Transcripts
1. Reading aloud to children Introduction: reading aloud to Children off all ages, we automatically think, at least I tend to that. Reading aloud to Children is reading aloud to young Children. Please don't forget that 11 12 13 year olds even enjoy being read to If the reader is good so they would love you to read Harry Potter or more classic Children's story to them. As long as you are good at it on, they could lose themselves in the story. Now, if you're a parent or a grand parent or an older brother or sister or you have nephews, nieces or if you're a school teacher or ah nursery school worker, you have probably read stories to Children. Now it should be a really enjoyable experience. What is better than bonding with Children sharing that love off books? Today we have so many other ways of reading stories. We can do it on a tablet being do on the computer, but we don't have that feel that feel for the book for the pages for the paper, the smell even they all have their own smell. So you want to build this love of books on gun, share it with your child on the best way is to read to them and let them, um, find out just how exciting a book could be. Now women reading, we have an image in our mind on. We need to share that image with the person we're talking to or were reading, too. So if I say Christmas Tree, everybody listening to this video will have a picture of a Christmas tree in their head. We won't all have the same Christmas tree, so it's my job then to try and get the same image. So if I say think Christmas tree immediately, we've all got the same color. I may say it's a very tall Christmas tree by six foot tall. So again, we've all changed slightly. Now, if this story has been written well, you won't have to do much more than just usual voice. Pick out the important words and make those words stand out and come alive. Jump off the page. If the story isn't quite so well written, you may have to sort of, um, use your imagination a bit more to make those words come alive. The important thing is that you are sharing these words this love of books and stories with a child
2. Choosing a book: If you're not sure which book to read to your child, then ask them if they have a favorite. Children tend to like to hear the same story over and over again. I think it makes them feel safe and secure. So if they do want to read the same story over and over again, you may be a little fed up or it ask them. Why is it what do they so love about this book? Perhaps it makes them feel happy. Perhaps it makes them feel safe. Perhaps they know that if they listen to that story, they'll have a good night's sleep to find out what it is. Because then that will give you a new outlook on the story and perhaps give you renewed enthusiasm. Even if you are fed up with the story and you are desperate to introduce a new story to them, do it carefully. Okay, if that's what they want, and that's what they feel comfortable with. I know we want to increase your child's love of books on their vocabulary, and you want them to move on, but don't rush it. You don't want them to get bored. You don't want them to get frightened. And you don't want to introduce them to a book that they may not understand very well. A child's vocabulary is not as good as we probably think it is. So if you do come across any words that perhaps aren't familiar to them or you think may not be familiar, just ask. You know what that means? If they hesitate for just one second than jump in is not a test. This has to be un enjoyable experience for you, Andi. For the child. Okay, so you've got your book. You know which one you're going to read. How do you go about reading it?
3. Read and Share the book: So I have decided to read to my imaginary child here, uh, a picture book. It has lots of lovely pictures in it. It's not very thick books that won't take too long. They won't get bored. It's a book written by a very good friend of mine. So she's allowed me to use this without any worries about copyright. So the first thing to do is it. Most Children's books have pictures on the front. Okay, on this one has been on the back as well. So discussed with the child before you even open the book and start the story. What do they think? The picture. What? What do you think this book is about? Um, there's a picture of a hedgehog here. So they may sickness about a hedgehog. Yes, I think it might be. What? What do you think his name might be? What do that? Does he look happy? What do you think else is in the picture to get them to discuss the cover with you? And if, like this one, it has a picture on the back in the back as well. Make sure you're sitting comfortably and make sure they can actually see the cover of the book. There's no point sitting, and if your child sitting here and then point you sitting like this did it very tight. Do they can't see it, so share OK, make sure they can see you want them to share this book. So you've discovered that it's about a hedgehog. Um, they think they might like Teoh to read this story, so make sure they're comfortable. You don't want them fidgeting too much. If they're not comfortable, make sure you're comfortable as well. There's no point reading like this is a twisting round, and then, after a few pages, your arm really starts to eight. Can you