.

A focus of the report is on the ability to’ ‘talk’ and how primary schools should address this.

This aspect of education is hugely important and of related and massive importance is the ability in later life to take this talk into the public arena.

We are now clearly in the age of presentation and communication and those that can speak in the public in whatever form lead considerably richer lives both materially and intellectually.

It is well known that adults fear speaking in public more than they fear death itself and therefore most do not do it.

So how do you deal with this potential for impoverishment in people’s education and lives? There is provision for the education and training motivated adults but first and foremost we must deal with the matter as early on in children’s lives as we can and this means when learning at the primary school age.

So the question arises; how do you enhance children’s learning experience, provide the necessary education resources to avoid the growth of the fear factor?

The answer has to be based on using a method that employs all aspects of children’s learning styles using a clear structured approach based on visual, kinaesthetic, auditory, and memory techniques. It is this that will lead to success in their education.

Organisations such ‘The Learning Well’ and ‘The Speaking Well’ and well known individuals such as Tony Buzan, who developed Mind Mapping, have a huge focus in this area providing just such learning techniques, utilising all learning styles, to all those who aspire to give the gift of public speaking to children.

For the sake of our children’s future those tasked with developing the primary education curriculum must take note of these methods and techniques including both Mind Mapping and Memory Mapping.

These activities massively boost children’s education and confidence and provide a clear structure for effective speaking, talking and learning.

The subject of the letter was primary school education and potential changes being proposed for it with respect to teaching public speaking and communication skills by Sir Jim Rose.

1^st May 2009

The Editor

Sir

Sir Jim Rose’s published report for the government on the overhaul of the primary curriculum highlights the importance of communication. A focus of the report is on the ability to’ ‘talk’. This aspect of education is hugely important and of related and massive importance is the ability in later life to take this talk into the public arena.

We are now clearly in the age of presentation and communication and those that can speak in the public in whatever form lead considerably richer lives both materially and intellectually.

It is well known that adults fear speaking in public more than they fear death itself and therefore most do not do it.

So how do you deal with this potential for impoverishment in people’s lives? There is provision for training motivated adults but first and foremost we must deal with the matter as early on in children’s lives as we can and this means at the primary school age. 

So the question arises; how do you enhance children’s learning experience and avoid the growth of the fear factor?

The answer has to be based on using a method that employs all aspects of the child’s ability to learn using a clear structured approach using visual, kinaesthetic, auditory, and memory techniques. It is this that will lead to success.

Organisations such ‘The Learning Well’ and well known individuals such as Tony Buzan have a huge focus in this area providing just such learning techniques to all those who aspire to give the gift of public speaking to children.

For the sake of our children’s future those now tasked with developing the curriculum must take note of these methods and techniques.

Yours faithfully,

Alan McMahon                  

Director

The Learning Well

When it comes to the provision of teaching communication skills in primary schools the report by Sir Jim Rose is very welcome. Such changes are sorely needed and very much need to be supported.