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Frequently asked questions – coordinating public speaking
Frequently asked questions – coordinating public speaking
Why should I start a public speaking program?
Public Speaking is an important skill to learn and can help students communicate in many different scenarios beyond formal competitions. In a world where young people often communicate in a non-verbal manner online, teaching kids to express themselves verbally is becoming increasingly important.
For more information on why you should start a public speaking program, have a look at the section Learn about public speaking.
How do I convince my school leader that a public speaking program is a good idea?
Schools are busy places that run lots of different programs, so it’s important to show your principal why a public speaking program is going to be beneficial to the kids at your school. If asked to write an official proposal make sure you include the syllabus dot points we have included in this resource, keeping in mind that public speaking is a cross-curricular activity that can apply to other key learning areas besides English.
You can also mention obvious benefits for students such as: collaboration, teamwork, increased confidence, improved general knowledge about a range of subjects, improved written and verbal communication skills, learning how to win and lose graciously, and leadership skills. For more information watch the video Benefits of speaking competitions.
How do I start a public speaking program?
Once you have the ok from your principal there are a few different things you can do to get started.
Advertise to the students in your school and get your budding speakers on board. Organise some workshops where you can talk about the importance of this skill and get your kids enthused about writing and presenting their own speeches.
Start with some fun activities (in class or in a public speaking club) and stress that public speaking is about getting a message across to an audience rather than a competitive sport. You will find some great resources on the Teaching public speaking page.
Hold a school showcase where all your interested speakers get to have a go.
You might then like to hold a class or school competition before entering some external competitions. Make sure you also get kids involved as adjudicators, chairperson and time-keepers!
However you decide to approach it, keep encouraging your kids to speak up!
How do I choose potential speakers?
There are many different approaches to selecting speakers to represent your school. For example:
You have probably already recognised some potentially great public speakers in your class. Get your colleagues on board to nominate their budding orators.
Hold informal activities such as workshops and showcases to encourage students to speak with confidence.
Consider class competitions where a representative from each class competes in a stage final.
Hold some trials and school competitions before you enter an external competition. Keep giving kids experience in as many competitions as possible. The more exposure to audiences and adjudicator feedback they get, the more confident and accomplished they will become.
To what extent should I help my speakers when they are writing a speech for a competition?
Once they get to a competitive level, speakers should be writing their own speeches about something that is important to them, but as their teacher you have an important role in getting them to that point. Check out the activities on the Teaching public speaking page and keep showing your speakers examples of what good speeches look like.
Speakers may approach you for feedback once they have written their speeches and you might like to assist with suggesting ways they can be more original in their approach to their chosen topic. You can also help them structure their ideas a little more clearly or point them in the right direction if they need help with resources.
Make sure you also give your speakers lots of practice with impromptu topics and check out the Teaching public speaking page for further activities.
Is there a marking criteria or rubric I should use to choose my competitive speakers?
Adjudicators in The Arts Unit’s competitions don’t use a marking criteria or rubric to make their decision. It’s important to remember that adjudicators are not ‘marking’ or ‘scoring’ the speeches like a teacher does for an assessment or test.
Some external competitions will have their own methods of judging speakers and if you are entering speakers into one of those, then check with the organisers for some insight into what they’re looking for.
It is important to remind your students that it is what they say, supported by how they say it, that matters. For more information on what the adjudicators in the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition are looking for, look at the video Adjudicating Public Speaking and read the tips for students (both found on the Coordinating public speaking page).
How do I help my speakers develop their confidence in front of an audience?
Practice and lots of it for those who are a little nervous. The first impromptu is the hardest one so don’t wait for a competition to get one out of the way.
There is a word for the fear of public speaking – glossophobia – and it is very real for some students (and adults). Don’t force kids who are very anxious to speak in front of an audience, but include them in lots of small group activities where they can develop confidence in front of trusted friends. Keep reminding them that their voice is important and that when they are ready to speak up, there will be someone encouraging ready to listen.
For more information on this very important area, see the section 'Activities to help students build confidence' on the Teaching public speaking page.
Frequently asked questions – teaching and coaching
Frequently asked questions – teaching and coaching
How do I help my speakers develop their confidence in front of an audience?
Practice and lots of it for those who are a little nervous. The first impromptu is the hardest one so don’t wait for a competition to get one out of the way.
There is a word for the fear of public speaking – glossophobia – and it is very real for some students (and adults). Don’t force kids who are very anxious to speak in front of an audience, but include them in lots of small group activities where they can develop confidence in front of trusted friends. Keep reminding them that their voice is important and that when they are ready to speak up, there will be someone encouraging ready to listen.
For more information on this very important area, see the section 'Activities to help students build confidence' on the Teaching public speaking page.
Are there marking criteria or rubrics in finals competitions?
In The Arts Unit competitions, adjudicators don’t use a marking criteria or rubric to make their decision. It’s important to remember that adjudicators are not ‘marking’ the speeches like a teacher does for an assessment or test. Rather they are judging and ranking the speeches and the speakers based on the matter presented and the manner and method used to communicate this message.
