A total of five sessions were held this term, each under a different theme closely related to students' daily lives, such as 'Letting Go', 'Money' and 'Friendship'.

In Sessions 4 and 5, Ms Tessa STEWART, Honorary Advisor of the United College Toastmasters Club, joined as General Evaluator to give feedback to participants.

Student Reflections

By Mr LI Chi Chuen Matthew (Year 5, Global Economics and Finance), Student Coordinator

You might not know this, but public speaking is the number one fear for people, more fearful than death, which comes second in the ranking. Yet in the Toastmasters Club Taster Sessions at CW Chu College, we are empowering fellow students to become better leaders and effective communicators through public speaking trainings. One can easily imagine the multitude of challenges that we have to overcome.

I can still vividly recall my first Toastmasters session five years ago. I was very confident before delivering my first impromptu speech because I considered my presentation skills spectacular, but my face turned red with embarrassment after the speech. Speaking without preparation on an unfamiliar topic turned out to be a lot more demanding than I had expected. I was unable to articulate the messages I intended to convey, and kept stuttering and made more than ten unnecessary pauses with filler words such as 'um' and 'ah' in a two-minute speech. However, I also realised that this is a golden opportunity for me to hone my speaking skills because the sessions provide everyone with a relaxing environment to learn from their lapses. It is definitely better to make a mistake during the sessions and learn from it than to make a mistake in a public event in front of an audience of a few hundred.

After that first session, I became an active participant. What is special about the sessions is that each time there are four peer facilitators who evaluate the speeches made by the participants with regard to their content, structure, unnecessary pauses, and time, providing clear guidance on ways to improve. Therefore, I was able to level up my public speaking skills with a lot of practice at the sessions. (Practice makes perfect!) Moreover, we were intellectually stimulated as we discussed world issues during these sessions. Also, I got to conduct in-depth conversations with students from different countries and to understand their cultural perspectives. More importantly, I developed lasting friendships with many participants. The sessions bring us really a wide range of benefits.

Having enjoyed the benefits of participating in the club sessions, I decided to encourage fellow students of the College to join. I took up the role as the Chairman of the club in 2015 and started a promotion campaign for the club. However, the campaign did not succeed because we underestimated people's fear of public speaking. However, we did not give up and tried various strategies. Eventually, we realised that wine and cheese can overcome people's fear of public speaking, but it is beyond our budget. We then submitted a proposal to the College for financial support. The College accepted it and provided ample funding to support us because the activities exemplify the Vision of the College: Intellectual, International, Intimate, and Involved. Subsequently, turnout rates doubled, and more students benefitted from participating.

The journey was not an easy one and it was full of unexpected challenges. Nonetheless, it is a cause that is worth fighting for as it is extremely rewarding for many students. Last but not least, I am about to graduate and I can state with confidence that I have never regretted joining Toastmasters Club Taster Sessions at CW Chu College. (It might sound a bit cliché but it is also an honest truth.)

By Ms WONG Ting Kwan Peach (Year 2, English), Student Coordinator

If communication is perceived as the bridge across gaps among people, public speaking certainly allows me to connect with others emotionally and intellectually, because listeners are greatly inspired by good speakers. The Toastmasters Club Taster Sessions of the College are definitely great chances for me and College mates to brush up our public speaking skills. The theme and related topics for each session provide much room for discussion, and most of the participants are very engaged in sharing their insights.  For whatever reasons they deliver a speech in front of others, I see courage in every one of them.

For me, participating in the Toastmasters meetings has helped me improve my oratorical skills, become a more critical thinker, fine-tune my verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and overcome public speaking anxiety. For other participants, through the meetings they have acquired and benefitted from effective public speaking skills. For example, they told me that they have started to influence people around them and become a go-to person for ideas and solutions.

Since I took up the role as one of the student coordinators of the meetings, I have developed good leadership skills and became a thoughtful leader. In every meeting, I try to create a relaxing and intellectual atmosphere for all participants to express their ideas freely. I think I even influenced the people around me by motivating them to work on their public speaking skills. When I see the participants' improvement in making their speech, I feel excited and satisfied. It is a rewarding experience serving other participants of the meetings!

By Ms CHEUNG Chi Yu Rose (Year 4, English)

Since Year 1, I have been an active participant in the Toastmasters Club Taster Sessions at CW Chu College. The sessions, which aim to promote public speaking among students, observe the meeting format of Toastmasters International, with minor adjustments made to fit the College's cosy setting. The meetings are held in English to encourage participation from students from different origins, and they adhere to the College's vision of the '4Is' (Intimate, International, Intellectual and Involved). Each time, participants are invited to deliver two-minute impromptu speeches under a specific theme, and the speeches are evaluated according to the speakers' language, content and speaking style. I find the 'ah-counting', an evaluation that keeps track of the number of filler words used, especially helpful, since it helps me drop some of my undesirable speaking habits. I was rather timid in the past, but the sessions have trained me to project my voice better and sound more confident using fewer filler words. I believe that I have become a better speaker, from my performance as the MC of the Naming Ceremony of the College's Chong Kin Wo Hall in 2018, and I look forward to further improving my rhetoric.