Speech Academy Asia ✓ ACRA Verified

Zen Zhang ★★★★★

2 months ago

We had a really positive experience with Speech Academy Asia’s public speaking lessons for children. The trainers are warm, patient, and genuinely good with kids, which made a big difference for my daughter’s confidence. The lessons are fun and interactive, so the children don’t feel stressed or forced to speak. Over time, I could see my child becoming more comfortable expressing ideas and speaking in front of others. It’s clear that the trainers take the time to encourage each child and make them feel heard. Overall, it’s a great programme that builds confidence in a very natural and supportive way. I would definitely recommend Speech Academy Asia to parents who want their children to grow in confidence and communication skills.

L Nathan ★☆☆☆☆

2 months ago

While looking at places that had speech and drama classes for my son, I chanced upon speech academy. They assured me that there would be speech and drama classes in their preschool program but that was not the case. Firstly, I disagree with the way they get parents to sign up, by not letting the parent sit in for a trial lesson. We were brought to a separate room where we were given a presentation by the co-founder, basically getting us to spend thousands on their package. I should have seen the first red flag there. Moreover, there was no discussion on exactly how their curriculum was for the preschool class. The presentation was more of a general one. Also, they pressurize you to sign up for their package in that day itself. I should have gone home, discussed with my boy and made the decision. My son kept telling me the teachers are very unlike his preschool teachers. As parents we should have found out what my son was trying to tell us. Honestly, I wanted him to step out of his comfort zone and did not take his words that seriously. Secondly, right from the start neither the teacher nor the teacher assistant was nurturing or caring to my son who was in a new environment for the first time. He was enrolled in the preschool class and made to sit in and automatically respond to the teacher. Teacher assistant also kinda grabbed him to make him sit in the classroom. This was unlike the teachers in any of his other extra curricular classes. After the persuasive presentation but the co-founder, we decided to give it a try but soon enough as the weeks progressed, both my husband and I did not agree with their discipline style, lack of warmth in speaking to the children and we even saw them scolding these kids for reasons we couldn’t comprehend. Setting boundaries is one thing, but scolding them and using harsh tones is another. Now, we weren’t allowed to sit in to observe the classes but hearing from my son, those children who were fidgeting and moving were scolded. The lessons don’t seem very engaging as well based on the few instances I have tried to see what was going on. My son told me it was a lot of presentation and not much movement or acting out. On the rare occasion where I was allowed inside the room as my son was feeling anxious during the make up classes with another teacher, the teacher refused to start the lesson until I left. That was sth I found very odd. This itself, makes me wonder what is really going on. During their monthly presentations, the teacher assistant seems bored and simply scolding the children for being restless. Lack of enthusiasm from the grown up, wonder how it is like in the class itself. The last straw was the final presentation where my son told me that he was scolded for coming to me after his presentation for a hug and reassurance. He had felt that he had not done well and needed some reassurance from me. Upon returning to the classroom, the teacher instead of finding out why he was sad, decided to scold him instead of giving him the reassurance he needed to perform better. The same teacher had told me in the past how well my son speaks and how responsive he is during class. Their technique for public speaking seems to be more of rote learning and memorization. Kids aren’t taught the skills needed to build confidence and resilience. Honestly, if your child is one that goes to a preschool where the vibe is different, pls do not send them here. You will be disappointed. It’s not a whole-child approach or even child-centered. I could not even imagine finishing the package that I spent thousands on as my child honestly does not deserve to be in such an environment. This happened last year and I had a WhatsApp chat with the teacher and management but I had already decided to discontinue. I’m only writing the review now as I want parents to insist sitting in during the trial lesson to gauge the teacher’s teaching for themselves especially if the child is 4 years or younger. Ask for the curriculum plan, be confident in their teaching pedagogy before spending thousands.

Winston Lee ★★★★★

2 months ago

Unknowingly, a transformation was taking place throughout the sessions, and none of it would have happened without Juliana’s guidance. I’m truly grateful for her experience and perspective—it’s incredibly valuable to have someone who can identify and share areas for improvement that you might not even realize matter. I’m really glad I attended these sessions guided and coached by Juliana. They were absolutely worth it, and I would be keen to continue with such sessions for self-development. Experiencing meaningful change without even realizing it at the time is something truly valuable.

charina widjaja ★★★★★

6 months ago

I’ve seen Speech Academy Asia grow over the years, and what stands out is the way they genuinely care about the kids. The Jurong branch has excellent teachers who are approachable and professional, and the staff make the place very welcoming. My son attended before and it was a very positive experience. The program is lively and creative, sometimes bringing lessons outdoors to make them even more engaging. I’ve seen children gain confidence not only in public speaking but also in their daily lives. Many children come out of their shell here, and I would strongly recommend the Headquarters team to any parent.

Jonah Chua ★★★☆☆

4 months ago

Edited: there has been slight improvement after a while, and I change to 1:1 with teacher Raymond. So, I thank the teachers had been teaching him - Teacher Fiona, and Teacher Raymond. ___________ I would like to share my honest experience for those looking into Speech Academy, especially fellow parents. Please consider carefully before enrolling your child. 1. Package Commitment: The enrollment requires signing up for a package. In our case, I signed my son up for 48 lessons + 12 free = 60 sessions total. I regret signing up a package thinking that anyway my son has to take this course to improve his confidence, but, this is not true. This becomes a drag because you cannot get out of this course. 2. Lack of Tangible Progress: After around 15 sessions (~25% of the package), I began to feel concerned. The classes seemed more like general English sessions, involving some writing and script memorization, rather than focused public speaking or confidence-building exercises. As a parent, I didn’t see clear progress or any kind of structured deliverables. With subjects like Math or English, you can typically track progress via worksheets or tests. With Speech Academy, it's unclear how the written work directly builds public speaking skills. To be honest, I haven't seen meaningful improvements so far. (Edited:This applies to lesson 21 - 60 lessons) 3. Report Cards vs. Real Feedback: Yes, they provide a 3-month report card—just like schools do—but schools also have regular classwork submissions that reflect ongoing development. If the materials and activities resemble those of an English class, then how is this different from sending my child to a regular English enrichment center? (Edited: after a few months, then received more relatable feedback) 4. Communication & Next Steps: I have had multiple chats with Brandon, and the current response is to "wait" until the presentation on May 25 to evaluate any changes. I am willing to keep an open mind until then, but I am cautious about whether this is just a way to delay addressing the concerns. 5. Final Thoughts: Based on what I have observed in the past few sessions, there has been little to no improvement. Frankly, I am feeling disheartened and questioning whether it’s worth continuing the remaining sessions. As a parent, it’s become a drag, and feels like a waste of both time and money. This is just my personal experience, but I hope it helps other parents make a more informed decision. (my personal view: it's a rote learning model. See if your child like it)