LE @ Duxton TMC 23 Nov 2016

I used Powerpoint to present my Language Evaluation at Duxton Toastmasters Club yesterday. It is an alternative to the usual oral presentation. I believe it will greatly benefit learners who prefer the visual learning style.

The Language Evaluation is divided into three segments:

1.  Word of the Day - those who used it
2.  Brickbats - mistakes and how we can correct them
3.  Bouquets - beautiful use of the language for us to emulate

1. WORD OF THE DAY

galvanise (verb)

I hope this workshop will galvanise you to take on the LE role (Marshall)

To learn words like “galvanise” (Michelle)

Suddenly he was galvanised to share with his son’s teacher (Kelvin)

I am here to galvanise you to learn Dutch (Marcel)

He galvanised all his thoughts (Hock Seng)

(Better: He was galvanised to share his thoughts.) 

2. BRICKBATS

Grammar

•Someone that understands me (Someone who understands me)

•How did it goes? (How did it go?)

•My best friend decide to say (decided)

•I didn’t had a friend (I didn't have a friend)

•All the vulgarity came out. (vulgarities)

•Just for one mobile devices (device)

Vocabulary

•Welcome to Toastmasters (Welcome to Duxton Toastmasters Club)

•I will start the Toastmasters now (I will start the meeting now)

•He has visited more than 135 Toastmasters in Singapore (more than 135 Toastmasters clubs in Singapore)

•Because of you guys / most of you guys (Because of you / most of the members)

•They offered me smoke (They offered me a smoke/ They offered me a cigarette)

•He killed me one day (He punished me severely)

•I still kind of like help out at the club (I still help out at the club)

•Oh shucks (avoid saying this)

•He spazzed (?) (no such word) (He convulsed)

•Oh shit! (avoid saying this)

•Thank you for listening to me speech. (Thank you for listening to my speech)

•I work in Co. as a customer service (as a customer service officer/executive)

•Ponteng school (I used to play truant)

Sentence structure

•When we pass over the stage (When we hand over control of the stage)

•Green light will be 5 minutes, yellow light will be 6 minutes and red light will be 7 minutes (The green light will be shown at the 5-minute mark, the yellow light at the 6-minute mark and the red light at the 7-minute mark)

•Behind the toilet in the closed door (behind the closed door in the toilet)

•You grabbed the attention of all the audiences (You grabbed the attention of everyone in the audience)

Pronunciation

•Thing / third time (make sure 'th' is sounded with tongue between your teeth)

•Kinesthetic (can also be pronounced as [kin-uhs-thet-ik] )

•guests (watch the consonant cluster 'sts')

3. BOUQUETS

Alliteration

(the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words)

•Cut out a lot of clutter

•Exposed to many experienced speakers

•Strong, silent type

•Edwin and Edward (add on Edison)

•Was the purpose clear, concise?

•Preparation and practice

Triads

(a group of three related things or words)

•You will be energised by the movement of your tendons, joints and muscles.

•You have to pet it, clean it, charge it.

•He’s reserved, quiet and a bit of an introvert.

•He was clear, audible and well-paced.

•Good, better, best

•Smooth, fluid and spontaneous

Parallel structure

(repetition of the same pattern of words or phrases within a sentence or passage)

•Speak to your audience, speak with your audience

Contrast

(emphasis of difference by comparision of opposite things, qualities etc)

•You can buy in any language but you can only sell in the language of the customer.

Personification

(The attribution of human characteristics to something non-human)

•He had muscle spasms

•He went to sleep.

•He was locked up in jail. 

(All referring to the speaker's mobile phone)

TOP TEN TIPS OF EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE EVALUATION

I first presented this workshop at Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Club in November 2015 and another time at Tampines Changkat Advanced Toastmasters Club in December 2015.

Last night, I had the privilege of presenting it again at Duxton Toastmasters Club. I was given 45 minutes for the presentation but completed it in something like 20 minutes! I must have been speaking very fast. I need to learn to slow down.

First I set some ground rules for the participants.

Ground rules:

Listen attentively 

Take notes meticulously 

Participate actively

These are my TOP TEN TIPS for effective Language Evaluation. 

#1 Prepare your LE kit

Pen / paper / highlighter

Clipboard

White board marker

Fully charged phone to access online resources

#2 Prepare WOTD

Show the word, read it and give its function

Explain the meaning (s) of the word

Give some examples 

Eg. galvanise (verb)

To cause someone to suddenly take action, especially by shocking or exciting them in some way

Western charities were galvanised by TV pictures of starving children.

The prospect of his mother coming to stay galvanised him into action and he started cleaning the house.

#3 Organise your space

Decide on format:

Chronological vs topical

Lists vs mind map

#4 Decide on language categories

Brickbats:

Grammar, vocabulary , sentence structure 

Pronunciation

Bouquets: 

Alliteration, metaphor, similes, triads

Parallel structure,  contrast, rhyme, puns

#5 Write quickly and legibly 

Use notations or different colours

Use short forms or abbreviations

#6 Check or let it go?

If you can, use these resources to check any doubts you may have:

Dictionary.com & Thesaurus 

Google 

Speaker

If all else fail, let it go. 

#7 Select examples

For each category, explain the rhetorical device

Include 2-5 examples (or more if time permits)

#8 LE speech organisation

Three sections

1. WOTD
2. Brickbats
3. Bouquets

#9  Be positive, end positively

Avoid naming and shaming

Avoid coming across as arrogant

End with an inspiring message or quote

#10 Expand your expertise

Experiment with new ways of presenting

Read widely and collect rhetorical devices

Have a love affair with words

"You don't have to be great to start,

but you have to start to be great."

- Zig Ziglar