Guest post by Paula Johnson, see Paula’s other blogs here and subscribe!

Public speaking. Just reading those two words probably made your palms sweat a little. Whether you’re a student giving a book report, a teacher presenting at a PD (with no AC and bad coffee), or someone just trying to sound confident in a meeting, speaking clearly and effectively is a real skill, and one that usually comes with years of awkward ums and cringey filler words.

Enter Yoodli, your friendly-but-firm AI-powered speech coach. Think of it like Toastmasters… if Toastmasters lived inside your laptop and never interrupted you

🧰 What Is Yoodli?

Yoodli is an AI tool designed to help users improve their public speaking skills. It analyzes your speech in real-time or after a recording and gives you feedback on things like:

• Filler words (“um,” “like,” “you know”)
• Pacing (Are you sprinting or sedating your audience?)
• Word choice and sentence complexity
• Eye contact and body language (with video)
• And yes, even your “uhhh” to actual word ratio

Yoodli gives you a transcript and a confidence score, plus suggestions that range from helpful to brutally honest. It’s basically Simon Cowell with AI ethics and a smiley face interface.

🏫 Classroom Uses: From the Speech Team to the Math Teacher

Yoodli is one of those tools that sneaks up on you with its usefulness. Here’s how educators can integrate it meaningfully across content areas:

💬 1. Speech & Debate or Language Arts

The most obvious use case. Have students record their speeches or presentations, then analyze their own pacing, tone, and use of filler words using Yoodli. Students can track their growth over time, which is far more helpful (and less awkward) than just watching themselves on video.

🎤 2. ELL/ESL Support

For multilingual students, Yoodli provides private, low-stakes speaking practice. It doesn’t judge accents; it focuses on clarity, pacing, and fluency. Students can speak into the tool and get instant feedback, helping build confidence without the pressure of speaking in front of the class.

🧠 3. Teacher PD & Self-Reflection

Want to see how you really sound during that lesson on quadratic equations? Use Yoodli to record part of your instruction or PD session. You might be surprised how often you say “so yeah” (guilty). This can also be helpful for instructional coaches working with teachers on presentation or communication skills.

🧪 4. Science Fairs and Project-Based Learning

Anytime students are explaining a process or presenting their thinking, Yoodli can give them that extra polish. It encourages students to reflect on how they communicate their ideas, not just what they say, but how they say it.

💻 5. Interview Practice and Career Readiness

Mock interviews? Elevator pitches? College essays turned spoken narratives? Yoodli is ideal for helping students practice for real-world moments where confidence and clarity are key.

🧠 The AI Behind the Tool

Yoodli uses automatic speech recognition (ASR) and natural language processing (NLP) to analyze spoken words in real time. Think of it as a very nerdy parrot that listens, transcribes, and then gently tells you you’re rambling.

Some quick nerd notes:

• Speech recognition turns your words into text (transcription)
• NLP analyzes your speech for filler words, tone, sentiment, and repetition
• Yoodli can detect your pace and word variety over time

Importantly, Yoodli doesn’t train its model on your data without consent. Users can opt into saving their data for progress tracking, but educators should check settings for student accounts. They’ve made good strides toward ethical design—no surprise, since one of the co-founders used to work at Google AI but left to build tech that was more human-focused.

Data privacy tip: Make sure to read the privacy policy if you’re using it with students under 18, and consider creating class-specific accounts or using it in “demo mode” with no login required.

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🧪 Try It Out: Tips for Teachers

Here’s how to get rolling without needing a 47-slide training deck:

• Start small: Have students practice a 1-minute talk on any topic. Favorite food. Least favorite math concept. Why dogs are better than cats. (Yoodli is cat-neutral.)
• Use the transcript: Yoodli gives a full transcript of each session, great for writing reflection, peer feedback, or revision activities.
• Gamify it: Who can lower their filler word count the most in one week? Who has the smoothest pacing? Instant leaderboard.
• Model it: Record yourself first and share the feedback you got. Vulnerability builds classroom trust (and shows that even grown-ups say “like” too much).
• Be intentional: Don’t let Yoodli become a surveillance tool. Use it for growth, not gotchas. Let students control their recordings and reflection.

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👩‍🏫 Final Thoughts: AI Coaching That Doesn’t Need Coffee

Yoodli isn’t replacing speech teachers or taking over your drama class—it’s a supplement, not a substitute. But it is an amazing, low-barrier way to help students hear themselves and improve one of the most universally useful skills: effective communication.

Plus, unlike your coworker in the next room, Yoodli never interrupts you mid-sentence to ask if you’ve “seen the new attendance policy.” So that’s a win.

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About Rachelle

Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s Next in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle is also an attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Rachelle received her Doctorate in Instructional Technology, and her research focus was on AI and Professional Development. In addition to teaching, she is a full-time consultant and works with companies and organizations to provide PD, speaking, and consulting services. Contact Rachelle for your event!

Rachelle is an ISTE-certified educator and community leader who served as president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network. By EdTech Digest, she was named the EdTech Trendsetter of 2024, one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to follow in 2021, and one of 150 Women Global EdTech Thought Leaders in 2022.

She is the author of ten books, including ‘What The Tech? An Educator’s Guide to AI, AR/VR, the Metaverse and More” and ‘How To Teach AI’. In addition, other books include, “In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU,” “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World, “True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us,” “Things I Wish […] Knew” and her newest “How To Teach AI” is available from ISTE or on Amazon.

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or event! Submit the Contact Form.

Follow Rachelle on Bluesky, Instagram, and X at @Rdene915

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