Speaking Well

Speaking Correctly and Clearly

2006-11-25T08:52:00.000-08:00

Speaking Well
Projecting Our Vocal & Verbal Image

The Visual Image

We take great care, if not, great pains, to dress well, to look presentable and well-groomed.
We are conscious about our dressing and our grooming; our clothes, hair care, skincare, …
We walk, we dine and we socialise with grace and charm.
We engage an image consultant, spending hundreds, if not, thousands of dollars to project a visual image.
We work hard to keep up with the latest trends in fashion and grooming.
We look like a million dollars !

We can blow the image we have worked so hard to create, with the Giorgio Armani suit or the Calvin Klein dress, the moment we open our mouth to speak. That is, when we mispronounce or otherwise misuse words. Our value and credibility drop tremendously. Just as bad, while our wardrobe and looks may be in fashion, our vocabulary, the way and manner we speak, may simply be out of date.

The Vocal & Verbal Image

We have an image problem; our vocal and verbal image.
Wouldn’t you want, not only to look great, but also to sound pleasant and to sound right ?
Do we take pride in our spoken language ?
Do we sound lifeless, listless, lethargic and lazy ?

Posers for YOU to Ponder

· Do you speak sloppily and slovenly ?
· Do you get understood or misunderstood ?
· Is there clarity and coherence when you speak ?
· How well do you vocalise and verbalise yourself ?
· Have you ever given any thought to your vocal and verbal image ?
· Are you embarrassed by the way, the manner and style you speak ?
· Do you get misunderstood through poor pronunciation and enunciation ?

“ We can be MISUNDERSTOOD through MISCOMMUNICATION and MISCOMMUNICATION can cause MISUNDERSTANDING. “ : Richard Sng

Speaking Clearly

Do you think speaking clearly is important ?
It is not just about audibility, but also the IDEAä of pronunciation, that is, intonation, diction, enunciation and articulation.
It is also about the importance of clarity and coherence.
Do we show the quality of expressing our ideas and thoughts in a clear way ?
Is what we say easily heard, pure and distinct, easily understood and free from doubt or difficulty ?

Speaking Correctly

Do you think speaking correctly is equally important ?
It is not just about grammatically correct English, but also the choice of words, word usage and sentence construction.
Is it free from clichés, redundancies and ambiguity ?

Speaking Creatively

Do you think speaking creatively is just as important ?
Preferably, especially if you wish to impress and impress upon the audience of your polish, poise and professionalism in the usage of the language.

The Web of Speaking

We may be speaking socially or casually, having a conversation.
We may be delivering a speech, making a presentation of just speaking before a group.
When we speak clearly, correctly and creatively, we are sure to speak confidently.
( Three small ‘c’s <> make a great ‘C’ <> . )

“ The ability to communicate clearly , correctly and confidently is critical and crucial. “ : Richard Sng

We are judged, not by just what we say, but also by the way we say it and the way we speak.
Nobody is too old to change the way he/she speaks. It is all a question of mindset, our attitude and our outlook.

“ When we talk we give ourselves away.
We reveal our true character in a picture which is more true and realistic than anything an artist can do for us. “ : Dr Ralph C. Smedley

Copyright : Richard Sng (M) 976 22 951 email : richardsng@yahoo.com
Richard Sng is a Language Coach and a Vocal & Verbal Image Consultant/Trainer.

2006-11-25T08:45:00.000-08:00

SPEECH EXPRESS

~ A FAST-TRACK CRASH COURSE ON PUBLIC SPEAKING ~

Are you afraid of making presentations ?
Does a large audience frighten you ?

Speech Express can be your answer to successful communication.

What the course offers :

· a hands-on and participative programme, designed to help you develop communication skills which include listening, thinking and speaking skills

· acquire the fundamentals in public speaking

· learn the rudimentary, technical and application skills in speaking

· the platform and opportunity to learn, practise and evaluate

· learn to speak grammatically correct English

· be a better and more effective communicator

How the programme can help you :

· manage nervousness and fear speaking before an audience

· think on your feet and speak off the cuff

· improve your work performance

· make presentations more effectively

· organise and structure a speech

· present your ideas, point of view and opinions clearly and logically

· speak impromptu without fear

· speak with energy, enthusiasm, emotion and passion

· evoke sincerity, earnestness and conviction in speaking

· use gestures, body movements, facial expressions, eye contact meaningfully

· recognise the importance of posture, body stance

· explore variation in voice : volume, pitch, pause, pace, rate, tone

· be conscious of distracting mannerisms and bad habits

· choose and use words correctly and effectively

· exercise your listening skills

You can expect to be a more confident and effective speaker and communicator.

