How Voice Training Can Aid in Accent Reduction
on Jan 25 in UncategorizedAs a voice specialist, I have known for many years that a good voice improvement course can be an excellent means of accent reduction. Yesterday, I received an email from a Taiwanese man studying in Boston. His 1st language is Mandarin Chinese; and, he has been enrolled in an accent reduction course for the past 4 months. He noticed, however, that something was still missing:
1. his inability to increase his volume without his accent returning; and,
2. his inability to improve his vowel sounds.
2 weeks ago, Chihhung started voice training and his improvement was so noticeable for both him and his listeners that he wrote to tell me what had happened.
He said, “I started taking your lessons and found the greatest progress I have ever made after I learned to speak in my optimum pitch by using my chest cavity to power my voice. I notice how easily I can make any sounds I want!” He further stated that he can control his vowel quality as well, again because he is using his chest as his primary sounding board.
The best result for Chihhung, however, is that others now understand him better and he tells me he can even do the Boston accent. “Guess what, I just had a meeting, and I could make myself very clear, I could even joke around,” he added.
While the primary goal of voice training is to help you discover your ‘real’ voice, one of its greatest benefits is that you will speak more clearly whether you have an accent, a dialect, or not. And, although voice training is not intended to eliminate accents, it helped this Boston student produce his vowel sounds with much greater ease because he is now powering his sound by means of his chest cavity instead of just by means of his throat and voice box. It is this change in phonation (production of voiced sound) that has made a tremendous improvement in helping him reduce his accent.
Another benefit for Chihhung is that he can now increase his volume without shouting: in doing so, his accent does not return. What this young man learned was how to use his chest to speak with a larger voice which does not hurt his throat nor his listeners’ ears. By learning how to project his voice instead of shouting or yelling, he discovered that he is able to retain control over his voice, his vowel sounds, and his volume.
I am delighted for Chihhung because he has not only gained a number of benefits that he was not expecting, but he now speaks with a deeper, richer, warmer voice to boot! And that, in itself, is a tremendous asset indeed!
The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, corporate and group workshops in voice and presentation skills as well as Voicing It!, the only video training program on voice improvement. Visit Voice Dynamic or watch Nancy in a brief video as she describes The Power of Your Speaking Voice. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/public-speaking-articles/how-voice-training-can-aid-in-accent-reduction-1783299.html
Public Speaking Tips For Non – Public Speakers
on Jan 24 in UncategorizedPublic speaking ranks as one of the top fears of Americans. Understandably so: all eyes are fixed on you and your every word is scrutinized. This can be a daunting task which sends tremors through the bodies of even seemingly confident people.
No matter how much you hate public speaking, you are going to have to do it at some point. Whether as a student, an employee, or a manager. Even as a relative or friend you may be called upon to bestow some insights or wisdom about a particular person or subject. When you do, here are some tips to help you conquer your fears, and excel as a public speaker.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE: Knowing your audience is key. It helps you determine the approach, tone, and language to use in communicating your message. Speaking to adults is very different than speaking to children who lack your maturity, experience, and education. The same is true of speaking to groups that are comprised of people from different cultures, industries, and social groups. Your number one consideration, and most important assignment, is to know who you are speaking to.
KNOW THEIR EMOTIONAL STATE: People connect through emotions. President Obama won his campaign based upon this premise. His message of hope and optimism was chosen to appeal to the emotions of voters who were experiencing strife resulting from financial hardships. By knowing what emotional state your audience is in, your message can be designed to appeal to those emotions.
HAVE A SIMPLE MESSAGE: The more elaborate your message, the more likely people will forget it. You want your message to be clear, concise, and memorable. As a public speaker, I actually tell my audience the message I came to deliver by packaging it as the most important thing I want them to leave with (e.g., preparation is the key to success…your network improves your net worth…talent is not enough, etc.). This way they can recall and process the message.
