Communication Aids and Strategies Using Tools of Technology

• Multimodal texts


  Combine two or more modes such as written language, spoken language, visual (still and moving image), audio, gestural, and spatial meaning
• Modes


  • Written Meaning
  • Spoken (Oral) Meaning
  • Visual Meaning
  • Audio Meaning
  • Spatial Meaning
  • Gestural Meaning
• Written Meaning


  • Conveyed through written language via handwriting, the printed page, and the screen
• Spoken (Oral) Meaning


  • Conveyed through spoken language via live or recorded speech and can be monologic or dialogic
• Visual Meaning


  • Conveyed through choices of visual resources and includes both still image and moving images
• Audio Meaning


  • Conveyed through sound, including choices of music, ambient sounds, noises, alerts, silence, natural/unnatural sounds, and use of volume, beat, tempo, pitch, and rhythm
• Spatial Meaning


  • Conveyed through design of spaces, using choices of spatial resources including: scale, proximity, boundaries, direction, layout, and organisation of objects in the space
• Gestural Meaning


  • Conveyed through choices of body movement; facial expression, eye movements and gaze, demeanour, gait, dance, acting, action sequences
• Types of multimodal texts

  • Paper-based Multimodal Text
  • Live Multimodal Text
  • Digital Multimodal Text
• Paper-based Multimodal Text


  Include picture books, text books, graphic novels, comics, and posters
• Live Multimodal Text


  Dance, performance, and oral storytelling, convey meaning through combinations of various modes such as gestural, spatial, audio, and oral language
• Digital Multimodal Text


  Include film, animation, slide shows, e-posters, digital stories, podcasts, and web pages
• Modes and Meaning


  • Expressing and developing ideas
  • Interacting and relating with others
  • Text structure and organization
• Multimedia Presentation


  Integration of animation, audio, graphics, text, and full-motion video through computer hardware and software for education, entertainment, or training
• Most Common Types of Oral Presentations

  • Individual Presentation
  • Group Presentation
  • Panel Presentation
  • Workshop Presentation
  • Poster Presentation
  • Individual/Group Demonstration
• Planning Your Purpose


  • Knowing Your Purpose
  • Analyzing Your Audience
  • Making Sense of Your Context
  • Constructing Your Presentation Slides
• Constructing Your Presentation Slides

  • Make slides extremely concise and visually uncluttered
  • Use images
  • Always choose white or light-colored slide backgrounds
  • Keep the glitz factor low
  • Talk to the audience, not the screen
• Delivering the Presentation


  • Talk, don't read
  • Stand, don't sit
  • Move, don't stand still
  • Vary the pitch of your voice, don't speak in monotone
  • Speak loudly, facing the audience, don't mumble facing downward
  • Make eye contact, don't stare at your laptop
  • Focus on main points, don't get lost in details
  • Use outlines, images, and charts, don't have no visual aids
  • Finish within your time limit, don't run overtime
  • Summarize your main points at the beginning and end, don't start without an overview and trail off without a conclusion
  • Notice your audience and respond to its needs, don't ignore audience behavior
  • Emulate excellent speakers, don't emulate your advisor if they give lousy talks
• Evaluating and Reflecting on the Presentation

  • How did I perform as a speaker? Did I fulfill the role effectively?
  • How did I communicate my message to my audience?
  • Did my presentation make any visible impact on them?