MIM Toastmasters Club of Johor Bahru

Saturday, January 23, 2010

SPEECHCRAFT (part 3)

Young enterprising people who has big dreams and powerful ambitions.

Livestock farmer. Entrepeneurs. Restaurants.

All have a purpose and reason to join the Speechcraft program - to improve communication and to speak more confidently.

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Speaking confidently and communicating effectively does not come overnight. Putting your thoughts and feelings into words is an art.

How we speak in our mother-tongue and in another language can be very different, especially if we do not speak it often.

However, with constant exposure to more english materials such as watching television and reading the newspapers and speaking more in english to others.

As we know of the importance of English language in our everyday life, wanting to improve and taking the first step to come to this program, is commendable.

Therefore, continue this journey in improving oneself as learning never ends.

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SPEECHCRAFT (part 2)

Some pictures of the workshop...

Now is the time for project speech 3!!

After having to write speech 2, the speeches in the afternoon seem lacking of quality and preparation - highlighting the point that practice and preparation is essential in public speaking.

Some of the topics for speech 3:

Money Can't Buy Everything
Financial Management
Priceless Experience
Internal Hemorrhaging
How to Love Reading
STRESS
Benefits of Online Game
My Superhero
Drinking Water VS Mineral Water
My Sons
My Project (Now and Soon)
How to Avoid Traffic Accidents
My Best Friend
MLM VS Real Business
Anger Management

Therefore, kudos to all participants who had put in so much effort in their various speeches and evaluation.

SPEECHCRAFT PROGRAM 23 & 24 JAN 2010

As I write this during the second prepared speech presentation for this program, it is interesting to note how everyone has picked up public speaking skills so fast.

Many thanks to all members who has also given up their weekend to help out as speakers or advisors during the speechcraft program.

Each of the 15 participants have such hunger to learn, to improve, to be more confident.

I wondered about when I was their age (between 19 - 22?) What was I doing?

It brought to mind a presentation I did for my Higher English course in Taylor's College. There was a session where each of us had to complete a presentation and I was to be judged by my fellow classmates.

We had the freedom to pick our own title and it took me one week to figure out whether I wanted to talk about music or a book or about food.

However, I managed to finally find a topic, "How to Pick Up Girls" for my presentation.

Giving pointers to guys on how to pick up girls, from their appearance, to the use of cologne and pick up lines, I managed to make everyone laugh so hard, they could hardly hear what I said.

At the end of the presentation, I had a 9.9 rating from my classmates!!

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The speeches by the speechcrafters are getting better and better. Their actions are getting more and more confident. Everyone is laughing at reasons why women likes shopping.

Some mucking around, VPE and VPPR. (not paying attention)

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Speechcraft Participants with MIM Toastmasters Club of Johor Bahru:

1. Norbaizura
2. Fadhila
3. Aidah
4. Fazli
5. Shah
6. Risha
7. Rihah
8. Endang
9. Norhidayah
10. Nur Azeela
11. Jihah
12. Yunus
13. Adli
14. Moon
15. Zakiah

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I will be writing more about their 3rd speech later... tata...

Friday, January 15, 2010

10 Tips for Public Speaking

Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and even beneficial, but too much nervousness can be detrimental.

Here are some proven tips on how to control your butterflies and give better presentations:

1. Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use humor, personal stories and conversational language – that way you won’t easily forget what to say.

2. Practice. Practice. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.

3. Know the audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.

4. Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.

5. Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. ("One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.

6. Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will boost your confidence.

7. Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for you.

8. Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem – the audience probably never noticed it.

9. Concentrate on the message – not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.

10. Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. A Toastmasters club can provide the experience you need in a safe and friendly environment.

(the articles is obtained from the Toastmasters International website)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

BUILD our FUTURE LEADERS

PURPOSE OF THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP

The Youth Leadership Development Workshop is based on the belief that every young person has the potential to become a good communicator and leader, but the potential needs to be developed. The programme's unique design enables participants to develop this potential through practical experience. Participants learn speaking and leadership skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. They learn to:

• overcome the nervousness everyone feels when asked to speak before an audience
• organise and present their ideas logically and convincingly
• listen carefully to others' ideas
• offer advice that will help others improve their speaking and leadership skills
• participate in and even lead group discussions or meetings

(click on the image for clearer view)

It will be an experience worth going through, and skills to equip you for the rest of your life!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Self Confidence

Self confidence is the difference between feeling unstoppable and feeling scared out of your wits.

Your perception of yourself has an enormous impact on how others perceive you. Perception is reality — the more self confidence you have, the more likely it is you’ll succeed.

Do you think highly of yourself?

It has been said that if you treat yourself well, the world will treat you even better. Remember, you are a beautiful person in your own unique way. And you are valuable, worthy and lovable.

Confidence is knowing you are special, unique and individual. Confidence is holding your head up high and walking with your shoulders and back straight - whether or not you know all the answers.

Optimism is a major KEY in being confident.

Telling yourself, "I am beautiful" or seeing a situation with optimistic thoughts, will help you to increase your confidence in bad situations.

How others look at you or what they say about you, is not yours to bother about. A positive way of looking at it, is to know that you are NOT like them who think poorly of others.

Hence, let's look at ourselves in the mirror and see how great a man or woman you are!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Building Strong Towers

Meetings are a time where new ideas can be obtained from one another. A place where we learn and where we teach.

Optimism and Positivity.

It builds you up in a world where criticism is a way of life.

Here, at MIM Toastmasters Club, we build high-rised buildings - strong enough to withstand typhoons and earthquakes.

Some pictures of our previous meetings.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

MOONing over Mid-Autumn Festival

Themed meetings are always fun and interesting.

Our Toastmaster of the Evening (TME), CTM Doreen, made it an excellent time for all of us. She linked 'moon' to refer to the actual moon and not only for lanterns and mooncakes.