Public speaking is a daunting task for most adults, let alone kids. The underlying fear of being judged and criticized when speaking in front of a crowd, however big or small, often holds us back from publicly speaking our minds. However, public speaking is a very useful skill to master that gives us an edge over other people in all aspects of our lives.
Being able to persuade a crowd according to your beliefs and explaining your ideas to them is an invaluable skill set that sets us apart from the competition, whether it is academically or professionally.
Why are public speaking skills important for children?
You might be under the impression that your child doesn’t need to develop public speaking skills at such early stages of their life. This is a common misconception. By starting to overcome their fears of public speaking at a young age, they are building a solid foundation for the later stages of their lives.
Children are, from an early age, generally fond of being creative and expressing themselves in a spirited manner. However, when told to do the same in front of an audience, most children back out. Perhaps it is the fear of addressing strangers or the fear of being made fun of for their thoughts and ideas. Whatever the reason might be, as long as they consistently work on confronting their fears, everything should be fine.
Ways to master public speaking
1. Understanding and filtering through subject matter or cause
It is one thing to understand the cause you are attempting to speak for, but an entirely different thing to know how to explain it to a crowd without much help. Often, the sources you identify to gather your information have extensive texts. It might be obvious, but you need not memorize these texts. Whilst addressing the crowd, you need to make sure you get the point across in as few sentences as you can manage.
2. Importance of research & structuring your content
When speaking publicly, you are shaping people’s opinions on the topic at hand. Therefore, you must get your facts correct. Double-check your sources to ensure that you do not have incorrect or partial knowledge. Moreover, remember your audience wants you to be engaging, not boring. Therefore, it is important to have a proper structure for your speech so that it flows and everything connects.
3. Editing content for a focused message
Letting your audience know that you have a clear and focused message that you are trying to deliver is a powerful move. If you are sure about what you are saying, chances are your audience will also be more confident in believing what you’re telling them. Edit your content in such a manner that everything flows in one direction, delivering the message you need to deliver and reaching the minds it needs to reach.
4. Learning effective articulation
If you sound smart, people will likely believe that you are smart. Therefore, it is essential to learn how to articulate your opinions effectively. Using good vocabulary and appearing confident are all things to seek when wanting to articulate effectively. Using good vocabulary and pronunciation is key to sounding articulate. When you speak with regular pauses, it helps create an impressive effect and also helps you catch a breath.
3 ways Orator Academy can help to overcome the fear of public speaking
-
Providing a practice audience to engage in
By giving you the option to practice in group sessions, they help you to overcome fear of public speaking. They teach your children ways to face their fears and help them understand that there is nothing to be afraid of. People are genuinely interested in hearing what you have to say. Sure, they may not necessarily agree with you, but they are, nonetheless, curious to understand your thoughts.
-
Constant encouragement
Orator Academy is a strong believer in positive reinforcement. Every session always ends with a word of encouragement so that your child is not demotivated and remains positive.
-
Providing feedback
Although words of encouragement are ever present in their sessions, another thing they make sure to do is to provide critical feedback that helps the speaker fine-tune their speaking skills and improve for the next time.
Conclusion
Public speaking is an effective tool to get ahead in your life. It is never too early to start honing your public speaking skills. The moment your child is asked to address an audience is not as far as you might think it is. Whether it be ‘show and tell in kindergarten or debate competitions in middle school, the earlier they start learning, the better.
Once you have decided to help your child overcome fear of public speaking, the ‘how’ of it all might be confusing! This is where Orator Academy comes in. Orator Academy helps your child develop effective speaking skills and communicate with confidence. Be sure to check us out if you are looking for an efficacious tool to help your child gain confidence in their words.
