Professional and Academic Communication in English presentations

The PACE course culminated in our presentations. There were six of us who presented:

ET: 'Globalisation and international adoption'
LW: 'Internet-mediated intercultural foreign language education - access and opportunities within and beyond the classroom in China’
SB: 'Ethical decision making in designing products'
MB: 'Teleporting'
GC: 'How can language creativity be incorporated into the classroom in universities in China?'
me: 'Accountability in the public sector for the use of external consultants'
VS: 'Plasma Crystals'

When we walked into the room, we immediately saw strangers, and a TV camera. NO! Two TV cameras. Aagh! and another person with a sound boom. So we were a little uncomfortable, nervous, and found any excuse to delay starting at all. Our stalwart tutor BM, led us round the room saying the alphabet all in one breathe. Or trying to say it in one breathe. The idea was that when we stopped walking around, just the speaker would carry on to the front of the room, the cameras would roll and BM would introduce the speaker. An alternative to this exercise was to say

me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me-me

on one long breathe, the idea being that this would reverberate in the nose and energise us ready to speak. Perhaps.

We all mastered the technology, using the computer and PowerPoint, despite one file or USB stick not quite working initially. It is a shame but relevant that the news today links to "No point to PowerPoint" though this was also last week's news. In fact, it's not PowerPoint that should be ditched, but the way that the tool is used.

But it was a most useful and interesting session. I love knowing what other people are researching and how they are doing it. Research seems a fascinating occupation.

Another thing that I've really enjoyed about these PACE sessions is the input from the ESOL speakers, because they've shared their culture and experience of English. Their standard of English is very high, and although I can speak and work in one other European language, I couldn't say that I could research and write at this level. They are admirable.