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Any Public Speaking courses yet?

  • 18-08-2016 9:22am
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭


    Hope its ok to post this. With September almost upon us there will be a plethora of leaflets from adult education and other education centres. Perhaps if anyone comes across any public speaking courses you could post them here. Many of these courses in the past I was interested in failed to start due to (a) people getting cold feet at the last minute and (b) people didn't know about them. I have three leaflets in my letterbox today but so far no public speaking courses.....yet. I will be visiting the library in the next few days to see what's on offer.


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 631 ✭✭✭Kings Inns or bust


    Have you tried toastmasters?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    Yes, several times now, and nope, won't be going back!


  • Registered Users Posts: 151 ✭✭Anongeneric


    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    Yes, several times now, and nope, won't be going back!

    Why not? What's wrong with them?

    Genuine question.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 631 ✭✭✭Kings Inns or bust


    The wife thought they were great, this was one run in central Dublin.

    Realistically you never get over the nerves of speaking to new groups of people. I regularly have occasion to do public speaking, I'm alway nervous unless it's a group of people I know very well.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    Well, TM has always been difficult for me. Also, TM don't train you but they do give you the opportunity to speak. One factor was the cost, I thought it was quite expensive. Another factor was that quite a few of those speaking were very experienced. I'd rather be in a crowd of newbies so we could all feel terrified together! :D


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  • Registered Users Posts: 15,853 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    My job involved speaking to large groups, up to 400 sometimes about my field of expertise.

    Took a while but I always got the "professional sh!ts" before standing in front of the podium. And my legs shook, but I was like a duck, fine from the podium up, but jelly from there down!

    Anyway it really takes practice, and more and more.

    I remember for the first one, I bought a plastic echo mike in the pound shop and put a mirror on the kitchen table along with a stopwatch. I did the talk over and over and over and over again. By the time I stood up, although nervous as hell, I got into my stride within a couple of minutes. I cracked a few jokes, or little anecdotes, and I DID NOT READ FROM THE SCRIPT. Just used the powerpoint to guide me. No more than four bullet points per screen either. Handouts after filled in the gaps.

    I know I am making it sound easy but it does not come naturally to everyone. Rehearse and rehearse is the only advice I can give now. But I don't know what you will be doing or what your audience is.

    I'm long gone from that game now, but I wonder how awful I'd be now if I had to do it again, rubbish I expect!

    Anyway, have you seen this? It's a meetup group in Smithfield in Dublin. Don't know if that's convenient for you or not though.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057596414


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 631 ✭✭✭Kings Inns or bust


    I'm not really sure how you'd train someone to speak in public, it's simply a case of keep doing it. You can be trained to debate, moot and even not bore the bejesus out of everyone but simply being on your feet is just that, you just have to do it.

    I've debated (poorly) against some of the best debaters in the country and I've never found one of them to ever belittle anyone or pass comment on anyone they have beaten. Everyone was a perfect gentleman or lady. Well that's after the debate, they'll happy rip through you when you're up there but then one doesn't jump straight into debating!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    .......Anyway, have you seen this? It's a meetup group in Smithfield in Dublin. Don't know if that's convenient for you or not though.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057596414

    Yes, I'm already on that thread and although the whole idea seems quite attractive to me, getting to that part of town at that hour of the night is impossible.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    The course I tried to enrol for in September didn't get going. Still on the hunt for the spring courses. If this fails I may have to bite the bullet and visit TM again. frown.png I know some love it though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 985 ✭✭✭Birdsong


    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    Well, TM has always been difficult for me. Also, TM don't train you but they do give you the opportunity to speak. One factor was the cost, I thought it was quite expensive. Another factor was that quite a few of those speaking were very experienced. I'd rather be in a crowd of newbies so we could all feel terrified together! :D

    I think you are looking at Toastmasters the wrong way, the only way to improve as a public speaker is to practice & more practice. As you say yourself, Toastmasters gives you the opportunity to speak, in what i feel is a safe environment. No one can train you to speak well in public. Public speaking is a skill, and like all skills it has to be practiced.

    I do feel by having a mixed group in the room, you learn from the more experienced members, remember they were in your shoes once, so know what is is all about. The encouragement from experienced members is invaluable. A group of newbies will not be able to give that feedback.

    Regarding the cost, there is flat fee for membership, and if the club has to hire a room that has to be covered also, maybe you should check out another club, who wouldn't have this cost.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    Maybe I will think about TM again. :eek:


  • Registered Users Posts: 4 AthCliathGirlo


    Hi! Just picking up this thread and wondering if you have had any luck finding a course or group to help?
    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    Maybe I will think about TM again. :eek:


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,671 ✭✭✭PhoenixParker


    Have you tried different tm groups? They're all different with their own cultures so if possible try a few to find one that fits. Some are all about being friendly and encouraging, some are more competitive.

    Also I'm puzzled that you think tm don't train you. They very much do. You work through a series of speeches from a manual focusing on a different aspect of giving a speech each time and getting feedback on every speech to help you improve. When you finish the basic manual you move on to the advanced ones.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    Hi! Just picking up this thread and wondering if you have had any luck finding a course or group to help?

    No, I haven't.
    Have you tried different tm groups? They're all different with their own cultures so if possible try a few to find one that fits. Some are all about being friendly and encouraging, some are more competitive.

    Also I'm puzzled that you think tm don't train you. They very much do. You work through a series of speeches from a manual focusing on a different aspect of giving a speech each time and getting feedback on every speech to help you improve. When you finish the basic manual you move on to the advanced ones.

    Yes, tried a few over the years. There are mentors of course, but wasn't keen on that particularly. For me its time now to let it go and move on I think.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 DaithiN


    I always hated public speaking so had the terrible plan to study this not so sexy topic for 8 years. I never got over a fear of public speaking but I did learn to manage it, and ended up with a talk featured on TED.com, recording a standup comedy special and getting regularly paid to speak. Long story! Happy to answer any questions here and I have tone of tips and resources around this topic if anyone could do with a hand. Please ask me anything.

    Course wise I put everything I learned the hard one in one online available at hackingpublicspeaking dot com. It's public speaking without the same old recycled waffle most folks try and teach :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 4 AthCliathGirlo


    Just found your website and TED talk. That's incredible how you over came it and your TED talk is great. I'm definitely a Shaking Stephanie! Although now mentally I am starting to tell myself I am not afraid at all which is helping. I can relate to...love speaking hate public speaking! Thanks for sharing!


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 DaithiN


    Thanks a million for the kind words. I wish I overcame it but I defo got the hang of managing it and telling yourself you are excited vs. nervous is defo a big part of it.


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