Important note regarding the copying of programmes

Aims / Objectives :
Aims

• To give them confidence in hadracha situations and public speaking through focusing on skills relating to body language, tone, diction, eye contact and so on

Trigger :
Trigger – 5 mins

I will be dressed as a Victorian schoolmaster (I wanted to do this on Kadimah, but eventually the session got cut, so this is attempt 2!). They will file in and be seated in neat rows on the floor. I will teach them a (short) lesson on elocution: “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain” and “In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly ever happen”. I will then give them their assignment for the day: they are to spend the next hour at an exclusive speaking school, the Moat Mount Academy for Excellence in Speaking. They have but one hour in which to complete their classes before their graduation.

Main part of the programme :
Method – 50 mins

(This is dependent on number of madrichim and amount of space we have – I would love to run this as 5 stations, in 5 different rooms (so people can practise speaking without disrupting others) but if necessary, the “body language” and “assertiveness” stations and the “clarity” and “language and formality” stations can be merged; in that case, they would get 15 mins at each station)

Divide them into 5 groups; they go round 5 stations for 10 minutes each. They are each given a communications “homework diary” that they need to get signed at each station by the “teacher” at that station. The format of most stations is the same: they are given a short task in which they learn a skill, then they get a bit of practice in that skill, then if there is any time over, the madrich and the chanichim can talk about how to apply that skill in actual hadracha situations and why it is important.

Clarity. At this station, they will be given a piece of extremely (and needlessly) complicated jargon that is describing a very simple action. They have to read it, work out what is going on, and then rewrite it in a clear, simple, concise way. They then take it in turns to read it out in front of the “whole class”, at which point the teacher signs their homework diary. Then have a discussion about being clear in instructions and making sure the chanichim know and understand what you are saying; also, if time, about how you might use different language for different age groups

Language and formality. At this station, they are going to be looking at what kind of language they should be using around chanichim. Get them to brainstorm ideas (obvious ones might be: no swearing, no racism/sexism/homophobia etc, no innuendos. Less obvious things to point out might include: trying not to say anything that might offend people’s religious sensitivies (eg no blasphemy), or trying to not patronise the chanchim, or changing how formal your tone is depending on if you are leading a session, or participating in a small group discussion, or in free time, or at the dinner table). Explain how this overlaps with lots of other policies in the movement (eg child protection, equality and non-favouritism, religious tolerance, the madrich-chanich divide etc). If time, continue the discussion and see what they think

Body language. At this station, they are going to learn how to stand and gesture properly when speaking (I think I will take this station if that is OK – I kinda know what I am trying to get at). The important points to note are: 1. standing up straight/sitting upright 2. broad shoulders 3. engaging but not annoying gesticulations 4. keeping everyone engaged via eye contact and small turns 5. displaying confidence in your body position. I will also give them a little piece of text to read, and look at their body language and help them to correct their annoying idiosyncrasies!

Voice. At this station, they are going to be picked up on their vocal skills. The thing to emphasise is not particularly volume but command (ie some of the best speakers greatly vary their volume, pitch, speed of delivery etc to draw the audience in). If you have something really important then try beginning the announcement loudly, but then speaking only at normal volume. That will force the chanichim to listen because they have to “struggle” to get what you are saying (obviously this is a balance – they need to be able to hear you, but if you are good you can be perfectly audible but still have the chanichim hanging on your every word). Get them to practice with a text (I will provide something) varying their delivery to encourage chanichim to concentrate and participate. Oh, and my TOP vocal tip: the vast, vast majority of people, when they are speaking “formally”, unconsciously raise the pitch of their voice slightly. Equally unconsciously, when people hear this pitch raise, they assume it is something “formal”. This is something to bear in mind. If you want your chanichim to do something, this might be a great advantage. If you are trying to calm them down, or relax them, or put them at their ease, it is worth bearing in mind and trying to consciously avoid.

Assertiveness. This station is about explaining to the chanichim some basic ideas about assertiveness, and giving them a chance to practise for themselves. Start by asking them about people that they know who are assertive, and what it is they do that makes them assertive. Explain that, as a madrich, there is a distance between you and the chanichim, and one of the ways that that gap is maintained is by you asserting control over them. Get them to stand tall, look interested in a conversation, speak a bit more formally than they might otherwise, be in charge. Get them to, in turn (if time), try to lead a little discussion in a circle sitting down about a random topic (bananas, for example. Or what people’s favourite cheese is. Or why you never see baby pigeons. Or if a tree falls in a wood and there is no-one there to hear it, does it make any sound). How will they encourage others to speak? How will they ensure order is kept? When will they step in to stop someone else from rambling on, but without hurting their feelings? Make it clear that being a leader is not a power trip, where you can assert for no reason. You assert control to provide leadership, not for the sake of it.

Conclusion :
Sikkum – 5 mins

They all come back into the room where we started, and they sit down. I announce that, having heard excellent reports from their teachers, they have all graduated with flying colours. I thank them for attending the Moat Mount Academy for Excellence in Speaking, and wish them happy careers as madrichim, now that they know how to communicate!

Resources:
the texts, the diaries

Notes:
None