Public Speaking with Alan Devine
On the 5th of October we had a public speaking workshop with ex fair city actor, Alan Devine. Going into the workshop I didn't really know what I was expecting to happen, if it was going to be a total failure and making a fool out of myself or actually benefitting from it.
When we we walked in he gave us assigned seats with boy girl arrangement. When he started he talked very low and quite. We did not know what was going on and it lasted a good ten minutes! All of a sudden he stopped and turned around. He turned around very quickly and clapped and introduced himself again but in a more cheerful way. He was showing us what not to do while giving a speech. He then explained to us how different speeches go, ones that are very closed off with 'twisty legs' and arms closed off or where u can't see them and speeches that are full of 'energy and attitude'. This showed us how we needed to deliver our speech.
The first task he gave us was where he gave us a very unamusing joke and we had to learn it off. We then had to walk from a chair and stand 'powerfully' with a 'Granny Devine' smile and tell your joke. This showed us how we should we presented like during a speech.
The second task given was one that I did not particularly like. You had to stand up in front of the class and stare at someone for three seconds but yoh couldn't talk. I found this very hard to do, very frustrating and embarrassing. The aim of this was to make eye contact with your audience while giving a speech.
A game that he played with us was where we had to learn a nursery rhyme called old King coal. This was put to actions to where w played an elimination game. We had to go around the room and we had to say the nursery rhyme with the actions. If you did not do the right action, say the wrong word or were too quite you were eliminated. This was to give power and volume to our voices.
The next task we were given was to do the three second staring but with movement or hand gestures. This wasent to bad the second time around but this was because you could whisper the persons name. The aim of this task to use gestures and to be aware of your hands during a speech.
Near at the end of the workshop we were told that we were to give a speech to our classmates. It must me no shorter than one minute and the topic could be on anything. He told us to prepare it at home and then deliver it to the class. To emphasise on this, he gave us a work or topic, we then had to think of how we're going to describe the work without using it in a sentence. This showed that it is much easier to say something as a speech when u know what you're going to say and when something is prepared.
I thought the workshop was very interesting. I thought it was very useful and beneficial as I will have to make a lot of presentations and speeches in the future. I did have to come out my comfort zone a lot but I only embarrassed myself once so it was a success!
When we we walked in he gave us assigned seats with boy girl arrangement. When he started he talked very low and quite. We did not know what was going on and it lasted a good ten minutes! All of a sudden he stopped and turned around. He turned around very quickly and clapped and introduced himself again but in a more cheerful way. He was showing us what not to do while giving a speech. He then explained to us how different speeches go, ones that are very closed off with 'twisty legs' and arms closed off or where u can't see them and speeches that are full of 'energy and attitude'. This showed us how we needed to deliver our speech.
The first task he gave us was where he gave us a very unamusing joke and we had to learn it off. We then had to walk from a chair and stand 'powerfully' with a 'Granny Devine' smile and tell your joke. This showed us how we should we presented like during a speech.
The second task given was one that I did not particularly like. You had to stand up in front of the class and stare at someone for three seconds but yoh couldn't talk. I found this very hard to do, very frustrating and embarrassing. The aim of this was to make eye contact with your audience while giving a speech.
A game that he played with us was where we had to learn a nursery rhyme called old King coal. This was put to actions to where w played an elimination game. We had to go around the room and we had to say the nursery rhyme with the actions. If you did not do the right action, say the wrong word or were too quite you were eliminated. This was to give power and volume to our voices.
The next task we were given was to do the three second staring but with movement or hand gestures. This wasent to bad the second time around but this was because you could whisper the persons name. The aim of this task to use gestures and to be aware of your hands during a speech.
Near at the end of the workshop we were told that we were to give a speech to our classmates. It must me no shorter than one minute and the topic could be on anything. He told us to prepare it at home and then deliver it to the class. To emphasise on this, he gave us a work or topic, we then had to think of how we're going to describe the work without using it in a sentence. This showed that it is much easier to say something as a speech when u know what you're going to say and when something is prepared.
I thought the workshop was very interesting. I thought it was very useful and beneficial as I will have to make a lot of presentations and speeches in the future. I did have to come out my comfort zone a lot but I only embarrassed myself once so it was a success!