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Guide for Giving a Group Presentation

February 21, 2018 - Dom Barnard

In certain academic and business situations, it is more valuable to deliver a group presentation than a solo one. Many people prefer group presentations because there is less pressure on the individual. However there are also unique challenges, such as having to ensure multiple individuals collaborate in order to produce a cohesive piece of work.

Preparing for the group presentation

As with any presentation, there is a significant amount of work during the preparation stage. The group must be well organised because there are multiple individuals, and therefore multiple personalities involved.

Presentation moderator

To assist with organisation, the group should first decide on a presentation moderator – this is essentially the “leader”. The presentation moderator can have the final say when decision-making is needed and, during the Q&A portion of the presentation, can decide which speakers will answer certain questions.

Understanding the audience

To make your presentation engaging you need to  think about the audience  so you can tailor it towards their needs. How much will the audience already know about this topic? What will they want to get from this presentation?

For example, if you are presenting the topic of building a bridge to a group of civil engineers, you can confidently use technical language. However, if you are presenting to secondary school students, you would need to use simpler language and not explain the methods in as much detail.

The presentation’s purpose

As a group, ensure you agree on the purpose of the presentation so that you all understand the message that needs to be conveyed e.g. “We want to find out which treatment works best for social anxiety.” Deciding on your message means that the group can start building key points around this – just keep in mind that each subtopic must contribute to the presentation’s aim.

Divide the presentation

The presentation needs to be  divided into main areas  so there is a clear beginning, middle and end. This is where can you decide on the order of the subtopics. Presentations usually follow this structure:

1. Introduction:

• It is useful to agree on the first minute of the presentation as a team. This is because the audience should be interested from the start and convinced to listen.
• The presentation’s aims are also discussed and an overview of the presentation’s structure is provided. For example, “We set out to explore the effectiveness of different treatments for social anxiety. We will first cover the symptoms and prevalence of social anxiety, before explaining the different treatments. This will then lead into a discussion about the pros and cons of each treatment route. Finally, we will explain which treatment route we decided was the most effective for this disorder.”

2. One or two middle sections:

• These sections consist of providing the information that addresses your presentation’s aim.
• There can be more of these sections depending on your topic.

3. Conclusion:

• After summarising all of the key points, there must be a clear conclusion. It is beneficial to appoint the conclusion to the best speaker as this is where all the information is pooled together.

After segmenting the presentation, a time sequence can be created so the group understands the order in which tasks must be completed. It is important to set deadlines for this.

Share responsibility

A frequent problem when working within a group is unequal participation as this can subsequently cause disharmony.

But this is easily avoidable by assigning each speaker a section of the presentation to work on depending on their interests. This means that each speaker should be doing the research for their section and putting together a speech and slides (if being used).

• It is important to specify exactly what each group member should be doing with their time.
• Make sure the length of time per speaker is agreed on.
• Do not change speakers more than necessary because this can reduce the coherency of the presentation.

Build the presentation together

For an audience to follow and enjoy a presentation, it must flow together. Meeting up and building the presentation helps with this because:

• This prevents the duplication of content.
• You can put the slides together, although only one individual should be responsible for merging the slides so there is consistency within the presentation.
• It is useful to receive feedback on the speeches before presenting to an audience.
• The team can agree on any edits.
• The team can agree on the conclusion.
• You can make sure that each speaker will talk for the same amount of time and cover a similar amount of information.
• The team can come up with the first minute of the presentation together.

Use stories to engage the audience

A good presentation opening could  start with a story  to highlight why your topic is significant. For example, if the topic is on the benefits of pets on physical and psychological health, you could present a story or a study about an individual whose quality of life significantly improved after being given a dog.

The audience is more likely to remember this story than a list of facts and statistics so try and incorporate relevant stories into presentations.

Know what each speaker will say

Each speaker must know what the other group members will say as this prevents repetition and it may be useful to refer to a previous speaker to assist in explaining your own section.

