To lectern...or not to lectern...that is the question?

Many parents, and sometimes the students themselves, often ask me why I don’t use lecterns in my public speaking courses.  It is a valid question. In most professional presentations or formal events, a lectern is provided.  So why not teach students how to present from behind a lectern? 

There are a number of reasons why I don’t use lecterns, and none of them involve a fear or “hate” of the apparatus.  They have a place and a purpose in public presentations; I don’t however, think it lies with students learning the basics of public speaking.

Lecterns were originally designed as a support for reading; the name is derived from the Latin lectus (past participle of legere), meaning “to read”.  They were primarily used for reading scriptures, sermons and lectures aloud; the slanted top providing a solid and stable support for the speaker’s book or documents. Of course as with most things that travel through the passage of time, the humble lectern has evolved.  Many, especially those used in businesses or educational institutions, now include a microphone stand, audio-visual controls, and even an integrated computer and recording system.  They come in all shapes and sizes, and in varying degrees of “pomp and ceremony”.  Some block the speaker’s entire lower body (and often a large proportion of their upper body) from the audience, while others, with a narrow base, allow the audience a rare and tantalising glimpse of the speaker’s feet and legs. Although lecterns can be a useful tool in public speaking, they are not a necessary one.

For me, lecterns present as a barrier between the speaker and the audience, and can therefore limit the speaker’s connection with the audience.  Over the years I have seen and heard many speakers, in many different guises.  I have attended seminars, presentation evenings, assemblies, and speaking competitions; some speakers used a lectern, others did not.  Those that were the most memorable were the ones where the speaker stepped out from behind the lectern (and possibly their comfort zone), and spoke to the audience, rather than at the audience. They were the ones that I felt had made an effort to connect.  Their gestures were more natural, they exuded greater passion as they bared their souls, and they were more enjoyable and entertaining to watch and listen to.

Speakers, who continually stand behind a lectern to present, forget the skills associated with stance, eye contact, palm cards and gesture. Let’s face it; it can be hard to use gesture freely when you’re navigating around a solid block of wood or metal; one poorly performed gesture can result in an injured hand, or a screeching microphone.  And who cares about stance when you’re behind a lectern?  It’s not as though the audience can you see you…right?  The audience may not be able to see your feet, but poor posture has a way of transferring its way up the body, so that a relaxed stance or one foot crossed over the other, results in slumped shoulders or a lean to the upper body.  Unless you’re very short, with only your head peeking over the lectern, the audience will see your poor stance.  

The ability to have a stable place to rest their notes also has an impact on how a speaker delivers their message.  No longer limited to palm cards and notes in point form, speakers will often write out their entire speech and rustle through sheaves of paper when delivering it. Sadly, many become readers instead of speakers. Having all the words in front of them triggers a desire to spit out the speech “word perfect”, so the speaker’s focus shifts from the message contained in the speech as a whole, to the individual words.  Their concern shifts from knowing their content and practising, to remembering to make sure they’ve got their whole speech with them on the day of their delivery. Fate is a fickle friend – if you rely too much on your speech, and not on your topic knowledge and practise, then you’re in for a rocky ride (especially if something happens to those wonderful sheaves of paper).  Speakers of all ages, but especially students starting out, need to learn that topic knowledge and practise should never be replaced by the possibility of having their whole speech resting before them on a lectern.

When speakers deliver their speech from a lectern, they sometimes forget about the "all important" skill of eye-contact.  Instead of speaking from their knowledge base, using their dot-point notes as a prompt, they read large chunks of text from their speech.  They forget to scan the audience, and in doing so, lose much of their connection and appeal with the audience.  I’m not saying that all speakers who present from behind a lectern do not speak well, many do.  They are the ones who have learned the skills and built a strong foundation, through practise and experience. 

So back to the original question; why don’t I use a lectern in my public speaking courses?  I believe that it is important for students to learn all the skills associated with public speaking, including how to stand, gesture and use palm cards (skills not always necessary when presenting from behind a lectern).  If they learn these skills, then their presentations will never be limited by the availability of lectern, or its size and shape.

