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Effective Oral Communication Lecture Slides
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- 2. Objectives (General andSpecific)
- 3. Principles of MakingEffective Communication in Organization • 1. Establish a Warm Atmosphere • 2. Actively Engage People’s Interest • 3. Be Believable • 4. Speak With Your Own Voice • 5. Use Gestures Well • 6. Remember That Your Knowledge Is Limited.
- 4. Universal Facts AboutCommunication • Related to every human activity • Involves two or more parties • May be one way or two way process • Flows in various patterns • Media or channel based
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- 6. Verbal / OralComm
- 7. When oral communicationis more effective • 1. Instant communication • 2. Detailed Explanation of Policies • 3. Developing direct relationship • 4. Maintaining secrecy • 5. Instant response • 6. Reaching to mutual understanding • 7. Illiterate receivers • 8. Avoiding bureaucratic complexities
- 8. Causes of failureof oral communication • 1. Absence of planning • 2. Over confidence • 3. Over busyness • 4. Quick transmission • 5. Poor and defective presentation • 6. Inattention • 7. Presence of emotion • 8. Status difference • 9. Lack of evaluation • 10. Linguistic barrier • 11. Disregard to receiver • 12. Difference in personality • 13. Receiver’s interpretation
- 9. Importance of EnglishCommunication Skills • Using English is no more a choice but inevitable for companies trying to compete in international markets. • Firstly, English language skills can contribute to better job performance • Employees with English language skills seem to have better chances for promotion and overseas assignments, and have wider career choices.
- 10. The Importance ofGood English in Business: 7 Big Benefits • 1. It shows your willingness to go beyond basic business standards. • 2. It will help you to communicate better with your colleagues. • 3. It is important for delivering presentations and speeches. • 4. Good pronunciation always makes a good first impression. • 5. It allows you to travel. • 6. It gives you an edge in other jobs as well. • 7. Finally, it allows you to express yourself in a language that everyone understands.
- 11. Effective Speaking • Thereare two main elements to speaking effectively: • what you say, and • how you say it.
- 12. Aspects of EffectiveSpeaking • There are three main elements of effective speaking • The words you use. • Your voice. • Your other non-verbal communication, particularly body language
- 13. Choosing Your Words •What you say—the words you choose—matters. • Things to Consider: • Your audience • Shorter Sentences • Simpler words
- 14. How to boostyour confidence in speaking English?
- 15. Accents • Regional andethnic accents are part of individual personality and add a unique element to the way that you speak.
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- 20. Four Components ofAccent What are the four components of accent? Linking, Intonation, Stress and Articulation (LISA) Linking - is running the words together Intonation - is the rhythm of our speech Stress - is the emphasis placed on a word or syllable Articulation - deals with the proper production of sounds in English
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- 22. Liaising Go on Come on Alleyes on us
- 23. Liaising Blending e.g. – thismonth Coarticulation: Overlapping sounds e.g. – good news; bad luck Assimilation: Changing sounds e.g. – don’t you; did you
- 24. Liaising Intrusion: Adding sounds e.g.– he asked; do it Elision: Omitting sounds e.g. – diamond ring; kept going Germinates: Double sounds e.g. – social life; pet turtle
- 25. Linking Practice • Thigh-Sing-Gone-Thick-Ache •Duet- Tomb-He-Juan-Mort-I'm • Hoe-Pin-Up-Hits-Depot-Lease • Deep-Rinse-Soft-Ides • Jog-Clay-Die-Scream • Mower-Thin-Nuke-Inch-Who • Every-Tie-My-Thin-Co-View Run the words together without making a pause in between. Determine the concealed meaning.
- 26. Linking Practice • C’mon!Sko! • Kwee geddit? • J^eet? Nachet. • Jlaik smore? • I shoulda toljoo. • No, nunnuvum • Zee coming? • Super salad? • Tayki deezee • He shudn na done it. • Fregg zample, frinnstance Read these phonetic strings, and identify the concealed phrases.
- 27. Linking Practice by noontheir house his inn our luck with ease long ears her aim big eyes in all good oars this alley fine arrays one acre going up our dinner one apiece their zippers all aboard these authors no appeal
- 28. Intonation Practice Intonation –the tune or melodic pattern of what you say. It refers to the way the pitch of the voice rises or falls. Pitch – highness or lowness of a person’s voice
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- 30. Intonation Practice Falling intonation– To conclude an idea or thought; WH-questions and HOW questions – requiring an explanation Rising intonation – To indicate that you’re not yet finished with what you’re saying; At the end of questions answerable by yes or no.
- 31. Intonation Practice “Could Ihave your name please?” “Did you get the chocolate?” “Where did you buy it?” “When is your birthday?” “How did you do that?” “Why do you want to lose weight?” “Are you ok?” Practice Intonation with these questions:
- 32. Intonation Hello. Stop. I am notmad. I didn’t say he cheated on the test. Mike didn’t break the window.
- 33. Intonation I’m sorry. Thatis not true. She didn’t like what I said. I have something to tell you.
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- 35. Intonation Patterns 1. Howare you today? 2. Do you have any questions? 3. Really? 4. You can say it like this.
- 36. Intonation Patterns 5. She’snice.(..) 6. He’s Chinese, isn’t he? 7. When she came home, she went straight to bed.
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- 39. Stress Practice Sentence Stress– emphasis on a word in a sentence Content words: Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives Function words: Articles, Pronouns, Prepositions, Conjunctions, Helping Verbs
- 40. Stress Practice Examples: I loveyou. We want to go to work. Have you seen the new employee?
- 41. Stress Practice I toldyou to buy me red roses. I told you to buy me red roses. I told you to buy me red roses. I told you to buy me red roses. However, depending on the context, the speaker can also stress function words to express his intended meaning.
- 42. Stress Practice I didn’tsay we should kill him! I love your mother’s cooking. I was so angry at John. He forgot to call me on my birthday. He said he had remembered, but that it was too late to call.
- 43. Stress Practice Word Stress– emphasis on a syllable within a word record record address address convict convict survey survey object object subject subject present present
- 44. Stress Practice infamous comparablepreferable February poignant menu subtle admirable integral ceremony reputable vocabulary array lamentable satiable radiator deficit affluence laboratory utensil revolutionary Commonly Mispronounced Words
- 45. circumstance comfortable spiritual interestingorator irrevocable candidacy restaurant adversary category intermittent expiration appreciate associate determine inventory organization colleague guitarist interference contribute Commonly Mispronounced Words Stress Practice
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- 47. Let’s Read! /rʌf əztʌf bʌt θruː ænd ðoʊ/ /kaːf ænd doʊ duː naːt raɪm ðoʊ/ /ɪf juː kən riːd jʊr ɡʊd tuː ɡoʊ/
- 48. Knowing how toread IPA symbols is important. Why?
