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| Monday, December 01, 2008 |
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7 Improving Speakers, Writers, Leaders EQ
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7C Lesson - Impromptu Group Practice Sessions
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These kinds of sessions provide a fast-track approach to improving speaking skills. Speaking briefly, listening to a critique then speaking again within an hour helps to quickly reinforce skills and reduce errors, as well as decrease the stress of speaking in front of a group.
In early 2005, the Institute’s founder formed an impromptu practice group locally to help fellow Toastmaster’s improve impromptu speaking skills. There are now two local groups who get together each week for two hour sessions—finding these impromptu practice sessions extremely helpful.
Each impromptu group consists of five to six people. (With any more attendees, it would be difficult to give each member any more than one turn speaking.) The size of the groups has also been non-intimidating for beginners. One person takes a list of topics to the meetings each week and as the leader, directing each attendee to speak about one particular topic from the list. Being impromptu, the speakers are not aware of the topics ahead of time.
Each person takes a turn speaking in front of the group for up to two and a half minutes on whatever topic s/he has been given. Before going to the next person, a few members of the group, one at a time, stand in front of the group and evaluate that person’s brief impromptu speech. (By evaluating others, this gives each member more opportunities to practice being in front of a group.)
In each session, attendees have more than one turn speaking. Speakers have a chance to improve on weaker skills addressed in the evaluations just a few minutes earlier. Even though a new topic is given to the speaker each turn, the repetition of speaking in front of the group two or three times with evaluations at each session has been very growth oriented. One group member had been unable to speak without notes in front of an audience for years and is now able to do so with great ease. The other members have noticed substantial improvements from these sessions, as well.
Structuring Impromptu Sessions
A timer: One person holds up a sheet of green, yellow, or red construction paper as timing cues; Green at one minute, yellow at one and a half minute and red at two minutes. (For this task, it worked out best for members to take turns each week.)
Toastmaster’s Table Topic Cards: The cards have been used at times, but more regularly, one person has been willing to compile a list of topics.
Warm ups: Some sessions have started with each person speaking about one particular speaker skills for one minute. For instance, one person might be asked to talk about voice volume, another pausing, then the next person, foot movements, arm gestures, vocal variations and exaggerations, etc. Other sessions have started with each participant taking turns standing in front of the group for 30 second to one minute just practicing eye contact.
Large reminder signs: Signs were created to note specific issues, such as “SPEAK LOUDER” or “MOVE FEET”. Each members of the group is given a sign at the beginning of the session. That person is to hold up that particular sign whenever a speaking member needs a prompt to help shift and improve that particular skill.
Homework: From each session, members are also to choose one problem area to work on during the week to help them improve or overcome that particular problem by the next week.
A few low cost mentor group activities found useful:
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A local university’s speech instructor was invited to attend and evaluate each group member’s vocal variation and gestures. The speech instructor’s educated perspective was enlightening to group members. |
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One group met at a local dance studio with mirrored walls. Members were able to see themselves in the mirror at the back of the room behind the group as they spoke. This gave speakers similar feedback that dancers get from using the mirrors. |
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