Making Progress

Students enrol in a public speaking course with an existing set of skills and knowledge.  Most know that volume, expression and eye contact are important; some know that stance and gesture are important; a few understand that that content and practise are vitally important, and can make the difference between success and failure.  Regardless of what they know about public speaking when they start a course, very few really understand why these skills are important.  The beginning of each course is never a level playing field….and it never ends up a level playing field.  The progress made by the individual students is just that – individual progress.  At the beginning of each course I always make a point of hammering home the “progress versus comparison” issue; the measure of success is against an individual’s performance from one week to the next, never against another student in the course.

Public speaking is one of those areas where the progress made by students is noticeable from the first session.  The progress that many students make in terms of delivery is nothing short of amazing – they seem to grow in skill and confidence from session to session, so rapidly at times that it is easy to forget the point at which they started.  You can see it in the way they stand, the way they use their palm cards; the way they look at the audience, and the way they use gesture.  You can hear it in the volume of their voice, the pace at which they speak, the way they use expression, and the clarity of their pronunciation.  Progress can also be measured by the knowledge they have gained.  Although harder to “see and hear”, the value of knowledge should never be dismissed or overlooked in favour of the more obvious signposts of progress.

With one of my courses nearing completion, I decided to see how far the students have progressed in terms of the knowledge they’ve gained from the course, by having them critique a video of a student speaking in an interstate speaking competition.  Regular video recording of speeches and analysis is an important part of the program; observing and critiquing another speaker (and themselves), enables the students consolidate their knowledge of important speaking skills, as well as lead to an understanding of why these skills are important. I was excited and impressed with the outcome.

Not only did I notice an improved maturity in their critiquing skills, they were able to identify the key qualities the speaker utilised and explain the significance of each quality in isolation, and in the context of speech as a whole.

They were able to pick up how the tone and volume of the speaker’s voice reflected the tone of the speech’s content, as well as the speaker’s emotion and passion for the topic.  They identified how the words the speaker chose delivered information, and also helped the audience to visualise what she was speaking about.  They were quick to point out the speaker’s confidence, attributing it to their passion for the topic, knowledge of the topic, and the fact that they had practised their speech. They made note of eye contact (and the fact that the speaker rarely used palm cards), their ability to scan the audience and maintain that important connection at all times.  When I asked them why the speaker had even bothered to use palm cards when they had obviously memorised their speech, they looked at me in shock.  “Dayle!” they exclaimed in almost perfect synchronicity, “Nerves can make your stomach churn and your mind stop working.  If she didn’t have her palm cards and nerves caused her to forget something, what would she do then?”  Nothing like the teacher being put in their place by the students!

To hear the group speak of passion and topic knowledge, the importance of practise and preparation, and how voice, eye contact and gesture can be used to appeal to the audience, makes me proud.  I wonder if they can see their progress for themselves, or if they’ve forgotten where they started from on that nerve-wracking first day? I can see their growth and progress – in the way they stand and the set of their shoulders; the way they deliver a presentation; the way they analyse their own speaking and the presentations of others’; in the commitment they show to preparing and practising; and in the way they smile when it’s their turn to speak.  They have come so far in such a short time, as a collective group, but more importantly, as individuals.

The Lessons We Learn

The only kind of learning which significantly influences behaviour is self-discovered or self-appropriated learning - truth that has been assimilated in experience. - Carl Rogers

While I don’t necessarily agree with Carl Rogers’ quote in its entirety, I do believe that learning is a voyage of “self discovery” and is something that never ceases.  Like ageing and breathing, it is not always conscious or obvious at the time, but it happens nonetheless.  Learning does not require a classroom or school (although as a primary school teacher, I certainly do believe that it is capable of occurring there), and is not the result of information contained in a book or curriculum (although it can be found there too, if you choose to seek it and apply it).  The best learning happens incidentally, through the experiences we have.   It happens when we interact with others; when we see something that grabs our attention and encourages us to discover more; when we wonder about something and search for the answer; when we listen to others and consider how their perspective refects and fits with our own; when we try something new; and when we make mistakes. I like to think (and I fervently hope), that during my time in the classroom I not only provided children with skills and strategies that empowered them to take control of their own learning, but also inspired them to want to learn and discover.  As an educator however, I would be foolish to fail to acknowledge the role that experience brings to a student’s learning.