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- 50. IPA Review- Vowels 12 3 4 5 6 ɑː æ eɪ ɛ iː aɪ 7 8 9 10 11 12 ɒ oʊ ʊ uː ʌ ə
- 51. IPA Review- Consonants 12 3 4 ŋ j tʃ θ 5 6 7 8 ð dʒ ʒ ʃ
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- 53. Interchanges Tense Vowels LaxVowels i: Æ u: O I ʌ ʊ ɑ vs. fleece trap goose goat bitter strut foot bought
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- 58. Common Errors –Interchanges beach eat seat bitch it sit bank drank bunk drunk sack Mac cap sock mock cop law low saw sow pawn phone
- 59. Common Errors –Interchanges /æ/ - /e/ ten hen end tan ham and gas guess had head hot box bomb hut bucks bum but bought pot putt /ʌ/ - /o/ paste saint taste pest sent test wet wait shale shell /e/ - /eɪ/
- 60. Common Errors –Interchanges /iː/ - /i/ slipper shin grit sleeper sheen greet eel ill peel pill fool Luke wooed full look wood hood who’d could cooed /u/ - /uː /
- 61. Common Errors –Language Transfer /p/ - /f/ drills cough fat faint cop pat paint pig fig cheap chief file leaf beef pile leap beep pace face pat fat
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- 63. /s/ - /ʃ/drills crushed mash shake crust mass sake fist fished same shame rushed shave shack rust save sack said shed plus plush Common Errors – Language Transfer
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- 67. Sound Substitution Version; Invasion The-sion suffix is only likely to be pronounced with a zh sound when it is preceded by an r sound or a vowel sound. Mansion In most other circumstances, the sh sound is the more likely pronunciation for this suffix.
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- 69. Sound Substitution Naps IF thesingular form ends in the following sounds:/p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, voiceless /th/, THEN the plural form (+s) is pronounced as /s/ Mags, Bees IF the singular form ends in the following sounds: /b/, /d/, /g/, /v/, voiced /th/, /l/, /m/,/n/, /ng/, /r/ and a vowel/diphthong, THEN the plural form (+s) is pronounced as /z/ Matches, Wishes Words, which, in their singular form end in these other consonant sounds /s/, /z/, /sh/, /zh/, /ch/, and /j/, have a special plural ending which requires another syllable and which can either be said as /iz/ or /uz/.
- 70. IPA Practice //rʌf/ /əz//tʌf/ /bʌt/ /θruː/ /ænd/ /ðoʊ// //kaːf/ /ænd/ /doʊ/ /duː/ /naːt/ /raɪm/ /ðoʊ// //ɪf/ /juː/ /kən/ /riːd/ /jʊr/ /ɡʊd/ /tuː/ /ɡoʊ//
- 71. Articulation Practice The schwais the weakest vowel sound in English. It is the most common vowel. PHOTOGRAPHY
- 72. altar collar suppermodel singular color whether modern popular summer sinner matter victor paper daughter simple error effort nature pattern author neighbor venture southern mirror labor future listen horror picture figure widen Articulation Practice- Schwa
- 73. • Top ofthe Staircase (Tim, time, two, ten) Aspirated • Middle of the Staircase (water, better, get it) Voiced T • Bottom of the Staircase (hot, bat, sit) Held T Articulation Practice – American T
- 74. Your Voice • Yourvoice can reveal as much about your personal history as your appearance. The sound of a voice and the content of speech can provide clues to an individual's emotional state.
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- 77. The Effect ofBreath on Voice and Speech • The voice is responsive to emotions and sometimes gets 'blocked', which can prevent or hinder the expression of a range of feelings.
- 78. Good breathing isessential for two reasons: • By using full lung capacity the breath will support the voice and the voice will become richer, fuller and stronger. • Breathing deeply and rhythmically has a calming and therapeutic effect as it releases tension and promotes relaxation. People who are relaxed are more balanced, receptive and confident.
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- 80. Vocal Production • Thefollowing three core elements of vocal production need to be understood for anyone wishing to become an effective speaker: • Volume - to be heard. • Clarity - to be understood. • Variety - to add interest.
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- 83. Body Language • Aconsiderably amount of communication—some estimates suggest over 50%—is non-verbal. Tone of voice, pace and emphasis are all part of non-verbal communication.
- 84. Body Language • Theimportance of congruence
Editor's Notes
- #1 Give a brief self-introduction, your name, and what the training is all about. Ask them why do they think it is important to take this training, “what’s in it for me?” 2 day training that focuses on oral communication, how to Fluency, pronunciation, thought processes, verbal and non-verbal communication, assertiveness, etc.
- #2 At the end of the training, the participants should be able to: Understand Produce More more more
- #3 Effective communication is the key to mobilizing your employees behind a new vision. Poor communication, on the other hand, is the best way to demotivate your employees and stall any progress. The six principles below will help you to avoid mistakes.
- #4 Graph, show photos, explain each bullet point
- #5 Oral communication is transfer of information from sender to receiver by means of verbal and visual aid. Examples of oral communication include presentations, speeches, discussions, etc. Though the message is conveyed through words, most of the times oral communication is effectively carried out with the help of non-verbal communication like body language and tone modulations. Oral communication is also at times mixed with visual aid to help establish the conveyed message in a clear manner. Examples include usage of presentations in a seminar or meeting to put across the message in a clear manner. Oral communication can also be mixed with written communication methods to ensure that maximum effectiveness is achieved. There are many benefits of oral communication. This form of communication is a quick and direct method of communication. Be it a criticism or praise or information, it helps to convey the message immediately to the receiver. This method of communication enables in obtaining immediate feedback and hence is a form in which two-way communication can be enabled. The other main advantage of this communication method is that it helps in conveying the message with the desired pitch and tone that is needed for the message. It also saves on time in a huge way and saves enormously on effort that is spent. Oral communication is a less formal method as compared to others and hence adds a personal touch to your message. Combined with the right kind of verbal communication, oral forms can create confidence and loyalty on the sender from the receiver’s side. There are many ways to create an effective oral communication. It is important to ensure that the words are framed properly and are delivered in the right pitch and tone. Clarity, brevity and precision are mandatory features of an effective oral communication system. It is advisable to avoid complicated sentences and jargons so as to make sure that the message is conveyed across properly. It is important to establish an eye contact and to modulate body language based on the message. For example, a strict order can be conveyed better when communicated with a formal and stern body language as opposed to a casual and friendly one. Though it has many advantages, oral communication has its set of limitations also. This form of communication can be misinterpreted or misunderstood very easily. Communicating effectively through oral forms require high skills and is not something that everyone can master. It is also not a form of communication that can be used as a form of documentary evidence.
- #6 Verbal communication is the use of words to share information with other people. It can therefore include both spoken and written communication. However, many people use the term to describe only spoken communication. The verbal element of communication is all about the words that you choose, and how they are heard and interpreted. Verbal communication is any communication that uses words to share information with others. These words may be both spoken and written.
