Public speaking rises to the forefront of foreign-language skills
Mastery of public speaking in one's mother tongue and foreign languages is rapidly gaining in significance as an essential skill in modern society, experts say.
Giving a speech in an international language is about integrating knowledge and contents in the mind and expressing them systematically. Speakers must draw on the beauty of the language, such as rhetorical means, to touch off resonance and inspire thinking from listeners worldwide, said Mei Deming, a professor of English and linguistics at Shanghai International Studies University.
When communicating one's thoughts with others, giving a public speech requires a solid foundation in the foreign language instead of mere knowledge of isolated words and phrases, said Mei, who was one of the judges for the national final among college students in the 24th China Daily "21st Century-Coca-Cola Cup" National English Speaking Competition, held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Sunday.
Internationally speaking, the more developed education systems attach great importance to students' public-speaking ability, which has become a basic skill for today's citizens on the world stage, he said.
"Much effort has been devoted in recent years in China's English education system, from primary to college education, on developing students' holistic competency, especially communication skills enriched with the love for the motherland and an international vision," Mei said. "This competition initiated by China Daily in 1996 has worked as a model for cultivating students' public-speaking skills in English and provided ideas for English teaching in schools and in learning in a broader sense."
Shi Guohua, an English teacher at Shanghai Qibao High School for four decades, said that the core competence in acquiring English today lies in the ability to express oneself rather than in simply passing exams.
"Schools and teachers have paid more attention than ever before to provide students with adequate opportunities - from group discussions in class to interschool contests - to present their ideas and give speeches without a script," he said.
Teachers can also help students better prepare for a speech through targeted content planning, adding a sense of humor, audience involvement, visuals and metaphors that set contexts and physical presenting styles in a real-world context, Shi said.
"It's important to understand the audience and build the linkage between the content being delivered and the interests of the audience. It's important to create an impressive opening to a speech," Shi said, adding that students can build on so many public-speaking resources, such as TED talks and celebrity speeches, to analyze pros and cons of a speech and use them as materials to emulate.
Wang Guan, chief political correspondent with the production and broadcast arm of China Global Television Network in the United States, said that an effective public speech conveys what the audience cares about and gets their empathy in return.
As China continues to play an indispensable role in global conversations, there will be colossal opportunities and demands for Chinese youths to present China and tell compelling stories, said Xia Peng, who co-founded Beijing-based Zhuomo Cultural Media, which operates the English-learning app Youlinyouke.
"But before giving a public speech, the young people must do extensive reading and be capable of critical thinking," he said.
Mei said key skills in the new century, such as collaboration, creativity and innovation, can also help students build compassion with a global orientation, so that their voices can be understood in a well-structured and powerful manner in English.
zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 03/25/2019 page10)
