Brandon Learning Centre: British Education - process, preparation and practicalities

There is an interesting analaysis of President Obama's five pillars speech on the Guarding (UK) website. Michael Tomasky looks at the political content of the speech and speculates on it's possible reception. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/video/2009/apr/14/tomasky-talk-barack-obama-economy From a delivery perspective, part of the US President's distinctive style is the use of the pause. Dramatic pauses after key phrases are scattered liberally throughout the speech. Dramatic pauses don't have to be long, just enough for your audience to focus on your words. If you listen carefully, you will also note hat here is a brief pause in the middle of words, dragging them out and adding to the sense that the President is weighing each word carefully before he delivers them. The measured pace creates a feeling of gravity which (if we refer to Tomasky's analysis) matches the downbeat mood of the message.

You are wearing a suit you aren't used to, sitting in a room you've never seen before, being asked personal questions by someone you have never seen in your life. yes indeed, it is.... the interview! How can you make the process less painful? Start with adjusting your worldview. Interviewers aren't trying to weed out the people who don't make the grade; they are trying to find the candidates who excel. School interviews are the beginning of the fun. Having been told by parents that you shouldn't talk about yourself all the time, you find yourself being told to do just that! How can parents help their child adapt? One way is to help them to identify their strengths both inside and outside school. Talk to them about what makes them special, University interviews can be a moment of sheer panic. Calm down. Re-read your personal statement or application essays and remind yourself of why the University has chosen to see you (because you sparkle!) I have interviewed candid

When I was at school, one nun specialised in throwing board rubbers at girls who weren't listening. Reprehensible? Yes. Effective? Again, yes. As presenters, the chances are that we will lose part of our audience during at least one of our presentations. This is when the presenter's toolbox comes in to play. Tools at your disposal are: 1: Movement (use your space) 2: Pace 3: Pitch 4: Volume 5: Innovation 6: Persuasive techniues What is happening? Is your audience dozing off? Move around, raise your voice, add energy? Is your audience rejecting your ideas? Refer to your persuasive tools. Is your audience detached? Ask questions, get them to participate. Presentations are interactive; read your audience and react to their reactions and, without resorting to the boardrubber, you will keep their attention.

"You know, when I watch speakers like Obama, I realise that I will never be a good public speaker" sighed one of my dinner companion last night. "Nor me" agreed the lawyer opposite him. "Wait" I chipped in " President Obama has a whole team of scriptwriters working for him. They script, direct and coach him in the best way to deliver his speeches. It is like comparing a family photo to an air brushed portrait in a magazine. We can use the professional version for inspiration but reality is never as polished unless of course you have your own team hidden in the back office or weeks to devote to your presentation!" Use the great speakers for ideas and tips on delivery but please don't compare yourself negatively to them. Every speaker has individual talents and your may find that you become more confident if, rather than thinking you are walking in the shadow of other presenterss, you focus on your strengths and on developing your own unique st

In any one day, we make a thousand observations about other people. Listen to a review of your mental tapes at the end of the day and you'll be amazed..."That was great the way he let the old lady get on the bus first...terrible shoes she is wearing... Interesting idea he just had..." All of these observations lead to snap judgements about character, moral choices or the urban tribe we think someone belongs to. The question is; once we have made the judgement, can it change? Imagine if the man who let the old lady get on the bus first pushes you out of the way to get to a seat? Feeling differently about him now? It is a well worn piece of received wisdom that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Maybe so but we do get the chance to make subsequent impressions. How does this apply to public speaking? One of the main fears I have heard from students is that they somehow mess up their presentation and lose the audience. It is possible that you forget you

Plain bread is good but finding a hidden goodie is always a treat and you want to pause and savour it. So it is with your presentations. You need to give your audience time to think about and ponder on your pearls of wisdom. How do you do this? p...a...u...s...e! Make your point. Stop speaking. Look around the audience. Measure their reactions. Carry on with your speech. The benefits are multifold. Your audience has had time to process your point and is more likely to retain the information. You, the speaker, have had time to digest the reactions you are getting and you may want to make a swift re-adjustment to your approach based on them. You also have time to catch your breath. Words are wonderful, pauses perfect them!

As children, we perceive that the world revolves around us. As teenagers, we worry that the world is against us. As adults, it is difficult to shake off these formative ideas. If you are in a train with people speaking a foreign language, do you assume that at least some of them are talking about you? Most of us do. Once we learn the language, we learn that people talk about everyday matters. In Hong Kong this is; what to eat, what has been eaten and what should be eaten! When it comes to public speaking, a common fear people mention is that they feel that the audience is staring at them, willing them to fail or waiting for them to say something foolish. Accurate? Next time you are in a meeting or listening to a speaker, pause and analyse your thoughts. I am willing to take a wild guess that only 30% of your attention is dedicated to the speaker. The rest will be on your everyday concerns or plans you want to get on with as soon as the meeting has finished. Your challenge as a speaker

Think about it; if you are playing a violin, or a flute, or even the kettle drums, you warm up your instrument before a concert. Maybe you'll play a couple of practice notes or run through a couple of scales? And yet, when speaking in public, the majority of people walk on to the platform and expect their voice to be in full working order. Wrong.. wrong.. wrong. So what do you do to warm up? 1: Go somewhere quiet and (if you are self conscious as most of us are) somewhere private. 2: Shake out your legs, your arms, your shoulders and finally your head. Don't hold back! Get rid of all the tension. 3: Take a few deep breaths making sure that you are breathing from the diaphragm (hold your hand on your tummy to ensure that this is happening) 4: Release your breath slowly whilst running through the vowels. Open your mouth as widely as possibly and really stretch out your face. Repeat this a few times. 5: Read the first few lines of your speech or poem. Over exagerate. You are all s

It's that time of year again! All over Hong Kong, thousands of students are trying to make sense of poetry, prose and bible readings in preparation for the HKSMSA Speech Festival. At Brandon, we have worked with hundreds of students who have been preparing for the competition. Our message is this: prepare, relax and do your best! Only one person may win but everyone who takes part should be proud of their achievements. So, short of coming to Brandon Learning Centre, how can you prepare? Over the next few weeks, I will be giving advice to help you get ready to impress. Part one: preparation 1: Read the poem through. Read it to yourself first and then read it outloud. 2: Think about the meaning. What is the poet trying to say? If you aren't sure what certain words mean, look them up. 3: Do you like the poem? If it doesn't grab you straight away, try to find something in the language, rhythm or the theme that speaks to you. A poem you are in sympathy with is a poem you will pe