And I'm pretty darn happy. After much anxiety and stress, I gave the presentation today that I had been asked to give and had been working on. May not seem so stressful, and wouldn't have been if it hadn't been in spanish. But I've discovered a few helpful hints to get through a presentation in a foreign language:
First, make a cute handout. I know, I know, pretty lame, but it's a nice distraction for them to play with while you're giving your presentation. They hardly notice that you're slaughtering their language. Mine was laminated cards for each age with corresponding milestones, which cost me a hefty $800.00 pesos at Office Depot, but was worth every penny (I mean peso.)
It also helps (in Mexico) to start on time. The advantage - nobody will be there. Yep, I started exactly at 8 am and had an audience of only two physicians, so I felt pretty relaxed. By the time I finished, there was a crowd behind me, but I hadn't turned around, so I didn't even realize they were there.
Another help is using a "visual aid." (No, you don't have to be an elementary school teacher to pull this off.) I used a doll to demonstrate the "reflujos infantiles" or infantile reflexes. Because you're actually demonstrating, you don't need to use as many fancy words to explain, so trust me, it's much clearer for everyone.
6 comments:
Way to go, mom! I'll remember that for the next time I have to give a presentation.
very clever! I'll have to keep that in mind if I ever try to explain anything in a foreign language.
good job mommy.
congratulations mommy!
Nobody does it better!!!!
I'm sure you did an awesome job!
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