.
Directions for Planning
- Plan a presentation of approximately five minutes that addresses the most significant points covered in the first four lessons of the Check, Please! course.
- Include in your presentation (a) an opening in which you state each member’s first and last name, (b) an examination of two or three significant components of the lessons, and (c) a conclusion that provides closure and invites questions.
- You are encouraged but not required to address how the lessons have been relevant to your other work in English 1103 and/or your other courses.
Directions for Rehearsing
- In preparation for rehearsing, write your notes on an index card. If your initial notes are written in complete sentences, rewrite them to include only words and short phrases for your key points. If your notes are too detailed, you will risk relying too heavily on them and making minimal eye contact with the audience. Plan to make as much eye contact as possible and be sure to make eye contact with people throughout the room rather than fixing your eyes on one or two people.
- Familiarize yourself with the presentation station. Your group is required to project the Check, Please! site on the screen and refer to it during the presentation. If you have not used the presentation station, I encourage you to devote part of today’s class period to familiarizing yourself with its setup.
- Do not create a PowerPoint slide show or any other visual presentation. Your visual aid for the presentation is the Check, Please! site itself, https://checkpleasecc.notion.site/checkpleasecc/Check-Please-Starter-Course-ae34d043575e42828dc2964437ea4eed.
- Practice good posture. As you deliver your presentation, your ears should be directly above your shoulders. If you tend to shift your weight from one foot to the other—a distracting habit that’s sometimes called rocking the boat—stand with your feet perpendicular to each other. If you do so, you will not be able to shift your weight.
- Avoid filler words, such as uh, um, like, and you know. If you tend to use filler words, practice pausing at the points where you are likely to use them.
- Take turns delivering your portions of the presentation, and offer feedback to your group members. Offer both suggestions for improvement and words of encouragement.
Today in class you will receive the assignment handout, which includes the directions listed above and the grade criteria. An additional copy of the assignment is posted in the Presentations folder on Blackboard.
Next Up
In class on Wednesday you will deliver your Check, Please! group presentation, and afterward you will compose a short reflective essay focusing on the processes of planning, rehearsing, and delivering it.
Jane Lucas 