think of the new start fidgeting? So both of you in a comfortable position. Then you open the page, open the book up. I think the first thing you'll find in this book it's picture. It's again. We could ask, Oh, what's this? A picture of a wonder how this story starts and encourage them to share this story on the picture. Don't rush. Children need a long time to look at pictures. You know they'll see the people. They'll see the tree that see the ladder to see somebody hiding. They see these notices on they've got, take all that in and then not put it all back together again, is one picture. So don't rush. You could ask them questions while they're looking at it. Or if they seem to be happy, Just sit while they look and then say, Shall we start? Don't ever please forget to tell them what the name of the book is. That's so much part off the books. So the title who is written by and then starts So you just read the first Better make sure they can see Children building higher and higher. They're getting excited about lighting the fire. No, I'm talking to you. So I'm looking at you. But he has been for a child. It would be Children building higher and higher. They're getting excited about lighting the fire. Ho vis scurries from his door. Guy Fawkes night is here once more so I'm looking at the child I engaging Whether they can understand the words I can tell from the look on their face. If they look hesitant, orbit quizzical, I'll stop and ask them. Oh, what? What do you think that means? What want. Why you looking a bit? Ah, I'm sure. Okay, but they already looked at the picture. You then read the words. Then they might want to go back and look at the picture again because it reinforces the picture so they might want to look, you say, Should we turn over the next page and then you might want them to do it, get them to turn over and then there's another picture. So again, talk about the picture. Wonder what's going to happen here. Look, there's ahead shock and he's crying. So fireworks in the sky and wonder why he's crying cause most people like fireworks don't lay. So we read next bit as the evening draws. So near ah lighted bonfire starts to appear with his home being set a light. You'll have nowhere to sleep tonight. So now you know said that we can say that's why he's crying. He must have had his little home where they built a bonfire. So if you think your child is going to be a bit upset by that, then hurry on. Don't let them dwell on that bit. Okay, you go into the next bit money again. We have another picture, but also here we now have some words that you can bring alive even more bush bang, crackle and screech. Usually, we don't want Bush bang crackle on screech. That's not very exciting to anybody. Okay, for its a child, okay? And then you can ask about side. Do you like, do like fireworks? Does the noise frighten you? If the story is for an older child, seem like Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland? You're not going to stop so often because obviously, the story continues more. This is for young Children. They have very short, um, concentration spans. So asked them questions. Get them involved in it. Getting to turn the page over. They may find that one page is really good. Andi, They might want you to read the same page again. Do it. There's nothing wrong and reading the same thing again and then discussing same picture again. There's no rush at all. You need to pause. You need to let the child have time to take in not only the words, but what they mean. Okay, so we carry on through the whole book. Um, luckily, it has a happy ending. You'll be pleased to know. Finish it and then you can ask the child. What did they enjoy the book? What did they enjoy about? If they didn't enjoy it, why didn't they would like to hear it again tomorrow night. And if you've got halfway through and they appear to be tired or losing concentration, just say, should we stop there for now on? We can carry on later. Or we can finish it off tomorrow if they want to finish it off tomorrow. You may find that when tomorrow comes there won't started beginning beginning again. Let them. Okay is all about enjoyment is all about sharing the words sharing the story communication , eye contact, bonding. Okay, there's never a rush. And if you feel as though you're in a rush, then perhaps you're reading the wrong story to the wrong child. So pick the book carefully, trying to gauge the age range. But Children are so different. Um, stories is so different. So do whatever feels right for you. If the child is enjoying it, then carry on reading it, okay? And remember, share a long time is not You're not reading it to yourself. You need to pause take time. Give the child time to take in the pictures. The words on if you've got a child who it's relearning to read themselves with something that's written like this where you know the typing is quite big is quite clear. They may want to have a go as well. You may say, What do you want to read? The next page? Would you want to read the next sentence? Let them. Okay, this is all about love of books lover, storytelling, love of communicating love of speaking love of reading aloud. Let them just asked, Would you like to have a go if they don't? Doesn't matter nothing wrong in that go find a book to read.