Adjudicators are always looking for:
engaging speakers who present interesting subject manner that is either original in itself or presented in a unique and original way.
speakers who capture the audience's attention from the outset and maintain their interest throughout till they bring them to a memorable and thought-provoking conclusion.
speakers who go beyond identifying a problem by showing they have considered practical and relevant ways to solve the problem.
For more information on what adjudicators are looking for, watch the adjudicating video and tips for students on the coordinating teachers page.
How should students start their speech?
Speakers should avoid introducing themselves at the beginning of the speech. They will have already been introduced by the chairperson and stating their name again will use up valuable time.
They should also avoid saying things such as "Good morning, today I am going to talk about …". Instead they should think of a way to get the audience immediately interested in what they have to say. There are a number of ways to do this. For more information on speech structure and introductions, explore the 'method' lesson on the Teaching public speaking page.
How many statistics, quotes and facts should my speakers use?
Quotes and statistics are useful if they appropriately support what the speaker thinks about this topic. Too many statistics and quotes from other people can get a little monotonous for the audience, especially if they are well-known ones.
It is a good idea to show evidence of research into the topic, but the adjudicator really wants to see the development of the speaker’s ideas prioritised over a list of statistics. Speakers should aim for a balance of researched material and personal input. You can learn more about this balance in the 'matter' lesson on the Teaching public speaking page.
For more information on how to structure an effective speech, explore the 'method' lesson on the Teaching public speaking page.
What’s a good ending for a speech?
The speaker should aim to leave the audience with something that they remember and something they feel they can do about the issue that has been addressed. There is no need to say "Thank you for listening to my speech".
For more information on effective and memorable endings, view the 'method' lesson on the Teaching public speaking page.
How much should parents and teachers help?
Speakers should be writing their own speeches about something that is important to them, but their teacher can encourage them to explore different aspects of topics and help them arrive at a specific topic they want to explore. They can also help them structure their ideas a little more clearly and point them in the right direction if they need help with resources.
Parents, carers and other family members can also be very good sources of information. Often good speakers are kids who discuss lots of different ideas about the world with their family around the dinner table or in other settings. This is especially helpful for the impromptu section as speakers have a lot of information to draw on when they are given a topic.
Finally, parents, carers and teachers should be the speaker’s first audiences and can help with impromptu practice!
There are lots of activities in this resource that teachers and family members can use to help their young speakers develop the confidence to write their own speeches.
Is it better to know a speech off by heart or to use palm cards?
It’s always a good idea for speakers to have their palm cards even if they know their speech off by heart. They might forget something if they get a little nervous and it also helps the speaker look more natural with their hand gestures if they are holding palm cards.
Remember the speaker is delivering a speech, not reciting a monologue.
For more information, view the 'manner' lesson on the Teaching public speaking page.
What happens if the speaker goes over or under time?
Speakers should aim to finish their speech at or around the specified time limit, however they generally won't be penalised if they are a few seconds over or under this time limit.
If a speaker goes too far under the time limit (as in, they don’t make the warning bell) they’re probably not developing their ideas enough and if they go too far over (as in, they reach the continuous bell), they may be repeating ideas or have too many examples.
For more information on using the time allocated effectively, view the explore the 'manner' lesson on the Teaching public speaking page.
Do speakers have to talk about multicultural issues in both speeches of the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition?
In the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition, the focus on multiculturalism is in the prepared section only. Speakers must include multicultural content in that prepared section but should speak about something else in the impromptu section to avoid repeating ideas.
What are impromptu topics generally like?
Impromptu topics are usually an open-ended phrase or a single word that will allow speakers to talk about a broad range of topics.
For more information on types of topics (and how to craft an impromptu speech around them) view the lessons on the Teaching public speaking page.
What should speakers do in the impromptu prep room?
Speakers should ensure that they have the topic written down and have thought about how to make it the topic of their speech.
They should not try to write out a whole speech in the prep room.
They should structure their impromptu speech in a very similar way to the prepared speech, therefore a beginning, dot-pointed ideas for the middle and a possible ending are good things to write down.
There is a lot of information on how to approach the impromptu on the Teaching public speaking page.
What happens if speakers forget something or make a mistake?
They should keep going! Have a look at the 'Activities to help students build confidence' on the Teaching public speaking page.
What if I don’t agree with the decision of an adjudicator or panel?
Our speakers are probably not going to win every competition they enter and this can be very disappointing when we have watched them work so hard. Try to remember that providing the opportunity for kids to speak about something important to them, and developing their confidence to do so, is more important than winning.
Always have a chat to the adjudicator after the competition and get some feedback about what your speakers can do to improve. This can also be a confidence boost for the speaker as the adjudicator will also point out the great things your speaker did. Often they have done really well; someone else has just done a little better on the day.
If you are still concerned, contact the competitions organiser. For Arts Unit competitions, you will be directed to the Speaking Competitions Officer to discuss the issue and get some clarification.
Above all, encourage your kids to keep trying. Their voices are important. The more they realise that public speaking is about reaching an audience that need to hear what they have to say, the more they will focus on spreading that message in the most effective and engaging way they can.
Third-party content attributions
Third-party content attributions
English K-10 Syllabus, © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2016, copied under s113P, accessed 10 June 2021.
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