Public Speaking

Two kinds of public speaking are often confused. One is done by politicians on a podium

or the Queen at Christmas,

and is essentially a rehearsed reading with a script.

The other is off the cuff, natural,

using whatever headings or visual aids

are useful to guide the speaker.

Interesting  to see talk skills

being sold as the former,

when the latter is so much more useful.

Some other professionals justify allowing children to read from a script on the basis that this happens in life, and especially in work, but this is self perpetuating. It might be useful if they find themselves at party conference or the Oscars, children should be able to think on their feet, respond to their audience, and have the confidence to articulate their ideas in a live setting. If we taught them to do this better, there might be less dry, soulless PowerPoint presentations and less terrified wedding speakers. You could always have an autocue for those high stress situations, should you find yourself hosting the Oscars