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EdTech 101.5
AUDIO GUIDELINES
VOCAL BEHAVIOR
The term vocal behavior refers to the way we use pitch, rate, and volume when we speak. A dynamic speaker varies his or her vocal behavior throughout a speech to underscore the message and to keep the audience interested.
PITCH
Everybody uses a mixture of low and high pitches—a pitch range—when speaking. Variation in pitch is a tool for stressing words and adding emotion to sentences. When utterances are flat and monotone (i.e., when the pitch range is too narrow), listeners become bored and tune out. Make sure, therefore, to vary your pitch levels sufficiently.
RATE AND FLUENCY
The rate of speech includes speed and pausing. As with pitch, try to vary your rate throughout your speech. You may want to speak more slowly at the beginning of your speech, for instance, to give your listeners an opportunity to get used to your voice. You may also want to slow down when discussing important points. Exciting narratives and accounts involving actions or adventure are examples for times when a faster rate of speech is appropriate.
REFERENCE:
Gareis, E. (n.d.) Guidelines for public speaking. Retrieved from http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/wsas/academics/communication/documents/Guidelines.pdfVOLUME
Make sure that everybody in the audience can hear you without straining. To project your voice effectively, it helps to direct it to the person sitting farthest away from you. Even when you vary the volume of your voice at appropriate times in your speech, keep in mind that everyone needs to be able to hear you.