A father who gets his sons to give a PowerPoint presentation when they want more pocket money says they gain confidence.
Phil Quickenden, who lives near Woodbridge, Suffolk, came up with the idea after learning his son Joshua, 15, was not attending classes.
He believed two years of lockdown had affected his eldest child’s speaking skills.
He said it’s important to be able to speak out and influence others.
Mr Quickenden’s youngest son Sam, 10, also started giving his parents a presentation to explain why he should have a new video game or money for items outside of his monthly allowance.
“It’s been a great way for them to test their skills, build their confidence and fill some of that void from lockdown if they’ve missed some of it [socialisation] opportunities,” said Mr Quickenden.
As a result, he said his eldest son Joshua has become more confident, both in the classroom and around friends.
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Sam has “always been self-conscious about his peers but has developed that,” Mr Quickenden said.
“He’s a lot more articulate and likes to get involved, so it’s had a positive impact,” he added.
The official, who does “a lot” of presentations for work, said schools should do more to develop public speaking skills.
According to Mr. Quickenden, many of his younger employees who were technically able to use Powerpoint lacked the ability to engage.
“You can technically put some slides together, but it’s different to stand in front of people and get your point across in a clear and articulate way,” he said.
“But most of all it’s about confidence – being able to stand up in front of a group and do your bit. I think that’s really important.”
Mr Quickenden said the needs of the workplace had changed significantly over the past 15 years and particularly during Covid.
“I think as technology is built and adopted, these human interactions will become more important,” he said.
“Being able to… get in touch with someone is something a computer can never do.”
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