BNM Professional Consulting Services, Inc.

Working on improving your public speaking skills is easier than you might think. This is because there are actually numerous items that can help you work on your public speaking, with many of these items already being inside your home. A lot of professional speakers have used these items over the years to help better their skills, and now, you can use them, too.

From public speaking books to a timer and more - here are some items that will help you improve your public speaking skills:

Public Speaking Books

There are so many incredible books that you can read to improve your public speaking skills. Some of these books will give you tips and tricks on how to calm your nerves before your speech, and others will share stories from professional public speakers. To help get you started, here are some of our favorite public speaking books:

• Talk Like TED
• The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking
• Speak With No Fear
• How to Develop Self-Confidence and Influence People by Public Speaking

A Mirror

One of the best things that you can do while practicing your speech is to look into a mirror. A mirror can help you work on your posture, facial expressions, and movement, and it can also help you work on keeping good eye contact with your audience. Further, when you look into a mirror, you are forced to look away from your notecards, helping you memorize your speech. Although a regular mirror should do the trick, a full-length mirror is an even better option.

The Timer on Your Cellphone

A timer can help you work on shortening your speech and ensure you stay within a reasonable time limit. Start your timer and practice giving your speech. Then stop the timer, and see how long it took. If you have a specific time limit, restart the timer, and try to speed up your speech or shorten it by removing filler words.

If you need help with your next speech, consider working with a Chicago speech coach. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for that next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Contact us today to get started!

Reading books with your children can help them improve their language skills. Further, reading is an excellent way to spend quality time with your kiddos and allows them to use their imagination. If you’re looking for some books to read with your child, we have you covered. From The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Little Blue Truck’s Springtime and more - here are 3 books to help your child work on their speech and language development:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This classic children’s book is excellent for helping your child improve their speech and language skills. Your little one will love following along with the Hungry Caterpillar’s adventures while identifying the foods he eats, learning about the days of the week, and practicing counting. Be sure to grab a healthy snack to enjoy while reading this book together!

Little Blue Truck's Springtime

Another excellent book to read with your little one is Little Blue Truck’s Springtime. This book is perfect for this time of year, considering it has a springtime and Easter theme. While reading, your child will learn about the cute animals that the Little Blue Truck meets during his journey and can work on mimicking the sounds these animals make, too.

Blue Hat, Green Hat

Blue Hat, Green Hat will help your child learn about colors, identify different articles of clothing, and teach them about the process of getting dressed for the day. This book is full of adorable cartoon animals that make silly mistakes while getting dressed, so be sure to have your child point out the animals' mistakes along the way, and inform them of the correct way to put on their clothing.

If you’re concerned that your child is falling behind in their speech and language development, please contact us to talk to an SLP in Chicago. Our team would be happy to answer any questions you may have and can help you decide if speech therapy is suitable for your child. The earlier you get your child the help and support they need, the better.

Over the years, we’ve heard many myths about public speaking, and unfortunately, some of these myths have made people afraid to give a speech. We wanted to clear up these myths once and for all so that you know exactly what you’re getting into when partaking in your next public speaking engagement. Ready to get started? Here are some common public speaking myths debunked:

MYTH 1: Your Audience is Waiting For You to Make a Mistake

Many people get nervous about giving a speech because they think their audience is waiting for them to make a mistake. But this simply isn’t true! Your audience is rooting for you and wants you to succeed. Trust us, you’ll always have people cheering you on during your public speaking engagement.

MYTH 2: Your Speech Has to be Perfect

Another myth about public speaking is that your speech has to be perfect, or it will be considered a failure. Clearly, this is a myth, as nothing in life is perfect. We all make mistakes from time to time because we’re human! When you get in front of your audience, just do the best you can, and if you happen to make a mistake, take a deep breath, and keep going.

MYTH 3: Good Public Speakers Don’t Get Nervous

The biggest myth we’ve heard is that good public speakers don’t get nervous before giving a speech. But in reality, even the most seasoned public speakers get nervous from time to time! Nerves are a completely normal part of life, and if you happen to get anxious before your speech, try out one of these techniques:

• Practice deep breathing
• Drink a glass of cold water
• Talk to a friend or family member
• Practice your speech
• Give yourself a pep talk

For help with your next speech, consider working with a Chicago speech coach. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for that next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Contact us today to get started!

Certain milestones can be used to determine if your child is falling behind in their speech and language development. Meeting these milestones is especially important if your child is 5 years of age or under, as this is a pivotal time for working on their speech development.

