How to help your child become a confident speaker?

Children often come off as too shy and timid in front of strangers, regardless of how mischievous they could be around family. There is a need to boost their confidence in order to make them influential and great speakers.

Being a confident speaker can help you in your professional as well as social lives. It is necessary to build these skills in your child in their formative years. They must learn the art of communication in order to stand out in a crowd full of people.

Being able to speak well can develop a child’s academic as well. They can score well in exams and develop self-esteem by speaking confidently among their peers.

Here are 10 ways in which you can help them become a confident speaker.

• Listen and talk to them

Well, the more you practice, the better you get at skills. The only practice required to develop communication skills is to listen and talk.

Accompany your child in this process. Help them become a confident speaker by speaking and listening to them. Be mindful of your words, grammar, and pronunciations, and speak clearly using small statements. This will help them listen and develop the skill of talking.

• Encourage them to participate in various competitions

This is inevitably one of the finest ways to train your child. Encourage them to participate in various elocution, speech, and poetry recitation competition.

At first, they might come off shy and will make minor mistakes, but as they get used to it, they will build confidence. This way, their public speaking art can be enhanced.

• Read to them and encourage them to read

Read to your kids. Let them listen to new words and help them understand the sentence structures. Encourage them to read small poems and tales. Also, encourage them to memorize a few rhymes. This will help them improve their pronunciation skills.

• Make videos

Record your child’s development. Let them learn from their own mistakes. Let them track their own progress.

Recording videos can also make the business a tad bit serious for your child. They can go back to it whenever required and rectify their own mistakes.

• Acknowledge their accomplishments 

In order to help your child become a confident speaker, praise him/her. Acknowledge their small accomplishment. Every time they pick up a new word or correct their own pronunciation, encourage them and let them know they are doing a good job.

This way, they will be focused on improving themselves, and this will boost their confidence.

• Teach them to manage their mistakes

Avoid nagging your child for making a minor mistake. Rather help them improve their own mistakes.

Give them some time and space to ponder upon the mistakes they tend to repeat. While you help them develop the art of public speaking, teach them to acknowledge their own mistakes and let them know that the audience is much more forgiving than they appear.

Do not let them be taken aback by the minor mistakes they make.

• Impart confidence 

Small words and gestures of affirmation, praise, and constant motivation can help your child build confidence. They will tend to match your energy levels, and thus try to be as free and confident in front of them as possible.

Impart confidence in your child. Set the vibe right to help them become confident speakers.

• Ask them general questions

Asking questions is a good way to keep a conversation moving. Ask questions and let them answer. This will help them open up more often and can build a sense of maturity in them.

They will learn to tackle questions and will know how to answer them wisely. Asking questions will also help them differentiate the tones used while speaking. They will be able to speak effectively, and this will enhance their speech delivery.

• Train them to speak over phones

Speaking over phones is a great way to develop the art of speaking to strangers. While your child is not able to see the person, they aren’t expected to be in a secure zone. This way, they will learn to analyze tones and will answer more confidently. This can also help them build some greeting skills.

• Pay attention to their delivery skills

Listen to your child. Pay attention to the way they deliver their sentences. Make sure they aren’t too authoritative or too timid. A soft, gentle voice with an affirmative tone should do the job.

Children are in their formative ages. They absorb all that they are exposed to. Teach them and guide them at the right time. This will help them become con8fident speakers.

How to be a confident speaker in public?

To become a confident speaker while speaking, you can follow these steps:

Prepare and practice: Thoroughly prepare your speech or presentation. Organize your thoughts, create an outline, and make sure you understand your topic well. Practice your speech multiple times, both alone and in front of a mirror or friends. This will help you become more familiar with your content and boost your confidence.

Know your audience: Understand who your audience is and what they expect from your presentation. Tailor your content and delivery to match their interests, knowledge level, and expectations. This will help you connect with them and make your speech more engaging.

Start with a strong opening: Begin your speech with a powerful and attention-grabbing opening. This can be a relevant story, a thought-provoking question, a surprising fact, or a compelling quote. A strong opening will captivate your audience and boost your confidence from the start.

Maintain good body language: Your body language plays a significant role in your overall presence. Stand tall, maintain eye contact, and use gestures to emphasize key points. A confident posture and facial expression will convey your confidence to the audience.

Speak slowly and clearly: Speak at a moderate pace, enunciating your words clearly. Take pauses when necessary to emphasize important points and give the audience time to absorb your message. Speaking too fast can make you appear nervous and may hinder audience understanding.

Use visual aids: Visual aids like slides or props can enhance your presentation and help you convey your message effectively. Use them sparingly and make sure they are clear, concise, and visually appealing. Visual aids can serve as reminders for you and as visual cues for the audience, boosting your confidence and reinforcing your points.

Engage with the audience: Connect with your audience by maintaining eye contact, asking questions, and encouraging participation. Involve them in your presentation through interactive activities, discussions, or Q&A sessions. Engaging the audience will make your speech more dynamic and build your confidence as you receive positive responses.

Embrace nervousness: Remember that feeling nervous is normal, and many experienced speakers still experience it. Instead of letting nerves overwhelm you, embrace them as energy that can fuel your performance. Take deep breaths, smile, and remind yourself that you are prepared and capable.

Learn from feedback: After your speech, seek constructive feedback from trusted individuals or record and review your presentation. Focus on areas for improvement and implement suggestions in your future speeches. Learning from feedback and continuously refining your skills will boost your confidence over time.

Practice regularly: Confidence in public speaking comes with practice. The more you speak in front of audiences, the more comfortable and confident you’ll become. Seek opportunities to present, such as joining a toastmasters club, participating in public speaking events, or volunteering for presentations at work or school.

Remember that confidence is a skill that develops over time. Be patient, persevere, and celebrate your progress along the way. With practice and experience, you’ll become a confident and engaging speaker in public.

Do visit some academies like the Orator Academy to get further tips and train your child in a professional manner.

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