- #8 There are multiple reasons why oral communication fail, and these are the following reasons (have the participants read one by one) However, emphasize that we’re focusing on the Linguistic Barrier (Language Barrier)
- #9 English is acknowledged passport to better education and employment opportunities. English language plays a crucial role to weave the world into a single thread. English has a status of a second language in almost all the countries where it is not the first language. To acquire simple language for day to day communication is main aim of learning any language. In turn, today’s workforce is expected to be highly competent to continually improve skills and engage in lifelong learning. Language is a skill, like any other skill until and unless we practice the skill mastery is highly impossible. The aim of learning a language is directly linked with the LSRW skills that are to be developed. As a universal process communication influence the activities of the human community at large. Social development is a prominent feature of effective techniques of communication, which is necessary for sustaining the growth and development.
- #11 Speaking effectively is defined as speaking in such a way that your message is clearly heard and, if possible, acted upon. What you say means your choice of words. The words you might use when chatting to a friend are likely to be quite different from those used in a formal presentation or interview. Similarly, the way that you speak will also vary in different situations. However, there are also likely to be some common factors: for example, whether you naturally talk quietly or loudly, and how you use body language.
- #13 If in doubt about your meaning, your audience will come back to the words that you used and double-check what you might have meant. It is therefore important to choose carefully, especially when you are saying something important. Things to consider include: Your audience. The words you choose will be different if you are talking to 200 people at a conference, a trusted colleague, your boss, or your children. You need to think about your audience’s overall level of understanding of the subject, and also the type of language that you use. Shorter sentences are easier to process and understand. Using shorter sentences also creates urgency. Simpler words are also easier to understand. If you cannot explain something in simple terms, you have probably not understood it yourself. This is particularly important if your audience are not all native speakers of the language.
- #14 Learning English or how to be fluent in English takes time, like any other skills. However, with constant practice, it’s not going to be impossible. Of course, learning grammar is the foundation and it would take some time to learn the nitty-gritty. However, even native speakers aren’t perfect when it comes to their grammar. They’re just confident and know how to say what they want to say. As Filipinos, English is our second language but it is sometimes hard for us to express ourselves for fear of being ridiculed. So what can we do? We try to sound as natural as we could, and that is why, we will try to learn how to pronounce English words correctly.
- #15 They may also, however, in some situations, create potential barriers to communication. For example, if you have a very strong accent, people from another area or country may find it harder to understand what you are saying. You may therefore need to slow down your speech to ensure that they have time to process what you are saying. Non-native speakers are all prone to slips in English pronunciation and phonology. Even us trainers mispronounce words every now and then. In this training, we will see our real problem. We will understand why we are guilty of this fact… but after realizing that, we will be able to address the problem by meeting the objectives of this training. Being native Filipino speakers, we are prone to slips every now and then because there are certain sounds that are used in English but not available in Filipino.
- #16 Talking Points:. For this session on Phonology, we work on a lot of drills and exercises to make sure that we achieve a clean and neutral accent. Neutralizing one’s accent is a habit forming endeavor, and it cannot be achieved without constant practice. It is natural for non-native speakers of English to revert to their native tongue’s accent if they’re not mindful. Accent neutralization takes time. Accent can’t be modified overnight, so learners need to make a conscious effort to eradicate their first language influence when they speak English. In this session, we will go through a lot of drills on the four components of accent as we march towards our common goal of cleaning up our accent! It is necessary for teachers of 51talk to speak with a neutral or better yet, a native speaker like accent, in order to serve as good role models to our teachers. One of the most common sources of complaints from students is that their teacher doesn’t sound credible because the accent is poor!
- #17 Rationale: To identify the common pronunciation problems of Filipinos Instruction: Have the trainees give their own examples of words that Filipinos commonly mispronounce. (Chokoleyt) If they can’t think of anything, ask them to think of celebrities/public figures who has problem with mispronunciation (Noli De Castro) Talking Points: Everyone has bad language habits. We hear language errors on TV, at work, and even from our family—so many times that the errors might seem correct. But they’re still errors, and they can make us sound less sophisticated, or even less intelligent, than we really are. Fortunately, you can form new, good habits the same way you got stuck with the bad ones: by repetition. This training will help you achieve it.
- #18 Rationale: To raise awareness of how common mispronunciations are and how they tend to go unnoticed. Instruction: Have the teachers listen to sound file [contrasting erroneous phonology with textbook English – transcript in the talking points] Paste the transcript to the chatbox. Talking Points: Slips are ok, as long as you correct yourself. Again, they are still errors and we have to minimize them. Transcript: Correct: It went public that she, driven by circumstances, was trying to pawn the phone that she stole, and when caught, drank poison to be rid of her problems. Incorrect: Eet went pablik that she, dreeven by sirKUHMstances, was trying to pon the pown that shi stowl, and wen kowt, drunk poison to be reed of her problems. Correct: I was a fool and thought the three caps were for the cook. Incorrect: I was a full und tot duh tri kuhps wear por duh kooook. Correct: Usually, I drop by and chat with my cat before I taught in the green room. Incorrect: Uswuli I drahp bai und chut wid my kut behpor I towt in da grin rum.
- #19 Rationale: This is to establish that common errors in pronunciation are caused by over-generalizations based on spelling. Instruction: Teachers will read. Ask the participants to read the words by column. Talking Points: Here, we see that one cannot rely barely on the spelling for correct pronunciation. We usually commit pronunciation errors because: 1. We assume the sound by the spelling of the word; 2. We aren’t aware of the right pronunciation; 3. We hear the mispronounced forms more often that it makes us think that it is right; 4. We don’t check the dictionary because we don’t know how to read the IPA transcription anyway. Right now, we will start by making ourselves familiar with the reading of the IPA symbols. “Do not rely on how the word is spelled rather be familiar with the IPA.” Analyze your reason why you pronounced the word a certain way. [Answer: It is because you generalized based on the spelling]
- #20 Talking Points All four components of accent can easily be remembered by remember a girl’s name – LISA. LISA stands for Linking, Intonation, Stress, and Articulation. (Ask teachers to read the definitions and explain it in their own words. Validate answers and synthesize)
- #21 Rationale: To introduce the next topic, which is liaising. Instruction: Ask the teachers if they have any idea what “lack of linking” or “liaising” is.
- #22 Rationale: To determine if the teachers are able to liaise the words. Instruction: Ask the trainees to read the phrases. Talking Points: When we say a sentence in English, we join or "link" words to each other. Because of this linking, the words in a sentence do not always sound the same as when we say them individually. Linking is very important in English. Linking is a way of joining the pronunciation of two words so that they are easy to say and flow together smoothly. Without liaising, your words may come across as awkward and robotic. In English, there are different ways of liaising.