SPEAK TO BE UNDERSTOOD: When speakers start thinking (or fearing) that they are going to be judged by others, they put the satisfaction of their ego ahead of their message. The result is a disconnection from their audience. Get over it!. Your message, not the messenger, is the real focal point of every audience. Speaking publicly is not a platform to show how smart you are, but an opportunity to show you care about and understand the problems, concerns, and desires of the people in your audience. Don’t speak to impress; speak to be understood.
SPEAK FROM THE HEART: When you speak from a place of truth and honesty, your message resonates with others. Studies show that people rank honesty and sincerity as the number one trait they value in public speakers (or anyone who speaks publicly). Speaking from the heart is what public speaking is all about; having the courage to use your voice and to share your truth in an effort to meet others on some common ground. As long as you don’t lie to yourself about who you are, what you think, how you feel, or what you believe in, you can be effective at public speaking, even if you are not a public speaker.
Gian Fiero is an educator, speaker and consultant. He specializes in business development, career planning, and personal growth issues. Gian is also affiliated with San Francisco State University as an adjunct professor, and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) where he conducts educational workshops to inspire and empower entrepreneurs and professionals. He is available for speaking engagements throughout the country. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/public-speaking-articles/public-speaking-tips-for-non-public-speakers-1772376.html
Are You Speaking Fluently – or do you suffer from a vocal virus?
on Jan 22 in UncategorizedThere’s a very popular addition to the language around at the moment. It is used by a majority of speakers from TV and radio presenters, public speakers and possibly members of your family.
It is unfortunately taking over all our conversations and threatening to destroy clear and concise communication. It will double the amount of time that it takes to deliver a simple message and its overuse can affect the ability of our listeners to understand our message. What is it? It is the ubiquitous expressions UM and URR.
If we are forced to listen to a sufferer from this vocal virus we will often find ourselves concentrating on the number of times it creeps into the conversation; we get fixated on it, counting the times it is used. We can get irritated with the speaker, and that irritation will affect the way we receive the actual topic under consideration.
When I first started my public speaking career, which was over twenty years ago, this vocal virus was an isolated disease but now it has become an epidemic and often, when answering a question, it will be the first word out the victim’s mouth.
Is there no cure? Well yes there is, all is not lost ~ all it needs is an understanding of the problem, concentration and practice.
First the problem – UM is a word that we use to fill in the silent pause used by people who don’t quite know what to say. UM… see what I … URR mean? Often it is the first reaction to being asked a question and used as a security blanket while organising our thoughts.
I am afraid that the results may be alarming, but take heart there is a simple medication, it’s called “The Pause for Poise”
Just remember that UM or URR will only take over when you are thinking, it is a verbal pause for thought.
So step 1 on your way to a cure is to Shut the mouth when not speaking. Mouth breathing will allow the virus in, and when we take a breath without speaking, the exhaled breath often triggers the vocal virus.
Step 2 is to pause while you think about the next thing you are going to say. Use nasal breathing techniques with a firmly closed mouth while considering your response, and when you do open your mouth to speak you will find that you have defeated the virus. This is known as “The Pause for Poise”.
Appoint yourself a vocal coach, a close friend, family member or work colleague to monitor your progress, to make you more aware of how you are doing with your cure. Reward yourself for your first virus free day ~ you will have earned it. Work at eliminating the vocal virus from your ordinary speech and it will not attack you in your public presentations.
So join our campaign to eliminate this disease from the English language.
Michele Keighley is a Co-Founder and Senior Trainer with Trischel – Innovative Communication Training Company. – She is an award winning trainer, published author amd profession speaker Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/public-speaking-articles/are-you-speaking-fluently-or-do-you-suffer-from-a-vocal-virus-1763025.html
Speak With Power and Authority – Ingenious Way to Overcome Your Fear and Speak with Confidence
on Jan 20 in UncategorizedThe year was 2,000. Ed Tate walked out on stage to the sound of several thousand speakers clapping. Was he nervous and fearful? Probably. He was competing against nine other contestants for the World Champion of Public Speaking.