4. Alice in Wonderland: reading aloud a story, and this is a Children's story. If you are reading a part of a book or even a whole book, you don't have that, um, urgency to sell something in a few sentences or to explain something in a few sentences. You have time and time is a wonderful thing. When you are reading aloud, you have time to share time to make the words come alive. Time to pause and give your listeners time to take it in. Don't rush. Giving yourself time means you have time to make it sound interesting and expressive. I don't mean be slow and monotonous. You don't want your listeners sitting. Nothing of CO on, Please. Okay. It will just be slightly slower than you are probably used to speaking. I will start by just reading the first paragraph, and I suggest, if possible, you have your printed copy off this Andi. So read aloud with me, sort of whispering just so you get used to that speed on the pausing. So I'm just going to do the first paragraph from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house on the march Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it. A dormouse was sitting between them fast asleep on the other. Two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it and talking over its head. Very uncomfortable for the dormouse thought Alice only as it's asleep. I suppose it doesn't mind. So I didn't rush. I paused. I wasn't afraid of silence. You need to give people time to take it in, and also time to work out who is speaking. You've got the words you can see, whether it's Alice or the Hatter or the March Hare. You listeners can't. They need you to split it up for them. So what do the next power girl? The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it. No room, no room. They cried out when they saw Alice coming. There's plenty of room, said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large armchair at one end of the table. So this time I've made the word large stand out. We have it twice. The table was a large one. Make the word large we don't want The table was a large one was a large one. She sat down in a large armchair. I said. She sat down. My voice dropped down. I didn't say she sat down. Okay, you might say she stood up, but she sat down. Usual voice toe act, plenty of pausing again. Okay, will continue. Have some wine, the march Hare said in an encouraging tone, Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it, but t. I don't see any wine, she remarked. That isn't any, said the March Hare, that it wasn't very civil of you to offer it, said Alice angrily. It wasn't very civil of you to sit down without being invited, said the March Hare. We have plenty of pauses between in the dialogue between the different people, so that the listener can understand who is speaking right. So let's go back to the beginning. Okay, so first things first you have to say the title from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. So look down, look up and say it On the first few words, there was a table set out most of us, and look at a couple of words and remember them for a few seconds of look down. There was a table you should always, always, always when you are reading to people rather the microphone look up on those first couple of words. There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house. Just try that one. It was part of a sentence table set out under a tree in front of the house. Good. No faster than that. And the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it. Solicitors may try it on the march. Thank teeth. Now. Bid further down. We have very uncomfortable for the dormouse. Don't squash that word. Comfortable. Comfortable. Okay. Uncomfortable. Uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable for the dormouse to try that. Don't squash that word. Perry. The doorman. Then you pause. Pause. Thought. Alice is not very uncomfortable for the dormouse. Thought Alice, right? The listener needs time to separate the dialogue. Separated, so you need to separate it. So then we've got the table. Was a large one. Make that a large word. So just try that The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together. Try that Free will at one corner. No room, no room pulls, they cried out. Okay, so you must pause. Try no room, no room! Cried out indignantly. Again, Don't squash it. There's always a temptation when you come across a long word to say it quickly. Plenty of room Paul's, said Alice indignantly. Try it good and then yet another large, and she sat down in a large armchair. Try that Brilliant. Now a lot of people have trouble with this bit, the march Hare said in an encouraging tone. It's a bit is a bit of a mouthful, but don't squash it. So we got have some wine. Poor's said the march hare in on encouraging tone. Try that Berlian so will go over it once more on. Then you can pause the lesson on Try it yourself. Listen to how I use the words toe. Act out what they mean to bring them to life. I use the sounds OK just then, wasn't life. Bring them to life, Bring them to life. Okay, so from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, there was a table set out under a tree in front of the house and the March hare and the Hatter were having tea at it, a dormouse was sitting between them fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it and talking over its head. Very uncomfortable for the dormouse thought hours only as it's asleep. I suppose it doesn't mind. The table was a large one, but the three were all crowded together at one corner of it. No room, no room. They cried out when they saw Alice coming. There's plenty of room, said Alice indignantly, and she sat down in a large armchair at one end of the table. Have some wine, the march Hare said in an encouraging tone. Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it, but t. I don't see any wine, she remarked. That isn't Honey, said the March Hare, that it wasn't very civil of you to offer it, said Alice angrily. It wasn't very civil of you to sit down without being invited, said the March hare that pause and try. Good. Now I hope you didn't rush eight. I hope you've made time to say all those words and Justus importantly, if not more importantly, I hope you shared it. I hope you held your piece of paper at the right height. Looked up. Imagine there's somebody there. Even if there isn't. I am practice looking up and down, picking out important words so that you were able to read anything without fear.
