Effective speaking course (Speakeasy)

An eight-week Speakeasy course is jointly facilitated by Learning Advisers and Toastmasters. Marlin Coast Toastmasters have formed a club for members of the Smithfield community as well as for students and staff of JCU. For information about the Marlin Coast Toastmasters club, contact Paul Hermon (pthermon@hotmail.com).

The Speakeasy course is open to undergraduates, postgraduates, staff and community members. Course cost is $50.00 which will go towards membership of the Marlin Coast Toastmasters if participants wish to continue with the club. Courses are run on Tuesday evenings in the Cairns library from 7.00pm to 9.00pm and commence in March and August each year. Please register your interest online.

The Learning Advisers can provide workshops and individual assistance with oral presentations and general presentation skills. Students can also take a subject called Effective Speaking and this subject is described below.

Effective Speaking (CV1200) is a first year subject offered by the Faculty of Law, Business and Creative Arts. Students meet weekly for a 3-hour seminar. Much of the Seminar time is given over to Practical Workshops and to exercises in speaking and listening. Students are not being assessed on their acting skills, but the use of voice and gesture are important areas of study, as well as the collation and organisation of material for presentation. The subject offers the practical training in content choice/management and in vocal techniques essential to develop effective speech in contexts such as discussions, debate, meetings, public presentations, seminar papers, radio and television appearance.Core Learning Objectives are:

to understand the reciprocal roles of listener and speaker;
to analyse the voice and its role in communication;
to develop facility and confidence in speaking for a range of communicative purposes;
to develop skills in oral interpretation;
to apply in practice the interaction between purpose, audience and context.