If you’re concerned that your child is falling behind in their language development but aren’t sure what milestones they should be hitting, we’re here to help. Here are some speech and language milestones for children 5 and under:

Milestones For Children 0-1 Years of Age

• Makes babbling and cooing sounds
• Turns and looks in the direction of sounds
• Says one or more words such as “mama” or “dada”
• Imitates certain sounds
• Recognizes a handful of words

Milestones For Children 1-2 Years of Age

• Has a vocabulary of 1-5 words or more
• Uses gestures to help them communicate
• Asks for items instead of pointing to them
• Follows simple instructions
• Can imitate multiple different sounds

Milestones For Children 2-3 Years of Age

• Says basic pronouns
• Easily communicates with other children their age
• Puts together multi-word phrases
• Can identify and point to different parts of their body (nose, eyes, ears, mouth, etc.)
• Easily follows instructions that you give them

Milestones For Children 3-4 Years of Age

• Speaks in full sentences
• Can express how they’re feeling
• Can identify some colors, shapes, and animals
• Answers simple questions with ease
• Follows multi-step instructions

Milestones For Children 4-5 Years of Age

• Speaks in more complex sentences
• Can describe their feelings and thoughts
• Has a better concept of time
• Knows most of their letters and numbers
• Can tell short stories

If you find that your child is falling behind in their speech and language development or isn’t hitting these speech and language milestones, please feel free to contact us to talk to an SLP in Chicago. Our team would be happy to answer any questions you may have and can help you decide if speech therapy is suitable for your child. The earlier you get your child the help and support they need, the better.

Making a good first impression on your audience is key to a successful presentation. First impressions are everything, and it’s essential to focus on making a positive impact on your audience from the very first moment you step on stage. Though there are many ways to ensure that you are making a good impression on your audience, there are 4 specific things that we know will make a huge difference.

From dressing to impress to introducing yourself and more - here are 4 ways to make a good first impression on your audience:

Dress to Impress: Always arrive at a presentation dressed in proper attire. The first thing people will see is how you're dressed, and if you aren’t dressed to impress, your audience will probably notice and may not take you as seriously. Furthermore, dressing nicely will only boost your confidence.

Introduce Yourself: When you get in front of your audience, make sure to introduce yourself. Say hi, tell your audience who you are, and let them know what makes you fit to give a presentation on your chosen topic. Once you tell your audience a little about yourself, they may start to feel more connected to you.

Give Your Audience a Compliment: One of the best ways to make a first impression on others is to compliment them. This is especially true when it comes to your audience. For example, you could say something like, “I know that you’re all very influential people in the industry, and I am very thankful for the opportunity to present to you.”

Use Positive Body Language: Last but certainly not least, be sure to use positive body language the entire time you’re presenting. This is crucial for making a good impression, as it lets your audience know you’re happy, confident, and excited to be there. The more positive body language you give off, the better impression you’ll make on your audience members and the more engaged they’ll be.

For help with your next speech, consider working with a Chicago speech coach. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for that next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Contact us today to get started!

The holiday season is finally here, and we are ready to get the celebration started! The holidays are such a busy time of the year, and finding time to help your child work on their speech and language development can be challenging. To help you out, we wanted to share 3 fantastic toys that work on your child’s speech and language development. These toys are so much fun to play with and will also help your child work on their skills throughout the holidays and beyond. Enjoy!

Deluxe Double-Sided Tabletop Easel

This toy is wonderful for helping your child work on their speech development. Have your child sit down at the easel and ask them to draw a picture. When their masterpiece is complete, work with your little one and come up with a story about that picture. Switch off talking about what happens next in the story, and even take turns adding more fun objects, people, or animals to the picture!

Farm Sounds Puzzle

This next toy will help your little one work on identifying animals along with the sounds they make. Each time your child removes an animal from the puzzle board, the board makes that specific animal’s sound. When this happens, ask your child what animal makes that sound. Once they get the answer correct, get silly and make the animal sounds out loud together!

Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter

The Scoop & Serve Ice Cream Counter is the perfect toy for pretend play. Your child can stand at the ice cream counter and act like they are working while you pretend to be the customer. Your child will have to ask you questions such as, “what flavor of ice cream would you like?” and “how many scoops would you like?” Once they serve you your delicious ice cream, keep the fun going and switch roles!

Happy holidays from all of us at BNM! If you find that your child is falling behind in their speech and language development, please feel free to contact us to talk to an SLP in Chicago. Our team would be happy to answer any questions you may have and can help you decide if speech therapy is suitable for your child.

Since the COVID pandemic, online presentations have become more and more common. They are an easy way to share information with others without having to go through the hassle of meeting in person. With online presentations becoming more popular, the odds are that you’ll have to give one at some point in the future. When this time comes, you’ll want to be prepared and have everything you need to ensure that your presentation goes off without a hitch.

Want to ensure that you’re prepared but aren’t sure where to begin? We can help! From testing your microphone to finding the perfect lighting and more - here are some tips for giving an online presentation:

Test Your Microphone: First things first, always test the microphone on your computer before your presentation. You want to make sure that it’s working correctly and that your audience will be able to hear and understand what you’re saying.

You can learn how to test your computer’s microphone by going here.

Adjust Your Lighting: Another thing that you’ll want to do is adjust the lighting in your room. Your lighting should be bright enough that people can clearly see you on their screens. If you can, go to a room with a lot of natural light, as natural light typically looks better on camera.

Wear Proper Attire: Just because you won’t be giving your presentation in person doesn’t mean that you should dress any differently. You should always dress just like you would if you were giving your presentation in person. Dressing properly helps you to make an excellent first impression, and your audience will appreciate your efforts.

Move to a Quiet Space: Last but certainly not least, ensure that you’re giving your presentation in a relatively quiet room. Background noise can be very distracting and can take away from the overall message you’re trying to convey. Any room with a door that you can close is typically the best option.