“ The ability to communicate clearly, correctly and confidently is critical and crucial. “

Similar programmes have been conducted for :

· Tampines Regional Library Toastmasters ( 4 intakes )
· Open Alumni Toastmasters
· Singhealth Group ( 2 intakes )
· Nanyang Technological University Alumni ( 4 intakes )
· Singapore Discovery Centre ( 2 intakes )
· StarDus ( 2 intakes )
· Kowloon Club ( 2 intakes )
· Money Mastery
· MERCU Learning Centre
· The Grassroots’ Club
· Singapore Swimming Club
· Rivervale ( Punggol Park ) Community Club
· Ulu Pandan Community Club ( 3 intakes )

Course Details :

Total of 4 sessions ( x 4 hours )
Per intake : minimum : 10
maximum : 20 participants

2006-11-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

Courses & Workshops by Richard Sng:

· Speaking Clearly, Correctly & Confidently

· Phonics, Phonetics, Phonology & Pronunciation

· Speaking Standard English

· Better Grammar

· Creative Usage of the English Language

· BABEL : Beauty & The Best of the English Language

· Projecting Your Vocal & Verbal Image

· Communication Techniques

· Speaking with Impact & Effect

· Effective Presentation Skills

· Sparkle & Twinkle to Presentations

· Success to Speech Presentations

· Speech Express ( Fast-Track Speaking Course )

· Managing Fear & Nervousness in Public Speaking

Richard Sng is a Language Coach
a Vocal & Verbal Image Consultant / Trainer

Richard is also a lecturer for :
Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing
Certificate in Phonics, Phonetics & Speech for Teachers
Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers

2006-11-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

Richard Sng

Richard is a language coach, as well as a vocal and verbal image consultant & trainer.

He graduated from the Teachers’Training College, now known as the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. He taught English, Mathematics and Science in various Primary and Secondary Government and Government-Aided Schools.

In his 30 years in the Education Industry, both in the public and private sectors, he has shared his experience and expertise with thousands of children and adults in schools, institutions of higher learning, community centres, libraries, corporations and the public at large.

His workshops and courses are value-added. Participants find his presentations systematic and structured, detailed and comprehensive, easy to grasp and understand.

Toastmasters International :
Richard has been a Toastmaster since May 1997 and has contributed much to the organisation.

He has attained the highest award, Distinguished Toastmaster ( DTM ), bestowed by Toastmasters International, U.S.A. A very much sought-after Language Evaluator, he gets invited regularly to numerous Toastmasters clubs all over Singapore, evaluating the creative use, misuse, abuse and overuse of the English language.

Richard is the Charter President of Brilliant Advanced Toastmasters and the Past President of Tampines Regional Library Toastmasters.

He sponsored IFPAS Toastmasters, Kowloon-Singapore Toastmasters, Discovery Toastmasters and NTU Alumni Toastmasters. He is also the club mentor to Nanyang Business School, Jones Lang LaSalle, Raintree, Team Nova, Bishan C.C., Ulu Pandan C.C., Rivervale ( Punggol Park ) C.C., Singhealth Nurses, StarDuS and St Nicholas Girls’ (Teachers) Toastmasters Clubs.

He is also the Trainer, helping to set up the NUS High School of Maths & Science Gavel Club.

Richard has actively participated in numerous International Speech, Humorous Speech, Impromptu Speech and Speech Evaluation Contests. To date he has won more than 50 trophies. He represented Singapore in the International Speech Contest in Kuching, Malaysia in 2003. He emerged among the top 6, out of 16 contestants from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Brunei and Singapore. He also represented Singapore in the Speech Evaluation Contest in Bangkok, Thailand in 2005. He has also judged numerous speech contests locally and regionally.

Twice, Richard has been the awarded the Toastmaster of the Year, in 1999 and again in 2003.
From among the 9980 Toastmasters in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong,
Macau and Brunei in District 51, Richard was selected the Most Outstanding Toastmaster for 2003/2004.

Talks & Presentations :
He has been invited to speak at Rotary Club Garden City, Neptune Orient Lines, CPF Board, Singapore Institute of Management, Life Underwriter’s Association (IFPAS), YMCA, NACLI, ACCA, Compaq Computers, Dynacast, Singapore Nurses Association, SingHealth Group of Hospitals, Singapore Association for Personal & Executive Secretaries ( SAPES ), Buddhist Youth Leadership Training, Singapore Polytechnic, ITE Bishan, ITE College East, The Grassroots’ Club, community centres/clubs, libraries and schools.

Richard is also the coach of the winning team from Singapore General Hospital in the 3rd SingHealth Inter-Institutional Nursing Research Debate 2006.