5. Mr Speak uUp: in this lesson lecture. We are going to go over the Children's story. Um, from Mr Speak Up goes to work. It is included as a download, so ideally, you will have this printed out. I will put little snippets up on the screen as we go, but it's very difficult to put the whole thing up there, So if you can have it printed onto a sheet like I have, that's the way to go. I apologize in advance of the paper makes a rattling noise as I'm going now. If I was teaching you to read aloud for performance, where you have listeners sitting in front of you say you were just reading to a school Children or giving a speech or a presentation in front of people. There are a few things I would add into this, like looking up at the audience and sharing the words. But as most voice work and the voice acting will be done with recording so you won't have the audience in front of you, then I won't bother too much as we go. But I will put a lecture at the end that just covers a few basics about doing it that way. So for now we're just read off the sheet and we won't worry too much about the physical things like sharing, looking up, how to sit and stand exactly. So from Mr Speak up goes to work. Now this is a Children's story, so your audience would be Children. Now, Children often need a bit of extra help to understand what the words mean. The vocabulary may not be as brilliant as an adult, so hopefully that's written well that would have been taken into account. But even so, you need to give Children a bit more time than a little bit more help with the importance of the words. So, first of all, I will just read through this. Okay, if you have the script in front of you, just follow it. Ike is a fishmonger at wary Market isn't a fisherman. In fact, he hates fishing, but he does sell the fish that the local fishermen catch. I love selling fish at the market because he can talk to people all day long. You can talk to his customers. Andi can talkto all the other market traders. The stall next to him is owned by Arthur, who sells sunglasses and some hats. The stool opposite is run by wrong. He was a butcher, which means he sells meat every day. Lots of people who live in wary come and buy some fish, their lunch or tea and some by smoked had it war yellow fish to make Kendari. I, like often wondered where the word K Gery came from because he thought it was a very odd word. He decided that today, when he finished work, he would go home and asked him his daughter, if she could find out whether word K Gery came from. I loved words and always wanted to know how to spell long words or how to say unusual words . One of his favorite books was a dictionary because it told him what all the words meant. So that's an extract from a short story. So I made certain words stand out. Now the first opposite first sentence is important. Ike is a fishmonger. Don't go too fast. We don't want because a fishmonger wary market, nobody's going to want to listen to that. OK, Ike is a fishmonger at wary market, so fishmongers important. The market's important. He isn't a fisherman so emphasised the isn't. In fact, he hates fishing. Don't be frightened to use your voice on. Hates on. I made the voice. My my voice goes up in pitch. He hates fishing. You could He hates fishing. You could have gone down. But you're making that word different from the other words. I love selling fish. Okay, if you love something, All right. You love it. It's wonderful. Okay? We don't want, like, love selling fish, because all I will here is selling fish. And I don't know whether you said he likes it. Doesn't like it what you said about it. Okay, got to try. Remember, you're telling this story you're sharing. Um, because he can talk to people all day long. Now, all day is a long period of time. It's not for five minutes. It's not half a now. It's not even half a day's a long day. So I'm using my voice to make the words longer, which gives the impression straightaway in somebody's head of something. Taking a long time. Not a long time. It's not. He can talk to people all day long. You can talk to people a lot. A day long, drawn out. Okay. And then you had a change of mood. The stool next to him is owned by Arthur. So lift your voice back up and continue. Who sells sunglasses on some hats. Now, when I say the word sell. All right. Luck. Cell ends with an L. It is possible to sigh. It sells cells. My tongue didn't touch the top of my mouth, so I'm getting a sales rather than cells. Okay, Very subtle difference. But these little subtle differences make a difference. They mean that somebody listening to you will think person sounds good. They may not know why they won't be able to analyze it, but it just gives the overall speech clarity. So sells the okay. The stall again. We got last stall opposite is run by Ron, who is a butcher and then pulls while the Children would listeners