Public Speaking
As teachers, we definitely want to develop public speaking skills in our pupils.
The truth is even adults can find it hard to speak before a crowd so it is not easy for the shy ones to speak loudly when they need to do a presentation.
We may not always have microphones to amplify our voices so we need to know how to speak loudly and clearly.
This is definitely important for our pupils when they need to do a presentation in the course of their work.
This article will give some ideas for teachers to develop public speaking skills in our pupils.
Know the audience
When our pupils need to do a presentation, we need to ask them to think about the audience.
Are they presenting it to the school, teachers, parents or their fellow classmates?
Different audience would need different approaches to ensure their presentation is appealing.
The main purpose of most public speaking is to convince others with the information that we present.
Very often, a good presentation does not need to be lengthy but appealing.
Research and Rehearse
Pupils must know the content that they are going to present before the presentation so that they can have confidence of the topic.
By doing proper research, they can evaluate the highlights of their topics and how to present them.
After finalising the information to be presented, they should rehearse so that it enables them to build greater confidence and readiness.
Mental image of presentation
When they are rehearsing, they can imagine mentally the audience, they will be more mentally ready for the real presentation.
They can imagine the audience looking at them to adjust and regulate their emotions before the actual presentation.
By mentally rehearsing the whole presentation, it can ensure them to feel more comfortable especially the need to overcome their fears.
Speaking aloud
It can be hard for the shy ones to speak loudly.
One of the suggested ways by many professional speakers is to look afar and speak like you are talking to the one furthest away from them.
They should also be aware that they should not be shouting or screaming but they should speak loudly at a comfortable volume that everyone can hear clearly without a microphone.
When there is a microphone, our pupils must learn to ensure the sound of their breathing does not get into the microphone.
They should also adjust their volume so that they are not blasting their voices while using the microphone.
Eye Contact and body language
Most pupils often may be reading their scripts and forget to maintain a good eye contact with the audience.
They must learn to hold their scripts lower so that they do not cover their faces.
They need to constantly look at the audience while taking a quick peek at their scripts only if they have forgotten what to say.
They also should not stand like a wooden block. They should use their hands and facial expressions appropriately to enhance their presentation.
In conclusion
As mentioned earlier, it is not easy for many adults so it can be extremely intimidating for those who are usually shy and quiet.
It takes time to train those who lack boldness before a crowd.
Even teachers, we do feel the nervousness before we start our presentation during conference or workshop.
We must always be encouraging even if they do not do well during the early attempts.
When teachers take the time to develop the public speaking skills in our pupils, it would benefit them for life.
Disclaimer: This is my personal reflection and I am not in any position to instruct anyone what they should do. I am not responsible for any action taken as a result of this post. My post can only be a reference for your further research and growth. By reading this post, you acknowledge and accept that. All images and pictures were taken from google images that are free from copyright under labelled for reuse.
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://fun2learn.vornix.blog/2018/12/03/public-speaking/