What Does Elocution Teach?

Apart from clear pronunciation and good articulation, elocution helps develop control.

What I mean by that is control over how and when we speak.

Today I had a student who tried so hard to sound good that her speech became tense, and as a result, she made pronunciation mistakes. She is not the only one who has this issue.

Tension is not control. Speaking in a relaxed and clear way is.

I would recommend to all my elocution students the following exercises:


1. Start with breathing exercises from the app 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause (iOS/Android) – lesson 2.

2. Then work on pace (lesson 4), and finally use of pauses (lesson 5).

3. Record a one-minute speech, then listen back and note your use of pauses and pace.

4. If you notice tension or rushed speech, try again with deliberate pauses and a more relaxed delivery.

Finally, practising long vowels and diphthongs is a good way to slow down speech and improve clarity—rather than clipping them, learn to lean on long vowels and diphthongs. Lessons 1-5, 16-23 in the apps:

I also recommend being intentional about what you say. Sometimes, it is best to use very few words—or say nothing at all. Being economical with words and using pauses can be a very powerful means of communication—more on this in my next edition.

292. How to Keep your Audience’s Attention

Yesterday, I visited my Toastmasters club and listened to six impromptu and three prepared speeches. I chose to sit at the back of the room so that, if I got bored, I could peek at my phone for some intellectual or visual stimulation.

Here’s an honest reflection on what I noticed about the speakers and how I felt as an audience member.

Moments When I Got Bored

  • The speaker’s voice was too quiet, and I could not hear much

  • A monotonous speech delivery made me instantly switch off from listening and look at my phone

  • When they spoke too fast and did not have a clear speech structure

  • When the speaker was relying too heavily on notes, it felt like they were reading a boring report rather than sharing a message

Moments When I Really Enjoyed Listening

  • One of the speakers started his speech with a deep, intimate question; it felt like he was speaking to me directly. It was an amazing connection

  • A few speakers made clever jokes and connected them to previous speakers. We all could relate to those jokes and have a good laugh

What Stood Out: Body Language

Finally, I would like to share what stood out to me. I paid attention to the body language because it speaks louder than words and tells a lot about a person. I find it fascinating:

  • One speaker had a lifted shoulder and hunched back, which made him appear tense and uneven

  • The Toastmaster of the evening hugged presenters, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere

  • Some speakers looked very serious throughout, which made their talks feel heavy

Key Takeaways for Speakers

  1. Open with a relatable question or story to capture attention

  2. Project your voice so that people can hear you

  3. Memorise the key messages of your speech and connect with the audience rather than reading a script

  4. Create a clear speech structure, pause between paragraphs and allow listeners to absorb one idea at a time

  5. Stand tall, open your shoulders and smile

I’d love to hear from you—what interesting things do you notice when people speak?

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

290. Do You Speak Too Fast?

Why Do People Speak Too Fast?

There are several reasons why someone might speak quickly:

  1. Nervousness or anxiety – When we’re nervous, our body goes into “fight or flight” mode, and talking fast is a natural response.

  2. Excitement – Sharing something you’re passionate about can make words pour out rapidly.

  3. Time pressure – Feeling rushed often makes us speed up, thinking we need to fit everything into a limited timeframe.

  4. Habit – Some people have simply always spoken quickly, and it becomes their default pace.

While speaking fast can sometimes convey enthusiasm or urgency, it often comes with downsides:

  • Listeners may miss key points or misunderstand your message, and feel tired of trying to keep up with a rapid speaker

  • Speaking too fast can make you appear nervous rather than confident.

How to Slow Down

  1. I’ve noticed that some people don’t filter their speech; they say whatever comes to mind. This often results in narratives that lack structure, logic and meaning.

On the other hand, some people speak very little, but every word they choose carries weight and significance. Their speech is deliberate, meaningful, and easy to follow.

Thinking about what, why and how to say something is a great way to slow down your speech.

2. Furthermore, the app 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause, can be a wonderful tool to master your speech to create a lasting impact and learn the foundations of public speaking. You will see how our pace is connected to our pitch and the power of our voice, and how effective the use of pause is.