Experience is not always the kindest and most supportive of teachers, and sometimes the lessons learned are not always immediate.  I remember watching the interaction between a friend’s child and their cat.  The child was teasing the cat and had been warned repeatedly by my friend, not to tease the cat.  As you can imagine, the parental words of wisdom went in one ear and out the other, until finally the cat had had enough.  Needless to say, after many tears and two nasty, red scratches down his arm, the child learned a healthy respect for the cat….and to heed his mother’s advice. 

When I work with students in the area of public speaking, I know that their experiences will teach them as much (if not more) than anything I say, or any written pearls of wisdom I may give them.  The lessons they learn through these experiences may appear harsh at times, but if they learn from it, it was a worthwhile experience in spite of the emotions it dredged up at the time.  Hence, the lesson concerning the importance of planning and practise in any public presentation is invariably a lesson that most speakers learn through experience.

If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.

This quote has been attributed to Benjamin Franklin and Winston Churchill, as well as that cleverest of characters, Anonymous.  Irrespective of who said it, it is another lesson that is best learned through experience. In every public speaking course, the importance of planning and preparation is discussed…..many times.  Some kids get it, probably because it is in their nature to be prepared.  They are the kids that always complete their homework and hand it in on time.  For some students however, they learn this lesson the hard way…..through a voyage of self-discovery, justification, embarrassment and eventual success.  The process is sometimes long and arduous, and it is always painful for the student and those who bear witness to it.

Time and time again, I see students stand before their peers to deliver a presentation that they have not prepared or practised.  Some believe that topic knowledge will see them through.  Others believe that past successes or their newly acquired skills will carry them over the line.  All of them learn the hard way, that preparation and practise are vital components in public speaking. You can pinpoint the moment when the lesson sinks in; there they stand before the audience, no notes to refer to, and their minds void of what they were going to say.  At that point, they know in their hearts, they will not give their best or succeed in the way they had hoped. You can see it in their eyes, and in their stance.  The brave ones give it a go anyway; those less courageous admit defeat and sit down.  In public speaking, the mind is a fickle friend; one glance at an audience can rob even the most seasoned speaker of rational thought. Experience teaches us this….and those students who want to succeed, learn and apply the lesson that experience has taught them. Hopefully, they only need to learn it once.

Set Them Free to Find Their Passion (2)

When I think back on the number of speeches I have listened to over the years, the one's that have lingered in my memory, are those where the student spoke from the heart.  I remember:

•  the 14 year old boy who spoke about the way people treat those with disabilities.  His passion came from experience - his younger sister had Downs Syndrome
• the 12 year old girl who spoke about being grateful for what we have.  Her passion came from a trip to Cambodia, where she witnessed the joy and pride of those Cambodian children who were lucky enough to attend school.  They were grateful for what they had, yet by our standards, they had so little.
• the 11 year old boy who spoke about bullying.  His passion came from experience - he had been a victim.
• the 12 year old girl who spoke about Nelson Mandela and apartheid.  Her passion came from seeing how people were treated differently based on the colour of their skin when living in South Africa.

So far, I have been impressed with the topics that students choose (once they get over the shock of being allowed to choose, that is), and how easily they tune in to their personal passion. Their passion stems from a fire in their belly that lights them from the inside out, so that their faces and voices radiate the passion for all to see and hear. They are inspirational; not only in what they say, but in how they say it.  In finding their passion, they have found their voice.

As an educator, I have learned to trust my instincts and to let go of my fear.  I have also learned to trust in my students' ability to not only discover their passion, but to run with it. The bar has been raised.  They may yet fall, and if they do, I will be there to pick them up and dust them off.  Somehow, I can't see them falling...with freedom and passion, they will soar.

Set Them Free to Find Their Passion (1)

Topic choice is often a dilemma for students undertaking a public speaking course for the first time outside of the regular school environment.  In most instances, when asked to do a presentation or speech in the classroom, the topic is often predetermined based on the literature or unit of study currently being focused on.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, as learning about new topics can generate new interests.  However, when students are suddenly given the freedom to choose their own topic, confusion and concern often abounds.  I am invariably asked, "But what should I talk about?"  "How will I know if I'm talking about the right thing?"  "Can you give me some ideas?"  While I can appreciate their dilemma over choosing a topic, my response to their questions is always the same:  choose a topic that you're passionate about.


