In today’s day and age, it is vital for young learners to develop a strong vocabulary. However, that goes hand in hand with clear speech, which is often not given too much importance in the conventional education scenario. However, various universities, schools and other institutions across Dubai, UAE, GCC and the Middle East have started recognising the importance of effective speaking in a children’s career.

One of the most important concepts here is learning how and when to pause, which is why new-age learning platforms such as Reading Eggs are coming up with engaging new modules that teach young children concepts like vocabulary, pauses in speech, comprehension, phonics and much more through games and activities. Before we get into the effective ways for children to use pauses in their speech, let’s understand why it is so beneficial.

Benefits of using pauses in your speech

Below are the benefits of using pauses in your speech

Control over your pace

If you teach your child how to correctly pause, it gives them ample time to pace their content according to what they feel comfortable with. This presents them as someone who is confident and composed.

Time to breathe

Using pauses between a speech allows students time to breathe properly. We often see them get nervous while delivering a speech and that tends to cause breathlessness among many. To prevent this from happening, Reading Eggs uses interactive stories and activities that teach young kids how to pause properly while talking.

Gives the audience time to think

What is the point of someone reading in front of you if you do not find time to comprehend what they are saying. If a speaker uses pauses effectively between their speech, it gives the listener ample time to digest information and react appropriately.

Tips to use pauses effectively in speech

Now that we know some of the many benefits of using pauses in speech. Here’s how you can use it while reading, talking or teaching.

Lay emphasis on the keywords

One of the best places to pause is right before you are about to say something important. This allows you to highlight the key word and leads to more retention among those who are listening.

Time your pause

One of the simplest ways to do this is to teach students to pause for one second every time they see a comma and for two seconds when they have reached the end of a sentence. This easy formula plays a significant role in making speech sound clear.

Make eye contact

One of the most widely popular ways of pausing is while making eye contact with the listeners. This not only makes you sound more confident and composed but also builds a strong connection with the audience.

Practice makes perfect

This is not something anyone can master in a day; it is a gradual process towards continual improvement. It is best for children to dedicate some time in the day towards practicing their speech along with learning how and when to take pauses.

Get feedback

Get a friend to listen to you speak and gather objective feedback. Teachers can also conduct group activities in class where students get a chance to listen to their classmates’ talk and gather points of constructive feedback.

While these are just a few important tips on how to effectively use pauses in speech, there are multiple ways to master this skill. With the past-faced education system around the globe, it is key for young learners to develop objective techniques like these, which will help them become more confident and well-spoken individuals in the 21st century.

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