“Glossophobia, or fear of public speaking, is a very common phobia and one that is believed to affect up to 75% of the population” (psycom.net).
How can we help our kids overcome this fear?
The answer is: have them practice now. Even if it’s just at home in front of one person, it’s still helpful. The fact that students prepare a presentation and present it is great practice!
I have always had trouble speaking in public. Just the thought of it had my heart racing and I always got a nervous pit in my stomach. It wasn’t until I was an adult and after years of practice, it has gotten much, much better.
Have your kids present about what they’ve learned, create a formal presentation, or an impromptu presentation. The key is to keep it consistent and practice. When they get more comfortable try having them present to other friends, co-ops, family, etc. Also, start small. If your kids get very nervous, maybe have them go up and read something from a paper. Then little by little, they can work up to what a good presentation looks like (speaking comfortable without reading anything).
Presenting about a project or topic students have learned about is a great place to start. For instance, in the Native American project, students are to plan a presentation. Check out the projects I have to see which presentation your kids can do next: www.buildaproject.net/shop.