The Best Support Materials

There is an ever wider variety of things you can use to enliven your presentation or illustrate your material, but choose it wisely.


Visuals and other supporting materials should enhance or clarify your material -- not replace it.  These things should explain the content of your presentation -- never the other way around.


And your visuals should be all tied together in some way. All of your Power Point slides, for instance, should have the same underlying design and colors.


Sometimes these things can be quite elaborate containing videos and other graphic images and drawings but don't forget sometimes something simple works the best.


A good example of  how something simple can work wonders is the speech  a minister friend of mine gave   on the Christian suit of armor described in Ephesians 6:14 in the New Testament or Christian Greek Scriptures.


This speech on the symbolic helmet of salvation, the shield of faith etc. As he explained each of these items he pointed them  -- on an actual suit of armor he had borrowed from a theatrical warehouse.


It worked wonders as his audience were deeply engrossed in everything he had to say and most of them commended him on his  memorable, motivating speech afterwards.


So remember, sometimes simple is best and make sure that whatever you use support or clarifies your presentation.


Also never forget to incorporate the use of one of the best teaching aids there is in your presentation whenever possible -- Mind Maps.


Take a few minutes before you start to pass out Mind Mapping materials ( large sheets of paper and colored markers) and show your students or listeners briefly how to use them to make notes as you speak.


This is one of the simplest and most effective tools you can use to clarify what you are saying and help your students or members of your audience to remember what you have said long after you have finished your live presentation.