A series of independent workshop sessions on public speaking/oral communication will be offered at the end of IAP 2012. They are meant to be practical and hands-on, and are open to all members of the MIT community. No registration is necessary; come to as many or as few as you'd like. Sometimes, audience volunteers will be asked to participate in a demonstration; preference will be given to those who have entered the speaking competition.
Plus a chance to Win an "MIT Can Talk" Tshirt as a door prize! (Must be present to win.)
Add yourself to the mitcantalk-announce mailing list for reminders about general upcoming events related to MIT Can Talk!
Note that this schedule is subject to change and will be updated as details become available.
Speak and Be Heard by Keely Eastley
Thursday, Jan 26, 2012, 1-3pm, 50-201 (Walker, 2nd Floor)
Have you ever spoken in a crowd and no one seemed to notice? Do you plan to speak boldly but it falls short of your desired effect? Come and experience the power of your voice and leave with some useful tools.
Bringing Words to Life by Tony Eng
Thursday, Jan 26, 2012, 3:30-5pm, 32-124
When you are reading to an audience, you have access to the text, but the audience doesn't. What are some things that you can do, related to diction and expressiveness, that will help your audience better parse and understand the text? Come found out!
You Know What I Mean? by Yaniv Erlich
Friday, Jan 27, 2012, 1-2:30pm, 4-153
With karaoke, you are given the lyrics and the music to a song, and your task is to try to sing the lyrics in time with the music so that the result resembles the original song (and laughter ensues when it doesn't). With public speaking, you usually know what ideas/words you want to express/say (the lyrics), but you have to come up with "the music" to express them. This workshop is all about this music, and how the vocal choices you make can intentionally, or unintentionally, add extra dimensions of color, emotion and meaning to your words.
Use of Space by Mark Herschberg
Friday, Jan 27, 2012, 3:30pm-4:30pm, 4-153
All the world's a stage... but some have podiums, others tables; some
a big and in front, others are in the middle and at the same level as
the audience. What if there's no podium to hide behind? Does where I
stand matter? In this workshop we'll learn how to incorporate space
in our presentations to add another dimension to public speaking.
Mental Models by Mark Herschberg
Friday, Jan 27, 2012, 4:30pm-5:30pm, 4-153
World class athletes know mental preparation is just as important as
physical preparation. The same is true for world class public
speakers. In this workshops we'll look at techniques to mentally
prepare, and put yourself in the right mental state to deliver. This
includes both mental models for success as well as techniques to help
with the jitters.
Wielding Humor by Kevin Duda
Monday, Jan 30, 2012, 1-3:00pm, 32-144
While no one can be "taught" to be funny, it sure helps to be able to identify, categorize and use comedy within all forms of communication. In this workshop, you will learn tips on how to best incorporate humor into a speech and be able to work on your feet in a realtime environment. Come and "find your funny." Squares encouraged to attend.
The Performance Aspect of Storytelling by Kevin Brooks
Monday, Jan 30, 2012, 4-6pm, 32-144
The narrative approach of storytelling is a great way to reach an audience. But it's not enough just to relate a story - how do you get an audience to feel something, think and respond? This is the performance aspect of storytelling. Come find out! (Kevin Brooks is also giving another IAP workshop on storytelling, so check out the guide for more information!)
Stage Presence by Janet Sonenberg
Tuesday, Jan 31, 2012, 1pm-3pm, 32-124
Some individuals can walk onto stage or into the room, and command an audience's attention without saying a word. This hands-on workshop will address stage presence -- how to be comfortable and confident, have good posture and poise, and manage nerves and anxiety. Standing in front of an audience will no longer be the same!
How to be Strong on Stage No Matter What You Do by Mimi Goese
Tuesday, Jan 31, 2012, 3pm-6pm, 32-124
This workshop studies how to be versatile, confident and powerful on stage, in a lecture hall, in front of a camera or any demanding experience in life. Through revealing exercises, "instant performance" and situational games, a person learns to harness their strengths and weaknesses while testing personal boundaries in a safe and challenging environment. In this workshop, the personal ability to command attention can be studied, learned and applied.
Impromptu Speaking by Kara Blackburn
Wednesday, Feb 1, 2012, 1-2:30pm, 32-144
One way to give a speech is to have an outline of the points you want to make, and then fill in the rest extemporaneously while you speak. This workshop will equip you with strategies for doing this and the other impromptus you will often need to give during your time at MIT and in your careers.