For help with your next speech, consider working with a Chicago speech coach. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for that next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Contact us today to get started!

One of our favorite times of the year is Halloween. The weather is finally starting to cool down, and so many fun events are happening that your entire family can enjoy. To some kids, this time of year can be a little scary. So, instead of having your little ones freaked out about ghosts and goblins, show your kids some awesome Halloween activities that you can do together that also work on their speech and language skills.

From creating a Halloween story to doing a candy taste test and more - here are some semi-spooky Halloween activities that will work on your child’s speech and language skills:

Create a Halloween Story: Talk to your little one and work together to create a cute Halloween story, and try to include some “spooky” components. Think about who the main characters are, where the story is set, and what goal the characters are trying to achieve. Your child can even draw pictures to go with the story if they want to!

Find the Pumpkins: Another great activity you can try is to find the pumpkins. Work with your child to draw some pumpkins on paper and then hide them around the house. Once all the pumpkins are hidden, have your child go and find them! Along the way, have your child ask you questions about where the pumpkins are. They can say things such as, “is a pumpkin up high?”, “is a pumpkin in the kitchen?” etc.

Halloween Candy Taste Test: After Halloween is over, gather all the candy your child got from trick-or-treating and pick out 3 different types of candy. We suggest choosing one sweet candy, one sour candy, and one chocolate candy. Now, have your kids try a bite of each candy and ask them to describe it to you. Ask them questions such as, “is the candy sweet or sour?” or “what color is the candy?” etc.

If you find that your child is falling behind in their speech and language development, please feel free to contact us to talk to an SLP in Chicago. Our team would be happy to answer any questions you may have and can help you decide if speech therapy is suitable for your child.

Memorizing your speech is a common practice in the public speaking world, but truth be told, you shouldn’t always memorize your entire speech. While some people tend to think that giving a speech without memorizing it is difficult, many people find that doing so becomes a whole lot easier over time. Furthermore, not memorizing your speech has numerous benefits that will only help you to improve your presentation skills.

From making your speech sound more authentic to boosting your confidence and more - here are some benefits of not memorizing your speech:

Your Speech May Sound More Authentic

When you don’t memorize a speech, it may end up sounding more authentic. This is because you’re speaking from the heart rather than reciting something you have remembered. Sometimes when you memorize a speech, it can sound almost robotic, but when you speak freely, you don’t have to worry about forgetting what you wrote down on paper.

You Can Make a Stronger Connection With Your Audience

Another benefit of not memorizing your speech is that you may end up making a stronger connection with your audience. When reciting a memorized speech, you’re probably worrying about forgetting the words, which takes away from making a connection with those around you. Speaking freely and from the heart typically feels and sounds more natural, which is something that your audience will appreciate.

You’ll Notice a Boost in Your Confidence

The final benefit you may notice is that not memorizing your speech can boost your confidence. Giving a speech without memorizing it first isn’t always the easiest thing to do. But you’ll find that the more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll feel and the more confident you will become. Remember, your audience is rooting for you and wants you to succeed. No need to be nervous - just be yourself!

For help with your next speech, consider working with a Chicago speech coach. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for that next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Contact us today to get started!

Speech therapy can be incredibly beneficial for young children struggling with their communication and language development. Though many parents are interested in having their child work with a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), they tend to have questions about what exactly goes on during speech therapy. This is why we wanted to address some of the most frequently asked questions about our services so that you feel comfortable with your little one seeing an SLP.

From what ages of children we work with to what communication disorders we can address and more - here are the most frequently asked questions about our speech therapy services:

What Does an SLP Do?

A Speech-Language Pathologist works with people struggling with their speech and language skills or with a communication disorder. An SLP will work with each individual to ensure they have the necessary tools to improve on and overcome any communication disorders they may be facing.

How Does Speech Therapy Work?

When your child first starts speech therapy, an SLP will work to determine a plan of action for your little one. Then, the SLP will work closely with your child and engage them in activities that work on their specific speech and language needs. The SLP will also give your family some ideas for ways that you can work with your child on their speech therapy at home.

What Ages of Children do You Work With?

We primarily work with young children who are struggling with their speech and language skills. Our team is trained to work with your child to determine what communication disorder they are facing and develop a plan that best suits their needs. Our SLPs ensure that each child’s speech therapy experience is fun, comfortable, and beneficial to their needs.

What Communication Disorders Can You Address?

Our team of Speech-Language Pathologists works with children who have all types of communication disorders, including:

• Stuttering
• Speech Sound Disorders
• Childhood Apraxia of Speech
• Articulation Disorders
• Delayed Speech Development
• Lisping
• Deafness
• Dysarthria
• Aphasia
• Selective Mutism
• Dyslexia
• Difficulty Swallowing
• Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder

What Should I Do if I Think my Child May Benefit From Seeing an SLP?

If you find that your child may benefit from speech therapy, please feel free to contact us to talk to an SLP in Chicago. Our team would be happy to answer any questions you may have and can help you decide if speech therapy is suitable for your child. We look forward to speaking with you!