At POWERtalk Pollokshields, we like to think of our meetings as pleasant social events with a valuable educational spin-off.
Every speakers club has its own personality and ours leans towards informality with good (clean) humour.
There are some events, such as inter-club speech competitions and debates, where a greater degree of formality is appropriate and we like to enter fully into the spirit of such occasions.
The format of a typical club meeting can vary quite a bit but most of our normal meetings tend to include three main elements:
- Three or four prepared speeches of typically 5-8
minutes although the more advanced speakers will often undertake longer
assignments…
- A session of short ‘impromptu’ speeches known as
‘Table Topics’ – The ‘Topics Leader’ picks out willing volunteers who
give speeches of typically two minutes on a subject introduced ‘on the
spot’.
- Each prepared speaker and impromptu speaker will be ‘evaluated’ by one of the more–experienced members to provide valuable feedback and recommendations for improvement.
As the club is essentially about speaking, all members take turns to perform the meeting ‘functionary’ roles which include Chairman, Topics Master and Timekeeper.