6 TIPS TO IMPROVE SPEAKING SKILLS AND DEBATE COMPETENCY
Whether you realize it or not, human beings engage in debates all the time. From casual arguments about which is the best superhero or figuring out what you want for dinner all the way to discussing global policies, people just love to argue. Maybe your teacher announced that your class will have a debate next week and you want to do your best. Maybe you have a big meeting coming up and you really want to impress your peers. Whatever the situation might be, here are a few things you should know before you engage in your next big debate!
6 tips to improve public speaking skills
and debating competency
-
1. Set your intentions straight1. Set your intentions straight
-
2. Structure Your Research2. Structure Your Research
-
3. Find Inspiration3. Find Inspiration
-
4. Write it down4. Write it down
-
5. Be Honest5. Be Honest
-
6. We are all human6. We are all human
Set your intentions straight
(Most important tip to improve speaking skills)
There are many reasons why somebody would engage in a debate. Having a clear objective will help you decide how and what you would contribute to the discussion. If it is a competitive debate setting, the aim would be to win. Hence, you would bring up arguments that support your stance and try to undermine your opponents’ points as much as possible. On the other hand, if the purpose of a debate is to discuss optimal solutions to a problem (like debates held in parliaments or boardrooms), then it would be ideal to be more collaborative and constructive in your approach.
Structure Your Research
(The tip that makes your speech solid)
Emotional regulation is the ability to identify, monitor, and regulate emotions. Emotions can be incredibly influential as they affect children’s well-being, and influence how they interact with other people. They must learn how to identify the causes of their emotions to understand and regulate them effectively. For example, there might be a scenario where your child feels frustrated because a friend said something mean. What can your child do? Should they fall under their emotions or take control and manage them? They can potentially think through all the possible causes of the incident and underlying causes of their emotions, and find the best solutions to manage them.
Find Inspiration
(Tip to improve speaking skills that can motivate your listeners)
There are many ways to approach a debate, both in content strategy and presentation style. A debater would commonly spend years refining and experimenting with their approach to finding what works best for them. Most people don’t have the time for that. Alternatively, you could spend a couple of hours watching videos of various speeches to find what resonates with you the most. It’s important to understand that you can’t just take an iconic speaker and imitate their style. What works for them might not work for you as everyone is unique but trying to imitate speakers that impress you is one of the fastest ways to find your style.
write it down
(Way to make your speech flow)
There are definitely some speakers out there that do not need a piece of paper and can articulate eloquent arguments from the top of their heads. It’s okay to admit that you are not this type of speaker. It takes years of training and practice to reach that level of skill. In the meantime, planning your speech and writing it down would definitely help you organize your ideas better. When you write things down, it is easier to see if the words flow well and if what you are saying actually makes sense. It also gives you the opportunity to make edits and find better ways to drive your points home.
Be honest
(Because people can feel it)
We all know that honesty is the best policy but especially in a debate where you are made to defend something you personally do not believe in, this can be quite the challenge. It is near impossible to persuade others to believe something that you are not persuaded of yourself without strong acting skills or lying skills. But you don’t have to act or lie. Audiences tend to be able to pick up when someone is lying. Instead, try to look at the topic from a different perspective that might be more in line with your own personal values. This will help you argue things more passionately and persuasively.
We are all human
(The last tip to improve speaking skills that you have to bear in mind)
We all know that honesty is the best policy but especially in a debate where you are made to defend something you personally do not believe in, this can be quite the challenge. It is near impossible to persuade others to believe something that you are not persuaded of yourself without strong acting skills or lying skills. But you don’t have to act or lie. Audiences tend to be able to pick up when someone is lying. Instead, try to look at the topic from a different perspective that might be more in line with your own personal values. This will help you argue things more passionately and persuasively.
EN 
TH