Public Speaking Bingo: Enhance Skills Through Play

Everything is easier to learn when you do it by playing. This is quite obvious for kids, but we sometimes forget that it is valid for us too.

Public Speaking can be terrifying, and adding a little extra incentive might come in handy. Due to the success of our networking bingo card, we decided to give you one for your public speaking activities. Are you ready?

Public Speaking Bingo Card

Here’s an example of a bingo card. You can use it to play or as a starting point to inspire you to create your own. You can also adapt to your current situation (student or employee).

You can also download a blank card and start building your personalized bingo card right now.

Building the Bingo card – what to consider

Building from scratch can be slightly overwhelming. So, I put together a few “rules” to help you and guide you through this task. Think freely about what could appear on the card, and check the following paragraphs to ensure it is a good idea.

First of all, you must keep in mind that all experience is experience. Please do not throw away a possible opportunity because it is too small or irrelevant. Even a one-on-one conversation is a way to train your speaking and communication skills.

I know you think a conversation with a single person, or even two or three, is not scary enough. It’s excellent that you feel that way! Yet, it is a communication opportunity; the more you communicate, the better. Talking with that stranger in the coffee shop is a learning opportunity for public speaking, even if you don’t think about it that way.

Now, there are more accessible and complex situations, and you should never do a card with only one level of difficulty. If you build a bingo card where all activities are easy for you, then you’re not getting that much benefit from it, are you? However, if they are all tough and scary, you’ll probably avoid doing them and end up unmotivated and feeling incapable. Of course, you don’t want that either, so worry about balancing the difficulty level of your bingo tasks.

Bet on variety! It is a game; it is supposed to be fun. Plan as many different public speaking activities as you can remember. This way, you will not risk being bored, and it also prepares you better.

Don’t be too hard on yourself.

After thinking about the situations you want to put on the card, you should also consider goals and how to measure your achievements.

Sometimes, you’ll have an idea of how things should go, but the reality is a bit different. This doesn’t mean you failed. So, my advice is for you not to be too hard on yourself, at least in the beginning. You want the bingo card to be motivational, not depressing. Maybe you did not shine in your meeting, but you spoke up – that task is completed!

Make it fun

There is no more effective way to do something you don’t like or don’t feel comfortable with than making it fun. There are endless possibilities to put in your card, and not all of them need to be good things.

Learning to laugh at yourself is an excellent way to get rid of that excessive anxiety and fear. Don’t forget to share your cards with us and other great speakers like yourself in our discord channel.