Article: There's a reason most of us enjoyed story time more than any other school activity, and you can use this appeal to create an awesome interactive presentation. Storytelling captures your audience's attention, leaves them wondering what will happen next, and helps them retain the information. Apply these tips to tell a good story during your presentation:  Public-speaking experts recommend opening your story by appealing to what people know or think they know about a specific topic. This helps establish rapport with your audience. Then, prompt the audience to reconsider what they thought they knew by questioning the status quo. For example, what if what we thought about something was wrong, or what if there was something else going on? Keep exploring this dichotomy during your presentation, which builds suspense and keeps students on the edge of their seats waiting for resolution to the question. Make sure you have a powerful ending to your story that encourages or inspires your audience to continue thinking about the presentation and the questions you raised. Point out the benefits or possibilities of this new way of thinking, and suggest what still needs to be considered. Videos are an excellent way to make your presentation more interactive because you can use the video to encourage discussion, elicit a response from students, and set the right mood for your presentation.  Look for a video or clip that emphasizes a point you would like to make or that you feel gets the audience in the right mindset to discuss a topic. Videos can also be helpful if there's a feeling, emotion, or sentiment that's difficult to convey while standing in front of a group of students. Using a video during your presentation also gives you a few minutes to compose your thoughts, and takes away some of the pressure on you as the presenter. Before playing the video, ask students to keep a few questions in mind or pay attention to something specific such as the language, scenery, or other aspect of the video so they are prepared for the discussion you want to have afterward. While videos can help you design a more interactive presentation that will impress students, don't forget about other potential props you can use to engage with and maintain your audience's focus. Although the props you will use depends on the subject of your presentation, here are a few general recommendations to help your audience visualize what you are discussing:  Photographs. Pieces of art or artifacts. Advertisements. 3-D models or figures. If you decide to make use of props, be sure to talk about these and refer to them during your presentation. For example, simply displaying a photograph on a slide won't have the same impact as actually discussing the photograph. Try asking audience members questions about what they see and notice about the photograph. An easy way to make your presentation interactive is to invite other people to participate and demonstrate a point.  Ask an audience member to come up on stage or to the front of the classroom and have them join you in an activity or assist you with some aspect of your presentation. Make sure you thank them in front of the audience and express your appreciation for their help. It can be helpful to ask for a volunteer before the presentation starts so you aren't putting people on the spot. This way, you will also have time to explain what you want the volunteer to do and make sure they aren't surprised or uncomfortable. Selecting a volunteer before the presentation will save you time and make sure it flows smoothly. Think about whether there might be a guest speaker or someone who could address a specific topic better than you or in a more engaging manner. If you are preparing this presentation for a class, it's a good idea to check with your teacher first to make sure they are okay with you inviting a guest speaker or participant. We usually associate presentations with a watchful, quiet, and still audience, but research suggests that our minds quickly wander and we can be easily distracted while watching presentations. Keep this in mind, and give your audience the opportunity to move around under your direction.  When you ask students a question, for example, request they show their hands to answer yes or no. You could also ask your audience to respond to a question by sitting or standing. Design an activity that requires students to split into small groups or move around the room. This will help refocus their attention on the matter at hand and your presentation. If students will not volunteer to participate or you want their input and interaction at a specific point, don't be afraid to call on people and request their help.  Calling on students by name helps establish a rapport with your audience and may make them more comfortable sharing. If you don't know their names, you can start out by asking a student to identify themselves before answering the question. It can be effective to call on students who seem more extroverted at first, and then ask more reserved students later in your presentation. Remember, even if their response is not what you expected or is incorrect, make sure you acknowledge their contribution and do not demean the student. If a student asks a question or makes a comment during a presentation, you can encourage further interaction by asking other students to answer the question or follow up on the comment.  It can be helpful for the person giving the presentation to restate the question or comment when asking for audience input. Remember, the audience will follow your lead, so make sure you are polite and not dismissive of any questions or comments. You don't want students to be rude to one another. Instead of hoping that students will interact with you and the material during the presentation, set aside specific time for interaction. Here are some ideas for interactive opportunities:  Ask the audience to break up into small groups and briefly discuss a specific concept, topic, or question related to the presentation. Then, come back together and invite the groups to share their thoughts with the rest of the students. If you are looking at an image, referring to a reading, or using a map, ask students what they see rather than telling them how to interpret the material. This will ensure there is more discussion and conversation. Ask students to prepare a few discussion questions prior to the presentation. This makes sure everyone has thought about the material and is ready to take part in the presentation.

What is a summary?
Tell a story. Include videos. Use other props. Don't do it alone. Give your audience the opportunity to move around. Call on people. Invite other students to answer questions. Set aside time for interaction.