There are many kinds of visual aids. Most obvious is the object about which you are speaking, or a model of it. Diagrams, sketches, and other kinds of drawings are valuable because you can design them to illustrate your points exactly. Graphs are an excellent way to illustrate any subject dealing with numbers, while charts are used to summarize large blocks of information. Although video can be useful as a visual aid, it needs to be carefully edited and integrated into the speech. Photographs need to be large enough to be seen clearly by all your listeners. If you have access to the right equipment, you may be able to combine several kinds of visual aids—plus sound—in a multimedia presentation. Finally, you can act as your own visual aid by performing actions that demonstrate processes or ideas. No matter what kind of visual aid you use, you need to prepare it carefully. You will be most successful if you prepare your aids in advance, keep them simple, make sure they are large enough to be seen clearly, and use color effectively for emphasis and visual appeal. If you are creating visual aids on a computer, use a limited number of fonts and make sure the ones you select will be easy for your audience to read. In addition to being designed with care, visual aids need to be presented skillfully. Avoid writing or drawing visual aids on the chalkboard. Nor should you pass visual aids among the audience. Instead, display each aid only while you are talking about it, and be sure to display it where everyone can see it without straining. When presenting a visual aid, maintain eye contact with your listeners. Talk to the audience, not to the aid, and explain the aid clearly and concisely. Above all, practice with your visual aids so they fit into your speech smoothly and expertly.
