As students advance through the grades, they always have a speaking part. Whether it is embodying and then explaining a vital civic role during the First Grade Community Helpers show, performing a role in a second language during a play, reciting Shakespeare for a dramatic reading, or addressing the student body in an assembly, we believe in the power and importance of every student’s voice. After all, what they learn today will no doubt impact how they lead tomorrow.
We really start from the beginning. In the Kindergarten classroom, students get comfortable speaking in front of their peers and friends. They learn to show respect for other people’s words by being good listeners.
The Community Helpers program takes the lessons our 1st graders learn about communicating in a group setting and empowers them to find their individual voices within the various community roles that make up civic life.
Students begin to learn more about listening to their classmates in group discussions, as well as gain fluency in presenting in front of them as individuals—how to react to each other’s words, share in an open forum, and organize ideas into coherent passages.
We provide many opportunities to foster public speaking skills in the 3rd grade. One special activity is a visit to the State House in Columbia. The students get to see their elected officials deliver addresses and propose new legislation. Oratory in action, especially outside of the classroom, is always impactful, but witnessing how the delivery of speech can literally determine policy and shape laws is an incredibly powerful lesson.
There is a new level of focus on sustained back-and-forth communication, expressed with purpose and oriented toward results, that students learn in 4th grade. We emphasize compromise and shared communication skills through various written and oral projects.
A highlight of the public speaking curriculum is the 5th Grade Dottie Rhett Speech Contest. All students research and write a speech on their chosen topic. Several finalists are selected to present to the entire school and an outside panel of judges. The rest of the students present dramatic readings.The Speech Contest equips our 5th graders with valuable communication skills that will serve them throughout their lives. By learning how to confidently articulate their thoughts, ideas, and opinions in front of an audience, students can boost their self-confidence and overcome the fear of speaking in public.
Students in 6th grade regularly make presentations in all academic classes. Technology skills become another element to the public speaking experience as students become adept at building slideshow presentations to enhance their public speaking projects. Presentations require students to articulate their thoughts clearly and effectively. By using technology, students have the opportunity to practice public speaking, develop their communication skills, and learn how to engage with an audience.
By 7th grade, CDS students expect to speak in front of their peers in all academic classes. During an age when many students are coping with social changes, presenting to classmates helps students step out of their comfort zones, take risks, and build their interpersonal skills, which are essential for success in various aspects of life.
A capstone of Charleston Day’s public speaking curriculum is the 8th grade speech. After reflection and consultation with the homeroom teacher, each student writes and delivers a speech to the entire school community during weekly assemblies throughout the year. Giving a speech to the whole school about a personal topic is a transformative experience that enhances students’ personal growth, communication skills, leadership abilities, and sense of belonging within the school community.
We often hear from alumni about how grateful they are to have an arsenal of public speaking skills that many of their contemporaries in high school (and beyond) do not have. Michael David Catlett-Fernandez, class of 2020, reminisced about the friendly teaching environment at Charleston Day and preparation he had with presentations and group work. He remarked, “I am comfortable in front of a crowd and am capable of speaking aloud to groups without being stressed.” Hunter Dawson, class of 2022, had similar comments. “I am better at speaking with other people because I had practice.”