How can parents best help their children prepare and present talks?

Clarissa Whitney, chairman of the speech department, Santa Ana College, Santa Ana, California There are several things parents can do to help their children give talks. Most of them are interesting, informative, and entertaining activities. Best of all, they are easy to plan and to do!

Recently an older brother asked me what courses I enjoyed teaching. When I mentioned group discussion he said, “That course should be easy for you. You were born into a group discussion!” (I’m the middle child in a family of nine children.) We laughed but we then agreed that many of us learn to “give talks” by learning “to talk.”

Having family discussions is a good way to start teaching children to talk, and the dinner hour is a good time. My dad and mother used to read an article, a story, or a scripture and ask each of us to tell what it meant to us or how we could apply it in our daily living. Other times we were asked to talk about an interesting experience we had had during the day or week, or we were asked to tell a favorite story. If you’d like to try this activity it will provide information for another important aid—a card file for each family member. Filing can be done simply by using a card section for each child. Recording statements such as “LeAnn likes to tell the story about …” or, “Christopher is interested in …” brings back incidents and events at an opportune time. Filing may also be done under subject headings such as Obedience, Faith, etc., and they can then be used when it is time to prepare a talk.

Providing frequency in speaking is important. We children thoroughly enjoyed planning our family nights. Under our parents’ direction, each of us in turn planned the menu for dinner, conducted the program and activities, and taught a lesson or gave a talk. We were always praised for our efforts. Then Mom and Dad took their turns. We children learned a great deal from observing and listening.

Giving impromptu speeches was an activity our children enjoyed. We wrote a word, a proverb, a scripture, or a quotation on cards. Then each child drew a card and he or she spoke about that subject. Variations for impromptu speeches included posing a problem and asking the speaker to suggest a solution; gift wrapping several articles and letting each one choose a gift, unwrap it, then talk about it; and putting different items in a bag and letting each person draw out and talk about the item. If all of these are carefully chosen the experiences are very valuable. We found them to be worthwhile and enjoyable at all ages.

At this point you may be wondering about an activity for the shy child. We tried something recently that is proving to be very successful. My husband built a puppet theater for our grandchildren. I collected puppets and wrote scripts for them. The children are delighted with the ideas. We also asked the children to have the puppets tell us stories they know or can make up. This activity helps the shy child gain self-confidence and develop skills. It also encourages creative thinking and develops the imagination. Puppet patterns are available and felt puppets are easy to make.

One more suggestion. Use a tape recorder for practicing talks. We’ve used them with our children (and I use them in the classroom). They are helpful for all ages. Record the person telling a story or experience or reading a poem, then play it back. As the child gains confidence and skill, give positive criticism for improving the presentation. (When giving criticism I try to remember a quotation by Arnold H. Glasgow. He said, “Glass blowers will never produce anything as fragile as the human ego.”) When the child can tell the experience, story, or poem effectively, assist him or her in preparing an introduction and a conclusion. Then encourage the child to practice the completed talk several times before presenting it to others. Somehow children don’t mind practicing when they can use the tape recorder!

After a child has experienced these activities and can give a simple talk, the rules, skills, and techniques for public speaking should be taught. The rules for preparing a speech are quite simple. A talk has three parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Each part has a purpose. (1) The introduction should gain the attention of the listeners and preview the subject. (2) The body contains the subject matter or message. (3) The conclusion reviews and emphasizes the message. If the purpose of the talk is to persuade, the conclusion also gives a “course of direction” or “call to action” for the listeners.

Parents really aren’t helping children when they write speeches for them. Messages should come from the personal or vicarious experiences of the speaker, and the message should convey how and what the speaker thinks and feels.

For beginning speakers (especially the shy person), just reading a story or poem may seem to be adequate, but children shouldn’t be encouraged to make mediocre presentations, nor should they ever be embarrassed because of inadequate preparation. The family circle is the place to teach and to practice preparation and presentation. With the parents’ support, a speech can be well prepared and the child can be confident.

There are no secrets or shortcuts to effective speaking. The steps are preparation, practice, and presentation. If children are included in family discussions and activities—and are encouraged and assisted in the preparation and practice of talks—they should do well in presenting them. They will also find it a rewarding and satisfying experience.