Public Speaking 101

One of our required classes this summer, besides academic writing, was public speaking. Since students will be making presentations about Afghanistan in the US, we feel they need to know how to effectively give a presentation. For a whole week they worked with Jane and Chynara on how to make good presentations, found pictures on the Internet for their Power Point slide shows, and wrote up clear talking points on various aspects of the theme—Afghanistan.
At the end of their week in class, they presented to their YES peers. At the end of the PDO camp, they presented to the students of Woodlands. Dressing up in their Afghan finery, with visual aids and Power Point slide shows, in pairs or trios, the YES students marched into the 4th, 5th and 6th grade classes to tell the local Indian children about their country. They spoke of the places where they live, their clothes, and their flag. One group even taught the Atan, another taught the children a song in Dari. For the YES students, this was a good opportunity to practice for their year in the US. For the Indian students, this was an informative break from their regular studies as well as a chance to get to know the Afghan students who have been living at their school the past month.