Words have power.

The next generation of citizens in this country will be faced with a growing number of new local and global issues. They will need to have a better understanding of the broader world and the people with whom they share it. They will need to be able to relate to people of many different cultures and societies. They will have different histories, languages, experiences, and values. But there will be one unifying factor – they are human. They are born, they live, they die – they feel. We may feel emotions in different ways, but we all feel them. Anger, joy, sorrow, pride – these are universal human characteristics.

As speech coaches we have a unique opportunity to provide leadership and direction to the minds that will shape the future of our country – and the world. In this age of technology, information, and worldwide change we must be sure that the message we send is a clear one. Interpretation is about communication. Through their performances, students learn to communicate ideas and thoughts to their audiences. They are passing on the feelings and memories of others through their literary selections. They should learn that what they say is as important as how they say it.

Most of the students that I have worked with over the past decade of coaching have expressed a common feeling of powerlessness. They don’t feel that what they have to say is necessarily important, or that they will even be given the opportunity to express it. This is a continuing problem among the youth of our country. Interpretation competition gives them the opportunity to be in an environment where not only are they heard, but attention is commanded. They are even rewarded for speaking well. This is a rare thing in this world and the student does not always appreciate it until years afterward.

They don’t always understand that the highest recognition is given to those who work hard to find a connection with their audience. They must bridge the gap between the author’s literature and the people in front of them. They need to apply their own experiences and emotions to their performances and gain a greater understanding of the universal truths in the written words of those that came before them.

Too often there is a primary focus on the competitive and technical aspects of the performance, rather than the underlying educational ones. The technical aspects of their performance – blocking, enunciation, memorization - should only be the background for the lesson they are to learn. I am often asked by a student, “How should I say that line?” and they want me to teach them the inflection of the words rather than determine the emotion or meaning of the words themselves. I force them to look deeper into the work and call on their own feelings for the expression. By being confronted with the need to express emotions in a context other than their own lives, they can learn that those emotions are true to all of us, not just themselves. They can start to better understand that the people around them are not that different.

We must teach them that there is power in words. A few words spoken with conviction and strong emotion have started wars – and ended them. Words can express our joined human experience regardless of language or cultural barriers. The power to create, grow, or destroy is all in the spoken word. A thoughtless insult spoken in anger can fester in a person’s heart and mind for years afterwards. A kind and sincere expression of understanding or encouragement can ease suffering and raise the spirit. Students often speak without considering the impact of the words they choose to use. Many times they don’t speak at all. Through speech activities like ours we can help guide them to a future of more open communication and understanding. By being able to confidently express their own thoughts and feelings they will be empowered to effect changes in the world around them. Help your students find their voices.