Also, if a team member is unable to attend on the day it will be easier to find cover within the group.

Write and practice transitions

Clean transitioning between speakers can also assist in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this is:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what social anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Sarah will talk about the prevalence of social anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Sarah”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Nick.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Practice the presentation

Rehearse with the group multiple times to make sure:

• The structure works
• Everyone is sticking to their timing.
• To see if any edits are needed.

The more you  rehearse a presentation  the more you will feel comfortable presenting the material and answering questions as your familiarity with the content increases.

Handling nerves before the presentation

It is  natural to feel nervous  when presenting in front of others, regardless of the size of the audience. Here are some tips:

• Remind yourself that the audience is there to listen to you and wants you to do well; there is no need to be afraid of them.
• Remember that the audience members will have to present their projects later and are almost certainly feeling just as nervous.
• Practicing with your group and practicing your section at home will make you more comfortable and familiar with the material and increase your confidence.
• Practice pauses  – when people feel nervous they tend to find silences uncomfortable and try to fill gaps, such as using “um” multiple times (filler words). Practicing pauses will help the silences feel less unnatural when you present therefore reducing the need for filler words.
• When we are nervous we often begin breathing quickly and this in turn can increase our anxiety. Controlled breathing is a common technique that helps slow down your breathing to normal thus reducing your anxiety.

Exercises to control your breathing:

• Sit down in an upright position as it easier for your lungs to fill with air
• Breathe in through your nose and into your abdomen for four seconds
• Hold this breathe for two seconds
• Breathe out through your nose for six seconds
• Wait a few seconds before inhaling and repeating the cycle

During the group presentation

Introducing the team.

The presentation should begin with the presentation moderator introducing the team. This is smoother than each individual presenting themselves.

Pay attention to the presentation

You may feel nervous as you wait for your turn to speak but try to listen to the presentation. The audience is able to see the whole team so it is important that you look interested in what is being said and react to it, even if you have heard it multiple times.

Body language and eye contact

Body language is a useful tool to engage the audience:

• If it is your turn to speak then stand slightly in the foreground of the rest of your group.
• Smile at the audience as this will make you look more confident.
• Make eye contact  as this helps you engage with the audience.
• Keep your arms uncrossed so your body language is more open.
• Do not look down and read from your notes- glancing down occasionally is fine but keep in mind that you are talking to the audience.
• This is the same for  presenting visual aids ; you may need to glance at the computer slide but make sure you predominantly face the audience as you are still speaking to them.
• Keep your hands at your sides but use them occasionally to gesture.

Vocal variety

How you say something is just as is important as the content of your speech –  arguably, more so . For example, if an individual presented on a topic very enthusiastically the audience would probably enjoy this compared to someone who covered more points but mumbled into their notes.

Here are some pointers:

• Adapt your voice depending on what are you saying- if you want to highlight something then raise your voice or lower your voice for intensity.
• Avoid speaking in monotone.
• Sound enthusiastic – the more you sound like you care about the topic, the more the audience will listen.
• Speak loudly and clearly.
• If you notice that you are speaking quickly, pause and slow down.
• Warm up your voice  before a speech

Take short pauses and breath deeply. This will ensure you have more vocal variety.

Handling nerves during the presentation

• If you find that you are too uncomfortable to give audience members direct eye contact, a helpful technique is to look directly over the heads of the audience as this gives the impression of eye contact.
• Try not to engage in nervous behaviours e.g. shifting your weight or fidgeting.
• Remember that it’s unlikely that the audience knows that you are feeling nervous – you do not look as anxious as you feel.
• Notice whether you are speaking too quickly as this tends to happen when nervousness increases. If you are, pause and then slow down.

Strong conclusion

Since the conclusion is the last section of your presentation the audience is more likely to remember it. Summarise the key points and lead into a clear concluding statement. For example, if your presentation was on the impact of social media on self-esteem you could list all the main points covered in the presentation and conclude “Therefore, from the amount of evidence and also from the quality of evidence, we have decided that social media is negatively/positively impacting self-esteem.”

