Verbal Communication

Module 6 * Part 1

Since your presentation will be delivered verbally on video, it is a good idea to pay careful attention to the different aspects of verbal communication.

Volume

"Volume" refers to how loudly or softly you are speaking. However, volume concerns more than whether people can hear you or not. It also affects the appropriate expression of meaning.

The same phrase can be expressing three different meanings depending on your volume: "Please keep quiet."

  • At a volume of 2 (i.e. whisper) - you are likely in a library trying to warn something

  • At a volume of 6 (i.e. standard speaking) - you are likely instructing someone or a group of people

  • At a volume of 9 (i.e. yelling) - you are likely angry

    So when you are delivering a presentation, consider how you would vary your volume to attract your audience’s attention and express yourself appropriately.

    Pace

    These three concepts are different but related:

  • Pace: how fast / slow you are speaking

  • Pause: where to momentary stop speaking

  • Stress: which word / group of words to speak stronger (relative to the words around it) to give it emphasis

    All three aspects are related to communication and clarity. A good speaker will use all three ideas to his/her advantage in order to enhance clarity and expression.

    Intonation

    The third aspect that we should pay attention to is intention. "Intonation", in simple terms, refers to the appropriate tonal shape of a sentence. It is best illustrated through examples:

    As you can see, intonation can rise and fall. Some non-native speakers speak in a flat intonation. That is to be avoided because it does not sound natural. Having the appropriate intonation for your speech will make you sound more natural. Second language speakers often need to listen more carefully for the correct intonation of native speakers.

    Pronunciation

    Pronunciation refers to how correctly to articulate the sound of each word. There are many pronunciation rules), but in general there are several general principles for you to remember and put into action:

    1. Articulate each sound clearly by paying careful attention to your tongue and lips
    2. For large words, break it down into small chunks, with each chunk consisting of only one sound (i.e. one vowel sound and one consonant sound)
    3. Slow down when you are speaking to achieve the most accurate pronunciation
    4. Don't forget ending sounds, such as "s" for plurals and "ed" for past tense.
    5. Read and speak a word in a passage, rather than practice a difficult word individually. Pronunciation works best in context
    6. Don't forget word stress. Incorrect word stress can skew the correct pronunciation of a word