Public Speaking Polar Bears

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:

• look at examples of great physical and verbal manner, and what makes them so engaging;

• spend time reflecting on their own abilities and how they might be able to improve their own speaking manner; and

• have various opportunities to practice and receive feedback on their speaking style.

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:

• a feedback sheet prepared by their coach (which will be emailed through), outlining what they’ve improved on during the course, and what they could continue to work on in the future;
• a certificate recognising that they have completed the Public Speaking Polar Bears workshop;
• a completed coursebook that contains all of the theory they’ve covered, as well as any notes that they’ve taken; and
• a much better understanding of a specific skill associated with public speaking!

If you’re interested in doing another holiday workshop, we would recommend that students move on to either:

• our Public Speaking Polar Bears workshop again – the program changes every holiday, so students will learn something new every time they complete it; or
• if your child is looking for something different, either our Debating Hummingbirds (for beginner debaters), Debating Hawks (for intermediate debaters) or Practice Debates (for more advanced debaters) would provide a new challenge!

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a weekly term program, we offer:

• Public Speaking Penguins, which takes Year 5 – 7 students through various different public speaking skills each term;
• Debating Parrots, a mixed experience class that introduces students in Years 5 – 7 to various different elements of debating;
• Debating Pandas, an intermediate-level group that takes students in Years 6 – 8 through a range of more advanced debating concepts;
• Debating Club, a more advanced class for Year 7 – 10 students to practice their skills each and every week.

Check out our Frequently Asked Questions, or get in touch using our contact form to learn more!