In addition to my book – The Big Book of Flip Charts: A Comprehensive Guide for Presenters, Trainers and Team Facilitators, entire books have been written about how to effectively prepare and use the classic flip chart as one of your visual aids in adult learning environments and group gatherings. A key flip chart basic – writing on the paper – is one that you should remember when designing and using flipcharts in you training session or meeting.
The following are several points to keep in mind when preparing and writing on your flip chart pages.
Print words. Make sure that you print words legibly, when writing on your flip chart pages so that participants can read what is there. This is especially important when you have people from other cultures present who might not be familiar with cursive style. Also, some school systems no longer teach cursive writing as a required subject in elementary schools.
Use large letters. Make sure that your letters are large enough to view from a distance. Consider using capital lettering for page heads and a combination of upper and lower case letters for text on the page. A good combination is to use 4-inch (appx 10 cm)letters for headers and 2-3-inch (appx 5-7.6 cm) for text lines.
Write in a Straight Line. You can either buy lined or graph flip chart paper or use a straight edge to ensure that lines of text flow straight across the page when creating them. This helps ensure that your written messages look professional and that you do not waste paper.
Use the Six to Eight Rule When Designing Your Pages. This means to limit words per line to 6-8 and lines of text to from 6-8. This increases ease of reading and reduces clutter on the page.
Like many other aspects of training adults, following some simple guidelines when preparing your flip charts in advance can increase your effectiveness and aid learners in getting the information that you intend.
For additional ideas and strategies on making and using flipcharts in your training or adult learning events, get copies of The Big Book of Flip Charts: A Comprehensive Guide for Presenters, Trainers and Team Facilitators and The Creative Training Idea Book: Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning.
YOUR THOUGHTS? – Please share any tips for effectively using flip charts in adult learning environments?
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