Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Do you want your children to be effective communicators, but aren't sure how to help them? Join HSLDA's president, Mike Smith, on today's Home School Heartbeat as he explains why recitation is a great way to form good public speaking habits in your children.

Mike Smith:
We continue our discussion of homeschooling and public speaking with a recommendation for even the youngest students. Memorizing and reciting the writings of others is an effective way to teach students about proper language structure. Plus, it provides a child with material they can use to speak in front of an audience. Your 6-year-old may not be able to write yet, but she has probably been memorizing the words to songs or her favorite bedtime stories for years. She's ready to memorize Scripture, poetry, and great writings so she can recite them to the rest of the family.

It may seem like a simple exercise, but you may just find that even young children have already acquired a fear of public speaking. Like anything else, your ability to feel comfortable speaking in public is something that will improve with practice. So putting your young child in front of a friendly audience will encourage good habits early.

In modern times, knowledge is taught through books rather than being handed down through the generations by memorization. Consequently, the quality of public speaking has been steadily declining. By integrating recitation into your curriculum, you can improve your child's public speaking ability by helping them overcome their fears while they're still young. When they're older, they can begin to present their own thoughts in front of an audience. Until next time, I'm Mike Smith.