PRINCIPLES OF CORRECTION

There are various ways of approaching the problem of correcting faults. It is difficult to say which of the methods described below will be most successful. Generally any result will depend upon the perception and application of the speaker. The following are suggested as fairly broad principles on which to base the work.

1. Where there is a problem on a specific sound in speech it is utterly pointless merely to provide a piece of practice material or a set of exercises in which repetition of the sound is involved. This only serves to exaggerate the problem and, with too much practice, to consolidate an already undesirable speech habit. To provide a person who has difficulties in making a satisfactory S sound with jingles of the 'Sister Susie sewing socks for sailors' variety, has absolutely no validity on its own. It is essential to approach the problem methodically, with graduated exercises encouraging the development of the movements required, culminating in the articulation of the sound itself.

2. It should be remembered that the appeal of a sound to a speaker is not only auditory but is very often the product of sensations in the mouth, nose and throat. While the imitative kind of teaching may produce quick results it may also serve only to confuse the speaker, who then has to hear the difference in sounds, when the very reason why he or she is producing inadequate voice and speech is precisely because the hearing is limited in some way. This is not to condemn entirely the use of imitation - but it is only efficient if it works! Remember that listening and speaking may create different perceptions. For example, a speaker may feel that he or she is making extra effort whereas the listener will only perceive the additional effort as increased volume.

3. It may be that a visual approach will assist the speaker to make a correction. For example, a clear diagram of the position required for the tongue in the articulation of the sounds, or some kind of visual representation of the changes in pitch level in the voice, may well be helpful.

4. A clear account of the sensations involved in producing the sound, coupled with the speaker's ability to store and then reproduce that exact sensation each time, is also helpful.

5. More often than not a combination of the Imitative, Visual and Tactile approaches mentioned in 2, 3 and 4 will be needed.

6. It is impossible to bring about correction without constant and frequent practice. This cannot be emphasised too strongly. It is not sufficient to practice for a long time once a week. Regular daily practice is called for. Since the object of correction is to build a new habit, like other habits it must eventually become subconscious; and this can only be achieved if it is used often enough. Once the object of correction has been achieved then it requires frequent practice to maintain it.

7. Where more than one problem is involved - which are not inter-related - it is advisable to tackle each one separately and cumulatively. Rather than coping with several problems at once, try to determine a priority and deal with the most apparent and conspicuous difficulty first.

Relaxation

One of the greatest impediments to adequate voice production is the unnecessary use of muscles not directly required to assist in producing the sound. These muscles may be contracted and tensed to inhibit their effectiveness or may be deployed with an energy greater than is necessary to achieve the desired result.

As a preliminary to all work concerned with the voice, it is important to begin with simple limbering and relaxing exercises, in which the posture is adjusted and an appropriate elimination of unnecessary muscular effort is achieved.

There are various interpretations of the word 'relaxation' and it is important to make some definition of the term as it is applied to the production of voice - indeed of any physical activity. Relaxation, in this sense, is not that profound mental and physical state often associated with meditation, or near-sleep. It is simply the awareness and adjustment of the physical attitude of the body to ensure a correctly aligned posture with a minimal involvement of those parts of the anatomy not directly involved in the task.

For example, screwing up the hands into tight fists while speaking is a typical signal of unnecessary tension. Since the activity of all muscles is related, the tendency is for this tension to communicate itself to the arms, the shoulders and the neck. As a result the efficiency of breathing is impaired and the quality of the tone of the voice is liable to reflect this tension. Similarly to stick the chin forward, so that the underside of the jaw is showing, will produce a stretching and tension in the throat as well as a stiffness of the jaw, which interfere with the speaker's ability both to articulate individual sounds and to produce voice adequately.

This is not to suggest that the problem of tension is exclusively physical. The muscular signs may well be attributable to states of anxiety. By the very nature of the act of communicating verbally with other people, there is likely to be an inherent attitude of apprehension, even extending as far as deep fear. It is neither the province of this book, nor that of the teacher, to account for and deal with the complicated emotional states which are attendant on speech situations, beyond making some fundamental suggestions for coping with the familiar and common problems of anxiety which most people experience at some time or another.

The suggestions offered below are an attempt to help the speaker in rationalising his or her anxiety, followed by some suggestions to analyse what form the tension takes physically.

1. Always make sure that you understand and believe in what you are saying. This applies equally to conversation as to a prepared speech or lecture.

2. Remember that most listeners want to hear you speak personally, fluently and articulately. In fact they wish you to do well. It is amazing how much patience and goodwill a listener will exercise to hear someone else's ideas.

3. Speak simply, using only vocabulary and facts of which you are sure.

4. Wherever necessary and possible, prepare the material to be spoken.

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 717