The perfect workshop for students with an understanding of public speaking essentials who want to further develop their presentation skills.
Over the Summer holidays, the focus will be Engaging Audiences.
Provide late-primary and high school students with an opportunity to develop their skills in a range of novel public speaking settings.
Expose students to more advanced public speaking concepts that set them up for both school and their later career.
Give students lots of opportunities to practice their speaking skills and receive feedback to help them improve as speakers.
13th January
14th January
9:15AM - 3:15PM
2 Days
$275
16th January
17th January
9:15AM - 3:15PM
2 Days
$275
20th January
21st January
9:15AM - 3:15PM
2 Days
$275
23rd January
24th January
9:15AM - 3:15PM
2 Days
$275
7th January
8th January
10:00AM - 4:00PM
2 Days
$275
As students progress through late primary and early high school, they’re likely to encounter many challenges – one of which will undoubtedly be public speaking. Each of these opportunities to present will come with a unique set of circumstances, and it’s vital that students are across a range of different speaking styles to meet the trials they’re almost certain to face.
Our Public Speaking Polar Bears workshop seeks to help students not only meet those trials but truly conquer them.
This program changes every holiday and places the focus on a different skill or type of public speaking, and will include the following for 2024:
Whilst it’s recommended that students give each of these focuses a try, there is no particular need to start with any of them, meaning students are welcome to join at any time!
As with all our programs, we make sure that every classroom environment is nurturing for each individual, and that all the activities are lots of fun for all students. Every focus is an excellent opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of public speaking and build their confidence to take those challenges head-on.
More Information
We often get so caught up writing the speech that we forget one crucial fact – when audiences are listening, 93% of their focus is not on the words – rather, they are focusing on the speaker’s physical and verbal manner. Given how important this part of public speaking is, it’s crucial to get it right.
That’s why during the Summer holidays, our Public Speaking Polar Bears workshop will be focusing on developing student’s speaking manner and Engaging Audiences.
Having students hone their speaking manner and develop their own personal style of presentations is a powerful tool for building confidence and helping them feel comfortable in all speaking environments. This workshop gives students the opportunity to try out a range of manner techniques and to hone their own presentation style and personal brand in a welcoming and supportive environment.
Our Public Speaking Polar Bears workshop is a mixed-experienced program.
It is designed primarily for students in High School who have been exposed to public speaking at school, but want to dive deeper into how it works. It is perfect for beginners and experience students alike (including students who have completed the program before), with coaches ready and able to extend students who need an extra push.
If you’re not sure whether your child would be better suited for our Public Speaking Polar Bears, Public Speaking Honeyeaters, Debating Hummingbirds, Debating Hawks or Practice Debates programs, please get in touch, and we would be more than happy to discuss it with you!
Check out our video on what to expect at our in-person holiday workshops below!
Over the course of the Engaging Audiences workshop, students will:
Revision of Fundamental Concepts
The program starts with a succinct (but important) revision of the essential concepts covered in our beginner-level programs, including audience engagement and speech structure. This helps set students up for the rest of the workshop and ensures that everyone starts on a similar level.
Laying Foundations
Students are taken through a range of different speech structures, each with their own advantages, with the view of getting students to think about engaging ways they might be able to deliver a presentation without worrying too much about their manner. Students are then given the opportunity to prepare speeches that will form the basis of their manner practice to come.
Physical + Verbal Manner
The bulk of the program relates to both physical manner (such as stance, eye contact and gestures) and verbal manner (such as tone, pace and clarity). Students participate in a range of activities relating to both concepts, covering not only how they make speeches more engaging, but how they might be able to implement them in practice.
Practice Speeches and Interactive Activities
As the workshop progresses, students will have the opportunity to participate in a range of practice speeches and carefully chosen activities aimed at bolstering their presentation skills. These activities span a wide range of emphases, encompassing body language, verbal expression, and more.
These abilities are fortified through consistent practice speeches and constructive critiques, guaranteeing that every student is given a chance to flourish and enhance their skills!
Our classes vary in size every holiday depending on how many bookings we receive – however, the maximum size of our Public Speaking Polar Bears class is 9 students with one coach.
If there aren’t any spots left, it’s usually because we’ve hit capacity – please get in touch with us and we’ll see what we can do about either opening an extra class, fitting your child into the existing class, or putting you on a waitlist in case any students pull out!
After each program, students will go home with:
If you’re interested in doing another holiday workshop, we would recommend that students move on to either:
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a weekly term program, we offer:
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions, or get in touch using our contact form to learn more!
My son really enjoyed the class. He said the teacher was great - he is humorous, vivid and knowledgeable! There was a point to learn behind each game they played. Also there was a structured notebook for them to write down the key points and strategies they learned. My boy said he had a great time!
It was very enjoyable and encouraging for kids to learn public speaking and the Australian legal system.
The topics were very good, and they taught it well.
Of the 100 or so Public Speaking Herons and Experienced Public Speakers surveyed in 2023...
had fun!
felt more confident!
improved their speaking manner!
could better structure their speeches!
wanted to come back again next time!
