Class
I have been looking on the internet about public speaking. I found this website that have some good tips. Some of the info is a regurgitation of what we are learning but some offer a different perspective. The website is http://www.ljlseminars.com/monthtip.htm
Friday, February 13, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Mind Mapping
I went to a seminar on Microsoft Excel last year for my work, and the gentleman who presented the seminar had some really amazing software on his computer (and was amazing at speeches!) One program in particular really caught my eye and I ended up buying it, even though it was a little pricey. It is called Mind Mapper and what it is is a way to brain storm and map out your thoughts, on the computer, but with extreme ease. We all remember the circle charts that we learned in grade school right? Where you start with your topic in the center circle and branch off from there? That is essentially what this program does for you, but all automated and on your computer, and then at the press of a button it will convert all of your ideas into a Microsoft Word outline form, or an Excel Spreadsheet. This software is amazing and has actually helped me with several writing classes before! I just thought I would share it with everyone, because if your taking lots of classes with writing papers and such, this might be a HUGE help to you! Check it out!
http://www.mindmapper.com
http://www.mindmapper.com
Week #3 Readings...my a-Ha! moments!
This week’s readings were really helpful for me, and it sounds like many of you too! The kick-off in chapter five in particular gave me an immediate “a-Ha!” moment. As an artist, the four phases of creativity really made sense to me, I have just never seen them written out that way. I never thought that the phases of creativity I use when I paint would be something I could use in writing this speech. I also was really helped by section 6D which talked about how to develop a clear thesis statement. It’s amazing how once sentence can really create direction for you when writing a speech such as this. That was a major help in the process and is something I highlighted for future reference. Did anyone else think of getting a thesis statement for a speech? I’ve always done it in research papers or essays but never for a speech, so I found that really interesting. Learning about Google’s advance search was really cool. I have found, and maybe many of you have as well, that when I’m searching sometimes I get really frustrated when sifting through all the unnecessary or unhelpful information to find what I am really looking for. With more efficient search habits I can clear that up and not waste so much time. Luckily I didn’t have to research much for my topic of Vincent van Gogh but that is something that will most defiantly help me in the future.
In agreement with Jerome
I just wanted to say that the points that Jerome brought up in his blog about the readings were really good points. First, I have to say that I was also wondering about the 90/10 rule that was mentioned in the reading, and thank you to Terri for clarifying that.
I never really thought about how important accomodating for the audience could be in the success or failure of a speech. Hope you all like caffeine!
I also like how Jerome brought up the connectives. I think that it is really important in a speech, or any paper for that matter, to have good transitions. That makes the paper (or speech) so much smoother, and helps eliminate the choppiness.
I also agree about the clincher. If you work so hard on the rest of the speech, you don't want your audience to remember the ending as terrible! Right to the very end it needs to flow smooth.
I never really thought about how important accomodating for the audience could be in the success or failure of a speech. Hope you all like caffeine!
I also like how Jerome brought up the connectives. I think that it is really important in a speech, or any paper for that matter, to have good transitions. That makes the paper (or speech) so much smoother, and helps eliminate the choppiness.
I also agree about the clincher. If you work so hard on the rest of the speech, you don't want your audience to remember the ending as terrible! Right to the very end it needs to flow smooth.
80:20 Evaluations differs from 90:10 Prinicple? YES
Jerome wondered about the the difference between the 80:20 strategy we use to provide evaluative feedback to each other and the 90:20 principle discussed in The Speakers Handbook.
Good question. The primary difference has to do with the purpose.
The purpose of the 80:20 strategy simply a way to give feedback to a person who is trying to improve a skill. We want to be sure to provide a supportive and honest environment where people can practice their skills. They want to know how they can improve and what they did well. Students (and teachers, and parents, and co-workers) often have a tendency to "whitewash" the feedback because they don't want to say anything that might hurt the speaker's feelings or embarrass him or her.
ToastMasters International uses the 80:20 method to help speakers and evaluators acknowledge that EVERYONE has room to improve and that each of us ACTUALLY does improve with practice and knowledge.
An 80:20 evaluator really pays attention to the speech and the speaker ... and starts the evaluation with something that the speaker has done well and possibly bring up area they have improved. This is the "what worked" focus of much of the evaluation. But the evaluator does not leave it with that. They graciously and honestly inform the speaker how they can do better next time. What specific issues of speech structure and delivery he or she can really work on. Not really "what didn't work," but "what can be improved." And finally the evaluator ends with another positive observation and encouragement.
