Many students of all ages encounter situations in school where they have to practice giving speeches or presentations. Public speaking is a very important skill to learn, since good communication skills are essential in nearly all jobs today. Being able to communicate an idea or opinion clearly and efficiently is not an easy thing to do, especially for kids who are still learning basic reading and writing skills. Here are some tips for you to help your kids and students give an effective, attention-grabbing speech.
Get some inspiration before giving a speech
Before your child starts writing their speech, encourage them to get inspired to write it. The process can be much more enjoyable if they have a vision for how they want the end product to be. One way to find inspiration might be to see examples of what a good speech is. Some great sources for examples of good speeches are TED Talks, specifically ones by kids who have been trained in the art of giving speeches. On the TED Blog, an article was posted with 9 great talks from kids. This is a great starting point for when your kid is in need of some inspiration for a speech or presentation.
Tell a story while public speaking
Nick Morgan wrote a piece for Forbes.com, where he stresses the importance of emotion in a speech. He claims that the best speeches are emotional, causing them to affect the audience more. One great way to do this is by telling a story. Around 65% of TED Talks are stories, and these are seen as some of the most brilliant speeches of this day and age. So, once your child has chosen a topic encourage them to think of an experience or story that is personal to them that they can incorporate into their speech.
Stick to the rule of three’s while giving speeches
Encourage your child to try and choose 3 to 5 points and stick to them. Too many points can confuse their audience and the main point may not be as clear. By narrowing down the different parts of their speech, your child will be able to communicate their topic much more clearly and efficiently.
Practice, Practice, Practice
A lot of giving a good speech is the delivery. An article by Carmine Gallo, author of Talk like Ted, mentions that Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor practiced her speech more than 200 times before she presented it. It has now been viewed over 15 million times. This just goes to show that no matter how experienced you are at public speaking, you can never practice enough!
Once your child picks a topic and does some research, have them follow these 4 tips. Then they will be a pro at giving speeches, ready to present in front of their class in no time!
