Digital Literacy

Lessons

Slides for Clear Presentations (Design & Delivery)

Lesson

Why This Lesson Matters

Slides are not your script; they are visual support for a message. Employers and teachers notice two things immediately: clarity and confidence. Clarity comes from clean design—one idea per slide, readable text, and visuals that earn their place. Confidence comes from preparation—slides built with a simple structure, presenter notes, and a short rehearsal. In Sri Lanka, where many learners present from phones, shared computers, or print shops, you must create slides that survive different devices and still look professional.

This lesson gives you a repeatable, five-slide story, a compact design checklist, and a calm delivery routine. You will design, rehearse, and export a PDF that prints and shares without drama.

“Slides support the talk. They don’t replace it.”

Step 1: Decide the Message Before You Touch Slides

The fastest way to build great slides is to delay slides. Write a one-sentence message first—what must your audience remember? Then sketch your story in five beats on paper. If you can’t say it simply without slides, slides will not save you.

Pick your topic (e.g., your Lesson 4 brief) and audience (teacher, class, job panel). Imagine what they care about: time, results, next steps. Your slides should answer that, not everything you know.

The Golden Rule

Attempt → Hint → Verify → Produce. Draft your message and outline first, ask AI or a friend for headline ideas second, verify facts for evidence third, and only then produce the slides.

Step 2: Build the 5-Slide Skeleton (Story Beats)

Create a new deck named: YYYY-MM-DD_Mini-Deck_V1.gslides/pptx (save in Slides).

Use this five-slide map every time:

Slide	Purpose	What it says (message headline)
1. Title	Set topic + promise	“A simple plan to… (benefit)”
2. Problem	Why this matters now	“We waste time/money because…”
3. Solution	Your approach	“Three moves fix 80% of the issue”
4. Evidence	Proof (data, demo, example)	“One-week trial cut costs by 22%”
5. Next Steps	What to do next	“Start with these 2 steps this week”

Message headlines are not labels like “Problem”; they are claims. They tell the audience what to think. You can keep a small subheading with the classic section name if needed, but the big text should carry the message.

“Headlines are the script for the reader’s eyes.”

Step 3: Design for Readability (the Idasara way)

Fonts & Size. Use clean, Unicode-safe fonts (e.g., Noto Sans, system defaults). Minimum sizes: 32–44pt for headlines, 24–28pt for body. If you must present from a classroom projector or a phone, bigger is kinder.

Layout & Space. Use a simple grid (title at top, content center). Keep one idea per slide. If you need to say two ideas, that’s two slides. Add generous white space—breathing room improves attention.

Colours & Contrast. Use high contrast (dark text on light or light on dark). Two or three colours total is enough. Avoid heavy backgrounds that fight the text.

Images & Icons. Add only if they explain. Use one relevant image at medium size, not a wallpaper. Always add a tiny caption: Image: Source, Year (domain).

Charts. Prefer one column or line chart with a clear title and labels. Remove chart junk (3D, gradients, unnecessary legends). The question your chart must answer should be obvious in the title: “7-Day Spending by Category (LKR).”

Bilingual Terms. When needed, put English first, local term in brackets on first use, e.g., Compounding (සංකීර්ණීකරණය). Keep it short and readable.

Bad vs Better — Slide Design

Bad	Why it fails	Better
“Problem” (as title) + paragraphs	No message; heavy reading	“Small leaks cost LKR 1,500/wk” + 3 bullets
Wallpaper photo + tiny text	Low contrast, noisy	Plain background, large headline
8 bullets, full sentences	Audience stops listening	3 bullets, keywords, speak the details
Pie chart with 9 slices	Hard to compare	Bar chart with top 5 categories
No sources for numbers	Trust drops	Caption: Source: Budget Sheet, 2025

Step 4: Presenter Notes & Delivery (how to sound calm)

Write presenter notes under each slide (2–4 bullets, not full sentences). Notes keep you on message without reading the slide. Rehearse a 3-minute run:

Open Slide 1. State the message in one sentence.
Slide 2. Explain the problem with one example.
Slide 3. List three moves—short phrases, not essays.
Slide 4. Show one chart or one simple table; read the headline and one number.
Slide 5. Ask for two specific actions and confirm the next meeting/time.

Timing. 30–40 seconds per slide is enough. If you run long, you’re saying too much per slide. Split it.

Voice & Body. Stand or sit straight, breathe out before you start, and look at one friendly face (or the camera) when you hit the main point. Smile once. It relaxes everyone.

