"There
is no index of character so sure as the voice"
—Benjamin
Disraeli
Learn how to develop a strong, resonant, mature, pleasing,
and expressive voice - a voice that reflects "who you are."
You will learn to use your vocal mechanism properly - and
project your voice with ease. You will rid your voice of unpleasant
vocal qualities, such as nasality, raspiness, tension, and
breathiness. You will attain a well-focused, modulated, vital,
dynamic voice that makes a good impression when you speak. You will
learn to use pitch, focus, resonance, intonation, and other aspects of
voice to excellent advantage.
Articulation and Pronunciation
"Speak
the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the
tongue."
—Hamlet
William Shakespeare
Achieve clear,
crisp, correct, and dynamic speech. Be understood easily,
immediately, and completely. Overcome annoying speech patterns and mispronunciations.
Overcome regional and substandard dialects of English and learn to speak
Standard American Speech. Use rhythm, phrasing, and pacing to help
you express your ideas clearly and accurately.
Diction
Increase your
vocabulary and command of English. Know the exact word or phrase to
use. Be grammatically correct at all times. Be articulate and
well-spoken so that you can express your ideas and viewpoints with
clarity, intelligence, and persuasiveness in situations which may include
everyday conversation, job interviews, courtroom and media appearances,
and formal presentations or speeches.
Reading
Aloud
A
word is dead
When
it is said,
Some say.
I
say it just
Begins
to live
That day.
—Emily Dickinson
Read the written
word aloud with clarity, intelligence, and expression. You may read
aloud professionally, as a part of your job, to your children, or just for
fun. The written word may include speeches, training and sales
presentations, lectures, conference papers, reports, lectoring,
commercials, voice-overs, narrations, editorials, announcements, or
literature, such as stories, poetry, or drama.
