" About Table Topic" Speeches

A. The nature of the exercise

1. We often encounter situations where we are invited or expected to say something on a certain subject on the spot. We hope you get some training in making your responses meaningful and somewhat organized.

2. This type of speech is often considered “extemporaneous”, one which allows you almost no time to prepare. But, in a real sense, you use your entire life up to the moment to prepare for that moment. Everything that you have learned, all abilities you have cultivated, all personal growth you have experienced will shine through this challenging opportunity.

B. Useful tips

1. Use the topic as a lead. You can repeat the topic—once is acceptable, twice may be too many. Then a short pause may allow you to search your mind and heart.

2. a. If you are familiar with the topic, you can state your opinion or feeling toward it. Use clear terms such as: “I (adv.) agree ….”, “This phenomenon is somewhat disturbing to me …,” “I have fond memories of ….,”

b. If you are not very familiar with the topic, admit it first and then can attempt to describe your feelings on the topic. You may even try to make some guesses (wild or educated) on the topic. No one knows everything. No one knows everything about anything. Admitting your ignorance may be a step to “salvation”. (But don’t try to go on talking about something irrelevant.)

3. Further building up (you may call it “development”)

a. by association (with related concepts), definitions (or redefinition), questions, descriptions, examples, personal connections ( for example, “The last time I was in a similar situation …”) This is sort of a mental “concept map making”

c. Stay calm. Your audience wants to hear what you have to say on the topic. They only want to get some different perspective on the topic. Don’t worry about being perfect in this exercise.

C. How we do it in our class:

1. The speaker comes forward to the session leader to draw the topic.

2. Read out the topic to the audience then begins his/her speech.

3. Each speaker will speak for two minutes. (That is, about 240 words.) The timer will show a (green) flag at 1:30 minutes. The speaker should try to conclude the speech within 30 seconds.