- #23 Rationale: To determine if the teachers are able to liaise the words. Instruction: Understand and internalize the talking points well and paraphrase them to the trainees. Copy+paste them when you deem it necessary. Talking Points: Here are the sounds: (go through the definitions and explain) Blending sounds Blending is smoothly transitioning from the pronunciation of one sound into the next sound. Blending works well for linking from one continuous consonant--a fricative, approximant, or nasal sound--to another different continuous consonant. In the phrase "this month," the s sound /s/ blends smoothly into the m sound /m/. Blending can also be used to link continuous consonants and vowel sounds, as in the phrase "this afternoon." Here the s sound /s/ of the word "this" is shared between both words. EDIT: Blending – “this month” Coarticulation: overlapping sounds Coarticulation occurs when adjacent sounds overlap one another, causing a change in one or both sounds' pronunciation. Two examples of coarticulation include nasal aspiration and lateral aspiration. Nasal aspiration occurs when the d sound /d/ links into the n sound /n/. The tongue moves into the position of the d sound, but the sound is not completed with the typical aspiration (release of air). Instead, the stopped air is released as ann sound. An example of nasal aspiration occurs in the phrase "good news": the air is stopped as a d sound, but released as an n sound. Lateral aspiration is similar in concept to nasal aspiration in that the air is stopped as a normal d sound /d/, but released as a different sound. In lateral aspiration, the d sound /d/ is released as an l sound /l/. In the phrase "bad luck," the d sound /d/ links into the l sound /l/, and lateral aspiration occurs. Coarticulation – nasal aspiration: “good news”; lateral aspiration: “bad luck” Assimilation: changing sounds Assimilation is a more drastic type of coarticulation. Instead of "sharing" part of a sound, the merged sounds are pronounced as an entirely different sound. Two examples of assimilation occur when the t sound /t/ or d sound /d/ precede the y sound /j/. When the t sound /j/ and y sound /j/ assimilate, the sounds merge into the ch sound /ʧ/. This causes the phrase "don't you" /doʊntju/ to be pronounced as "donchou" /doʊnʧu/. The d sound assimilates with the y sound and is pronounced as a j sound /ʤ/. This causes the phrase "did you" /dɪdju/ to be pronounced as "dijou" /dɪʤu/. Assimilation – “don’t you”; “did you”
- #24 Rationale: To determine if the teachers are able to liaise the words. Instruction: Understand and internalize the talking points well and paraphrase them to the trainees. Copy+paste them when you deem it necessary. Talking Points: Here are the sounds: (go through the definitions and explain) Intrusion: Adding sounds Intrusion is placing an additional sound between other sounds. For instance, adding a slight w sound /w/ or y sound /j/ between vowel sounds is a helpful technique for pronouncing both vowels clearly. In the phrase "he asked," a small y sound /j/ is added between the long e /i/ and short a /æ/. This allows both vowel sounds to be pronounced fully and separately without pausing between words. A slight w sound /w/ is added to link the oo sound /u/ to the short i /ɪ/ sound in the phrase "do it." Again, this allows both vowel sounds to be pronounced clearly. Intrusion – “he asked”; “do it” Elision: Omitting sounds Elision occurs when a sound is removed from a word. For example, when a t sound /t/ or d sound /d/ is between two other consonant sounds (but not the first sound of a word), the t sound /t/ or d sound /d/ can be omitted. In the phrase "kept going," the t sound /t/ is between two consonant sounds and can be omitted. In the phrase "diamond ring," the d sound /d/ is between two consonant sounds and can be omitted. Elision – “diamond ring”; “kept going” Geminates: Double sounds Geminates occur when one word ends with and the next word begins with the same consonant sound. Continuous consonants link to each other differently than stops and affricates. Identical double continuous consonants link by pronouncing one, single sound for an extended period of time. In the phrase, "social life," the l sound /l/ is produced for more time than if the sound occurred alone. When linking identical stop sounds, the stopped portion of the sound is held for an extended period of time, then released. In the phrase "pet turtle," the t sound is stopped, held for extra time, then released. This stop, hold, and release signals the pronunciation of both sounds. The j sound /ʤ/ and ch sound /ʧ/ are the only affricate sounds in English. In a sequence of identical affricates, no special linking occurs and the sounds are pronounced twice in a row. Therefore, in the phrase "orange juice," the j sound should be pronounced twice. Germinates – “social life”; “pet turtle; exception: “orange juice” (j sound /ʤ/ and ch sound /ʧ/)
- #25 Instructions Ask the teachers to read the string of words quickly without many pause. Do it over and over until they hear the concealed meaning. Give the example – Aisle of view, which translates to I love you. Additional Activity Send these links for their reference - Linking Consonants to Vowels - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tsljuK4f2E Linking Vowels to Vowels - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgbKlupt7l8
- #26 Instructions Ask the teachers to read the linked phonetic strings, and test whether they can hear the actual phrases.
- #27 Instructions Practice with these phrases. Show them how it’s done, and ask teachers to follow after you.
- #28 Talking Points Intonation is the rhythm of our speech, and is directly connected to pitch, the highness or lowness of one’s voice. Men generally have low-pitched voices, while women generally have high-pitched voices. All of us have our natural pitch range, but it doesn’t mean that we should stay there – otherwise, we will sound really monotonous, and it’s the fastest way of putting someone to sleep. We don’t want to sound flat, that’s why we have to apply proper intonation by varying our pitch range. I’m sure you’ve heard the expression, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it.” Intonation plays a big role in reflecting our attitude through our tone – our attitude towards what we’re saying, and our attitude towards the person we’re talking to. Additional Activity Send this link for reference – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8DJFNjZiIM
- #29 Instructions VTR activity Ask teachers to say the word YES to reflect the following emotions – HAPPY / VERY HAPPY / SAD / SCARED / ANGRY / NERVOUS / EXCITED / SURPRISED – or any other emotion you can think of Explain that it was intonation that helped vary the emotion you were trying to convey
- #30 Talking Points Intonation is important because it gives signals to your listener. It serves as a guide to your discourse. A falling intonation is a drop in pitch at the end, while a rising intonation is a rise in pitch at the end.
- #31 Instructions Ask teachers to read each statement and use the appropriate intonation depending on the question.