think, butcher And then, which means he sells meat. And then we'll change the mood again every day. Lots of people. So make it sound like a lot of people. Lots of people, not just one or two, not just one person. Well, there's a few lots, right. There's lots and lots of them every day. Lots of people who live in wary come and bison fish for their lunch or tea on some by smoked topic. So when you've got a word that perhaps he's, you need to stand out, pause after it That gives the listener time to take it in, um, to make te gery. Now it's an unusual old word, so pause after again. So people take it in Not to make cadre nothing. What? What did they say? My cat Gery. Um, so I coffin wondered where the word Kasuri came from because he thought it was a very odd word. So again, I'm pausing. I'm not frightened to stop. It's only a fraction off a second. Um, so let's get you to try a few of these things right? Will try. Part of second sentence. The first part. He isn't a fisherman. In fact, he hates fishing. Now you try. Good. Now, hopefully that to you sounded like it might be a bit slower than you would normally speak because most people speak too quickly. Um, you may have noticed that I was using my voice might. Sorry, I was using my face. He hates fishing right. I put facial expression into it, and although if I was recording this, nobody would see me. It helps my voice to get that expression. I'm You could do it without he hates, but it's not so easy if you try and do it without that, using your face at all. In fact, he hates fishing, and it's so somehow lacks something. So don't be frightened. If you're recording something on, there may be one or two people with you listening to you working with you. Don't be frightened to use your face. You know, you might think this is a bit odd because I'm talking to a microphone, but it does help. OK, so in fact, he hates fishing. So just try that that part of the sentence again. In fact, he hates fishing and use your face. Try it. Good. Now let's try the bit because he can talk to people all day long. So sate with me. So you get the feel for the length of the word. Okay, so we're just going to do that little bit because he can talk to people all day long. Right? So now you do it on your own because brilliant on when you got to long as a full stop. So just stop. We have the word every day, right? Ever every day. Most people say every two syllables. It actually has three. Every the middle bit is really quick every day. Lots of people. Okay, so just try that. Those three words Four words every day. Lots off people make the lots of like I said before, It's not just one or two. It's lots of them to try. Good. Now I would suggest that you pause the lecture and read the whole thing through yourself. Remember, there is no rush. The beginning has to be as interesting as the end. So it told him what all the words meant. No rush. Take your time with all the words and there's a lot on the end of all. Pause. Read it. See how Ugo on then perhaps go back, pick out some other bits and do it again. Ends of words. Nice and clear eaters and the tongue touching top of your mouth. In fact, Okay, he hates he isn't fishermen. So all those toes and does, um, Arthur, who sells sunglasses on sun hats? It all needs to be clear, but not over. Done. Pause the lecture on. Read it, right. Was that OK? Now I suggest that we read it together. Okay, So read along with me, if you can. I know it's not always very easy, but it will give you a feel for the pace on the pausing. Okay, So Ike is a fishmonger at wary market. He isn't a fisherman. In fact, he hates fishing. But he does sell the fish that the local fishermen catch. I love selling fish at the market because he can talk to people a lot day long he can talk to his customers and he can talkto all the other market traders. The stall next to him is owned by Arthur, who sells some glasses and some hats. The stall opposite is run by wrong who was a butcher? Which means he sells meat every day. Lots of people who live in wary come and buy some fish for their lunch or tea and some by smoked had IQ or yellow fish to make hatchery. I often wondered where the word Kasuri came from because he thought it was a very odd word . He decided that today. When he finished work, he would go home and ask Kim, his daughter, if she could find out where the word catdgory came from. Ike loved words on, always wanted to know how to spell long words or how to say unusual words. One of his favorite books was a dictionary because it told him what all the words meant. Good Now, as I was reading that one, things came to my mind. And that's when you've got words like Dictionary, right? Dictionary. Four syllables. Don't squash. It is not dictionary dictionary. So again, take your time, half the confidence to do what you know is right.
Serena Greenslade, Elocution Teacher since 1994
