Imani Mentorship Program October 26, 2011 Public Speaking An important skill for university and afterwards, the

world of work is to be able to express our ideas on the spot in a clear manner. Examples of places where you will need to practice impromptu speaking include: asking questions in lecture, tutorial discussion, giving a presentation, and interviews for jobs. Here are some pointers from Toastmasters International in impromptu speaking: When youre called (or volunteer) to speak during Table Topics, youll do well if you keep your remarks brief and to the point. (This is often easier said than done, however!) Try to present sensible, worthwhile ideas that add to the knowledge of others and organize your thoughts into a mini-speech. Youre encouraged to refute or elaborate on ideas and information already presented by other participants. Here are some suggestions on how to talk without preparation on virtually any subject. Review these outlines and select the most appropriate one for each time you are asked a question: Give an opinion, and then justify it with two or three specific reasons. For example, talk about your favorite film and give some reasons you like it. State a problem and show its causes. For instance, you might explain how traffic became a problem in your city. Offer a viewpoint yours or someone elses and elaborate on it. Did your city council ban smoking in government offices? What arguments were given by the bans supporters? State a goal or problem and then tell what must be done to achieve the goal or solve the problem. If you recently found a new job, tell about the steps you took to reach your goal. Describe a process, such as how to plant a tree. Break a problem, situation or object into its components and discuss them. For example, describe the branches of your countrys government.

By participating in Table Topics, you become more fluent. You learn to listen carefully and to create a mini-speech, with a beginning, middle and end. You also draw on your own experiences or knowledge on the topic in relation to the needs and interests of those present To practice impromptu speaking, everyone will have a turn to pick a topic from the bowl. You have about 30 seconds to prepare what you are going to say, and then you have to talk about the topic for two minutes. You can give an opinion, you can describe a problem, or explain a process.

Discussion Questions: 1. What worked for you in this activity? How did you think of what to say? 2. What was challenging about this activity? 3. How do you think practice affects your ability to speak on the spot? 4. What about confidence? What is the difference between courage and fearlessness? Additional Activity: 1. Split the group up into five groups 2. Each group has ten minutes to prepare a 3 minute presentation of their position on the following topics: a. Are the Olympic Games a waste of money? Does Television reduce your intelligence? b. Should factory farming of chickens be banned? c. Should laptop computers be allowed in class? d. Does school detention do any good in high schools? e. Is the high school grading system effective? 3. Each group needs to present the evidence for and against each topic, their conclusion, and the reasoning that led to that conclusion.