The idea is to "sandwich" the feedback so that the scary, and very necessary, part is not the primary emphasis of the evaluation .... so that it is preceeded and followed by encouragement. The whole thing should take between 90 seconds and 2 minutes.
The 90:10 Principle is a tool to teach interpersonal communication. It describes the idea that a persons "weaknesses" are not necessarily the opposite of their "strengths." Instead they are an excess of the same quality, habit, or behavior. It teaches the evaluator to "frame" comments in a constructive way that is not hurtful or embarrassing.
Good question. The primary difference has to do with the purpose.
The purpose of the 80:20 strategy simply a way to give feedback to a person who is trying to improve a skill. We want to be sure to provide a supportive and honest environment where people can practice their skills. They want to know how they can improve and what they did well. Students (and teachers, and parents, and co-workers) often have a tendency to "whitewash" the feedback because they don't want to say anything that might hurt the speaker's feelings or embarrass him or her.
ToastMasters International uses the 80:20 method to help speakers and evaluators acknowledge that EVERYONE has room to improve and that each of us ACTUALLY does improve with practice and knowledge.
An 80:20 evaluator really pays attention to the speech and the speaker ... and starts the evaluation with something that the speaker has done well and possibly bring up area they have improved. This is the "what worked" focus of much of the evaluation. But the evaluator does not leave it with that. They graciously and honestly inform the speaker how they can do better next time. What specific issues of speech structure and delivery he or she can really work on. Not really "what didn't work," but "what can be improved." And finally the evaluator ends with another positive observation and encouragement.
The idea is to "sandwich" the feedback so that the scary, and very necessary, part is not the primary emphasis of the evaluation .... so that it is preceeded and followed by encouragement. The whole thing should take between 90 seconds and 2 minutes.
The 90:10 Principle is a tool to teach interpersonal communication. It describes the idea that a persons "weaknesses" are not necessarily the opposite of their "strengths." Instead they are an excess of the same quality, habit, or behavior. It teaches the evaluator to "frame" comments in a constructive way that is not hurtful or embarrassing.
Blog Assignment What caused my eyebrows to rise in our reading
1. The process used to accomidate for audience : This is something that is to commonly overlooked. I have never conducted this step when preparing a speech. Of course the bulk of my speeches have been to Army audiences and we teach FORCED PERCEPTION so it was not applicale.
2. The effectiveness of Listening when preparing feedback. One thing I noticed id that the text preach the 90/10 rule as it apllys to feedback, but we use the 80/20 method. Does anyone feel particial to either of these and why?
3. Incubation Period: Who actually does this. I think we all do it. I think that this period is responsible for all my anxiety when I prepare for a speech. One critical thing for me in this period is the take notes. I have found that many of my great ideas and transistion steps are lost here.
4. Connectives: This is desribed as the flow and relationship of main ideas. In my speeches I use UM and Like as my connectives LOL To me, this is one of the most important steps in Organization of a speech.
5. Lastly the importance of a Clincher. Try for it not to be my "Thats all I have to say about that"
2. The effectiveness of Listening when preparing feedback. One thing I noticed id that the text preach the 90/10 rule as it apllys to feedback, but we use the 80/20 method. Does anyone feel particial to either of these and why?
3. Incubation Period: Who actually does this. I think we all do it. I think that this period is responsible for all my anxiety when I prepare for a speech. One critical thing for me in this period is the take notes. I have found that many of my great ideas and transistion steps are lost here.
4. Connectives: This is desribed as the flow and relationship of main ideas. In my speeches I use UM and Like as my connectives LOL To me, this is one of the most important steps in Organization of a speech.
5. Lastly the importance of a Clincher. Try for it not to be my "Thats all I have to say about that"
Monday, February 9, 2009
My take on the readings for week 3
These chapters for this week were full of really good information for preparing our speeches. Sitting down and making the outline was a lot easier once I read how to create a working outline. I will say that as I was reading about the concept mapping, I really didn't think that I liked it. I could see myself getting confused if I sat down and started writing all these words in circles. I also really liked the indepth explanation in 11B for the full sentence outline. I really like books that have solid examples of what is expected. Finally, I just wanted to mention that I really appreciated the reading about the notecards and how to organize your speech on them. I think that will come in handy when I venture away from the fully written paper to my little notecards for peeking at!!
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