Questions and answer session

The questions and answers session after the main presentation can be a source of anxiety as it is often difficult to predict what questions will be asked. But working within a group setting means that individually you do not have to know everything about the topic.

When an  audience member asks a question , the presentation moderator can refer a speaker who has the relevant knowledge to provide an answer. This avoids any hesitant pauses.

If you are answering group presentation questions:

• Pause before answering- take the time to gather your thoughts and think about your answer
• Make sure you answer the question- sometimes you may start providing more information than necessary. Keeping answers as concise as possible will help with this.
• Ask the questioner for clarification if you do not understand- it’s better to ask rather than answering in a way that does not address the question.
• You’re not expected to know everything- challenging questions will emerge and if you do not know the answer you can respond with: “That’s a really good question, I’m not certain so let me look into that.”

Ending the presentation

A good ending usually consists of the presentation moderator thanking the audience. If there is another group afterwards they should transition to the next group.

Topic: Presentation Skills

As you can see in the slide (giving presentations)

Step into the world of presentations with this handy lesson! Students explore vocabulary for structuring presentations, read the text of a presentation and watch a video on how to communicate ideas clearly.

Presentation: putting skills into action

With this lesson plan, students practise giving a presentation in English by doing a lot of different speaking activities. The lesson is the third of the three-part series of lessons about delivering presentations. 

Moving through your presentation

With this lesson plan, students learn plenty of useful phrases for presentations in English. They also prepare presentation excerpts, and learn how to start a presentation. The lesson is the second of the three-part series of lessons about delivering presentations. 

How to nail that presentation

In this lesson about business presentations in English, students discuss presentation structures in depth, watch a video with tips on giving presentations, and learn useful words and phrases related to the topic. The lesson is the first of the three-part series of lessons about delivering presentations. 

The city of the future is here

With this lesson plan based on a video about Toyota’s city of the future students learn some useful language for presentations and then practise their presentation skills.

The chair that conquered the world

This lesson plan about the chair that conquered the world includes a variety of tasks for students to learn new vocabulary related to describing furniture design and practise their presentation skills. 

How do you like your milk?

In this lesson, students will learn advanced cooking verbs, discuss different types of milk and do an English class project.

Apple’s legendary keynotes

The objective of this lesson plan is to teach students some adjectives for describing products and show them a video analysing Apple’s legendary keynotes.

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• Presentation Tips

How to Create an Effective Lesson Plan Presentation?

A significant first step towards creating a great lesson plan presentation is vital to any teacher who wants his lesson to make an impact on the learners. It does not matter if you are starting a new topic or revising what was taught before, a proper and effective lesson plan helps keep order in your classroom and make your learners meet the learning outcomes set for them. This lesson plan presentation guide outlines steps to the presentation process such as basic components of the presentation, some useful tips, and more importantly the advantages of incorporating modern technologies such as smart whiteboards.

Why Lesson Plans Matter ?

To appreciate what is explained in the subsequent sections on how to go about the lesson plan, there is a need to first establish why the lesson plan is central to teaching.

1. Enhanced Classroom Management

It is noticed that when there is a well-structured plan the management of the classroom becomes easier. Of course, when you define the objectives and methods in advance, you can think through possible difficulties in their achievement and select the proper teaching approaches then. Such preparation helps to always keep the focus and efficiency in learning especially, when teaching in the classroom, hybrid or virtual space.

Tip: To achieve a more professional look and feel, education professionals use free PowerPoint templates that enables them to create neatly laid out slides with appropriate graphics in support of the learning goals.

2. Student Success

Organization of lean content ensures that the students enjoy and understand the lessons being taught. Proper setting of goals and especially the way the different activities are laid down increase chances of student success. As a result, motivation and performance improve if students are able to see an easier plan of what is expected of them in terms of learning and accomplishment.