The Power Pause
He planted his feet and looked at the audience. Five seconds went by. Ed said nothing and continued to look at the audience. Another five seconds slipped. The audience was dead silent and with every second the tension started to build. After a few seconds, Ed Said his opening line and launched into the speech.
This 10-15 second pause has been called the “Ed Tate Scan.” It is a powerful speech technique not only for influencing the audience but also for reducing public speaking fear and nervousness.
Pausing and looking at various members of the audience has the following benefits:
* It calms you down and gives you a chance to breathe.
* It usually quiets the audience and builds anticipation in the room for what you have to say.
* It makes you look confident and in control.
Start applying this and you will find it will reduce your public speaking fear. Of course there are exceptions. Sometimes, the audience is milling around and you have to grab their attention.
You can say, “May I have your Attention!” Then pause
There are times when you don’t have time to pause for this long. If you stand up in a meeting to voice your opinion, you probably want to just pause for a couple seconds.
How to Power Pause
Pausing for this long can seem like eternity. That’s why I used to spend time counting in my head mentally. One and two and three… Soon it will become second nature.
Did this pause reduce any nervousness that Ed Tate had? I don’t know what he was thinking or feeling during the speech, but I do know that later on that evening he was crowned the 2000 World Champion of Public Speaking.
Speak with Power and reduce public speaking fear with the Power Pause.
To learn more, click here –> How To Speak With Power and Authority. Want to Improve your Presentation Skills? Upgrade Your Presentation Skills Fast! Arlen Busenitz is the creator of “Speak with Confidence: How to Conquer Public Speaking Fear with 4 Simple Steps” Learn more on how to overcome speaking fear.
How to Become a Keynote Speaker
on Jan 20 in UncategorizedYou should try your chances in becoming a professional keynote speaker.
Keynote speakers set the color and tone of an assembly and create an audience of a single mind. Keynote speakers play a very crucial role in business gatherings. They aim to synergize the mentality of the crowd to a particular theme or idea.
Keynote public speaking is a specialized discipline which involves humor, motivational skills, and flair. One can only measure its effectiveness when it has delivered its purpose of energizing the audience. If the spectators are left wanting more, then you can justly say that the keynote has been conveyed effectively.
Keynote Speakers are of high demand especially among corporate professionals. The success of the agenda immensely relies on the ability of the speaker. That is why their services are significantly compensated.
If you want to be a successful keynote speaker, you have to adhere to the highest of standards. Here are few tips on how to be a great keynote speaker:
Start with a quotation or an anecdote
A good keynote speaker should start with a thought-provoking story or quote and build from that. Of course, the anecdote or saying should be suitable to the meeting’s agenda. The audience is such a sucker for this. They will love it especially, if you can follow through with your performance.
Know the crowd. Know the schema.
It is very helpful to your goal as a keynote speaker if you know your audience.
You must remember the cliche “Different folks, different strokes.”
You wouldn’t address business executives the way you would address blue collar folks, would you? They have different frames of mind. They operate in different frequencies. So you must customize your material in accordance to your audience.
Your clothing and body language.
As a keynote speaker, you must exude confidence and radiate enthusiasm. The words you say are only half of the equation. The other half is the way you present yourself. You are there to create impact and influence the crowd with your zest and zeal.
If you don’t dress accordingly you will immediately lose respect from your audience. You better have something up your sleeve to recover from this blunder. Great speakers can get away with it. But even so, why should you leave everything to speaking prowess?
Humor against boredom
The audience is your measuring stick. You will know if you are doing poorly if the crowd appears to be bored and uninterested. Humor and quick-wit in keynote speaking is crucial. People love to laugh. They want to be amused.
From time to time, make the crowd laugh. The audience will the humor and wit and they will listen to your every word.
**Attention Readers**
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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/public-speaking-articles/how-to-become-a-keynote-speaker-1753254.html
