1. SESSION PLAN
Programme Title ILRI Graduate Fellowship Modular Training
Course Title Research Methods, Data Management & Presentation Skills
Topic Presentation Skills - Introduction
No on
Register
TBC
Facilitators
Joyce Maru, Muthoni Njiru, Susan MacMillan, Tezira
Lore, Albert Mwangi
Room ILRI Room 720
Tutorial Taught √ Workshop √ Other (state)
Learning Outcomes (1-essential; 2-desirable)
To identify the characteristics and skills of an effective presenter, and apply these in your
own presentations
To identify the key ingredients of successful presentations and learn how to prepare the
beginning, middle, and end of a good presentation
To recognize the importance of preparation and rehearsal to ensure the success of a
presentation
To evaluate own communication style and recognize how this impacts on your audience
Overall to Increase the comfort, effectiveness, professionalism, clarity, and confidence of the
students’ presentations.
Pre related topics Post related topics
The learners research topics that relate to ILRI projects Communicating your research findings
- How to create scientific posters
- Use of multimedia in presentations
- Use of visuals in presentations
- Scientific writing
- Story telling
- Interview techniques
Timing Facilitator Activities
Learner Activities
Including Differentiation and Extension Activities
15 mins
Introduction
Icebreaker activity 2 options see
annex 1
Share objectives slide 2
Why are you here? Ask learners
what they hope to get out of the
session. Make a note of these
aspirations/concerns and compare
with the already shared objectives.
Discuss any gaps and agree how
these will be addressed e.g. follow
up session
Take turns to introduce themselves
Participate in icebreaker activity
Participate in discussion re: expectations
5 mins Slide 3 - Introduce the topic using
‘Peter Drucker’ quote and discuss
why it’s important for young and
upcoming scientists to be able to
effectively communicate. Ask
learners to give examples of the
kinds of presentations they give or
plan to give
Active listening through Q & A
Take notes
Share experiences
10 mins Slide 4 – Ask the learners to give
reasons through sharing own
experiences why they may have
ended up being so bored and not
listening to a presentation. Flipchart
answers with an aim to brainstorm
the factors that makes great
presentation or what makes
presentations ineffective. Possible
Take part in group discussions
Provide feedback
Take notes

2. answers see presenters notes on
slide 4
15 mins Expose Slide 5-12 – Tips of an
impactful presentation. Discuss
significance, structure, simplicity
and Rehearsal. Involve learners
through Q & A and allow them to
also share own experiences
Demonstrate simplicity by showing
examples of busy slides/posters
and simple and effective
slides/posters. ILRI examples?
Active listening through Q & A
Take notes
15 mins Slides 13 & 14 Presenters impact
and body language tips. Keep
making references to earlier group
exercise as it’s anticipated that
ineffective body language would be
identified as one of the factors.
(Tezira Lore)
Actively listening
Share experiences re: different sources of
information
15 mins Slide 15 – overcoming nerves
during presentation. Ask learners
whether they ever feel nervous
when presenting and how they
overcome these nerves if at all.
Watch you tube video on how to
overcome nerves during
presentation. The video is too long
so will start from 6.30minutes to the
end – the bit that concentrates on
techniques for overcoming nerves.
Active listening through Q & A
Share own experiences
Watch video
Take notes
15 mins Tea Break
15 mins Explain to learners that there are other
ways that are equally effective in putting
your message across. Explain that there
will be other communication related
modules to be offered soon e.g.
- Story telling
- How to create scientific posters
- Use of visuals and multimedia
in presentations
- Scientific writing
- Interview techniques
Slide 16 – Invite Susan Macmillan
to give a 5 mins mini session on
story telling
Slide 17 – invite Muthoni Njiru to
give a 5 mins mini session on use
of visuals and multimedia.
Demonstrate using examples
Active listening
Take notes where necessary
15 mins Slides 18-27- resources for
enhancing presentations. Share
with learners but also ask them to
share others that they may have
used effectively and have not been
mentioned. If they have experience
any of the ones shared they can
also talk about the pros and cons
for each
Active listening through Q & A
Share experience on any tools that they have
effectively used to enhance presentations
10 mins Slide 28- recap key
points/summarize the session
using the video clip on Steve Jobs
presentation techniques.
Ask if learners have any question
Watch video
Participate through Q & A

3. or anything they require
clarification
50 mins Workshop to prepare and rehearse for 5
minutes presentations using the tips learnt.
The subject of the presentation can be
relevant to their study. It could be
extracted from a presentation that they
plan to make or have given in the past and
would like to improve on.
Share slide 29 – ‘what to consider when
preparing’ and leave it exposed so that
they can keep making reference to it.
12.30 – 2pm lunch break
2hrs
15 mins
Slide 30 – Toastmasters session
Each learner gets 5 mins to
present to the rest of the group in
turn.
Strict timekeeping and they’ll be
stopped at 5 minutes
Each learner will also get 2
minutes feedback from a panel
(Joyce, Susan, Muthoni, Tezira
and Albert) and from their peers.
Only maximum of 3 feedback
givers for each presentation. Each
feedback giver will state one thing
they liked about each of the
presentations and one thing that
could be improved – could they
identify the main point of the
presentation – the one question
that matters most?
Make a presentation to the group
Provide feedback to their peers
15 mins Summarise the toastmasters’
session and discuss the relevance,
did they enjoy, what could be
improved etc.
Evaluate the session as a whole
Remind and discuss with learners
about future planned sessions
Participate in discussions e.g. what they enjoyed,
what they thought they could be improved on etc.
Provide feedback by completing the evaluation
forms
Resources
(including E learning)
Formative/Summative Assessment
Hand-outs
Interactive white board
PowerPoint presentation
Flip chart
Laptops
Stopwatch/timer
Q & A
Making presentations/being able to provide
feedback
REVIEW
Achievement of Learning Outcomes Action Points

4. Annex 1
Icebreakers
Option 1
How well do you use your alphabet?
Ask learners to have spontaneous conversations by beginning each statement with a particular letter of
the alphabet. Divide the class into 5 groups or less depending on numbers and tell them to imagine they
are in a typical work setting and are to have a conversation by alternating each statement with a
consecutive letter in the alphabet. The pairs can practice and then play in front of all other participants
with the winning group receiving a prize or play less competitively in pairs.
Example:
Rob: All next week, I’ll be very busy
Jane: Bet you’ll be doing some work in the labs!
Play quickly and spontaneously and not think too hard about what to say next
To save on time, you can split up the alphabet as per the example below
Group 1 A B C D E
Group 2 F G H I J
Group 3 K L M N O
Group 4 P Q R S T
Group 5 U V W X Y Z

5. Option 2
Getting to know each other
a. Fact or fiction?
Ask everyone to write on a piece of paper THREE things about themselves which may not be known to
the others in the group. Two are true and one is not. Taking turns they read out the three ‘facts’ about
themselves and the rest of the group votes which are true and false. There are always surprises. This
simple activity is always fun, and helps the group and leaders get to know more about each other.
b. Interview
Divide the learners into pairs. Ask them to take three minutes to interview each other. Each interviewer
has to find 3 interesting facts about their partner. Bring everyone back to together and ask everyone to
present the 3 facts about their partner to the rest of the group. Watch the time on this one, keep it
moving along.
My name is?
c. My name is?
Go around the group and ask each learner to state his/her name and attach an adjective that not only
describes a dominant characteristic, but also starts with the same letter of his name e.g. generous
Grahame, dynamic Dave. Write them down and refer to them by this for the rest of the session. They
can write these on the name cards and display.