3. Slowing down your speech doesn’t happen automatically - it requires conscious effort. Deliberately practising slower speech, pausing between thoughts, emphasising key points, and controlling your pace helps retrain your brain and body. With consistent practice over 1–3 months, measured and purposeful speaking can become a natural part of how you communicate.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

278. Executive Presence (3/4): Speech & Voice

In the third edition of my Executive Presence series, I’ll break down the features of executive language—and what undermines it. We’ll look at what to say, what to avoid, and how to speak with authority and a strong presence.

Words That Weaken Your Presence

  • Softening statements with “just,” “maybe,” or “I’m not sure”.

Instead of them, use definite verbs and deadlines, for example: “let’s get this done by 2 pm”, “I need this report on my desk by 4 pm today”.

  • Swear words and rude words.

Be careful and pause, select words carefully. If you cannot find an appropriate word, feel frustrated, pause.

  • Filler words such as "eeh, uh, like, basically, you know", etc.

Substitute them with pauses.

Executive Language Features

  • Concision. Executive language is clear and economical. “Brevity is the soul of wit.” — William Shakespeare.

Instead of: “I just wanted to quickly touch base and kind of go over a few thoughts I had regarding the project.”

Say: “Let’s review the key points of the project.”

  • Specific words. Executive language avoids vague expressions and replaces them with precise, measurable terms.

Instead of: “We need to improve results.” Say: “We need to increase revenue by 10% this quarter.”

Instead of: “There are some issues.” Say: “We’re facing delays in delivery and a 5% budget overrun.”

Specific language communicates control, direction, and leadership.

How to Say It

  1. Stress key messages and use optimistic and uplifting intonation. Download the app Fluent English Speech to master sentence stress and intonation.

  2. Use pitch and pace strategically to enhance clarity and authority. Download the app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause and have a few elocution lessons to master the 4Ps of public speaking.

  3. Articulate clearly and precisely. Strong articulation reinforces credibility and presence. You can master it with the app Get Rid of your Accent.

In the final edition of this series, I will focus on the body language and nonverbal cues that complete executive presence.

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

254. Anatomy of Success That Shapes Our Path

99% of our students are already high achievers—or well on their way to becoming powerful, influential people. We help them master their speech, and during our elocution lessons, many of them inspired me to write this newsletter.

There is a powerful factor we often overlook.

It can guide us toward success… or quietly hold us back.

It speaks long before someone hears our ideas

It's sensed...

What is it?

It is our presence, or the way we look, move, and speak.

Let’s break down the signs that help us project confidence and the habits that can get in our way. We’ll explore two simple areas: physical signs and speech patterns.

Posture: Straight and Grounded

  • A straight posture doesn’t just look confident—it creates confidence.

  • Standing tall with shoulders back signals readiness, authority, and openness. A slouched posture communicates hesitation, insecurity, or withdrawal.

  • Power signal: Upright, aligned, and grounded posture

  • Failure pattern: Hunched shoulders, shifting weight, or shrinking into yourself

Pace and Rhythm: Measured, Not Rushed

  • When our movements are rushed or scattered, we signal anxiety or lack of control.

  • Measured rhythm—walking with intention and moving with purpose—creates an aura of stability.

  • Power signal: Smooth, controlled pace, no micromovement of improving hair, clothes. etc. No rush

  • Failure pattern: Fast, rushed, abrupt, jittery movements or inconsistent rhythm

Peace: The Energy of Calm Confidence

  • Power is not loud or frantic; it’s calm.

  • A peaceful presence shows emotional stability and inner security. Others read this as leadership.

  • Power signal: A calm, unhurried demeanour

  • Failure pattern: Restlessness, fidgeting, or visible tension

Eye Contact: Direct Yet Respectful

  • Looking directly at others demonstrates clarity and honesty. It shows that you are present, engaged, and unafraid.

  • Power signal: Clear, steady eye contact

  • Failure pattern: Avoiding eyes, darting glances, or looking downward

Speech patterns can amplify or diminish our authority in seconds. What are the speech patterns that signal power?

Pace: Measured and Intentional

  • Speaking too quickly can make your message feel rushed or chaotic. A measured pace helps your words land with impact. It signals thoughtfulness and control.

