To help pupils gain the skills and confidence for public speaking, try these six approaches:
Play lots of simple games where they get used to eye contact, people looking at them, and speaking to the class (e.g. taking turns to say their favourite colour or somewhere they would like to go one day, or Picture Frame).
Stand Up To Speak Up – allow and encourage pupils to stand sometimes, when they are speaking to the whole class.
Encourage pupils to politely tell others if they can’t hear them when they speak: Excuse me, please can you speak a bit louder?
Raise awareness of the skills involved in presentational talk, and plan time to teach these.
Plan activities and units of work in which pupils do presentations or speeches.
Provide audiences (e.g. pupils from another class, special visitor, assembly, parents).
