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Do you remember the feeling when in school, your teacher would suddenly point at you to answer a question?
And you were taken aback for being not prepared. Everyone looked at you with curiosity but you were tongue-tied to speak a single word. Embarrassment and nervousness ruled your little mind. Back then you were not aware that this was the fear of public speaking.
And now, your child must be going through the same. Every kid faces the fear of public speaking. Speaking or expressing one’s thoughts in front of the public might not be easy. But this is the need of an hour. We need to prepare our child to overcome this fear with confidence and creativity rather than nervousness and failure. Building strong communication skills is the most essential power required by the kid to lead and have a successful life.
There are a lot of reasons which make the kids nervous and anxious when they face the audience. Few of them are -
1. Fear of judgement
Kids are often scared about being judged, criticised and are worried about how the public will react to their performance.
2. Fear of rejection
It's not easy for the kids to not be accepted by the listeners.
3. Lack of experience
when the kids are not regular with the speaking practices, it leads to imperfection which causes them the fear of speaking.
4. Negative past experiences
All the children are not similar and some might have negative experiences from the past because of which they are uncomfortable on the stage.
5. Self-consciousness
Ample kids are in an awkward position when they have to express themselves.
Few reasons why your kids need to learn public speaking:
1. Confidence booster
2. Effective communication
3. Critical Thinking
4. Persuasive abilities
5. Leadership potential
6. Academic success
7. Career advantages
Ways of overcoming public speaking fear in children
Facing the audience is not an easy task. Kids are scared of forgetting their lines, being laughed at or being judged by the people. It further leads to depression and not moving ahead in life. We need to help the kids by acknowledging their fear instead of giving advice and instructions. Try to talk to them and let them know that it's a common problem and they can deal with it through regular practice easily.
On the stage, the audience is in front of you and you are wondering if you should share your thoughts with them or not, will it be worth it to tell them your story?
YES, every story is unique and uncommon and they should share it with enthusiasm
When the child is preparing to speak at school or the stage, it’s important for them to believe in what they are saying. Believing in their story means having confidence in the message they want to share with others. But a few things they need to keep in mind are- Don't copy from anywhere, let it be your own personal story. Audience always relates to this type of story and gets engaged in the content believing it.
Research proves that practising in front of a mirror has a positive impact on the child boosting their overall performance and self-confidence.
Public speaking is not an easy task and it creates fear of judgement in the child. A child needs someone who can help them to practise without commenting or judging them about their performance. The mirror plays the role of their trusted companion which helps them to rectify themselves.
Looking at the mirror the child can observe their speech, facial expressions along with body movements and rectify them for better performance. Practising in front of a mirror always makes them more confident, slowly depleting the stage fear.
Public speaking is not only about speaking but it also includes the way you present yourself in front of the audience. Body language is equally important and plays a major role to be a successful public speaker.
If the kid is nervous or fearful on stage his body language will reflect it. They should avoid standing with crossed arms. Instead standing tall with their heads up gives a confident and powerful impression in front of the audience.
When the kid will be open and confident in their performance, the audience will appreciate them. Body language works magical in all the sectors of life.
Practice makes the men perfect- this saying always works.
Children need to practise regularly if they want to overcome the fear of public speaking. Initially they need to focus on speaking in simple gatherings, debates, quizzes etc. it can be general discussions about any topic. Sharing their thoughts will help them to come out of their comfort zone and move to a broader audience. It may take time but consistently practising will bring out the best from them.
“All is well” - This dialogue from Amir Khan’s movie perfectly fits over here.
In the movie, the character played by Amir Khan uses this phrase as a way to stay calm and focused during challenging situations. It’s a simple yet powerful reminder that everything will be alright, no matter how tough things may seem.
In a similar way we need to teach our children that what we think has a huge impact on our actions. If your child constantly tells themselves, “I’m going to mess up,” or “Everyone will laugh at me,” it’s only going to intensify their fear.
Negative thinking increases the anxiety and makes it difficult for the child to overcome it. Instead teach your child some positive affirmations like -
“I am well-prepared for my topic.”
“They will like my speech.”
“I will remember everything.”
Children should make it a habit to practise positive affirmations regularly to build their self-confidence and win over the fear of public speaking. It might take time but will help them in the long run.
Appreciation and celebration always boost the kids. It motivates them to move one step ahead and try further.
Parents should always try to make them feel comfortable while starting their journey of self-development. Participating in small group discussions or debates makes them feel confident slowly. Their victory should be celebrated with words of appreciation for a small token of gift to motivate them.
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Madhur Churiwala is an accomplished English and communicative skills educator with 15 years of experience. She holds a degree of B. ED in English. She started her career as a Fashion Designer but her passion for teaching and interacting with children turned her into a highly skilled educator. Initially she taught in school and then moved onto online teaching platform where she showcased her skills in education. Her way of teaching in fun and playful environment always inspires children to develop a love for learning. Over the years she has developed her passion for writing. As an author, Madhur brings her dedicated educational background to her blogs offering the valuable insights for educators, parents and students alike.
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