Saint Paul’s Catholic High School recently hosted an enriching workshop for Year 9 students, led by expert trainers from Talk The Talk. The “Talk About Communication” workshop was designed to enhance speaking and listening skills within a creative and supportive learning environment.
Throughout the day, students engaged in numerous speaking opportunities, culminating in a structured two-minute presentation on a topic they are passionate about. The trainers provided coaching and support, ensuring each student felt confident and prepared to share their ideas with their peers.
One of the trainers emphasised the importance of creating a supportive atmosphere: “We demonstrate that speaking out should be an experience that we can do – 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.”
Talk The Talk’s mission is to develop students’ oracy skills and communication confidence, fostering positive interactions in all life situations and improving social outcomes. The workshop at St Paul’s Catholic High School was a testament to this mission, leaving students empowered and ready to communicate effectively.
Mr Stanley, Lead Practitioner for English and Oracy Lead, explained: “At Saint Paul’s we are committed to helping students advocate for themselves and use their voice as a means of interacting with their world. These events are integral to our school’s oracy vision and the work with targeted pupils is a vital part of empowering students to be the best they can be.
This workshop involved more than a quarter of the Year 9 cohort and the day was a huge success in unlocking their communication skills. The students learnt how to structure and deliver a speech on a topic of their choosing. We had a diverse selection of topics selected and expertly delivered which ranged from the issue of bullying to the likelihood of aliens existing- there was even a speech about why Jaffa Cakes should not be classified as biscuits! It was wonderful for Ms Lewis and myself to hear such confident and articulate young people finding and using their voices!”