5 Public Speaking Skills for High School Students

Public speaking is an important skill to develop. Even if it feels scary and intimidating at first. Not only does public speaking help increase confidence, but it can also open doors to a lot of different opportunities. After all, if you can communicate your ideas clearly and with confidence, people will want to hear what you have to say!

In this article, we’ll explore 5 essential public speaking skills for high school students. We’ll also discuss other topics related to public speaking, including common fears about public speaking, practical ways to gain public speaking experience, and how strong public speaking skills can help you succeed academically, socially, and professionally. 

Why Public Speaking Matters for Students

When you learn how to express your ideas clearly, you start building confidence that carries into conversations, classroom discussions, and everyday interactions. What’s more, speaking in front of others can oftentimes help you find, develop, and ultimately trust, your own unique voice. As you practice public speaking, you’ll notice that things like sharing your opinion, asking questions, or explaining your thinking start to feel much more natural. Not only will this help limit anxiety, but it will also empower you to try new things and step outside of your comfort zone.

Whether you’re answering a question in class or giving a presentation to a group, strong communication skills help you share your thoughts with clarity and ease. Public speaking also plays a key role in leadership and teamwork. After all, when you learn how to speak in a way that others understand and connect with, you become better at guiding discussions and contributing to group goals. 

Beyond these practical benefits, public speaking also encourages creative self-expression. It gives you a chance to influence others, share your passions, and tell stories that reflect who you are. In many ways, learning to speak confidently helps grow your overall potential. Plus, it's a fantastic employability skill that can come in handy in your future career.

5 Public Speaking Skills to Develop

Public speaking often causes people so much anxiety that they struggle to break it down into different skillsets. Not only does this make it difficult to account for all of the elements involved in public speaking, but it makes public speaking feel more unapproachable. Like most things, when you break public speaking down into several smaller, more manageable skillsets, suddenly, it feels less intimidating. 

So what skills are involved in public speaking? In this section, we’ll identify 5 key public speaking skills for high school students to develop:

1. Voice control and projection

Learning to use your voice with confidence is one of the most helpful public speaking skills you can develop. Voice control isn’t about being loud; it’s about being intentional. When you understand how to adjust your volume, pace, and emphasis, you help your audience follow your ideas without getting lost or overwhelmed. Practicing deep breathing, reading aloud, or experimenting with different tones can help you find a comfortable, steady voice that feels natural rather than forced. In terms of projection, instead of shouting, focus on learning how to speak from your diaphragm.

2. Clear structure and organization

Organizing your thoughts reduces anxiety. Once you’ve created a clear outline, you can focus more on how you’re saying things instead of scrambling to remember what you meant to say. Over time, you’ll start to recognize which structures work best for you. Maybe storytelling feels natural. Or maybe you prefer listing ideas step-by-step. Either way, when you know the order of your ideas, you’re less likely to feel scattered or unsure of what comes next.

3. Body language and eye contact

Good body language isn’t about performing. You don’t need dramatic gestures or a perfectly still posture. Rather, it’s about showing that you’re comfortable enough to share your ideas openly. There are lots of ways you can approach this goal. Generally, though, you’ll want to focus on how you stand, what you do with your hands, and where you look. Eye contact is especially important. While direct eye contact can feel intimidating, shifting your gaze naturally around the room helps people feel acknowledged. This helps a lot with listener engagement. In terms of body language, try to do what feels natural. And keep in mind that even small adjustments, like uncrossing your arms or keeping your shoulders open, can make you appear more approachable and confident.

4. Adaptability to different audiences

Public speaking requires flexibility and adaptability. While it’s important to practice so that you can feel prepared, you don’t want to necessarily memorize what you’re going to say word-for-word. This can be a limiting approach. You want to be prepared to answer questions or slow down if the audience looks confused. Or dive deeper if the audience is engaged. Overall, paying attention to who you’re talking to — what they care about, what they already know, and what tone suits the moment — helps you communicate in a way that feels respectful and clear.

5. Active listening and audience engagement

Active listening means paying attention to the audience’s reactions to understand how your message is landing. Are people nodding? Furrowing their brows? Are they whispering to one another? Do they seem confused? Angry? Agreeable? When you notice what’s working (and what isn’t), you can adjust your delivery to keep people engaged.

Audience engagement can be as simple as asking a question, pausing to let an idea sink in, or inviting people to imagine something with you. These small choices help listeners feel involved rather than passive. When you blend attentive listening with intentional engagement, you create a more meaningful connection with your audience. In turn, this makes your message more memorable and your delivery more enjoyable.

Common Fears About Public Speaking

The majority of the population fears public speaking. But what, exactly, is it that people are scared of? What makes public speaking so intimidating and overwhelming? Why do people’s voices crack? Or shake? What is it about public speaking that makes people’s palms sweat?

1. Stage fright and anxiety about judgment

If you struggle with stage fright, start small. Try raising your hand in class or volunteering to read aloud before you attempt making a speech, presenting a class project, or acting in a play. After all, small actions count, too. Answering the phone or sharing an idea in a class discussion, are great ways to gradually build confidence in your communication in front of other students. With practice and patience, stage fright becomes more manageable. And with enough time, you’ll learn that those nervous feelings don’t have to control you. You can still speak clearly and thoughtfully, even if your hands are shaking.

