[kisito]

Hey Guys,
I would like your input on preparing students for a serious speech contest. Well, last two years I was part of a team that prepared two students for a Chinese TV CCTV Outlook English contest. The students won and now my school is asking me to do more of these trainings. The problem is, a new course has been offered by my language school on preparing students on similar contests. Nine students have signed up with different levels of english and their parents are paying a fortune hoping that I can perform the magic on their kids so they win like the first two. Has anyone done similar contests? I would like your ideas on how to prepare these kids. They need to prepare 3 topics and talk about them. They will be asked random questions by members of the judging panel. They are right in the spot light with TV cameras and crews filming. Let me know if you have had similar experiences and how you prepared your students. What unique methods did you use? Also a list of the topics you used to prepare them will be helpful. What did you focus on? I don't think my previous experience is enough to turn the tide.
Thanks!

[English-coach]

Wow, that sure does sound like a lot of pressure. For you and the students.

Question: is this a group class? I assume so because you mentioned 9 students but you also said that their levels are different. This is something you will have to try to work on in the class. If they are one to one then it is ok. But trying to get people to speak in front of other students when their levels are different can be difficult.

I would say (if it is a group class). I could focus the class on individual work that comes together for activities that improve agility.

If each student is to prepare three topics, are you able to dictate which topics they choose? Like in the class they prepare the same three topics as a demo for how they can do it themselves?

I would provide some steps at the beginning of the course that you are going to break down and go through with them.

So for example:

How to choose a good topic for you?
How to lengthen your responses (connectors, statements, observations, describing etc)
How to buy time when answering questions (repeating the question or statements that buy a couple seconds...that is a very good question. I've never thought about it like that before...etc)

I would also have some sort of question periods with the class. So you pretend to be on the show. One student is in the "hot seat" while the other 8 form questions about the topic and the student answers them. (So everyone is working...questions and answers).

It also might be a go exercise to get the students to write out as many questions regarding their topic that they can think of. Relating it to culture, people, economics, government, health etc.

Basically my best advice would be to re-create the situation so they get used to the pressure. The pressure will make it harder for them, so get them comfortable being under pressure.

[kisito]

Thanks for these amazing tips. I will try them in the next training session. Sorry I didn't mention clearly that the students will all be in one group. I started the lessons yesterday and had to deal with the mixed level challenge. It went well as students performed well according to their levels in giving speeches. I will be focusing on posture and gestures next week. I asked them to write a brief introduction of themselves and present it. I started with myself. I got them asking questions about me. As they asked I put their questions under a topic eg name, family - and gave them their answer. I left the information on the board and then asked them to give similar information about themselvese. Using topics as cue words like - name, hobbies, family, city, I asked them to introduce themselves briefly. Next I asked them to write a full page to self-introduce and they did great. We practised saying the speeches. Some students really did great with the fluency part. The challenge was to get natural gestures as they spoke. At the end of another hour each student had kind of got the idea.
It is one of those challenging lessons that you start with a rough plan make up the rest as you go along. Your tips are highly appreciated.