3. Teacher Effectiveness

Lesson plans therefore play an important role in the development and assessment of teachers’ professionalism. It’s a tool for evaluating all your teaching approaches and in case of an evaluation, it acts as a record of planning and preparation. Furthermore, they are useful for future lessons and can be developed further when the students’ feedback and learning results are taken into consideration.

4. Effective Student Assessment

Lesson plans also make it easy to give a proper assessment based on the student’s performance. When assessments are made in tune with the lesson objectives, the result obtained can better depict the students’ understanding and learning process. This alignment proves useful in developing formative and summative forms of assessments that can include quizzes and tests, and assignments among others based on the lesson-learning objectives.

First of all, it is vital to define what a lesson plan is and secondly, it is important that one is able to come up with the lesson plan well and clearly.

A lesson plan contains several factors which need to be followed. Here’s a step-by-step guide to developing an effective lesson plan:

1. Introduction

Begin with engaging the class in the topic or subject to be taught. This segment should also give a brief of what is going to happen in the lesson as well as pave the way for the day’s lesson. Design a captivating and informative title that will make one want to stick through the lesson and a brief minute summary reflecting what the student will be taught.

2. Lesson Objectives

Determine behaviorally the goals of the lesson. Such objectives should be clear and specific, easily quantifiable, and productivity-oriented. You have to specify what you would like the students to know and what they should be able to do by the end of the particular lesson. That is, rather than say, ‘Students will learn about photosynthesis’, be more specific and write ‘Students will be able to explain the process of photosynthesis and its relevance to plant life.

3. Learning Activities

Explain what actions will be beneficial to accomplish the goal and objectives of the lesson. E-mail: A teacher uses e-mail to communicate with the students, share lesson content, and complete other assessments In terms of the learning objectives, e-mail is very helpful in a way that it helps the teacher put across a lesson plan or content in a lesson as well as help complete with other forms of assessments. Include strategies of teaching that implement the use of group discussions, experiments, exposures to ICT, and multimedia aids to crack the code because of learner differences.

Another set of useful tools for improvement of the learning process is teaching PowerPoint templates It is worth to mention that there are special teacher PowerPoint templates for educators who can find there ready-made layouts that can be helpful, while creating the lessons.

4. Practice and Application

Encourage the students to apply what they have learned in practical problems where necessary. This may be an individual or group assignment in which students are encouraged to demonstrate knowledge of the content taught in class. Practice activities aid in the reinforcement of what has been learned, and do provide some as to as to how the students understand the material that has been taught.

5. Assessment

Explain how you are going to assess whether or not the students have grasped well what you are teaching them. Some of the techniques could be question and answer sessions, writing down answers, or even displaying some actions. Make sure that when you are giving the assessments they correspond to the objectives of the lesson and that they enable you to have an overall view of the students’ performance.

6. Reflection

Add a scaffold that would include a focus on grouping or partnering students, cooperative learning strategies, and experiences to ponder on the lesson learned. That is why at the end of the lesson, it is useful to identify what seemed effective, and what can be further reworked. It also assists in modifying educators’ future lesson plans or their approach toward the students in class.

Final Thoughts

Creating an effective lesson plan presentation is a fundamental aspect of successful teaching. By following a structured approach and incorporating modern technology, you can enhance the learning experience for your students and achieve your educational goals. Remember, a well-prepared lesson plan not only benefits your students but also supports your growth as an educator. Embrace the tools available to you, and continue refining your lesson planning skills to provide impactful and engaging lessons.

By taking these steps, you will ensure that your lessons are not only informative but also engaging, paving the way for a successful teaching experience.

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Pramod Malnatchi

Pramod Malnatchi is an experienced content strategist with over 3 years of active practice. He excels at using his broad experience to provide clear, concise, and interesting data-driven content in different niches. With his skills in PowerPoint presentations and Google Slides, Pramod is capable of making an idea visually interesting in terms of presentation. He ensures the quality and accuracy of information in every project by doing thorough research and consulting with experts in the field.

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