2. Difficulty organizing thoughts under pressure

Trying to gather your thoughts while speaking can feel overwhelming, especially in front of a large group. You might know exactly what you want to say beforehand, but once you start talking, the ideas suddenly feel jumbled or hard to access. This can make you lose your place, speak too quickly, or forget important points you meant to include.

The good news is that organizing your thoughts is a skill you can practice. Outlining your ideas, using note cards, or creating simple talking points can help you stay on track. Pausing to take a deep breath or reset your thoughts is also a helpful strategy to use when public speaking. 

3. Struggles with tone, pacing, or nonverbal delivery

A lot of students worry about how they sound or look while speaking. You might wonder if your voice is too quiet, too fast, or too monotone. Maybe you’re unsure about what to do with your hands or whether your facial expressions match what you’re saying. These parts of communication can feel awkward at first because they don’t always get as much practice as the words themselves.

Watching yourself on video, trying out gestures in front of a mirror, or practicing with a friend can help you gain confidence and find out what feels natural. And keep in mind, small adjustments, like slowing down, making eye contact, or using natural gestures, go a long way!

4. Fear of making mistakes or forgetting content

Making a mistake can feel huge in the moment, but to the audience, they’re usually tiny or even unnoticed. The key is remembering that mistakes are normal, expected, and absolutely survivable. What matters most is how you handle them. If you lose your place, take a breath, glance at your notes, and continue. If you forget something, circle back to it later or move on. The more you practice recovering from minor slip-ups, the more confident you’ll become. Eventually, you’ll realize that a mistake doesn’t ruin a speech; it just makes you a more relatable speaker.

How to Practice and Improve Public Speaking

High school teachers often assign projects with presentations to help students practice their public speaking skills. Public speaking takes a lot of practice, though, and presentations can feel like a lot of pressure. Especially if they make up a large portion of your grade. So how can you practice public speaking outside of class presentations?

Here’s a list of 10 ways you can practice public speaking while you’re in high school:

1. Join debate club, Model UN, or Mock Trial to practice articulating your point of view through structured speaking exercises. You might also want to look into debate competitions for high school students.

2. Read aloud regularly to improve pacing, clarity, and vocal confidence. You can practice this both inside and outside of class.

3. Join a community theater or local performing arts program to build confidence and comfort performing in front of others. 

4. Engage in classroom discussions more frequently, knowing that even short contributions build everyday speaking confidence.

5. Attend or participate in open mic events, such as poetry slams, improv, or storytelling nights.

6. Create a YouTube channel or TickTock about a topic you’re passionate about to practice speaking naturally on camera.

7. Record and then review your own speeches to notice posture, pacing, tone, and areas for improvement.

8. Practice speaking with proper posture and breathing exercises to reduce nervousness and strengthen voice control.

9. Ask teachers or classmates for feedback after presentations to identify strengths and growth areas.

10. Seek out student leadership roles, such as those through student council, where speaking to groups is common.

How Polygence Pods Strengthen Communication Confidence

It can be difficult to speak up in a large group. What if someone thinks your question is dumb? Or that your opinion is wrong? It takes practice to build confidence, but sometimes, the classroom can feel too big and too intimidating. 

Here at Polygence we believe that students thrive when working in small groups with supportive, like-minded peers. That’s why we designed our Polygence Pods, a program where students explore specialized topics — such as lab-grown organs, marine conservation, and venture capital  —  in small groups under the guidance of one of our expert research mentors. 

Due to the small, collaborative nature of this program, students are able to practice public speaking in supportive, small-group settings while gaining peer feedback and guidance from their mentor.

Using Public Speaking Skills Beyond School

Public speaking isn’t just something you practice for class presentations. It’s a skill you’ll use, and continue to develop, throughout the course of your entire life. 

In college, you may find yourself discussing ideas in seminars, presenting research projects, or collaborating on group projects. In social situations, good communication helps you connect with new people, express your opinions respectfully, and navigate conversations with confidence. Knowing how to speak clearly and listen thoughtfully helps you feel more at ease in academic, social, and professional settings alike. 

Beyond college, public speaking and social skills will help ease anxiety during job interviews, empower you to take on leadership positions, allow you to contribute your ideas during work meetings, and help you step outside your comfort zone to new things. 

Conclusion: Grow Your Confidence with Polygence

No one becomes a great public speaker overnight. Growth happens through steady practice, honest reflection, and the willingness to step outside your comfort zone a little bit at a time. Whether you’re preparing for a school assembly or just sharing ideas in a group discussion, every experience helps you improve and gain more confidence. 

From joining the debate club and running for student council to volunteering to read aloud during class and participating in class discussions, there are lots of great ways to gain public speaking experience throughout the course of your high school career. But sometimes the best learning opportunities happen outside of the classroom. That’s why programs like our Polygence Pods can be so impactful. 

Interested in learning more? Check out our parent and student testimonials and peruse our database of expert research mentors.