Public Speaking Skills

Sixth grade students in our Public Speaking class recently completed 3-minute person-in-a-bag speeches. The students researched renowned and diverse leaders such as Thurgood Marshall, Benazir Bhutto and Madeleine Albright. Students selected items to place in their bag that would prompt their memory when sharing with their class. The items took pressure off of the speaker because the audience’s attention was diverted to the visual. Students also served as evaluators of their peers using a praiser-pointer format, which required listening skills and critical thinking. Evaluators first shared a specific praise, then offered two specific areas for improvement, and ended with one more specific praise.