What is an elocution competition? 5 Basic tips for kids to Win!

What is an elocution competition? Elocution competition for kids - how to prepare and win them

Even though you know ‘what is an elocution competition, you might be having trouble explaining it to your kids and preparing them for one such competition. I was thinking of many ways and ideas to explain when my kid asked me ‘what is an elocution competition’. So here are the basics of an elocution competition for your kids to win them! These simple tips or tricks are for kids but as a parent, yourself is looking for tips to improve your oratory skills, here is what greek philosophers say!

What is an elocution competition?

What is an elocution competition - tips to improve your kids' public speaking skills
Elocution competitions for kids

The term ‘Elocution’ originated from the Latin word ‘Eloqui’ meaning ‘Speak out’. Thus, an elocution competition is a test for the skill of clear and expressive speech. Distinct pronunciation and articulation are specially checked in elocution competitions. Preparing kids for an elocution competition can be simple if you make them understand ‘what is an elocution competition ‘ and teach them the basics! Let’s get to know them.

Preparing for an elocution

After explaining your kid’s question ‘what is an elocution competition’, it is important to guide them through the process. For instance, whenever my kid says that she is participating in an elocution competition, I ask her about the topic. I’ll listen to her thoughts about the given topic and we share points on the topic. We also gather some factual points from google to improvise the script. When the script is ready, I read it aloud for her to learn the modulation, stress and pause. Then she rehearses it alone repeatedly.

This kind of preparation has always worked for us. Also, for different topics, we use different forms of preparation. Storytelling, and elocution of days of national importance, on leaders, require different approaches. But the basic idea of ‘what is an elocution competition remains the same. So the basic idea is to understand the topic, collect relevant points, prepare a coherent, crisp text, rehearse and deliver the speech. Do all these along with your kid to make the entire process easier and fun-filled!

One of the finest reasons why it is important to read to your child is the parent-child bonding time that you will get out of it. ..read more

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1. Understand the topic

Most schools conduct elocution competitions on occasions like festivals and days of national importance such as Independence day, Republic day and birthdays of National leaders. For your kids to perform well in an elocution competition, they need to understand the importance of the day and the reason to celebrate it. You could narrate it like a story for them to understand the topic of elocution. Sometimes, the topic can be of social awareness as in Global warming, climate change and pollution, for those, you ought to explain the whole thing for your kid to understand the topic subject!

2. Collect relevant points

The next step in our article ‘what is an elocution competition’ is collecting points. While gathering points for your kids’ speech, make sure you have them beside you. Ask your kid what they already know about the topic and build the text around their points. In this way, it’ll be easier for the kids to speak without the fear of forgetting! By actively involving kids in the process of writing the text, you familiarise them with the points in advance, making the process easier!

What is an elocution competition - how to prepare your kids for it
Make sure the kids understand the topic!

3. Focus on the text

Make the text simpler and crisp without any flowery narrations. Choose simple words that would be easier for your kid to pronounce and remember. Also, ensure the speech is precise and fits well within the given time frame. This would increase the chances of winning the elocution competition. Concluding the speech by summarising the points or with a moral value in case of a storytelling competition will be more effective. Kids may sometimes find it hard to concentrate on things. Say, they are doing the homework but leave it midway running around the house. Here are 4 simple activities to help your kids concentrate better!

4. Rehearse well

Besides all the understanding and precise text, the kid needs to practice speaking the text aloud repeatedly. This will help them know the text by heart and also you could help them with correcting their posture, pronunciation and punctuation while they practice. The kids would lose the fear of public speaking when they constantly practice what they’ve to speak.

5. Deliver it loud and clear

“Well begun is half done”

Aristotle

We have come to the significant part of our article, ‘what is an elocution competition?’ – Delivering the speech. With good preparation and a sound mind, your kid would enter the elocution competition.  Even then, few things can be improvised. Kids tend to have stage fear, which could be eased by being on the spot earlier and getting accustomed to that atmosphere. Remind them to be confident and to deliver the speech with proper intonations and body language.

Kids delivering a speech in an elocution competition - what is an elocution competition
Kids delivering a speech

It is equally important for your kid to maintain eye contact with the audience during an elocution competition. This connects the audience to the speaker, which is the basic purpose of the event. Also, this would make the oration lively and appealing. 

Key Points

  • Do not force your kid to participate in the competition. They will do naturally good when they love it.
  • With the prepared elocution text, read it aloud to your kids twice or thrice. This will make it easier for them to grasp the tone, voice modulations and pronunciation easily!
  • Cheer them up while rehearsing at home. This will boost their confidence and alleviate their fear when they speak on stage.
  • Tell your kids to give their best and take it as an experience irrespective of the results.
  • Finally, when the competition is over, appreciate your kid for their will to participate in a competition as such! This will motivate them to participate further in events like that.
Appreciate your kid irrespective of the result of an elocution competition.
What is an elocution competition? Basic tips to help kids win elocution.
Appreciate your kids irrespective of the result

Hope this article answers the question ‘ What is an elocution competition ‘ and helps you with the basics to prepare your kids for an elocution competition. Besides the tips, do remember the key points which would help you to be a dependable parent whom the kids love! Reading books could help kids to prepare their texts for their next elocution competition. But we understand your concern, books are not cheap. Don’t worry, we are here to help you with some cool websites that sell second-hand books at a pocket-friendly price! Let our kids read more and speak their hearts out!

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