Learning the art of audience engagement and fostering participation during a speech is a valuable life skill that regrettably eludes many youngsters (and even adults). Devoting a little time to honing effective communication skills can equip your child with abilities that will serve them throughout their lifetime. Not only will this elevate their school presentations, making them interactive and captivating, but it will also build their everyday confidence and enhance their communication skills, enriching their social interactions on a daily basis.
Let’s explore some strategies for helping your child connect with their audience while delivering a speech:
- The Power of Eye Contact: Establishing a connection with the audience begins with eye contact. Teach your child to practice maintaining eye contact as they speak. They can rehearse in front of a mirror or with family, record themselves on video, or even employ visual cues like dots on palm cards to remind them when to look up. Furthermore, encourage your child to take a moment before beginning their speech to make eye contact with the audience, radiating an aura of confidence.
- Expressive Body Language and Gestures: Remember that a significant portion of your message is conveyed through how you present it, not just the words you use. Body language, hand gestures, and other non-verbal cues can make your child’s speech more engaging by adding emphasis and intrigue to their delivery.
- Foster Audience Participation: Equip your child with techniques to actively involve the audience. This can be as simple as prompting a show of hands or inviting audience members to share their own experiences and opinions. When the opportunity arises, encourage your child to pose open-ended questions during their speech, rather than mere yes-or-no inquiries. This approach stimulates audience participation and sparks discussions, rendering the presentation more interactive and captivating.
- Harness the Power of Storytelling and Examples: Storytelling is a potent tool for capturing the audience’s attention during a speech. Encourage children to incorporate storytelling and examples into their presentations, making them not only engaging but also memorable.
By instilling these techniques, you’re not just enhancing your child’s presentation skills; you’re empowering them with the ability to connect, communicate, and engage with others effectively—skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
At Super Speak, our award winning program teaches children aged 6-14 public speaking & presentation skills. We cover a wide range of everyday communication skills that will help your child more confidently engage others when giving a speech, or when simply speaking to others in public. Our fun learning program incorporates both public speaking & drama to ensure our students gain broader learning outcomes to help them in and out of the classroom. With over 65,000 children having participated in Super Speak since 2006, we have a teaching team with unmatched experienced and the most comprehensive curriculum available to children in Australia & beyond. We teach our classes in a style that is fun, supportive & high energy! Our students learn to be more confident & capable public speakers & everyday communicators for life. Check out Super Speak Public Speaking Program here.
