The choice of the material can be rather difficult. Some teachers believe that students (especially children) are not capable of selecting what to add to the presentation and therefore they take the role of the controller and order students what to add. On the other hand, some teachers believe that, since this is students' presentation, those students are the only ones who are allowed to make any choice and thus they allow students to make any kind of presentation they want without any interference. I believe that the best choice is to be between those extremes. On one hand, if the teacher makes all the choices, students will lose their interest (this will become the teacher's presentation of the class, not their own) and they will not have the feeling of personal achievement. On the other hand, if the teacher permits them to do whatever they want, it is almost certain (despite the qualities that such a presentation has) that they will not practice English the same way they would if the teacher was involved (they would probably drift from the subjects and structures the teacher would want them to practice). In both cases the teacher's goal is not achieved: to motivate the students and to help them learn English effectively. Thus, the teacher should make the outline of the presentation, always having the learning of English in mind, and let the students choose the rest and he / she should be there to monitor the process and to return it to the tracks if students start drifting away.
Introduction to Creating a Multimedia Presentation as an ESL Project
Example of an ESL Multimedia Project
Choosing Materials
Step by Step How to Make a Presentation
Benefits to your ESL Class