After the initial giggles and strange looks that result from the use of the word "passionate", many students seem to drift into a catatonic state.  Freedom to chose....something I'm passionate about.  A little overwhelming for many, it would appear, at least at first glance.  But just like dipping a toe in the pool to test the water, it's not too long before excitement overcomes trepidation, and the students leap in with an enthusiastic splash!  Finally, a chance to talk about something that is important to them!


I think that there are times, when as educators and as parents, we underestimate what children are capable of thinking, feeling, understanding, and achieving.  We outwardly hope for the best, but inwardly, we doubt.  These doubts (which we secretly hide away from our children.... and ourselves) are not born out of malice, but out of fear.  We want our children to succeed, yet fear for their failure and the resulting disappointment that invariably follows.  This fear doesn't stop us from encouraging them, but it may result in us lowering our expectations and encouraging them to do the same.  I am constantly and pleasantly surprised by the students I work with.  They have taught me to put aside my fear and to trust them...and if anything, to raise the bar on my expectations for them.


I recently gave a group of 11 and 12 year old students a list of attributes related to public speaking.  The list included:

• eye contact
• voice - expression
• stance
• topic knowledge
• word choice
• voice - volume
• topic choice
• gesture
• voice - pronunciation

I asked the students to think about which attribute they considered the most important, and to be prepared to explain why they chose that attribute over the others.  To say that I was impressed with their responses would be an understatement!  In hindsight, I wish I had recorded what each student said.  Every student bar one, chose topic choice as the most important attribute in a speech.  Here is the gist of the collective reasoning behind their choice:

If you choose a topic that you are passionate about, then you probably already know a lot about it, so you have the topic knowledge covered.  Because you feel so strongly about the topic, you will choose words that are exciting and interesting, words that will persuade and inspire the audience.  Your passion for the topic will make your voice expressive, and this will show on your face too.  Your voice will be loud and clear, because you know what you're talking about, and people are always more confident when they are sharing something they understand and know a lot about.  When you're excited, and believe strongly in your topic, then you will feel more comfortable using gestures - the gestures will come naturally as you speak.  Your knowledge of, and passion for the topic, will mean that you won't need to look at your palm cards....instead, you'll be looking at the audience.

As each student explained their choice, I could feel the smile on my face getting wider and wider.  I was so proud of them.  They got it!  They actually understood the importance of passion in choosing a topic!


Further discussion about whether or not a speaker could deliver a good speech without passion resulted in the following conclusion:

A good speaker can speak on any topic, because they have learned the skills that enable them to deliver a message to an audience.  Their speech may give the audience information, but without the speaker's passion behind it, the message may not inspire the audience.

The Importance of Feedback

In any situation, but particularly in a learning situation, feedback is vital. It provides us with information that allows us to consolidate and improve our skills, and make the changes necessary to deliver the best that we're capable of.  For feedback to be effective it needs to be explicit, meaningful and honest.  If it is not, then it serves little or no purpose.


In my previous role as a classroom teacher, feedback took on many guises.  Sometimes it was spoken (the acknowledgement of a comment in a class discussion), sometimes it was written (the comment in a student's workbook), sometimes it was formal (as in the case of semester reports), and sometimes it was informal (the 5 minute chat in passing with a parent at drop off/pick up time).  Regardless of the situation or the recipient, I always made an effort to make sure that the feedback I gave was explicit, meaningful and honest.


In my role as a teacher of public speaking, I still provide regular feedback to both students and parents.  I also encourage the students to engage in self assessment and peer feedback.  Through learning to give feedback to others, students are encouraged to think about content and delivery, which in turn, consolidates their own understanding of these aspects.  They learn to provide  feedback in a positive, constructive manner, which not only allows them to see the value and importance of others' opinions, but also to see how these opinions can help them refine and strengthen their own skills.  They learn empathy, respect and courtesy, for the manner in which they provide feedback to others, invariably becomes the manner in which their peers' feedback is given to them.  It is always interesting to observe how the participants in most public speaking courses not only improve and develop their speaking skills, but also their thinking and feedback skills.


