STUDY SKILLS - PRESENTATION SKILLS - VOICE EXERCISES

This information is taken from:

Van Emden and Becker (2010): 2: Delivery, Non-verbal Communication and Nerves.

1. VOICE CHECKLIST

Is my loud, perhaps too loud?
Is my voice soft, perhaps too soft?
Do I speak too slowly?
Do I speak too quickly?
Is my voice monotonous?
Do I articulate clearly or do I mutter?
Will my accent cause my audience any particular difficulty?
Do I run out of breath and gasp for air as I speak? ...

2. BUILDING CONFIDENCE TO SPEAK

Join in small group conversations, even if it's only to say a few words.
Agree with another speaker out loud. Don't just think 'What a good idea' - say so ...
Try to ask a question in a seminar group ...
Be willing to take a tutor into your confidence ...
If you can, play a very small role in a group activity ...
Always go in advance to the room in which you have to speak, and sit or stand in the position you'll need to take ...

3. VOICE EXERCISE (BANG)

Go into an empty room and stand at one end. Now think of some words which have explosive sounds, such as 'Stop!', 'Crash!' and 'Bang!' Imagine a scene in which you need to shout one of these words (someone is about to walk under a bus, and you yell 'Stop!') then do so, very loudly, and notice as you do how you take a deep breath and move your mouth quite instinctively. Now try saying the words again, this time not shouting, but speaking as loudly as you can, taking a breath and moving your mouth as before When you've tried this a few times, use other words which don't have quite such a forceful sound - perhaps 'Good morning' ...

This will help you if you don't move your lips enough - a common reason for people speaking too softly ...

4. VOICE EXERCISE (BREATHING)

Part of your problem when making too little noise might be that you are swallowing your words, keeping your voice far too much at the back of your throat. If you hum, you'll see that the sound comes much more from the mask of of your face than from so far back. Humming also helps with with breathing properly, essential if you're too speak well. Do you breathe shallowly, so that you just expand your chest space and raise your shoulders? Try to take a deep breath so that you expand your diaphragm - you should feel the movement right down at at the belt of your jeans Put your hands on your ribcage and feel how it expands, but don't let your shoulders move upwards. Think of taking a breath as filling a jug: start as low as you can, right down at the diaphragm, and gradually fill the space in your body until you have an enormous reserve of air to support your voice.

When you've taken a good, deep breath, hum on one note for as long as you can, letting out your breath in a slow, controlled way. You should be able to keep the note going for at least 20 seconds and probably more ... Do this exercise each day, and you will be able gradually to extend the length of your humming note ... You're learning to control your breathing, which is very important for public speaking. At the same time, you're discovering a way of reducing stress, as deep, controlled breathing relaxes you both physically and mentally ...

5. VOICE EXERCISE (TIMING READING - READ THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH AND THEN LOOK AT THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW)

'Listening is difficult. Your audience is likely to start with considerable goodwill towards you (not least because they're grateful that it's you speaking and not them), and they listen at first in the hope of finding that you've chosen an interesting subject about which they may learn something. If they can easily hear what you say, they will tend to go on listening, and if you are obviously interested in what you're saying, they will pick up on your interest and so be willing to carry on listening (which is why later, we'll stress the importance of your enthusiasm). If you speak slowly, they will have time not only to hear what you say, but also to understand and assimilate it, make it part of their knowledge base and, perhaps, think of a useful question to ask. If you speak quickly, there simply isn't time to for this process to take place; even if they manage the first part, hearing, or even the second part, understanding, they won't have time to assimilate the information and make it theirs. As a result, they will remember cry little and will feel that they have gained no long-term benefit from being present.'

By a lucky coincidence, the paragraph above, beginning 'Listening is difficult', contains 198 words, which is ideal for the purpose of practice. Read the paragraph aloud and time yourself, and try again until you manage to take about a minute and a half to read it. Depending on the size of the audience, that's just about the speed you need when you talk in public.

6. VOICE EXERCISE (TOFFEE)

First of all, imagine that you have a large piece of sticky toffee in your mouth and you're trying not to let it stick to your teeth. Fortunately, there isn't anybody else around, so you can chew as violently as you like. Do this for a moment or two, as it's a good exercise to loosen up the muscles of your jaw and mouth before you begin to speak.

Now say the following phrases aloud, making sure that you make every sound as precisely and energetically as you can:

Electromagnetic compatibility ...

A medieval knight wearing helmet, hauberk and armour-cap ...

Romantics, realist and impressionists ...

Peas, beans, broccoli and cauliflowers ... (Van Emden and Becker, 2010, pp.6-15).

REFERENCE

Van Emden, J and Becker, L. (2010) Presentation skills for students. 2nd edn. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.