Speaking in public may be an uncomfortable and distressing experience. Many people have experienced this at least once. I remember doing it myself for the first time – I was extremely nervous; I was sweating all over and I was silently hoping that I had not said anything embarrassing or wrong. Although public speaking may make us all feel this way, public speaking skills in our daily life is still something that we need throughout our lives and careers.
While public speaking is an important skill, most schools do not teach it to students. Many parents also believe that public speaking skills are not important. School principals and parents should realize that dismissing public speaking skills as unimportant is not a clever idea as they are very crucial for their children’s success. In this article, we will discuss how the importance of public speaking for students is paramount for a child’s success.
Importance of Public Speaking in our Daily Life
Apart from being a competitive advantage, public speaking skills also teach in our free workshops offer many benefits to our daily lives .
Public Speaking Improves and Boosts Your Confidence
One benefit which demonstrates the importance of public speaking in our daily lives is that it helps us face our fears. The repeated practice of speaking in front of a large audience is how to develop confidence in public speaking.
There is nothing more empowering than realizing that you have just spoken in front of a large audience. Also, the fact that research confirms that one of the benefits of public speaking is boosting your confidence. A study by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, which examined people from the ages 9 to 18 revealed that those who took part in a public speaking program had increased levels of confidence.
Of course, the anxiety and nervousness that accompanies public speaking will not disappear completely. At least with continued practice, you will be able to control these feeling more than you used to.
Public Speaking Improves Critical Thinking
Another benefit that demonstrates the importance of public speaking in our daily lives is that helps develop critical thinking skills, particularly if you need to prepare a speech. Composing a speech requires thought. You must understand and analyze your audience and choose the right words to communicate your message.
Developing these skills as well clearly demonstrates how important public speaking is in our daily lives. When writing speeches, there are several factors to consider. How can you make sure that the audience is interested in what you are saying?
How can you help the audience understand your message? How can you improve your speaking style? When you start thinking about these questions, you will inevitably employ and practice your critical thinking skills.
Public Speaking Creates New Social Connections.
When you speak in public, you engage with people. Engaging with others demonstrates again the importance of public speaking in our daily lives. When you are done, some may approach you and start asking questions. This will lead to a conversation and we will help you make new personal connections.
When this happens, try to listen to the people approaching you, start asking them questions and ask for their opinions about your presentation. By doing so you will meet new people and make new friendships.
Improving Children’s Communication Skills
Now that we know that public speaking is an important skill that has many benefits – how can we help our children be better public speakers? The truth is that we do not need to make them go on stage or speak in front of a large audience to help them. All we need to do is to help them improve their communication skills through the various speaking activities for students will accomplish that.
- Try to talk to your children as often as possible through various speaking activities. This will provide opportunities to practice speaking skills in communication. Start conversations with your child and encourage them to give their opinion or ask them about their day at school.
- Make every effort to respect and recognize the feelings of your children. They will be more willing to talk and share their feelings if they know that you will not judge or criticize them. If your child makes a grammatical mistake or pronounces a word incorrectly, avoid correcting them.
- Treat your child as a full-fledged communication partner. It does not mean, of course, that you must use adult language with them. Instead, you should take turns, use eye contact, and show that you value what they say.
- Be a patient listener and reflect on the things that your kid says. In this way, you can also model good speaking skills in communication. Unfortunately, even most adults are not good listeners, so you will have to be diligent in being a good one.
- Use your body language to show your child that you are listening and teach them which body gestures are appropriate for a conversation. Practicing speaking skills in communication through regular dialogues with your child will also help improve their communication skills as well.
- Teach your kids a respectful vocabulary. Yes, it is true that children can sometimes be angry and find it difficult to manage their emotions. Parents must remind their children that they should avoid strong offensive language. For example, try to discourage your children from using such phrases as “you are stupid” and encourage them to say “I don’t agree with you” instead. By regularly practicing this in speaking activities for students, children will improve their communication skills.
- Start reading with your children. Reading is an important part of effective communication and the development of children’s communication skills. Reading helps your child learn new words while improving their cognitive abilities. Reading also makes children more empathetic. Additionally, as you read aloud, you demonstrate skills in communication.
- There is extensive research demonstrating that reading makes our brain stronger, which improves communication skills Also, remember it does not really matter what you read to your child. What matters is that you should read together.
- Encourage your child to the journal. Keeping a diary helps your children to structure their thoughts and rehearse what they want to say in addition to practicing and improving their communication skills. Children can express their emotions in writing without having to write in a formal style. They feel that nobody is judging them and therefore are free to express their genuine emotions.
How to Develop Confidence in Public Speaking
Let us imagine that our children already had public speaking experience and they are asking us for advice on how to be better public speakers and how to be confident in front of an audience. The issue of confidence when it comes to public speaking is an important one indeed. The following is a guide on how to develop confidence in public speaking tips for children:
- Prepare properly. Avoid coffee or caffeinated drinks as they can increase anxiety. Instead, try to listen to calming music on the way to the venue where your speech will be given. Research mindfulness exercises that can alleviate your worries and anxieties about public speaking. Learn how to control your breathing through special techniques or do physical exercises.
- Practice, practice, and practice. When you are alone and trying to rehearse your presentation, stand up and speak loudly as if you are presenting to an audience. Also, practice in front of others and ask them for feedback.
- Use body language confidently. Use gestures to emphasize the point that you are wishing to make and maintain eye contact with the audience. Do not just stand still while you are presenting – move around the stage. When you feel nervous it may be tempting to rush through your presentation and speak fast, but that is not a good idea. If this happens, your audience will only be more likely to notice that you are nervous and you will only be more likely to make frustrating mistakes.
- Try focusing on your message. Minimizing distractions will help keep your mind on your message and your focus on delivering it. It will also help boost your confidence.
- Rehearse and record your presentation. You can do that by using your smartphone. Watch the video you have made and ask yourself critical questions. Am I enthusiastic about my topic? Do I establish eye contact with the audience? Do I look energetic? After carefully analyzing your presentation, pick two or three things that you would like to change and work on them.
- Attend public speaking events and try to ask as many questions as you can. Watch presentations of experienced public speakers and note what they do to get their message across. Watch their gesturing, take note of the pitch of their voice, and see how the audience reacts to them. Approach the speakers after the event and ask them questions about their personal experience of public speaking and the challenges that they had before becoming effective public speakers.
The importance of public speaking for students is paramount, thus demonstrating why it needs to be taught in schools. It helps us connect with others. More importantly, improving our ability to speak in public also improves our communication skills. So, if you really want to help your children to become good public speakers then you really need to focus on helping them develop their overall speaking skills.
Dr. Russ Gadzhiev obtained his Ph.D. in history and politics from the University of Melbourne. He also holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Moscow State University of International Relations, a top-ranking diplomatic school. Dr. Russ is a strong education professional with a history of working in the higher education sector of Australia who effectively communicates with learners from diverse cultural backgrounds. His background includes teaching, mentoring, writing, curriculum development, research, information management, and public speaking. He is fluent in Russian, English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
