Just remember: stride with confidence, stand strong, smile to engage, speak with clarity and stay for applause
These were the key 5 s’s that some Burntwood girls learned in a workshop to complete the Jack Petchy’s speak out challenge where a few students who impressed James the leader of the workshop would compete in the assembly final . Two years ten groups were chosen to take part in the workshop to boost confidence and get a taste of speaking to a large group of people. Although it was difficult for some being bolstered by their fellow peers encouraged them to take part.
The day consisted of various activities targeting different sections of the journey of how to speak in front of a crowd. Some activities included: improvisation, greeting people without being able to use speech, games in order to help the classwork as one rather than against each other so people felt confident and a timed speech at the end that we planned out about a topic which we thought was going to entice the audience.
This workshop allowed some students such as myself to gain confidence and to be quick thinking when being put on the spot which helped all of us in the workshop to work on ou debating skills as well as delivering speeches. At the beginning of the day the leader of the workshop, James asked us to stand on a line that ran through the room marking confidence levels, most peole started at the ‘ I hate public speaking’ however when James asked the question at the end of the day not to his surprise most students and myself progressed up the line.
Allowing students to experience new ways of speaking enabled them to have a broader understanding of how to debate and how to appear and feel confident when presenting something or acting on stage.
Antonia Edgington
