As a high school student, you have various opportunities to polish your public speaking abilities. Joining a club or organisation in a boarding school that centers on public speaking can provide a great boost. Clubs like the debate team or speech and debate club give you the chance to refine your public speaking in a supportive and well-structured atmosphere. With these organisations, you can practice and perfect your public speaking skills.
High school students can enhance their public speaking abilities by taking part in school events and contests. Schools provide various opportunities like interschool debate competitions, and anchoring in annual day functions. These events provide a platform for students to showcase their speaking skills in front of their peers, thus gaining valuable experience. The significance of honing public speaking skills in high school cannot be ignored. Effective public speaking is a fundamental aspect of communication and a critical ingredient for success in both personal and professional life. By focusing on public speaking, high school students can boost their confidence, cultivate leadership qualities, sharpen their critical thinking abilities, refine their communication skills, and grow into well-rounded individuals.
Some advantages of good public speaking skills are:
1. Confidence and self-esteem –
Enhancing public speaking skills can bring about remarkable changes in high school students, giving them the confidence and assurance they need to express themselves in a clear and compelling manner. It nurtures the ability to articulate thoughts and ideas effectively, captivate an audience, and persuade them with conviction. This valuable skill also sharpens critical thinking and helps students to present themselves with professionalism. Speaking in front of a crowd also fosters resilience, and self-awareness, and offers opportunities for growth and constructive feedback. Mastering public speaking skills is essential to building self-esteem and assertiveness, and will undoubtedly be a key factor in their academic and professional success.
2. College and career readiness –
Being able to effectively communicate in front of an audience is a highly sought-after skill in both college and today’s job market. Public speaking abilities can enhance college and career readiness for high school students in several ways. Firstly, it can improve confidence, allowing them to communicate effectively in interviews and presentations. It can assist in developing critical thinking skills and the ability to express ideas clearly and concisely. It can also aid in networking and building professional connections. Overall, mastering public speaking can greatly benefit high school students in their academic and professional pursuits.
3. Leadership opportunities –
Strong public speaking skills can also open doors for leadership opportunities, such as becoming a class president or captain of a sports team. These experiences develop important leadership skills among students and boost their resumes for future endeavors.
4. Overcoming fear and anxiety –
Fear and anxiety are common feelings among high school students, especially when it comes to public speaking. But by putting enough practice, time, and effort into their skills, these students can overcome their nervousness and feel confident when presenting to an audience or facing interviewers. Effective communication is the key to successful public speaking, and by sharpening their abilities, high school students can enhance not just their verbal but also nonverbal communication skills.
5. Increased academic success –
A recent study published in the International Journal of Education and Practice based in the United States revealed that students who engage in public speaking activities tend to perform better academically. This is due to the fact that public speaking helps to enhance critical thinking and creativity, as well as develop better speaking skills. Being able to present your thoughts effortlessly in front of people through effective speaking skills can be a key to grabbing various opportunities by cracking various interviews and giving presentations. By engaging in these activities, high school students can give themselves a boost in terms of their grades and standardised test scores. When students are required to put their thoughts into order and communicate them effectively, it fosters confidence and self-esteem, leading to greater success in their academic pursuits.