Statistics reveal that a number of people around the world would rather be bitten by a spider than stand up and deliver a speech. This is because of self-doubts that they have in their minds that they will deliver non-convincing speeches or the audience will find them boring.

Toastmasters Communication and Leadership Training is the first step to overcoming this fear of public speaking. Everybody speaks on a daily basis, whether it is on social or formal interaction. It gets more challenging for the majority of people to speak in a formal interaction if they lack public speaking skills. Formal interactions involve job interviews, corporate presentations, formal assemblies, and many other occasions such as weddings, birthday parties, graduation ceremonies and funerals.

Toastmasters Communication and Leadership Training aims at equipping the Grade 11 boys with necessary public speaking skills which are vital in today’s competitive global market. The training is conducted over a period of eight weeks, and boys learn the techniques for prepared and impromptu speeches, evaluation and chairing a meeting in a formal setting. During this time, they develop self- confidence, grammar, vocabulary, vocal variety, body language skills, thinking on their feet, and many social skills like appropriate jokes and ice breaking techniques.

These skills become useful when the boys apply for school leadership positions such as Prefects, RCL and Class Captains, as well as future employment. At the conclusion of the training, the boys have a graduation and they receive an internationally recognized certificate which gives them an advantage when applying for jobs in the future. The graduation is organized by the boys, and it showcases all the skills that they have learnt in eight weeks in the presence of their friends, families and teachers.