Speechcraft

According to Toastmasters International District 87 Division S Area 2 Director Dr Renco Yong, 20 students from Early Childhood Education (ECE) and MPI English Club attended the programme which started at noon till 9pm.

He said the participants underwent this training regardless of their level of English.  The goal was to enable them to speak in English confidently.

“The sessions were quite intensive sessions for the students, but those sessions were very important as it helped the students to think, write and speak in English.”

“There were few breakout sessions where the students went into smaller group of four or five people and they were further guided in writing their first speech and presentation.”

“Then, each of them was to present four minutes of their speeches, all in English.  At first, the students started with one minute, then two minutes and then they were able to give speeches in English for four minutes,” he said.

A total of eight speakers and coordinators from various Toastmasters Club in Sibu were invited to conduct the Speechcraft programme.

The topic covered includes choosing a topic, prepare to present, giving and receiving feedback, know your purpose, how to evaluate, body language, vocal variety, and powerful words.

Dr Renco, who is also a member of the board of director in MPI said the programme was designed to create an experience for the students to become the best communicators they can be by overcoming their fear.

He believed that the programme that was being put in place would enable the students to improve their communication, public speaking, and leadership skills – all within a safe Toastmasters environment.

Dr Renco also explained that it is important to provide such platform for the students in MPI, not just to become confident public speakers but also to give them the courage to use English in their conversation.

“In the speechcraft, they only spoke for four minutes in English. They could feel that four minutes was long, but when they join MPI Toastmasters Club, with training and exercises, soon, they would be able to deliver 5-7 minutes speeches, without any problem,” he enthused.

He also added that it could help them to establish better relationship with people, friends, and families.

Thus, he emphasised that MPI Toastmasters Club is not just a club for the students to join, but part of the important learning experience to help them in their presentation, in job interviews, in leading teams or any career paths that they chose after graduation.

Asked how the speechcraft came about, he said one of the teachers from the Early Childhood Education (ECE) approached him to organise a public speaking lesson for the students as one of the subjects in ECE is public speaking.

Dr Renco believed that instead of giving two hours lesson on public speaking, a full training on public speaking would be more effective in helping these students to gain confidence in public speaking.

“I am quite happy to say that the response was good. I think the students were expected a lecture style kind of training, but it was not, and I believed the students had fun too,” he said.

MPI Toastmasters Club is a club registered under Toastmasters International (TI).

All its activities will help students develop communication, public speaking, and leadership skills.

These skills are in high demand in all industries, so Toastmasters members have an edge in the workplace and job market.