SUCCESS STORIES of Speech New Zealand

Speech New Zealand’s very first graduate of the new dual AASB pathway (Public Speaking & Communication and Speech & Drama), Davina White, speaks with Helena about her experience, how it’s helped her Law and Commerce studies at Auckland University and her upcoming teaching journey .

How did you get involved with Speech New Zealand?

My Mum enrolled me in public speaking and communications to slow down my day-to-day speaking. I enjoyed it so much and continued for five years completing my Advanced Associate Diploma in Public Speaking & Communication and Speech & Drama in 2022. I have learnt so much and am excited to pass my knowledge on to others as I look to start my own classes.

What are some of the ways your Speech New Zealand studies have benefited you?

Speech New Zealand syllabus and examinations have helped me in job interviews, university applications, and confidence talking/meeting people. It has helped me speak clearly and articulately, growing my confidence immensely to speak in front of audiences.

What are the most important aspects of the Speech New Zealand examinations, in your opinion?

For me, it was learning the different techniques and the positive impacts this knowledge can have on your life. Examinations when I was younger helped me grow confidence to speak in front of people and taught me study skills I used throughout high school and into university.

What advice would you have to others considering Speech New Zealand examinations?

Go for it! I highly recommend it, it is so beneficial in all areas of your life and is such a good life skill. “Speech New Zealand was beneficial to me both professionally and in my everyday life. I highly recommend it to those wishing to improve their English, expand their speaking skills and grow confidence. - Davina White

Davina White with her dual Advanced Associate certificates in Public Speaking & Communication and Speech & Drama

Self-Isolation Self-Care Tips for Families

Given the current omicron outbreak in Aotearoa, lots of families are now having to isolate. We thought we would put together some shine tips and activities to hopefully foster some creativity and normalcy during this time.

We are very grateful to be able to keep our Shine classes running during the Red Setting, both in person and online. These lessons have been an incredible space for us to connect with our students and bring some fun into their day to day! 

Kia Kaha everyone, you are doing an amazing job!

Tantalize your senses with a Scavenger Hunt

A lot of self-care strategies involve engaging with the senses (touch, smell, taste, sight, hearing). As a fun activity for your family, encourage your child to go on a ‘senses scavenger hunt’, see if they can identify an object or activity around the house that delights each of their senses (eg: drinking hot chocolate for taste, or walking on soft grass for touch).

Get Moving!

Whether it’s a youtube exercise video, or a dance party with your little ones, listen to what your body needs on that day to get those endorphins flowing. In particular; ‘left- right’ movements such as running, hopping, skating, drumming can be particularly effective for soothing stress.

Play an Imaginative Game

Improvisation games are a great way to foster creativity while having fun! One game that we love is called ‘Fortunately, Unfortunately’.

To play: come up with the first line of a make-believe story. Now let your child take a turn coming up with the next line of the story beginning with “Fortunately…”. It is now your turn to come up with the next line starting with “Unfortunately" and so on.

See where the story leads you! No doubt on some hilarious and imaginative twists and turns.

Stay safe everyone, SHINE ON!

How to beat 'Back to School' nerves

Well, after months in lockdown, we can hardly believe that many children in Aotearoa will now be back at school!

Most kids will no doubt be thrilled to be back learning in-person and seeing their friends again however, there may be some that are feeling a little anxious about returning to school, especially given the stressful year we’ve all had.

Here are a few Shine Tips to help boost ‘back to school’ confidence!

Give children a safe space to share highlights and lowlights

Set aside time each day for an emotional check in with your little ones. To prompt this discussion, you could ask your kids to share what the ‘peak’ (highlight) and ‘pit’ (lowlight) of their school day was. This fun activity often sparks a lot more conversation than ‘how was your day?’ and gives young people a regular platform to share how they are feeling.

Play some language games on the way to school

Some children might be feeling a little nervous about communicating with others after such a long period in lockdown. Playing some simple language games like “I Spy” in the car on the way to school is a fun way to help children to practice sharing their ideas before class starts. 

To begin: One person says ‘I spy with my little eye something beginning with a, b, c, d etc…’ 

Set a routine

There are a lot of unknowns right now, and some children may be struggling with the reality of going back to school. Setting a routine is a great way to ease anxiety and help provide some consistency during this time. Even simple things like regular bedtimes can make a big difference to a child’s sense of stability. 

We hope your children enjoy their last weeks of term before the summer holidays.

Shine on!

5 Tips to Help Children Stay Creative & Confident at Home

We’ve put together a few ideas, activities and games to try with your little ones at home!

1) Word Tennis

Word tennis is fantastic for keeping young minds active and thinking on the spot! It’s a very simple game to pick up, and can be played anywhere (even when out for your daily walks).

To start, ask your child to choose a category and then take turns ‘bouncing’ words back and forth to each other until someone can’t think of one. The sky’s the limit when it comes to choosing categories, some ideas that work well in Shine classes include: 

- Food
- Colours
- Animals
- Nature 
- Sports
- Books 

To start, just pick a category and say a word like, “broccoli!”, then it’s their turn, then yours … and so on. Easy!

2) Musical statues

This game is a classic for a reason.

Get your children in the living room or backyard and play their favourite music, encouraging them to dance around freely. When the music stops it’s time to freeze!

For the next level, have your kids dance around but when the music stops, they have to freeze in a pose as their favourite superhero.

To start, get together, turn on some music and dance…. !

3) Try some Tongue Twisters together!

Tongue twisters are a fun way to help children improve the fluency and clarity of their speech. They are great for adults too! Try these:

‘There’s a chip shop in space which sells spaceship‐shaped chips.
‘These tricky tongue twisters trip thrillingly off the tongue. The lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue’
‘Unique New York, New York’s Unique’
‘Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers!’
‘Toy boat.’ x10

To start, try saying one slowly, then try repeating them, increasing the tempo each time!

4) Write a letter to a friend/ neighbour/ family member

Although our in-person interactions are very limited right now, writing a letter to a friend is a fun way to help children practice their writing and to remind them of the special connections they have with their school friends.

Bonus points if you offer to deliver the letter for them to a nearby friend (perhaps with a coffee for the parents too!).

To start, get your child a pen and paper and ask them to write about the best thing that’s happened this week…

5) Start a Vision Board

Vision boards are a fun way to help your child record and display their dreams and goals, while expressing their creativity! 

To start, give your child an A3 piece of card, a glue stick, some magazines, colour pencils and coloured paper and encourage them to create their very own 2022 Vision Board.

We love helping our shine students to build confidence and develop their creativity through our online lessons this lockdown. Keep shining everyone! 

Shine On!