On 19 June 2019, 20 SUSS student and alumni volunteers attended the complimentary Public Speaking Workshop. The workshop was specially organised for them to build up their public speaking skills and be more confident when speaking to a large crowd.
The trainer of the workshop was Mr Jacky Lim, an international speaker, communications coach and influence specialist who transforms peoples’ abilities to communicate with greater impact and influence. The workshop started with everyone introducing themselves to the rest of the class. Mr Lim then distributed some notes to the class and went on with the lesson.
Mr Lim was an exceptional teacher who was able to capture the attention of the class. He cracked jokes at appropriate times to set a light-hearted atmosphere throughout the session. Midway through the class, there was a presentation segment whereby all participants stood up and presented a part of a script to the rest of the class. Mr Lim then critiqued everyone on the spot and told each individual on how to improve on their speech. He also emphasised on the importance of pacing oneself and how to articulate better when one speaks.
Towards the end of the class, there was another presentation segment where everyone was given a random topic and they had to do an impromptu speech. Mr Lim taught the participants to use the PREP method (Point, Reason, Example and Point). With this method, the presenter will first give his views on a topic and the reasons, followed by an example to support his reason. Finally, the speaker will conclude by restating his point.
We hope this workshop will not only allow the participants to contribute better as a volunteer of the University, but will also benefit them as more confident speakers in their everyday lives.