The ability to look someone in the eye and speak has taken a backseat in an age where kids often hide behind emojis, text slang, and voice filters. And when children grow up with a smartphone taped to their hands, and social interactions are brought down to mere likes and shares, the art of public speaking in the real world has only become that much more important.
Today, it does not only give them confidence and a clear voice in front of others but develops in them some essential life skills that are not merely about verbal communication. Of course, it helps children handle nerves and think on their feet, but it also develops empathy.
Next semester, they’ll be able to type faster than most of us can talk, but is this going to help them fulfil that college interview, lead a project at work, or simply voice their opinions in a classroom debate? That’s what public speaking is about—the bridge between online interaction and real-world communication that will really shape their future. In this blog, we will cover some pointers on the importance of public speaking for kids that we follow at The Blue Bells School.
- Building Confidence through Public Speaking
The digital age has given us an ultrahigh degree of freedom, whereby children can connect across continents with the clicking of a single button. On the other hand, however, many children often feel overwhelmed by real-time verbal communication, as much as they feel comfortable texting or posting. Public speaking helps kids develop confidence in expressing ideas clearly and powerfully, even when they step outside their digital comfort zones.
Think about this: the competence to express oneself in front of a group—whether that be classroom, Zoom meeting, or stage—is now providing a base for children to express themselves clearly in any context. And in today’s digital world with so many vying for attention through keystrokes alone, it is more important than ever to teach children how to make their voice heard—literally.
- Boosting Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and Empathy
On the surface, public speaking seems like a stand-alone skill. After all, you’re the one up there in front of everybody else, right? In reality, it’s a highly social exercise. The minute children stand in front of other human beings and talk, they start to develop their sense of audience. They learn to put themselves in others’ shoes, watch their body language, and modulate their tone by the listener’s feelings.
The Blue Bells School House is a home where the power of expression from a young age and grows up with a focus on nurturing not only academically but socially and emotionally.
In one way or another, we provide platforms and create an atmosphere that enables children to communicate in public during classroom presentations and school debates, among others.
- Public Speaking Improves Digital Communication Skills for Kids
This is where the digital age and public speaking finally come together. Organization, clarity, persuasion—the core competencies developed in public speaking—carry directly over into effective digital communication. Whether a child is writing an email, creating a video, or posting to social media, the methods they learned in public speaking will help them craft better messages online.
Additionally, strong verbal skills apply to the digital creation of content. If he or she wants to be a YouTuber or even a podcaster, the enrichment coming from previous education in public speaking will give them an edge on video and airwaves to become more charismatic and clear on camera or in recordings. These skills can bring about better online presence, whether for personal expression or professional aspirations.
- Reduces Anxiety in a World Full of Social Pressure
Social media has created an environment in which kids feel compelled to project an image of perfection. It may sound counterintuitive, but public speaking helps solve the problem. Sure, it’s daunting to stand in front of a crowd, but it builds resilience, helping kids overcome fear. The more a child stands up and speaks, the more he or she understands it’s okay to stumble, that it’s okay not to be perfect.
It helps a kid learn to embrace imperfections and to develop a healthy level of self-worth if he is able to express himself before a room full of people—without a backspace or delete button. Even the experience of management of nerves for public speaking can help a child learn how to handle online stress, for the child learns that a mistake is not the end of life.
Through meticulous work on Confidence Building, our educators at The Blue Bells School ensure that our students become articulate speakers and great communicators, equipped with Empathy and Resilience, which are Key Life Skills for their future success.
We help students get out of their comfort level and, in turn, make their first step into speaking before a live audience, which will also prepare them for digital or non-digital life.
- Preparing for the Future
Today’s children are growing up for careers that don’t exist yet. The one thing that is quite sure is that the need to communicate clearly isn’t going anywhere. In an increasingly digital, automated, AI-fueled world, human skills like empathy, storytelling, and persuasion will be what differentiates us. Public speaking helps kids prepare for this future by giving them the ability to focus on this enigmatic sense of being human.
Be it a CEO, a teacher, an engineer, or an influencer, the gift of oratory will always be helpful. The world might go increasingly digital, but the human touch to any communication is something that will not be replaced anytime soon.
Some Practical Tips On How to Teach Kids Public Speaking:
Parents and teachers can use the following tips to help encourage public speaking in kids:
Baby Steps: Let your child be outspoken first with small groups, be it friends or family, before moving to bigger gatherings. Every small win creates a ripple of confidence.
Encourage Storytelling: Ask kids to tell stories about their day or describe their favorite book, movie, or game. This helps them practice arranging their thoughts and speaking clearly.
Model Public Speaking: Children learn as much by example as by any other means. Share your own experiences, practice speeches in front of them, and demonstrate that public speaking is a skill that takes time and effort to develop.