Explicit feedback targets both the positive and negative aspects of a student's presentation.  Telling a speaker that they did "great" is useless.  "Great" is an adjective that could be applied to any aspect of their presentation.  What exactly was it that they did that was great?  Was it their eye contact? Their expression?  Their choice of words?  The way they paused after a question or key fact?  For a student to learn, grow and develop, the feedback has to target precisely what was done well and what still needs some work. For example, "I liked the way you looked at the audience at the beginning of your speech, and again at the end.  Next time, see if you can remember to look at the audience after each sentence."  This tells the student exactly what they did well, and provides a suggestion for what they can do to improve.


Honest feedback not only builds resilience and perseverance, it provides the student with a goal to work towards in future presentations.  Honesty is not synonymous with nasty or blunt.  There are ways of phrasing honest feedback, so that students are empowered rather than belittled or limited.  For example, "I liked the way you included a rhetorical question at the end of your introduction.  When we ask a rhetorical question, we are appealing to the audience to think about something, so next time, remember to look at the audience rather than your cards."  This feedback acknowledges the student's efforts, while at the same time identifying an issue and providing them with a strategy to fix it.


Meaningful feedback takes into account where the student is currently at with their skill development, and what is realistically possible for them to work on improving.  A child who struggles to glance up from their palm cards at all during their presentation, is not likely to be able to understand and implement feedback that suggests they "scan" the audience.  You have to walk before you run....and in public speaking, you have to make eye contact before you learn to scan.


Feedback that is explicit, meaningful and honest allows students to celebrate their achievements with a sense of pride.  It allows them to take control of their own learning and progress, as they work to improve their skills and implement the suggestions that have been made. Without feedback, we fail to move forward. 

Look 'Em In The Eyes!

Having recorded the students speaking, I was reviewing the video for analysis when I was struck once again by some students' reluctance to look at the audience.  Even those students who knew their information and didn't need to read from their palm cards, would look a fixed point beyond the audience, rather than actually make eye contact with their peers.  Why so reluctant, I wondered?  


Whilst I can appreciate that there are times, especially with young students, when making eye contact with their friends is embarrassing and can "put them off", resulting in a fit of giggles, maintaining eye contact with the audience is an important skill.  It is also one of the first skills we discuss in public speaking sessions. Eye contact builds a connection between the speaker and the audience.  It allows the audience to see the speaker's emotion, absorb the speaker's message.  It also allows the speaker to show respect toward the audience and acknowledge them for listening.


Eye contact however, is not just a skill to be dragged out for public speaking presentations, then neatly filed away until the next time it's needed.  It is an important part of any communication, formal or informal.  So often with children, communication occurs not in isolation, but in the midst of other activities.  Questions are asked, comments are made, and responses are given, on the move, while watching television, while getting dressed, while doing homework, while eating dinner, while heading out the door for lunch or recess.  Our busy lifestyles and ability to multi-task may well be contributing to the reluctance some children have to look people in the eye when they are speaking to them.


I think it's important that children learn at an early age to look at people when they are speaking to them, or being spoken to.  It shows courtesy and respect.  It also improves listening.  How often have we as parents or teachers, made a request of a child who was engaged in something else, only to have them forget to do what was asked, do what was asked incorrectly, or come back to us and ask what it was we wanted?  The few, brief seconds it would have taken to encourage the child to look at us while we spoke to them, could have saved time and angst in the long run.


As adults, I believe it is also important that we positively model the behaviours we value and wish our children to emulate.  If we want them to look us in the eye when we're speaking to them, we need to afford them the same courtesy.  I know that there have been times when I have been guilty of not looking at my own children while they were talking to me, and as a result may have missed some parts of what they were saying.  Sadly, and perhaps more importantly, I may have inadvertently devalued what they were saying.  No parent, or teacher wishes to do this.  Far better to ask them to wait a few minutes while you finish what you're doing, or to stop what you're doing, look at them and really listen.


A speaker who stands before an audience and does not look at them, loses credibility and respect.  Eye contact from a speaker acknowledges the audience's listening, while at the same time encouraging the audience to listen.  As parents and teachers we want our children to succeed, to value others and to in turn, be valued by others.  One way we can ensure this happens  is to encourage them to look people in the eye.