Beyond Impactful Lectures
Turning a lecture into an intervention
Would you be ready to go beyond?
Here is one powerful strategy that you could use.
WARNING: This requires that you are well-grounded and flexible!
Riccardo had been invited to give a lecture to teenagers about “How to Give a Presentation”. The teacher had shared with him that the students were displaying signs of fear around giving presentations (presentations that were to be assessed).
Riccardo began his usual lecture...
Starting Lectures - Reminders
- Present yourself with authority and humour
- Ask what they want to know
- Observe their body language; find the informal leaders and make eye contact with them
- Use your intuition; find the mood and what is being asked for here today
From the start, Riccardo noticed that the students were not fully listening to him, nor to each other. He guessed that there was more work for him to do here with these students, beyond simply delivering a lecture about giving presentations. He knew too that he had to ask permission to go beyond the agreed lecture format.
He asked, “I would like to play a game with you. Is that OK?”
WHAT are we doing? Taking the opportunity of getting to the root of a serious problem
WHY do this NOW? The solution to the problem requires the assistance of an outsider
HOW can we do this? Turn the mood inside out to discover what’s inside. What is inside Fear is… Love.
The 'Three Volunteers' Strategy
The strategy has three steps:
- Dislike the First
- Like the Second
- Alternately Like / Dislike the Third
Riccardo used the 'three volunteers' strategy. He asked for three volunteers, the strongest ones, to give a short presentation on any topic. Riccardo make them compete with each other to select the strongest one to be the first to speak.
WHY?
A short speech was relevant since they were expected to do that as part of their education. Asking for volunteers engaged their free will, as did offering them free choice of topic. Asking for the strongest encouraged the most bold students to step forward. Asking for three volunteers gave the scope to set up the three steps of the strategy: For / Against / Swap. The aim of asking for the strongest one to be first was to distract their attention. He wanted them to focus on being strong and preparing a short speech.
Riccardo said, “I want the strongest of you to come in first. You can decide who that is.”
Step 1 - Dislike the First Speaker
Engage the class in a role-play of disliking the first speaker
Riccardo said to the class, “We are going to play a game. The first person who comes in, whoever it is, we will dislike them. You know how to show you dislike someone, don’t you? But don’t get caught. If we get caught, we lose the game.”
What do you think might happen when a teenager gives a presentation to a roomfull of classmates who are (subtly) disliking them?
Riccardo supported the volunteer speaker until it was time to step in. Then he let the learning show itself by asking, “What happened?”
Step 2 - Like the Second Speaker
Engage the class in a role-play of liking the second speaker
Riccardo told the class, “The next part of the game is very different. The next person who comes in, whoever it it, we will like them. You know how to show you like someone, don’t you? But don’t get caught. If we get caught, we lose the game.”
What do you think might happen when a teenager gives a presentation to a roomfull of classmates who are (subtly) liking them?
Riccardo supported the second speaker until it was time to step in and let the learning show itself by saying, “What happened there?”
Step 3 - Alternating Like / Dislike the Third Speaker
Riccardo engaged the class in a role-play of alternately liking / disliking the third speaker.
He said, “The last part of the game has two parts. You get to choose. First you like them, then you don’t, OR the opposite, first you don’t like them, then you do. Halfway through, you swap. If you liked them, now you don’t OR if you didn’t like them, now you do. But don’t get caught. If we get caught, we lose the game.”
What do you think might happen when a teenager gives a presentation to a roomfull of classmates who are alternately liking and disliking them?
Riccardo supported the third speaker until it was time to step in and let the learning show itself. He asked, “What happened there?”
The Debrief
Riccardo debriefed the learning by asking open questions about the class’s experience and how they could apply what they have learned for their own best outcomes.
He asked,
- “What happened?”
- “What did you do?”
- “How did that affect the presentation?”
- “What do you want / need from each other?”
Resource
The full story is available in "Riccardo Midwinter's Tales" Book One of Three, available here on Amazon in paperback and e-book formats.
More stories about Riccardo Midwinter's adventures in the world of education are available on Martin Richards Author Page on Amazon.
Martin Richards (1956 - ) has lived half of his life in the UK and half in Sweden.
Martin trained as a Maths teacher and worked for 25 years as an independent corporate communication trainer, then he certified as a Co-Active Coach. He has coached teachers on assignment from the Swedish government and for private, international education companies. His mission is to bring the benefits of coaching back into the education system. He writes books, holds experiential workshops and leads interactive seminars with plenty of humour and a twinkle in his eye