Whether your child loves the spotlight or tends to shy away from it, these personalized Speech Arts classes are carefully designed to support them to achieve their goals.
No longer accepting new clients
On October 2025, we closed the doors of our studio.
Our students won first place in speech competitions at their school, took home medals (like ‘the outstanding acting award’ and the ‘outstanding monologue performance award’) at various festivals, and received First Class Honours for their Speech Arts RCM Exams. It has been a pleasure working with you all.
View testimonials here.
About Speech Arts Classes
for kids and teens ages 7-18
Speech Arts differs from a typical public speaking class in one key way. Rather than focusing only on speeches, students read, rehearse, memorize, and perform a wide range of creative texts, including: poetry, stories, contemporary and Shakespearean monologues, mimes, and—yes—speeches.
We also explore skills like improvisation, acting, and sight reading (reading expressively straight from the page without prior preparation).
While working with these creative texts, students:
- Develop vocal clarity (including articulation, projection, pacing, and expressive emphasis);
- Learn strategies for excelling on stage, including handling and overcoming stage fright;
- Build physical awareness and learn to stand with an easeful/engaged posture when performing/speaking;
- Develop confidence in themselves, their ideas, and their imagination.
Confidence-building is at the heart of this program. Reading and performing creative texts provides students with a rich opportunity to build their critical thinking and reflective skills, so that they can feel proud of the way they see the world. This is reflected in the way they speak about the pieces they’re rehearsing: with a deep understanding and enjoyment.
A genuine love of performance and literature is being developed here, and will support them throughout their lives.
Curriculum is based on a combination of the RCM and BC’s English Language Arts curriculum, and is adjusted to suit the needs/interests of each individual student I work with.
Supporting Growth Through Personalized Goals
The classroom is where we develop their public speaking skills, but the outside world is where students put those skills into action. I work closely with each student to:
- set meaningful, achievable goals that will gently push them face their public speaking fears;
- track and reflect on their progress so they realize they can improve at things that once felt hard.
Goals might be big, like preparing for an RCM Speech Arts exam, performing in a festival (like VAYA or CDMF), or auditioning for the school play. Or they might be more personal, like speaking up in class or ordering their own meal at a restaurant.
No matter the goal, I aim to serve as a mentor on their journey: cheering them on and helping them stay focused.
Your Teacher: Christine Bissonnette
Hello, my name is Christine and I’ve been working as a Speech Art teacher since 2018.
My students have won first place in speech competitions at their school, taken home gold medals (like ‘the outstanding acting award’ and the ‘outstanding monologue performance award’) at various festivals, and have received First Class Honours for their Speech Arts RCM Exams. Even more important than the accolades: my students enjoy learning the poems and stories we select together, and often look back on the work we did to memorize and prepare a piece with a big smile.
I’ve worked with Viva Voce Speech Arts Studio, ArtStarts in Schools, Insight Global Education, Vancouver Biennale, Place des Arts, and more. I’ve also had the great pleasure of adjudicating the Speech Arts segment of the Pacific Northwest Music Festival in 2019 and 2024.
You can learn more about me here.
Testimonials
“I feel very lucky to have found Christine as my daughter’s public speaking teacher after having her try with several teachers for several years intermittently… She is obviously a spontaneous speaking lover, I felt this from her very natural and relaxed state when she interacts with my daughter during each lesson in such an effective, organized, methodical, yet simple way.
– Yew (parent)
Ms. Christine is a very kind and pure person. Every time I heard the laughter and conversation from her and my daughter in their class, I felt we are so blessed to have her as one of my daughter’s learning guides. Definitely she is the best choice as a public speaking/vocal performance teacher for children.“