- #32 INSTRUCTIONS: Ask the trainees the significance of having the correct intonation Do intonation exercises with the trainees. Ask them to suggest a certain implication by changing the intonation of the sentence. You can alternatively ask them to guess the implication by listening to your intonation. Hello. -To your boss. -To your best friend. -To an attractive man/woman at the bar. -To a six month old baby. (How does your intonation change?) Stop. -Authoritative tone -Flirtatious manner I am not mad. -Angry tone I didn’t say he cheated on the test. -Implying I am accusing somebody else -Implying he cheated on something else Mike didn’t break the window. -Implying somebody else broke the window -Implying Mike really didn’t do the deed
- #33 INSTRUCTIONS: Ask the trainees the significance of having the correct intonation Do intonation exercises with the trainees. Ask them to suggest a certain implication by changing the intonation of the sentence. You can alternatively ask them to guess the implication by listening to your intonation. I’m sorry. -Apologetic -Sarcsatic That is not true. -Defensive -Joking She didn’t like what I said. -Implying everyone else was fine with my words -Implying she was fine with my actions I have something to tell you. Happy and excited Sad and worried Nervous
- #34 `Rationale: To introduce the next topic, which is intonation patterns Instruction: Tell the teachers that they are different intonation patterns and that they will be asked to read some sentences/questions in the next slide. Talking Points: There are several intonation patterns in the English language, depending on the type of sentence you’re going to say. For statements, your voice is expected to drop a bit at the end. For yes/no questions, your voice should rise at the end. For Filipinos, especially if they’re being affectionate, the rising intonation pattern is preferred. Sometimes, they even add a Tagalog word at the end of the sentence to express pleasantness and courtesy. Here’s an example: “You go look for your books, ha?” Thinking in Filipino will lead to Filipino intonation despite knowing the proper English intonation
- #35 Rationale: To check if the teachers can read the sentences with the correct intonation. Instruction: Have the teachers read the sentences. Talking Points: For Filipinos, especially if they’re being affectionate, the rising intonation pattern is preferred. Sometimes, they even add a Tagalog word at the end of the sentence to express pleasantness and courtesy. Here’s an example: “You go look for your books, ha?” Fall - HOW ARE YOU TODAY? -Questions that begin with wh-questions are generally pronounced with a falling tone 2. Low Rise (A Rising Tone) – DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? -"Yes/No" questions where the speaker is sure he does not know the answer, and the addressee knows the answer. 3. High Rise (A rising tone) – REALLY? -repetition, clarification, indicating disbelief 4. Fall Rise – YOU CAN SAY IT LIKE THIS. -dependency, continuity and non-finality Source: http://home.hib.no/al/engelsk/seksjon/SOFF-MASTER/SOFF_PROJECT_CDR/021-INTONATION.htm
- #36 Talking Points: 5. Fall+Rise – SHE’S NICE (but not that nice.) -a ‘but’ in the air, expressing other signals such as reservation She's nice, (but not that nice) (Was it a good concert?) - The singer was good, (but the others were awful). Fall + rise in phrases where there is a "but" in the air. (This pattern - fall+rise - is often used to send out other signals, too. In addition to reservation, it may for example express warning, and even irony.) 6. Fall or rise in question tags – HE’S CHINESE, ISN’T HE? -confirmation (fall) or doubt (rise) He’s Chinese, isn’t he? She’s better, isn’t she? A fall is used when the speaker expects confirmation. A rise is used when the speaker expresses an element of doubt. (“X sya, ‘no?” vs. “X ba sya?”) 7. Rise on incomplete phrases; rise on listing, except final item. Very often, the use of a rise signals "more to come, haven't finished yet". A fall often indicates "end of message". When she came home, she went straight to bed. They saw lions, tigers, zebras, elephants and antelopes. Source: http://home.hib.no/al/engelsk/seksjon/SOFF-MASTER/SOFF_PROJECT_CDR/021-INTONATION.htm
- #37 Rationale: To introduce the next topic which is proper stress placement Instruction: Tell the teachers that what will be discussed here are the common problems related to syllable stress. Talking Points: The common problem related to syllable stress is the wrong placement of the stress. For instance, the word “testimony” results to “tes-TI-mony” instead of “TES-timony.” In the word “govern,” “go-VERN” is preferred than “GO-vern.” (these words are on the next slide too)
- #38 Rationale: To have the teachers know where to put the correct stress in the words listed above Instruction: Have the teachers read in contrasting pairs. Send the trainees these links for their reference: Rules in stressing words http://linguapress.com/grammar/word-stress.htm http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/word-stress-rules.htm http://anglais.u-paris10.fr/IMG/pdf/WORD_STRESS_SR_RH_03-2.pdf Talking Points: How many of these words have you been reading wrong after all this time? Remember not to elongate the word or exaggerate the sound.
- #39 Talking Points Remember that the stressed part is the strongest, loudest, and longest part of a word or a sentence. In speech, we usually stress the content words and weaken the function words. Content words are the words that you can mentally picture out, while function words don’t conjure a visual image in your head unless they’re connected to content words. Does that mean we need to categorize every word in our sentence into the different parts of speech before we utter it? Of course not! You will naturally have an idea which words are important, and which words will carry the bulk of the meaning of what you’re trying to say. Additional Activity Send this link for reference http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrAe07KluZY
- #40 Instructions Read the following sentences, and stressed the underlined word.
- #41 Instructions Ask the teachers to stress the highlighted word. Remind them that for one word to be stressed, the others have to be unstressed.
- #42 ~ [Intonation – Stress and Context] I didn’t say we should kill him! Ask trainee to read the sentence to give the following implication: I didn’t say we should kill him. = Someone else said we should kill him. I didn’t say we should kill him. = I am denying saying it. I didn’t say we should kill him. = I implied it / whispered it / wrote it down. I didn’t say we should kill him. = I said someone else should kill him /you should kill him, etc. I didn’t say we should kill him. = I said we shouldn’t kill him / we must kill him, etc. I didn’t say we should kill him. = I said we should take him to dinner /take care of him / send him on a diving holiday. I didn’t say we should kill him. = We should kill someone else. I love your mother’s cooking. Read the sentence with varying intonation and ask trainee to guess the implication. I love your mother’s cooking. I love your mother’s cooking. I love your mother’s cooking. I love your mother’s cooking. I love your mother’s cooking. Ask trainee to read the sentences with appropriate word stresses and intonation. I was so angry at John. He forgot to call me on my birthday. He said he had remembered, but that it was too late to call.
- #43 Instructions Ask teachers to read the words per row, marking the stress on the first syllable first, and then the second.
- #44 Instructions Inform teachers that one big cause of mispronunciation is the wrong placement of stress within a word. Ask the teachers to read the words one by one, and make corrections if necessary.
