Many people get nervous when speaking in front of crowds simply because it is out of their comfort zone. Teachers can use assignments to get students more comfortable with public speaking.
For example, write down easy topics for students to talk about and place them in a hat. Students can then draw a topic from the hat and then take 10 minutes to bounce ideas off of one another and prepare a few bullet points. You should then allow them to talk about that topic for 2 minutes. Topics could range from what is the most important meal of the day to a favorite childhood movie. Topics should stay simple and relatable for everyone.
By creating a safe space for students to challenge themselves in this particular area, you have made it easier for them to develop this important skill. This is an easy way to not only advertise FBLA to non-members, but also to build life skills with all students involved.
- Act confident- Walk in with a smile introduce yourself to the judges. Be sure to shake their hands before your presentation starts. This establishes a good setting for the presentation.
- Breathe- You have practiced this presentation countless times and you are ready to show it to the judges. Stay calm, don’t rush through it speak slowly and clearly. If you forget your next line or mess up a word just take a deep breath and keep going.
- Avoid Fillers- When you can’t think of the right word try to avoid saying words such as “um” “uh” “so” or “like”.
Good Luck!
