youthspeakoutint.orgCount Your Fillers
When speaking, many people will use “like,” “um,” or “uh” to fill the silent space in a conversation. Other words you might here are “so” or “right.” This is a habit, but one you can modify. This activity helps to eliminate these fillers in conversation and build public speaking skills.
Begin by choosing the appropriate grade level for the child or children in your family:
What You Will Need
- A sheet of paper
- Pen or pencil
- At least three family members
- Mobile phone or tablet
Activity
- Parents or guardians, write a topic on a piece of paper and place it in the middle of the table. For example, your topic could be “How to stay safe during the coronavirus situation.”
- Give your child (or children) a few moments to think about the topic.
- Once they’re ready, each child should stand up and speak about the topic for one minute.
- Parents or guardians, count how many times the person speaking says “like,” “um,” “uh,” “so,” or “right.”
- Make sure everyone gets a turn to speak.
- Let your child know how many filler words you counted.
- You can give everyone a second turn to discuss the topic without filler words.
- After each person has participated, ask one person to give their best speech while you record them using a mobile phone or tablet.
Talk About It
- How did it feel for someone to count your filler words?
- Was it hard to stop using filler words?
- What do you think might make it easier to speak without filler words?
What You Will Need
- Several sheets of paper
- Pen or pencil
- At least three family members
- Mobile phone or tablet
Activity
- Each person, write a topic on a piece of paper and place it in the middle of the table. For example, your topic could be “How to stay safe during the coronavirus situation.”
- Trade your piece of paper with someone else, then take a few moments to think about the topic on your paper.
- Once each person is ready, take turns standing up and speaking about your topic for one minute.
- Everyone in the group (who is not speaking) should count how many times the person speaking says “like,” “um,” “uh,” “so,” or “right.”
- Make sure everyone gets a turn to speak.
- Share with the speaker how many filler words you counted.
- Everyone may have a second turn to discuss their topic without filler words.
- After each person has participated, the group can choose one person to give their best speech while a family member records them using a mobile phone or tablet.
Talk About It
- How difficult was it to avoid using filler words?
- Did you notice all of the filler words that you used?
- Why do people use filler words? Why do you use filler words? Share your thoughts with the group.
- Was it easier to avoid filler words the second time you spoke?
What You Will Need
- Several sheets of paper
- Pen or pencil
- At least three family members
- Mobile phone or tablet
Activity
- Each person, write a topic on a piece of paper and place it in the middle of the table. For example, your topic could be “How to stay safe during the coronavirus situation.”
- Trade your piece of paper with someone else, then take a few moments to think about the topic on your paper.
- Once each person is ready, take turns standing up and speaking about your topic for one minute.
- Everyone in the group (who is not speaking) should count how many times the person speaking says “like,” “um,” “uh,” “so,” or “right.”
- Make sure everyone gets a turn to speak.
- Share with the speaker how many filler words you counted.
- Everyone may have a second turn to discuss their topic without filler words.
- After each person has participated, the group can choose one person to give their best speech while a family member records them using a mobile phone or tablet.
Talk About It
- How difficult was it to avoid using filler words?
- Did you notice all of the filler words that you used?
- Why do people use filler words? Why do you use filler words? Share your thoughts with the group.
- Was it easier to avoid filler words the second time you spoke?
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