From a 2:1 to a First: How Present Pal Helped Isabella Level Up Her Presentation Grades
With built-in prompts, pacing tools and rehearsal support, Present Pal helped Isabella overcome memory challenges, reduce anxiety, and deliver more confident, higher-scoring presentations.
The Challenge
Isabella, a dyslexic student at Nottingham Trent University, regularly delivers both individual and group presentations as part of her Media Communications and Culture degree. As a second-year student, these presentations contribute directly to her final grade, including traditional presentations and high-pressure formats like Dragons’ Den-style pitches.
Before being recommended Present Pal, Isabella faced common challenges related to dyslexia, including difficulty retaining her talking points and a tendency to rely on scripts. This often led to her forgetting key content, skipping parts of her presentation, and struggling with anxiety, all of which impacted her ability to engage her audience and perform at her best.
“Memory was a massive factor, I would usually forget what I planned to say meaning I would often end up skipping out on a lot of my presentation. Also I would say anxiety played a role; probably goes hand in hand with forgetting things.”
The Solution
Through the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), Isabella was introduced to Present Pal — a presentation support tool designed for students who face challenges with memory, confidence, and processing.
“I have been able to time myself as well as list my points in bullet points. A lot of presentations must be a certain duration, so that feature is definitely helpful. The bullet points act as a prompt - it helps me not read off a script and actually look up.”
By using Present Pal’s interactive bullet-point flashcards and built-in stopwatch, Isabella was able to move away from dense scripts and start prompting herself with concise, memorable cues. The timing feature also helped her manage pacing more effectively — a crucial skill when presentations must hit a specific time limit. She also explored Present Pal’s Training feature, using Lessons like Engaging the Audience, which used simple language and relatable examples to build confidence in her delivery.
The Result
Better Pacing and Presentation Technique
Isabella no longer reads off her notes. With flashcards and prompts, she’s able to maintain eye contact and engage her audience, while the stopwatch helps her keep track of timing.
Increased Confidence and Reduced Anxiety
Using Present Pal to rehearse in advance has made Isabella feel more confident and less stressed on presentation day. She credits the tool with changing her mindset and approach — particularly around relying on bullet points instead of scripts.
Positive Impact on Grades
Since using Present Pal, Isabella has seen a clear improvement in her academic performance. She achieved a First for a Dragons’ Den-style pitch where she fully relied on Present Pal for her notes and structure.
“Now I don’t read paragraphs from my notes. I’m prompted, which means I can remember my point and look up, not just read off the board. Present Pal has improved my confidence and prompted me to practice beforehand.
I had to do a traditional powerpoint presentation which I achieved a low 2:1 at the beginning of using Present Pal, then I achieved a low first when doing a dragons den pitch which I relied on Present Pal for all my notes and structure.”
Why DSA Assessors Recommend Present Pal
Isabella’s story shows how Present Pal supports students with dyslexia to develop effective speaking strategies, overcome memory-related barriers, and build lasting presentation confidence.
Unlike tools that only support rehearsal, Present Pal is designed to guide students through the full presentation journey - from building their content and structuring key points, to practicing delivery and managing pacing on the day.
Accessible, easy to use, and tailored to the cognitive needs of disabled students, Present Pal empowers students to rehearse meaningfully, reduce anxiety, and deliver with clarity - even under pressure.
Want to help the students you support overcome presentation challenges like Isabella?
Explore how Present Pal can transform presentation anxiety into confidence and improve student outcomes.