- #45 Instructions Ask the teachers to read the words one by one, and make corrections if necessary. Rationale: To introduce the next topic. Instruction: Tell the teachers that you will be talking about words commonly mispronounced by Filipinos. Share this link with them: http://vanillamarcos.wordpress.com/2010/12/04/commonly-mispronounced-english-words-by-filipinos/ Talking Points: Though you can forgive some mispronounced words because they’re either foreign, strange, science-related, and names of places and people, you sometimes cringe when you hear…. Pro-NUN-ciation not pro-NOUN-ciation. Teachers will definitely use this word and commonly mispronounced. You can ask the teacher for other words. Common Mispronounced Words by Filipinos Mango /ˈmæŋ.ɡəʊ/ Cocoa ˈkoʊ.koʊ Roll /roʊl/, poll /poʊl/, toll /toʊl/ Gross /ɡroʊs/ not Graws Chocolate - /ˈtʃɒk.lət/ Cleanliness /ˈklen.li.nəs/ not – kleen Thailand /tai-’laend/ Shepherd/ˈʃep.əd/ Stephen - Stee-vn not Stee-fn Predicate /ˈpred.ɪ.kət/ not keyt Rapport - /ræˈpɔːr/ Lettuce - /ˈlet.ɪs/ Salmon - /ˈsæm.ən/ Confirm - /kənˈfɜːm/ Circumstance - /ˈsɝː.kəm.stæns/ Lieutenant - /luːten.ənt/ Tuesday - /ˈtuːz. deɪ/ Tutor - /ˈtuː.t̬ɚ/ News - /nuːz/ Youtube - /juːtuːb/
- #46 Word Stress http://linguapress.com/grammar/word-stress.htm http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/word-stress-rules.htm http://anglais.u-paris10.fr/IMG/pdf/WORD_STRESS_SR_RH_03-2.pdf
- #47 Rationale: To practice reading IPA symbols Instruction: Ask the trainees to read the sentences aloud. Show them how deceptively similar words differ greatly in IPA transcriptions. Talking Points: Read: Rough as tough but through and though Cough and dough do not rhyme though If you can read, you’re good to go! ~ Your Chinese students are very familiar with the IPA, and they can read this – can YOU? As the teacher, you should be able to do so!
- #48 Rationale: To review points mentioned earlier Instruction: Have the trainees answer why IPA symbols are important. Trainer should elicit for the answers instead of discussing. Ask if trainees if they have any questions before moving to the next slide. Talking Points: Improve your pronunciation by reading the IPA symbols. *Our students use the British IPA symbols – when we teach new words we should send the Cambridge (British) online dictionary link for the word: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/british/. So that the student can see the British and American pronunciation of the word. Knowing how to read the IPA symbols is crucial to improving your pronunciation. It will help us: Not to assume the sound by the spelling of the word; To be aware of the right pronunciation of the word; and Improve our pronunciation. To be effective in teaching your student the right pronunciation, you must first know how to guide yourself to the correct pronunciation. Although, we know we have the tendency to mispronounce words, at least we know how to guide ourselves.
- #49 RATIONALE: For teachers to understand the significance of the IPA symbols in pronouncing words correctly and its effect in the comprehension process. INSTRUCTIONS: Ask teachers why there is a need for a standard pronunciation symbol. Ask teachers to give examples for each symbol There is no need to dwell too much on this slide, do a quick brush-up. TALKING POINTS: IPA stands for International Phonetic Alphabet. It is important that we, as English teachers, are familiar with the IPA because our Chinese students are very much aware of how it is used. IPA (Association – the Body and the body of knowledge) – Paris, 1886 The association – organization for phoneticians. Promote scientific study of phonetics and various practical of that science. Regulates transcription system. The alphabet – the body of knowledge maintained. “Do not rely on how the word is spelled, but rather, be familiar with the IPA” We assume the sound by the spelling of the word; 2. We are not interested in making ourselves aware of the right pronunciation; 3. We’ve gotten so used to the word being pronounced in that manner that we feel like it is right. 4. We don’t bother checking the dictionary since we can’t read the IPA transcription properly.
- #50 INSTRUCTIONS: Ask teachers to read the individual characters and give examples of words using them. Trainer’s Guide: ɑː - father æ – apple, glad eɪ - day, gain ɛ - bed iː - ease, see aɪ - my, rice ɒ - not, wasp oʊ - goat, oats uː - lose, goose ʊ - foot, put ʌ - strut, run ə - eloquent, supply
- #51 INSTRUCTIONS: Ask teachers to read the individual characters and give examples of words using them. Trainer’s guide: ŋ – ng; ring, singer j – y; yes tʃ - ch; chat, teach Θ – unvoiced th; think, math ð – voiced th; that, therefore dʒ - j; joy, agile ʒ - zh; vision, treasure ʃ - sh; ash, sure
- #52 Rationale: This is to establish that common errors in pronunciation are caused by over-generalizations based on spelling. Instruction: Teachers will read. Ask the participants to read the words by column. Talking Points: Here, we see that one cannot rely barely on the spelling for correct pronunciation. We usually commit pronunciation errors because: 1. We assume the sound by the spelling of the word; 2. We aren’t aware of the right pronunciation; 3. We hear the mispronounced forms more often that it makes us think that it is right; 4. We don’t check the dictionary because we don’t know how to read the IPA transcription anyway. Analyze your reason why you pronounced the word a certain way. [Answer: It is because you generalized based on the spelling]
- #53 Instructions: Discuss the rules with them—make sure to ask if they have any questions. Talking Points: Tense vowels often involve a lot of facial movement, whereas lax ones are, by definition, more relaxed. Speaking in Filipino requires us to really open up our mouths. Many of us revert to this when speaking in English, which calls for different mouth formation. Having a neutral accent calls for a conscious effort in having a flexible mouth to sound natural. The last thing you want is to try too hard – and it will show!
- #54 Instructions: Discuss the illustrations with them—make sure to ask if they have any questions. Talking Points: For the long ‘e’ and short ‘i’ sounds, imagine smiling with the former, and barely moving any facial muscles on the latter. For the /i:/ sound, the middle part of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth while the lips expose the teeth. Words with long ‘i’ sounds include ‘clean,’ ‘mean,’ and ‘jeans.’ While most words with ‘ea’ have the long ‘e’ sound, it’s not always the case (ex., wear). The /i/ sound is more relaxed; the exposure of the teeth is not as prominent, and the tongue does not touch the roof of the mouth. Words with short ‘i’ sounds include ‘bitter,’ ‘impossible,’ and ‘intense.’
- #55 Instructions: Discuss the illustrations with them—make sure to ask if they have any questions. Talking Points: For words with Æ sounds, remember to part your mouth, as if you’re ‘glad.’ For the /Æ/ sound, the rear of the tongue is pushed back towards the uvula, yet does not touch the roof of the mouth. Being a lax vowel sound, /ʌ/ doesn’t involve a lot of movement from the facial ‘muscles’. Some words containing the /ʌ/ sound include ‘but’, ‘nut’, & ‘cut’.
- #56 Instructions: Discuss the illustrations with them—make sure to ask if they have any questions. Talking Points: For /u:/ sounds, think as if you’re making a slight duck-face when you say it—make sure your lips are puckered up. Being a lax vowel sound, ʊ doesn’t involve a lot of facial movement either. Words that have u: sounds are root, boot, and loot, whereas those with ʊ are ‘foot,’ ‘should,’ and ‘put.’
