Whether you are a trainer, facilitator, educator or manager, flip charts (flip charts) are an inexpensive and effective tool to help visualize your ideas, display information, or exchange ideas in a training session or meeting. While there are several other tools that can accomplish these goals as well, flip charts continue to be one of the easiest and most versatile ways to communicate information in an adult learning classroom or office.
Here are five simple and creative ideas to enhance your flipchart pages:
1. Include colored icons or bullets in various ways that relate to your topic to visually link the written text and your meeting agenda or theme. For example, by addressing the following topics:
-Telephone skills: use small headphones or handsets;
-Customer service skills: use small smiley faces or faces with various expressions based on your text;
– Travel related: use cars, boats, airplanes, ships or other modes of transportation.
-EEO or legal – use scales of justice; Y
-Technical skills: use computers or other appropriate equipment.
2. Incorporate applicable drawn images in various colors. Cartoon characters, caricatures, simple stick figures, and similar representations are great. If you are using a Windows computer or laptop, you can insert some of them by going to the Microsoft Word toolbar and clicking “Insert”, then “Picture” or “Clipart” to choose the appropriate images.
If you can’t draw well, and have a dull projector (inexpensive versions can be purchased at craft stores, such as Michael’s or Hobby Lobby, and online). Just project an image onto a flipchart page and trace it. You can also create a PowerPoint slide and project it on paper for tracing.
One important thing to remember when using images is that you must obtain permission and cite the copyright owners when using material that you do not develop yourself to limit legal liability.
3. Use colored shapes to differentiate key terms and titles. This will help differentiate them from other words on the page. For example, you can use clouds, stars, circles, explosive bombs, or geometric shapes drawn in various colors to highlight a concept, word, or phrase.
4. Attach key concepts written in cutout shapes that you attach to the page with tape, velcro, or art glue on the back of each shape. For example, “bright ideas” can be obtained from the participants and written on lightbulb cutouts in a variety of colors. Students could then upload and post their idea on a flip chart and explain what they think about it. That page could then be posted on the wall for later reference and for students to see during breaks.
5. Add borders to flipchart pages with colored markers or colored masking tape. You can now buy duct tape at craft and office supply stores in a variety of widths and colors, and with various graphic images. Try to relate to the topics on the show. For example, if you are conducting a session on customer service or selling in a specific country, choose colors from that country’s flag or images that relate to its borders.
