A group of Year 9 students pupils from Saint Paul’s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester were invited to a special communication skills workshop which was led by expert trainers from Talk The Talk.
The students enjoyed the Talk About Communication workshop which was an exciting and engaging master class developing speaking and listening skills within a creative learning environment. The workshop provided numerous speaking opportunities and students were coached and supported throughout the day to deliver a structured two minute presentation, on a topic for which they have a genuine passion, to their peers.
Talk The Talk demonstrate that learning to speak out is a vital life skill – and one that is nowhere near as daunting as we might think. One of the keys to the success of the Talk The Talk programme is creating an environment of mutual respect with a supportive ethos so that when students stand up and voice their opinions, share their thoughts and present their ideas – their skills and confidence grow.
Year 9 student, Isaac, commented: “I’ve never really spoken in front of people like that in my life. Talk the Talk made me feel good about myself and I now know more about oracy as an important life skill.”
Amelka, from Year 9, added: “From the workshop, I now know how to structure a speech and actively listen to my peers. I want to go into acting as a career and I feel more comfortable with speaking to small crowds!”
Talk The Talk’s mission is to develop students’ oracy skills and their communication confidence to support positive interaction in all life situations and improved social outcomes.
The workshop was delivered by an experienced professional from Talk The Talk with school staff in attendance to support.
Mr Byron Stanley, Lead Practitioner for English and Oracy Lead, explained: “Two groups of Year 9 students took part in a fascinating in-school all-day oracy workshop, Talk About Communication, with external providers, Talk the Talk. The workshop was highly engaging, designed to support participating students to develop their spoken communication confidence and oracy skills.”
“The workshop’s leaders encouraged the students to speak confidently and persuasively, helped them to express their ideas whilst keeping to the point and provided the opportunity for them to practise impromptu speaking.”
Mrs Kevina Cunliffe, Teacher of French and Italian at Saint Paul’s, added: “This was a great experience for all the students, the sessions were extremely inspiring and upbeat. The workshops prepared students for speaking and listening assessments and provided them with the tools to structure outstanding talks and essays. Involvement in workshops like this provide a very valuable experience for our students and enhance the learning curriculum.”