Niall put this tidbit in the comment of a previous post. I like it so much, I think it deserves front page attention.

My approach is to, as one might say, 'trick' the audience into accepting that they already do grok

keyword:syntax: (and cascades) by getting them viewing a slide of English text, e.g.



    Memo

        to: Linux group

        from: Travis

        re: Smalltalk syntax

        date: 12 may 2007.



    I shall try to show you that Smalltalk syntax

        is easy to learn;

        is not really weird.



and then showing the same in Smalltalk, e.g.



    Memo

        to: 'Linux group'

        from: 'Travis'

        re: Smalltalk syntax

        date: (12 may: 2007).



    Smalltalk syntax

        isEasyToLearn: true;

        isReallyWeird: false.



Remarking that first is properly-punctuated English, and that they already know how to read it, bridges

naturally to explaining that the second is properly-punctuated Smalltalk and therefore they already

know how to read it too since they understand the English syntax rules.  I find this short-circuits the,

"Oh gosh, this looks weird", response that is otherwise likely if you just start showing Smalltalk code. 

Joking that them mustn't let their ability to read English go out of scope whenever they encounter code

can get the audience in the mood to see any issues they have reading keywords as their problem and a

laugh rather than your problem and a fault of Smalltalk.

Very astute. Very nice.