Public Speaking for Kids - Courses from Top Rated Learning Centres

We express ourselves through words, and speech is an important part of communicating effectively. However, more often than not, our kids do not receive enough training on this crucial skill in school. Although public speaking is a skill that is often neglected, it bears importance in a wide variety of contexts - in classes, in interviews or even in social situations. Public speaking courses can help children overcome stage fright and get used to speaking to a crowd. Becoming an eloquent, confident speaker can open up a world of possibilities for children!

Public Speaking

Public speaking is the act of delivering a speech in front of a crowd for a variety of purposes. Remember getting butterflies in your stomach when you had to deliver a speech in front of an audience? Even for adults, public speaking can be nerve-wracking!

Many public speaking courses help children learn to ease their tension as the first stage of public speaking training. Afterwards, children are trained on the appropriate tones, poise, and rhythms that form the foundation of effective public speaking. Public speaking coaches can help children discover their own personal style of speaking that will help them stand out in a variety of contexts, including interviews or in-class activities, just to name a few.

Trinity College London offers Drama & Speech curriculums for children that are available through numerous English learning centres in Hong Kong. Children can enroll in graded examinations and receive certification in general speaking skills. General public speaking courses may be ideal for children who have had no prior experience in giving speeches, and can provide a great foundation for more advanced public speaking courses in speech or debating. Learning centres such as Steps English, KidsEdge Education and Dramatic English offer Trinity English courses taught by qualified teachers. Parents can easily search for a suitable course on whizpa.com

Debating

Debating is a special form of public speaking, in which debaters are allocated stances, either affirmative or negative, to an assigned disputable topic. Debaters are known for their agility in forming arguments, since debates are fast-paced interactions to-and-fro between two sides. On top of agility, solid logical thinking skills are crucial to forming an argument. Since the primary objective is to convince judges and audiences to agree with one’s position, it is also necessary for debaters to learn to be assertive and convincing, in both their choice of words and poise.

Since debaters typically enroll in debate tournaments and engage in a series of debates with motions from a variety of disciplines, many debate classes also train debaters in current affairs. Through debating, students acquire the skills to persuade their audience through arguments with sound logical foundation, poise and astuteness. They are also expected to be socially-aware, and capable of forming their own perspectives.

The Debating Association is an association specially dedicated to children’s debating activities and classes. With the ultimate goal of equipping children with the skills to debate, The Debating Association offers courses with a systematic teaching approach that helps children from mastering speaking, to discussing, and finally to debating. The Association also organizes contests regularly.

Children defending their stance confidently in a typical debate setting. Source: The Debating Association

Bestie Speak is known for their specialty in speech training. Aiming to build eloquence and improvisational skills, their courses train students to think with breadth, depth and efficiency. Students will learn to voice their opinions in a logical and sensible way. On top of that, students will also master  the skills to analyze matters with an independent, objective and rational pair of eyes. Other than the content, one’s demeanor and body gestures are also emphasized, since they are just as critical as verbal expressions in winning a debate. Upon mastering the above elements, students will be able to speedily respond to opponents with eloquence, confidence and astuteness.

Future Leaders Academy's Future Leaders Debate Programme teaches students how to apply critical thought in a discourse setting, with a focus on core debate skills. Students are trained to identify problems and reason out a solution in a logical manner before verbalizing them in a clear and dynamic manner. Through this process, students also learn about different perspectives with regards to current affairs and controversial issues. This course equips students with valuable skills that will be applicable to their future education and careers.

Storytelling

According to research done by Stanford University, stories have a retention rate of 65-70% compared to disconnected facts. Audiences are more likely to remember a series of meaningfully connected facts. Therefore, speeches conveyed in a coherent story are better remembered, leaving a deeper impression. Storytelling has become a core content-writing strategy that helps make a speech more remarkable, and is a skill that can be applied in a variety of speaking contexts – during an interview, trying to convince an audience, or even in daily conversations.

Effective storytelling involves a variety of skills, including conveying ideas coherently, connecting them in a meaningful way, and expressing them with accurate vocabulary and structure. Storytelling classes are gaining momentum in Hong Kong, and there are now many class offerings catering to children.

Story Clan believes in the power of stories - in the holistic development of children, in improving language proficiency, and for the enjoyment of improvisation and lively presentations. Story Clan organizes workshops of different storytelling techniques, including unique story workshops like Kimishibai workshops (Japanese-originated paper theatre).

Children enjoying a storytelling session. Source: Storyclan

Kaleidoscope Workshop organizes workshops that help children become effective storytellers, developing verbal proficiency with accurate use of voice, tone, volume and pitch. The workshops also aim to eliminate stage fright and train childeren to become articulate speakers.

Seasonal stories are great ways to put storytelling in context. Source: Storyclan

If you would like to help your children speak their mind with ease and confidence, search for a suitable class on whizpa.com! You may also leave a comment on courses your child has taken in the past, or view feedback from other parents.