Speaking Out Loud is back!

And it comes with a few simple questions.

Nek minnit*, she's back. Yes, I've made a decision to pick up from where I left off.

(*Alright, so wasn’t a minute or so later. It’s more like a month and a bit - about six newsletters worth.)

Since then, I’ve been getting over myself, (Well, I had to, didn’t I?) and trying to figure out a couple of fundamental things.

The first is who is reading Speaking Out Loud and why.

I can see your names and I have your email addresses but more than that I know very little about you. I don’t know which countries you live in. Or whether you read my newsletter because you teach and you want the information I offer to use in your classroom. Or for some other reason as yet unknown, because I haven’t asked and you haven’t told me.

The second is what aspects of my experience of public speaking and teaching do you want to know more about? What would be genuinely helpful for you?
Activities and games targeting specific skills?
Lesson plan bundles?
Example speeches?
Q & A sessions - you ask the questions. I answer them as best I can, and we also ask for suggestions from other readers because there’s a wealth of knowledge amongst them? (That could be fun.)

Here’s what I feel I can sincerely offer. Material on:

• activities and games to build confidence and skills

• vocal variety - pitch, tone, articulation, pause and pace and how they shape the responses of those listening to us.
  For instance, I am particularly interested in how the quality of a teacher’s voice influences how students learn, and similarly, the role our voice plays in determining what does or does not happen in our lives.
  And on a less lofty level - how to adapt vocal variety to suit the underlying purpose of what is being delivered, and the audience.

• vocabulary choices - how the words we choose can include or exclude our audience and the implications of that. Similarly structure - how we put words together and how that varies according to purpose and the people listening.

• understanding and managing public speaking anxiety. Techniques to teach.

• developing lesson sequences to teach specific skills: how to use body language effectively, how to evaluate a speech and give constructive feedback, how to rehearse or practice effectively…

• the preparation/writing process of varying types of speeches which could perhaps turn into specific lesson sequences

• storytelling: what to tell and how to tell it

• and what I’ve learned, the good, bad and indifferent, over humpty-nine years, a long time, of doing what I do.

To help me understand more about what you’d like from Speaking Out Loud I’ve put together a short survey which you’ll find by clicking the button below.

If you decide to fill it out, thank you! I’ll use what you say to help plan the content of the next three or four or more newsletters.

I’m looking forward to reading your survey responses.

Wherever you are I hope life is treating you and yours kindly,
Susan

The image link will take you to a contact form on my website: write-out-loud.com’s about me page. Or you can simply reply to this email. Thank you.