- #57 Instructions: Discuss the illustrations with them—make sure to ask if they have any questions. Talking Points: When pronouncing words with the oʊ sound, think as though you’re actually saying the letter ‘O’ in the alphabet. ‘Ode’ and ‘pope’ are good examples. This means making a circle with your lips and slightly pulling the tongue towards the back. Examples of words with ɑ sounds are ‘caught’ and ‘bought.’ With the /ɑ/ sound, the movement of the tongue is virtually the same, but with a stronger pull of the tongue. The lips, instead of making an ‘O’, are relaxed and parted.
- #58 Rationale: For the participants to be able to figure out the common errors in pronouncing vowels Instructions: Ask the participants to read the words per box, and per column. Once they’re done reading, read the words as they should be read. Ask if they can figure out the rule. All trainees have to read everything in order for you to check for defects.
- #59 /a/ - /e/ bag beg tan ten fan fen pat pet bat bet sat set ham hem rad red pan pen mat met and end man men sad said gas guess had head /ʌ/ - /o/ hut hot sup sop gut got nut not mud mod sub sob rub rob cup cop cub cob cut cot dug dog hug hog jug job pup pop bus boss bucks box duck dock bum bomb but bought putt pot /e/ - /eɪ/ bet bait gel jail let late pen pain pest paste sent saint shed shade test taste west waist wet wait fell fail let late get gate sell sale tell tale fed fade wed wade less lace shell shale chess chase
- #60 /iː/ - /i/ teen tin heap hip heel hill peel pill eel ill deep dip green grin greet grit sleep slip meet mitt sheen shin sheep ship cheap chip sleeper slipper wheat whit deeper dipper /uː/ full fool pull pool look Luke soot suit wood wooed could cooed hood who’d should shooed
- #61 Consonant Interchanges /p/ - /f/ pan fan pat fat paint - faint pig fig gulp gulf beep beef cheap - chief leap leaf cop cough pace face pact fact pale fail pile file
- #62 Instructions: Ask the participants to read per box, and per column. Talking Points: The ‘f’ sound most closely approximates the ‘p’ sound in our language—the same can be said for the ‘v’ and ‘b’ sounds. As such, we tend to confuse one for the other—remember to read slowly in order to avoid making mistakes when pronouncing words with these letters. Practice makes perfect!
- #63 Consonant Interchanges /s/ - /sh/ mass mash crust- crushed sake shake fist fished same- shame rust rushed save shave sack shack seat sheet cell shell sip ship sock shock plus plush said shed self shelf sigh shy sell shell
- #64 Instructions: Discuss the rules with them—make sure to ask if they have any questions. Talking Points: Unvoiced /th/ vs. /t/ As with the other examples, we tend to generalize because of how they’re spelled. Generally, words that have the letter ‘t’ and don’t have an ‘h’ immediately after them don’t have a θ sound. It is, however, possible to have words that are spelled with a ‘th’ to have a ‘t’ sound.
- #65 Instructions: Discuss the rules with them—make sure to ask if they have any questions. Talking Points: Voiced /th/ vs. /d/ The voiced /th/ sound is forcing the sound through the teeth.
- #66 Instructions: Discuss the rules with the participants—ask them if they have any questions. Talking Points: /zh/ vs. /sh/ sounds The -sion suffix is only likely to be pronounced with a zh sound when it is preceded by an r sound or a vowel sound (as in the words version and invasion). In most other circumstances, the sh sound is the more likely pronunciation for this suffix. If the s+ure spelling is preceded by a vowel sound, the word is likely pronounced with the zh sound. When the letter s is preceded by a consonant sound or is spelled with two adjacent letter s's (as in the words pressure and insure), it is usually pronounced as the sh sound.
- #67 Instructions: Discuss the rules with the participants—ask them if they have any questions. Talking Points: The -sion suffix is only likely to be pronounced with a zh sound when it is preceded by an r sound or a vowel sound (as in the words version and invasion). In most other circumstances, the sh sound is the more likely pronunciation for this suffix. If the s+ure spelling is preceded by a vowel sound, the word is likely pronounced with the zh sound. When the letter s is preceded by a consonant sound or is spelled with two adjacent letter s's (as in the words pressure and insure), it is usually pronounced as the sh sound.
- #68 Instructions: Discuss the rules with the participants—ask them if they have any questions. Talking Points: /z/ vs. /s/ sounds if the singular form ends in the following sounds:/p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, voiceless /th/ the plural form (+s) is pronounced as /s/ if the singular form ends in the following sounds: /b/, /d/, /g/, /v/, voiced /th/, /l/, /m/,/n/, /ng/, /r/ and the vowel/diphthong the plural form (+s) is pronounced as /z/ Words which in their singular form end in these other consonant sounds /s/, /z/, /sh/, /zh/, /ch/, and /j/ have a special plural ending which requires another syllable and which can either be said as /iz/ or /uz/
- #69 Instructions: Discuss the rules with the participants—ask them if they have any questions. Talking Points: >IF the singular form ends in the following sounds: /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, voiceless /th/, THEN the plural form (+s) is pronounced as /s/ >IF the singular form ends in the following sounds: /b/, /d/, /g/, /v/, voiced /th/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /ng/, /r/, and a vowel/diphthong, THEN the plural form (+s) is pronounced as /z/ >Words, which, in their singular form end in these other consonant sounds /s/, /z/, /sh/, /zh/, /ch/, and /j/, have a special plural ending which requires another syllable and which can either be said as /iz/ or /uz/.
- #71 Instructions Remind teachers that the schwa, the weakest vowel in the English language, is the most common vowel sound in speech. In the list of words, identify the three words without schwas. For the remaining words, mark the syllables with the schwa sound.
- #72 Instruction Practice the pronunciation of the schwa with these words. One teacher can read all the words in one column.
- #73 Talking points The American T sound has three variations. If the T sound appears at the beginning of a word, it is aspirated. If the T sound is in the middle of two vowels, it takes on the form of the voiced T (D) If the T sound is at the end of a word, it’s a held T.
- #74 For instance, if self-esteem is low, it may be reflected by hesitancy in the voice. A shy person may speak quietly, but someone who is confident in themselves will be more likely to have command of their voice and clarity of speech. It is worth taking time to improve your command over your voice, especially if you find it hard to speak in public. It can even help to boost your confidence! It is important to get used to the sound of your own voice. Most people are more relaxed in a private situation, particularly at home, where there are no pressures to conform to any other social rules and expectations. This is not the case in public situations when there are all sorts of influences exerted upon the way people speak.
