Getting Ready for Impromptu Speaking: Special Online Meeting: May 31, 2025

Today, on May 31st, Senri Toastmasters Club held a special online meeting, entirely focused on impromptu speaking. This unique session was produced by our creative member, Tenten, and thanks to his thoughtful planning, we all walked away feeling more confident and better prepared.

Today’s Word of the Day, "Elaborate," introduced by Rene, turned out to be surprisingly relevant. As the meeting progressed, we saw how our impromptu speeches became more developed and expressive, thanks to the techniques we learned. Even impromptu speeches can become elaborate when built on our own messages and stories.

Can We Actually Prepare for Impromptu Speeches?

That was the question many of us had. Impromptu speeches are, by nature, unprepared. We are given a topic on the spot and expected to deliver our thoughts immediately. But today we learned, there is a way to prepare to build a foundation for the impromptu speeches. Tenten gave us a simple assignment before the meeting: Prepare at least three personal messages and three stories. This planted the seeds.

Stories and Messages

Tenten encouraged us to “Think about the message that comes to your mind often. Then think of stories related to the messages that are important to you.” During his workshop, Yuriko volunteered for the demonstration. Thank you, Yuriko! With her willingness to participate, we all learned how a prepared message or story can connect with an unexpected topic. After her demo speech, we discussed how it could be enhanced. This collaborative analysis deepened everyone's understanding.

Table Topics Session

Then came the real test, the Table Topics Session! Yuriko, our Topicsmaster*, prepared engaging questions for us. Thanks to Tenten’s workshop, we were all able to elaborate on our responses more naturally and confidently. What I loved was that Tenten quickly volunteered to take over as Timer when Mune-san, the Timer, was selected to speak. This small act of support perfectly captured the spirit of teamwork that defines our club.

Evaluation

One of the most valuable aspects of Toastmasters is the evaluation. After Tenten’s workshop, Jinyoung gave a concise and insightful evaluation. His comments were clear and to the point, making it easy for everyone to understand what worked and what could be improved.

Recognizing the Smiles Behind the Screens

At the end of the meeting, Tenten awarded the Smile Prize to Jinyoung. Despite the distance of an online setting, his warm, constant smile and engaged nods supported every speaker. Being a good audience—listening with a smile—is an essential ingredient in creating a positive and uplifting meeting.

Behind-the-Scenes Contributors: Ah-Counter and Grammarian

Let’s not forget the importance of roles like the Ah-Counter and Grammarian. Tamiko, our Ah-Counter, carefully tracked filler words like "um", "ah", and "you know". These can distract listeners and break the flow of speech, so identifying them helps us improve. And Rene, our Grammarian, provided helpful corrections to improve our English. As a native speaker, her input was incredibly valuable.

This Impromptu Speech Workshop was a worthwhile session, offering us practical tools and confidence. So next time we’re asked to deliver an impromptu speech, we won’t panic. Tap into our story and message banks and connect it to the topic. With what we have learned today, let’s elaborate on our skills and take on impromptu speeches with a bit more confidence and natural flow next time.

Written by Eri