Recursive Learning
The recursive relationship between learning about presenting, learning through presenting, and learning to enable others to present distinguishes Education from most other disciplines.
Presentation skills occupy a uniquely reflexive position within Education programmes, where developing these capabilities serves simultaneously as academic assessment, professional preparation, and metacognitive learning experience. Your ability to present information effectively represents the fundamental professional competency upon which all teaching practice depends.
This creates a distinctive dynamic where you engage with presenting at multiple levels: developing presentation skills as learners being assessed, analysing communication theories as objects of study, and practising techniques as future teachers who will spend their careers presenting to young people.
Assessment Criteria
Criteria align with Teachers' Standards, evaluating pedagogical reasoning, inclusive thinking, ethical awareness, and reflective capability alongside communication effectiveness.
Early individual presentations focus on educational theories, philosophies, and historical developments, helping you demonstrate understanding of concepts like behaviourist learning theory, constructivist approaches, or Vygotsky's sociocultural theory.
As you progress, presentations incorporate authentic teaching scenarios including microteaching where you deliver short lessons to peers, requiring real-time pedagogical adjustments based on audience responses.
Group presentations mirror collaborative professional culture, bringing together students from different specialisms to address whole-school approaches, inclusive practice, or trauma-informed teaching strategies.
Foundational presentations explore learning theories like Piaget's cognitive development, behaviourist principles, Bruner's scaffolding, or motivation theories, making abstract concepts accessible through practical examples.
Specialised presentations focus on how to teach specific content effectively - systematic phonics for reading, concrete-practical-abstract progression in mathematics, or inquiry-based science learning.
Presentations explore supporting learners with specific needs, cultural diversity approaches, differentiation strategies, and trauma-informed practice that ensures all children can access learning.
Topics include different approaches from behaviourist systems to restorative justice, establishing positive environments, and addressing specific challenges like attention difficulties or school anxiety.
Later presentations involve critical literature evaluation, practitioner enquiry project proposals, and dissertation findings communication, developing evidence-informed practice capabilities.
Presentations address statutory requirements, curriculum frameworks, safeguarding responsibilities, and alignment with professional standards that govern teaching practice.
Essential for developing autonomous communication capabilities that characterise daily teaching practice, where you must present to classes independently without colleague support.
Mirror collaborative professional culture where teachers work in learning communities, negotiate different philosophies, and create unified approaches to school-wide challenges.
Systematic analysis of learner characteristics, prior knowledge, interests, and communication preferences. Practice adapting content for different age groups, from Year 1 pupils to parent consultation evenings.
Engage with educational research databases, policy documents, curriculum frameworks, and professional guidance rather than relying on practice myths or anecdotal wisdom.
Use advance organisers, progressive complexity building, explicit connections to prior knowledge, and frequent understanding checks that characterise effective teaching sequences.
Create slides that model good practice - uncluttered layouts, accessible fonts, visual metaphors for abstract concepts, and purposeful rather than decorative imagery.
Develop confident vocal projection, purposeful movement, genuine eye contact, and warm authority that characterises effective classroom communication.
Master different question types, effective wait time, response strategies, and turning questions into collaborative learning opportunities.
This section provides a comprehensive list of all key terms used throughout this guide. Hover over any term to see its definition.
pedagogical content knowledge microteaching scaffolding differentiation professional learning communities reflective practice inclusive practice evidence-informed practice