- #75 An exercise to improve public speaking Try recording your own voice in an informal setting, such as at home. Listen carefully to how you sound. This will help you become accustomed to your own voice. You might also note any aspects of your speech which reduce the overall effectiveness of your message. This might include a tendency to say ‘um’ or ‘er’ a lot, to slur one or more letters together, or stammer slightly Often people don’t like the sound of their own recorded voice - in the same way that some people don't like photographs of themselves - they can feel embarrassed. Most of us are not used to hearing our own voices and these feelings are totally normal. Get past the initial, ‘Do I really sound like that?’ stage and develop a better understanding of your voice. The more you get used to the sound of your voice functioning in a slightly more formal way, the easier it is when doing it 'for real'. In conversational mode, individuals tend to speak in short phrases, a few at a time. Speaking or reading aloud helps you to become used to the more fluent sound of your voice. The more you get used to the sound of your voice functioning in a slightly more formal way, the easier it is when doing it 'for real'. In conversational mode, individuals tend to speak in short phrases, a few at a time. Speaking or reading aloud helps you to become used to the more fluent sound of your voice.
- #76 An exercise to help develop your effective speaking skills: Find a document to read, something about two pages in length - the first few pages of a book would work well. Read your document through silently first, then read it aloud in your normal speaking voice. Don't worry if you stumble or falter, just pick up and continue to the end. Now read it a third time, recording your voice if possible and remember: Slow down: It is a natural reaction to want to get it over as fast as possible and this often causes people to stumble over their words. Speeding up also occurs when you are nervous and usually makes you more difficult to understand. Keep your head up: Try not to tuck your chin into the book as your voice is then addressing the floor. Hold your book higher and project your voice. Pause occasionally: Let the end of a sentence or the end of a paragraph give you a chance of a small, two or three second rest. Pauses can be useful for emphasis. Practise this exercise as often as you can. Anyone can improve the sound of their voice and the way they speak in a matter of days through a few simple exercises, like the one above. To improve you will need to maintain a certain commitment and practice regularly for a few minute
- #77 When under stress an individual's breathing pattern will change. When your muscles are tense you cannot use your lungs to their full capacity. When someone is frightened or nervous, a common symptom is tension in the neck and shoulders. This occurs because, when under pressure, we tend to breath faster. This means we inhale plenty of air, but there is not enough time to exhale fully and relax, so we do not get the full benefit.
- #78 By using full lung capacity the breath will support the voice and the voice will become richer, fuller and stronger. This will benefit individuals who have a small voice and who worry that they cannot be heard when speaking to a group of people. Volume is controlled in the abdomen not in the throat, so breathing to full strength will allow for greater control of the voice. Breathing deeply and rhythmically has a calming and therapeutic effect as it releases tension and promotes relaxation. People who are relaxed are more balanced, receptive and confident. It is no coincidence that many religions use rhythmic breathing techniques such as meditation, yoga and silent contemplation, and vocal release in the form of chants, mantras or hymn singing as aids to their devotions. By easing physical tension, mental stress decreases and the mind is effectively freed to follow creative pursuits
- #79 Stand in an easy position with your feet one pace apart, with the knees ‘unlocked’ and not rigidly pushed back. Keep spine straight, head balanced and face muscles relaxed. Breathe in to a slow count of three, then out to a slow count of three. Try not to raise your shoulders as you breathe. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Consciously think of your breath 'filling down' to the bottom of your lungs. Put the palm of your hand flat against your abdomen and feel the movement. Push slightly against your hand as you breathe in and out. Repeat this exercise ten times. Depending on how you feel after several days of doing this exercise, extend the count of the out-going breath from three to four, five and six gradually building up to ten before you need to take another breath. Then count out loud on the out-going breath from one to ten. Repeat five times. By building up your control of out-going breath, you will never sound ‘breathy’ or feel you are 'running out of breath’ when you speak to a group or a meeting.
- #80 Volume This is not a question of treating the voice like the volume control on the TV remote. Some people have naturally soft voices and physically cannot bellow. Additionally, if the voice is raised too much, tonal quality is lost. Instead of raising the voice, it should be 'projected out'. Support the voice with lots of breath - the further you want to project the voice out, the more breath you need. It also needs to come from the diaphragm, not the throat. When talking to a group or meeting, it is important not to aim your talk to the front row or just to the people nearest you. Instead, you need to consciously project what you have to say to those furthest away. By developing a strong voice, as opposed to a loud voice, you will be seen as someone positive. Clarity Some people tend to speak through clenched teeth and with little movement of their lips. It is this inability to open mouths and failure to make speech sounds with precision that is the root cause of inaudibility. The sound is locked into the mouth and not let out. To have good articulation it is important to unclench the jaw, open the mouth and give full benefit to each sound you make, paying particular attention to the ends of words. This will also help your audience as a certain amount of lip-reading will be possible. Variety To make speech effective and interesting, certain techniques can be applied. However, it is important not to sound false or as if you are giving a performance. Words convey meaning, but the way that they are said reflects feelings and emotions. Vocal variety can be achieved by variations in: Pace: This is the speed at which you talk. If speech is too fast, then listeners will not have time to assimilate what is being said. It is also a good idea to vary the pace - quickening up at times and then slowing down – because this will help to maintain interest. Volume: By raising or lowering volume occasionally, you can create emphasis. If you drop your voice to almost a whisper (as long as it is projected) for a sentence or two, it will make your audience suddenly alert. Be careful not to overuse this technique, though, or it will lose its impact. Pitch - Inflection - Emphasis: When speaking in public, try to convey the information with as much vocal energy and enthusiasm as possible. This does not mean your voice has to swoop and dive all over the place in an uncontrolled manner. Try to make the talk interesting. Remember that when you are nervous or excited, your vocal chords tense and shorten, causing the voice to get higher. Emphasise certain words and phrases within the talk to convey their importance and help to add variety. Pause: Pauses are powerful. They can be used for effect to highlight the preceding statement or to gain attention before an important message. Pauses mean silence for a few seconds. Listeners interpret meaning during pauses so have the courage to stay silent for up to five seconds – dramatic pauses like this convey authority and confidence.
- #82 Warm up your voice Before any important speaking situation, whether it is an appointment, meeting or talk, it is beneficial to have a voice warm-up. The voice is an instrument - no musician arrives at a concert hall and launches into Beethoven without first tuning up. The length of time and frequency of a warm-up is up to you and will depend on how much speaking you need to do.
- #83 However, your body language is also important. This includes how you stand, your facial expressions, the way you use your hands to emphasise your speech, and even whether and with whom you make eye contact. There is more about how to use body language to communicate effectively in our page on Body Language. This includes considering how far away you are from your audience, and therefore whether you need to exaggerate your gestures to make them clearer.
- #84 Perhaps the most important aspect of effective communication is congruence. For communication to be effective, your non-verbal communication needs to reinforce your words: the two must say the same thing. Non-verbal communication is much harder to disguise than verbal—if you see that someone’s body language is giving a different message from their words, it pays to listen to the non-verbal communication first as it is more likely to reflect their real views. You may therefore need to put some thought into how you want to use body language and other non-verbal cues. This is particularly important if you are trying to get across a difficult or unwelcome message.