“Mum, I’ve got to do a presentation to the whole class next week; I feel sick!”

Giving presentations and speaking in public can be daunting.  For some shyer, less confident young people, they can be a source of great anxiety. Watching your child go off in the morning with a black cloud hanging over them, as they worry about speaking in front of the class, is hard for any parent. And it’s even harder if they come home crushed because their worst fears came true.

Today, well-polished communication and presentation skills are almost a pre-requisite for anyone wishing to climb the ladder of success.  And public speaking doesn’t end at school. Many universities and prospective employers require presentations as part of the interview process. Employees are now expected to speak confidently at meetings, either virtually or face to face, or to a group of peers, senior managers, or clients.

Yet the expectation that we all come magically equipped with the skills to be able to present effectively and engagingly, on any topic, at the drop of a hat is, frankly, bizarre.

That doesn’t mean these skills can’t be learned.

In fact, the worry and anxiety around having to present, can be alleviated quickly by learning a few basic but key presentation techniques. Once mastered, they help steady the nerves and build enough self-confidence to be able to get through most public speaking situations successfully.

Here are my top 3 tips to succeed at speaking in public that you can pass on to your child or teen:

1. Make sure you are heard.

Firstly, if you want to keep your audience’s attention it is vital that they can hear you clearly. There are many factors that can affect this, the size of the room, the number of people watching, as well as the amount of background noise you will have to  contend with.

So, project your voice to meet the needs of the size of space you are in. If it is a large space, aim to throw your voice to the very back row. You can do this quite easily but alter your volume accordingly if the space is smaller and more intimate. Speak at a steady pace, resist the temptation to rush. If it feels weird, you have probably got the pace right!

2. Look confident, even if you don’t feel it.

Secondly, look confident and engage eye contact with the whole audience by speaking to the back of the room as well as those in the first few rows, making sure you look to the left and right parts of the audience as well.  Try to stand still,  and  with a sense of energy, making sure that when you move, it is with purpose,  for example, to emphasise a point. Moving randomly from too much nervous energy can be very distracting for the audience.

3. Practise, practise, practise!

Thirdly, run through the presentation to a buddy first, or even in front of a mirror. Before long, everything will feel and sound a lot more natural, and you’ll  very quickly find your own rhythm and flow of delivery. 

Finally, a word about nerves. Yes, for some, they can be crippling, but with practice you should begin to feel calmer about public speaking. And being a little nervous sometimes can be a good thing. A small amount of nervous energy can keep a presentation sharp and heighten delivery.  The great thing is that the more you present in public, the easier it becomes; you’ll feel much more in control and, as a result, more confident. You might even find you enjoy it.

So, whether it is a presentation for the classroom, or a university interview, knowing how to improve and polish communication and presentation skills can be enormously beneficial.

These skills really are for life.

If your learner would benefit from some training in public speaking and presentation skills, I offer experienced, knowledgeable tuition. Many children find the structure of studying for a LAMDA qualification a fun way to learn presentation skills AND get something worthwhile on their CV at the same time. LAMDA offer qualifications in either Public Speaking, The Speaking of Verse and Prose or Acting. Why not get in touch?

 More details can be found here: https://astardrama.com/lamda