ENHANCEMENT OF PERSONALITY WITH GOOD COMUNICATION SKILLS
“Tiresome are those who hum and haw always at a loss for the right word”. Good speech enhances personality and people judge you by your voice and the quality of your speech. Very often we come across articles in the newspapers, “How to hone your Speech skills”, “better communication for better jobs’ but little do we realize that confidence and clarity in speech develops and can be groomed in our own classrooms at an age when inhibitions are few and students tend to open up freely when given the platform for a free talk. Thus developing oral skills at school level is very important than a stammering IIIAN or a blundering banker groping for words in the dark cramming in years of knowledge that cannot be put across in words.
Once in a while in my English classes I have taken the liberty to have an ‘open talk’ class about any topic of the students choice. For e.g. ‘A short talk about something that interest you the most’. A day’s time is allotted as a starter. Guiding questions are asked like” How do you feel about ……?” What is your opinion of…..? Why…..? Often such simple interrogatives can spark off a wonderful experience both for me and the students as they have always come up with varied pieces of thought like `time travel’ to `numerology’ to `benefits of old age homes’. Not only does it provide a keen insight into the working of the young minds but also allow the young minds to ponder and wonder about these areas and ideas. Even the weak learners have come up voicing wonderful new things and with a little encouragement found themselves glowing with new found self esteem of having articulated right. I have always had students at their best in this `open view’[call it what you like] classrooms as they want to sound their best, present themselves as charming people and also listen keenly to their mates.
After all have taken their turn, a group discussion can be arranged where the teacher can mention the `flaws’ without being reprimanding. In the next class students can be asked to give importance to the following areas :
A] preparation
B] platform nerves
C] personal experiences
D] enthusiasm
Posing questions too can be encouraged as it helps clarify doubts and widens one’s mental horizon. Topics can also be selected and written on the blackboard for the next presentation.
Among the above mentioned `b’ and `d can be given special mention. Students must be told that the most experienced speaker gets nervy before a speech and what they feel is quite natural and to love the audience as they too wait to hear you. Enthusiasm is also important as an enthusiastic speaker can always make an impact on the listener. With worthwhile preparation intermingled with personal experiences, every juvenile speech artist [call him/her that- an artist!] can turn out equipped with great oral skills. [these topics can later help them write compositions- thus becoming an extended learning]
Finally the teacher must be willing to go that extra mile in convincing the reluctant child to laugh at any childhood humiliation out of court! I understand that the teacher is not paid to give extra time to innovative techniques. I also understand that he or she is racing against time to meet the management’s demands for completion of syllabus and assignments but these instances, these lendings and givings invest our life with greater significance for this kind of exchange improves relationships with pupils, equips the learner with the voice of confidence and the teacher and taught exult in the joy of being !