As an adult, you're likely familiar with the fear of giving a presentation at work or speaking up in front of a crowd – and you've had years of practice! Children may not perform as well in class if they are afraid to raise their hands and answer questions or read aloud. You can help your children reduce their fear of public speaking with these tips:
Think out loud
A lot of the pressure children feel to perform in class comes from not knowing what they're going to say before they speak. When answering a question, for example, most students don't have exactly what they'll share planned out ahead of time. That's OK! In-class discussion is extemporaneous, and no one is expected to have all the answers. Encourage your children to become more comfortable speaking as thoughts come to them by having them think aloud.
You can do this at home or while you're on a walk somewhere. Tell your children to share what they notice around them. They should use descriptive words denoting color and texture. They may say something like, "I see a mailbox shaped like a fish on Mr. Pendigan's lawn. He just cut the grass, so there are clippings all over." This low-pressure activity will help your children get in the habit of speaking aloud, making talking in class easier.
Practice with a live audience
Students could sit in their rooms and speak to themselves as a way to improve at public speaking, but this removes a very important aspect – the audience. You can provide guests at home to help your children get used to talking in front of a crowd. Gather friends and family members, pets and even stuffed animals to listen to your children talk. You can start slowly with only a few listeners and then build up to a larger audience when your kids are more confident.
Try a performance
Some kids just need to think of public speaking in a more fun way. They may be great at performing magic shows or singing but become petrified at the thought of talking at school. Surprisingly, these performances are actually great practice for in-class speaking. Your children will become more comfortable in front of an audience when they sing, dance or act and can then transfer these abilities to answering questions or giving presentations at school.
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