5 Responses

1. Storytelling

   Hi Colette

   Split your group up and give them each a copy of the same children’s storybook. One for very young children is probably better as they’re shorter. Get one group to read out the book as if they were reading to a class of children. They have to almost over-exaggerate for kids, doing all the different voices etc. Get another group to read it out in a totally monotone voice.

   Then discuss the impact of both and what makes it better or worse. Gets the message across and is also a bit of fun.

   Sue

2. Voice power

   Hi there Colette

   An idea along the lines of Sue’s is the "I didn’t say you stole the money" activity – in small groups everyone gets the same sentence but with a different word in bold which they have to add extra inflection to.  Upon reading each one out aloud, it becomes clear how the use of inflection can completely change the meaning of the sentence! 

    

    

    

3. famous phrases……

   collect a series of famous phrases……. or even whole speeches

   eg Go on punk, make my day

   once more into the breach dear friends once more…….

   I only told you to blow the b****y doors off

   in flanders fields the poppies blow……..

   they think it’s all over, it is now

   I have a dream , that one day…….

   I have nothing to offer you but blood, toil tears and sweat

   come up and see me some time

   I didn’t do it nobody saw me do it you can’t prove anything

   and get people to read them out with different inflections/tones and volumes……it shows how different they sound …..and how different they are in terms of "listenability" and desire to hear to the end.

   Rus

4. thanks
   Thanks guys for the great ideas….love a group brainstorm! Really appreciated,
   Colette

5. oh, and one other thing…..

   you didn’t mention accent but that does make a difference as well…….

   Arnold Shwarzenegger (if that is the right spelling) apparently wanted to dub his own voice onto the Terminator films for their release in the German language….but was apparently rejected because his accent is the Germanic equivalent of a member of Wurzels!

   "oooooohh aaaaaaar, Oil b’ needin’ yer, goon, yer booots an’ yer motorcycle, me dearie-oh"

   Not quite as threatening!

   Rus