Q&A. If you don’t know, say: “I’ll verify and share a link.” That sentence protects your reputation.

“Short, clear, and steady beats long, fast, and vague.”

Step 5: Make It Shareable (PDFs, Handouts, and Phones)

When you’re done, export PDF:

Full slides PDF for screen/online sharing.
3-up handout PDF (if available) for print shops, with space for notes.

Test your Full slides PDF on your phone and a different computer. Unicode-safe fonts and high contrast should survive any device. For online meetings (Lesson 13), share window/tab only (not your whole desktop), and keep the PDF open as a backup in case the slide app fails.

For print shops, take the PDF only. Never open your editable slide deck on public machines. You avoid font issues and accidental edits.

Essentials vs Nice-to-Have

Essentials (now)	Nice-to-Have (later)
5-slide map with message headlines	7–10 slides for larger talks
24–28pt body, 32–44pt headlines	Brand theme or template
One chart/table max	Small demo video (compressed)
Presenter notes + 3-min rehearsal	Remote clicker / phone as clicker
Full slides PDF + handout PDF	Speaker timing app

Guided Build: Your 5-Slide Deck

Topic: Use your Lesson 4 brief. Audience: Choose (a) teacher/class, or (b) interview panel.

Message first (5 min). Write one sentence: “In three steps, we can ___.”
Map the five slides (5 min). Draft message headlines (Slide 1–5).
Design (20–25 min). Build slides with large type, one chart or table, and clean spacing. Add presenter notes.
Rehearse (10 min). Speak once at normal speed. Fix any slide that slows you down.
Produce (5 min). Export Full slides PDF and Handout PDF to Outputs.

Quick Win Replace any title that says “Problem/Solution/Evidence” with a message headline that states the point. It’s the fastest upgrade you can make.

Artifact to Produce

Mini-Deck_V1 (Slides) — 5 slides with message headlines, one chart/table, and presenter notes.
Mini-Deck_V1 (PDFs) — Full slides PDF and 3-up handout PDF in Outputs: YYYY-MM-DD_Mini-Deck_V1.pdf YYYY-MM-DD_Mini-Deck_Handout_V1.pdf

Add a one-line caption on the Evidence slide: Source: [Your Sheet/Research Note], Year.

Self-Verification (SV) Checklist

File named with date + topic + V#, saved in Slides
5 slides only (Title, Problem, Solution, Evidence, Next Steps)
Each slide has a message headline (not a label)
Font sizes ≥ 32pt (headline), ≥ 24pt (body)
One chart or table on the Evidence slide with clear labels
Presenter notes present (2–4 bullets/slide)
Full slides PDF and Handout PDF exported to Outputs
PDFs open cleanly on phone and a second computer
Any image/chart has a source caption
No heavy animations; high contrast throughout

Mobile Tip (Android & iOS)

In the Slides app, tap A to adjust text size—push headlines large.
Use Presenter view to see notes while projecting.
If the network is weak, present from the PDF saved on your phone.
For Sinhala/Tamil text, type in Unicode and avoid decorative fonts; confirm in the PDF before you present.

Stuck? Fast Fixes

Text looks tiny. Increase font, split into two slides, or convert paragraphs into 3 bullets.
Chart unreadable. Remove legend, rotate labels if needed, or switch to a table with bigger text.
Projector washed out colours. Switch to black text on white; increase weight/bold for headlines.
Running over time. Cut to one point per slide; move extras to Q&A.
Print shop changed fonts. Use the PDF only; never open the slide file there.

Common Roadblocks (and simple fixes)

If your slides feel crowded, they are. Remove one element per slide until it breathes. If you’re tempted to read from the screen, your text is too long—convert to keywords and use notes for the sentences. If numbers are many, choose the one that proves your point and hide the rest in an appendix slide you won’t show unless asked. If you switch rooms or devices, always carry the PDF as a universal backup.

“The audience remembers your point, not your paragraph.”

Keeping Yourself Motivated

Your first short, message-headline deck will feel surprisingly strong. That’s the point: small, clear slides make you sound smarter because your audience can follow you. Keep a tiny log in your portfolio README: “Reduced slides from 9 → 5; finished in 3:10; teacher said ‘clear’.” Each win is a habit forming.

Your First Step Is Complete

You now have a five-slide story, readable design, presenter notes, and a clean PDF for any device or print shop. Save Mini-Deck_V1 (Slides) and the two PDFs in Outputs, tick your SV checklist, and attach the deck to your Email Template Bank for easy sharing.