Public Speaking

Over the next few months, many classrooms will be discussing the upcoming U.S. presidential election. While some teachers will focus on the art of the campaign, others will examine the candidates’ political platforms, their speeches, and the all-important debates. For many citizens, the debates between Mitt Romney and President Obama may well determine how they will cast their votes in November. Presidential debates are critical to the election process because they allow voters to see how well-versed the candidates are in the areas of domestic and foreign policy, the national economy, social issues, the national debt, and a host of other matters.

Many students today are completely comfortable interacting and sharing online. Although this is an important skill (and a skill we need to hone), it does not replace the importance of being able to speak comfortably in front of a real live audience. The anonymity of online interactions forms a stark contrast to the attention a live speaker receives from an audience. For many students, being in the front of the room alone as the focus of an entire classroom is a scary prospect. No matter how old your students are, you can help them improve their public speaking skills and help alleviate their fears.

When I was in fifth grade, my class had to orally present book projects to our classmates – and worse – the sixth grade class as well. This was really our first foray into delivering oral presentations, and it was nerve-wracking. We sat on the gym floor and nervously waited and watched as one by one we fidgeted and mumbled our way through our presentations, trying to ignore the smirks and stares from the sixth graders. I especially remember one boy, who was so nervous about presenting his favorite book, James and the Giant Peach, that he talked way too fast and repeatedly referred to it as “James and the Giant Speech.” While it was funny at the time, I think it aptly illustrates how stressful oral presentations can be.