Public speaking coach

Public speaking coaches provide, often private, instruction to clients in theory and techniques on how to improve their public speaking skills. They identify each client’s strengths and weaknesses and tailor their instruction to their specific needs, which may include improving the client’s vocal delivery, articulation, presentation abilities and body language. Depending on the background of the client, be it business, education or otherwise, public speaking coaches also instruct clients or students in persuasive arguing, rhetorical delivery and other debating techniques.

The following job titles also refer to public speaking coach:

public speaking mentor
speech giving coach
public speaking tutor

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as public speaking coach. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Public speaking coach is a Skill level 4 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to public speaking coach.

further education teacher
adult literacy teacher
tutor
corporate trainer
language school teacher

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of public speaking coach. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of public speaking coach with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of public speaking coach.

Breathing techniques: The various techniques to control the voice, body, and nerves by breathing.
Pronunciation techniques: The pronunciation techniques to properly and understandably pronounce words.
Speech techniques: The history and the characteristics of breathing, voice and speaking techniques.
Rhetoric: The art of discourse that aims at improving the ability of writers and speakers to inform, persuade or motivate their audience.

These skills are necessary for the role of public speaking coach.

Show consideration for student’s situation: Take students’ personal backgrounds into consideration when teaching, showing empathy and respect.
Teach public speaking principles: Instruct clients or students in the theory and practice of speaking in front of an audience in a captivating manner. Provide coaching in public speaking subjects, such as diction, breathing techniques, analysis of the space, and speech research and preparation.
Adapt teaching to student’s capabilities: Identify the learning struggles and successes of students. Select teaching and learning strategies that support students’ individual learning needs and goals.
Apply teaching strategies: Employ various approaches, learning styles, and channels to instruct students, such as communicating content in terms they can understand, organising talking points for clarity, and repeating arguments when necessary. Use a wide range of teaching devices and methodologies appropriate to the class content, the learners’ level, goals, and priorities.
Assess students: Evaluate the students’ (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of the goals the student achieved.
Adapt teaching to target group: Instruct students in the most fitting manner in regards to the teaching context or the age group, such as a formal versus an informal teaching context, and teaching peers as opposed to children.
Demonstrate when teaching: Present to others examples of your experience, skills, and competences that are appropriate to specific learning content to help students in their learning.
Give constructive feedback: Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.
Assist students in their learning: Support and coach students in their work, give learners practical support and encouragement.
Encourage students to acknowledge their achievements: Stimulate students to appreciate their own achievements and actions to nurture confidence and educational growth.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of public speaking coach. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Customer service: Processes and principles related to the customer, client, service user and to personal services; these may include procedures to evaluate customer’s or service user’s satisfaction.
Adult education: Instruction targeted at adult students, both in a recreational and in an academic context, for self-improvement purposes, or to better equip the students for the labour market.
Learning difficulties: The learning disorders some students face in an academic context, especially Specific Learning Difficulties such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and concentration deficit disorders.
Historic public speakers: Noteworthy successful or unsuccessful speakers addressing a (large) audience from the past.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of public speaking coach. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Conduct research on speech-related topics: Conduct and direct research on topics related to speech, reporting the results to help in the development of new procedures, technology, or treatments, or the refinement of existing ones.
Consult students on learning content: Take students’ opinions and preferences into consideration when determining learning content.
Protect client interests: Protect the interests and needs of a client by taking necessary actions, and researching all possibilities, to ensure that the client obtains their favoured outcome.
Motivate supporters: Engage people to take action by communicating inspiring public campaigns.
Promote education course: Advertise and market the programme or class to potential students and the education organisation with the aim of maximising registration numbers and allocated budget.
Keep personal administration: File and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.
Promote yourself: Market one’s own strengths in terms of skills and knowledge.
Adapt instruction to labour market: Identify developments in the labour market and recognise their relevance to the training of students.
Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
Provide lesson materials: Ensure that the necessary materials for teaching a class, such as visual aids, are prepared, up-to-date, and present in the instruction space.
Identify clients’ needs: Identify the areas in which the client may require aid and investigate the possibilities for meeting those needs.
Coach clients: Actively help clients to improve their strengths and confidence. Propose courses and workshops or coach them yourself.

2359 – Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified

 

 

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References

1. Public speaking coach – ESCO