Unit(s): Voice and Diction/Oral Interpretation
Purpose:
The purpose of this exercise is to teach students to project their voices to be heard under many conditions and audience situations.
Objective:
The student will learn to project his voice to a specific target and adjust to the size of room or area where speech is being presented as well as adjusting to the noise environment of the area.
Materials:
- Teachers will need to have copies of current headlines (preferably [interesting or exciting] to the students)
- Noisemakers to create interference.
- Announcements for public addresser
- Classroom set of copies of paragraph"I am looking..."
Procedure:
- Handout newspaper headlines and have students read them to a group of people in a small area.
- Students should read the same headlines from the stage of the auditorium to all the members of the class seated in various places in the house.
- Set up a noisemaker. Create some interference, such as turning on a radio or stereo. Students should learn to "top" the interference so they can be heard.
- Have students pretend they are public address announcers and make announcements such those provided.
- Have students read the paragraph from "I am looking..." slowly. They should start softly and gradually build as they aim their voices to a single imaginary spot on the back wall.
Pretend you are a public address announcer for the following events:
Read the paragraph below slowly. Start softly and gradually build as you aim your voice to a single imaginary spot on the back wall of the classroom.
I am looking at a spot on the back wall, I am talking to that spot. But the spot does not hear very well, and I must focus carefully or the spot will miss my message. Listen spot - hear and know what I say. My voice is dear, the room is quiet - hear me if you will.