Notes about powerpoints
www.joedale.typepad.com
Enable macros: see magic powerpoint.
Sound
Wav files can be embedded. They are large. CDex is free software that changes mp3 to something that looks like wav but is much smaller – so ppt is smaller.
Pictures
Photos and pictures should be less than 50kb or ppt gets unwieldy. Use compress and resize in picture manager. Dragging to make smaller leaves you with a large ppt.
Video
Can access avi wmv mpeg mpeg seems most stable.
Cannot access mov files.
Video doesn’t embed. Need to save it in the same folder as the powerpoint it is shown in.
Use inset movies and sound from file command.
Zamzar free software converts youtube to mpeg.
General points
Use dark text on a lighter background.
Vary colours for emphasis.
Use coloured backgrounds for colour coding e.g. blue= masculine (fr) pink= feminine words. Also use to show agreement. Colour coding should be echoed in displays in room.
Colour coding might just be a border.
(From lesson observation- make sure that pictures are clear from a distance).
Effects
Make a ppt. Import slides into one of Joe Dale’s so that the macros embedded in his are available in your new one. Save with new name. Delete unwanted slides.
Use trigger buttons to bring on words (see Death by powerpoint)
Make text boxes into metafiles to add animation effects (see Magic powerpoint).
Split screen into coloured areas for coloured coding: use rectangle shape tool, fill with colour, change transparency to allow greater contrast with text/ pictures.
Split screen e.g.
One side J’aime (emotion) other side the thing you may/ may not like – cartoon/ photo/clip.
Copy these split screen slides to insert into a slide. Now there are lots of little reminders of stock phrases e.g. j’aime la glace. Je n’aime pas les gymnastiques.
Read notes in doc file Powerpoints shortcuts and tips includes how to make the cursor into a pen and back again. How to make screen go black or white temporarily and other useful bits.