  • Power signal: Steady, intentional pacing

  • Failure pattern: Rapid, breathless speaking or trailing off

Pause: The Secret Ingredient of Power

  • Silence, when used appropriately, is powerful.

  • A pause gives weight to your message. It lets listeners absorb your words. It communicates certainty rather than desperation to fill space.

  • Power signal: Purposeful pauses to emphasise meaning

  • Failure pattern: Rambling, fillers, or talking nonstop

Power Is a Habit, Not a Talent. The anatomy of success lies in our presence.

You can start empowering yourself with the app 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause

248. Your Personal Language Style

We all have our own personal style — a voice shaped by the environment we grew up in. The words we choose, the rhythm of our sentences, even the phrases we repeat without thinking - they all carry traces of our background, experiences, and the people who’ve influenced us.

Maybe you picked up a calm, measured tone from a parent who spoke thoughtfully. Or perhaps your speech has the warmth and colour of a lively neighbourhood where stories were traded like treasures. Over time, these influences blend into a style that’s uniquely yours - your linguistic fingerprint.

What’s fascinating is that our style continues to evolve. New environments, social circles, and technologies reshape how we speak and write. The way you text a friend today might be miles apart from how you wrote letters ten years ago — and that’s perfectly natural. Language is alive, and so are we.

Our personal style isn’t just about grammar or vocabulary; it’s about identity. It tells the world who we are, where we’ve been, and how we see things. Recognising and refining your style doesn’t mean losing authenticity - it means understanding your voice and using it with purpose.

So as you read this week’s edition, take a moment to reflect:

What’s your style saying about you?  

We offer a personalised speech analysis designed to help you discover and refine your unique communication style.

 Through this in-depth analysis, you will:

  •  Gain a clear understanding of your personal language style

  •  Identify your strengths and areas for growth

  •  Receive detailed, actionable recommendations to enhance your speech and voice

 To book your session, email oriana_r@hotmail.com or text +447971246806

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

232. Overcoming the Fear of Speaking English in Public

Speaking English in public can feel intimidating, even for people who have studied the language for years. The fear of making mistakes, being misunderstood, or sounding “different” is common—but the good news is that it can be managed and overcome with the right mindset and practical techniques.

Why We Fear Public Speaking in English

There are several reasons why speaking English in front of others can feel scary:

1. Fear of Mistakes
Worrying about mispronunciation or grammar errors can make you hesitant to speak at all.

2. Lack of Confidence
Not being sure about your vocabulary or fluency can make public speaking stressful.

3. High Expectations
Many people compare themselves to native speakers and feel pressure to “sound perfect.”

Understanding the cause of your fear is the first step to addressing it.

Practical Steps to Build Confidence

Here are some strategies that can help you speak more confidently in English, whether in meetings, presentations, or social situations:

1. Start Small
Practice speaking English in low-pressure situations—like ordering a meal, speaking with friends, or reading out loud at home. Small wins help build confidence gradually.

2. Focus on Clarity, Not Perfection
Instead of worrying about sounding like a native speaker, aim to be clear and understandable. Your audience values clarity more than perfect pronunciation.

3. Use Pauses Effectively
Pausing after each idea gives you time to think and reduces nervousness. Practising Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause (4Ps) can make your speech more natural and easier to follow.

4. Record and Listen to Yourself
Recording your voice and listening back allows you to notice your strengths and areas for improvement. Apps like Get Rid of Your Accent or Fluent English Speech provide guided exercises for intonation, articulation, and fluency, making this process easier.

5. Practice Public Speaking Gradually
Start with a small audience, then gradually increase the number of listeners. Toastmasters, online language meetups, or even speaking to family members can help you practice in a supportive environment.

Mindset Matters
Remember, everyone makes mistakes, even native speakers. Mistakes are part of the learning process and do not define your ability to communicate effectively. Celebrate your uniqnes and your progress, no matter how small, and be patient with yourself.

Final Thought
Overcoming the fear of speaking English in public takes practice, patience, and perseverance. Start small, focus on clarity, and gradually challenge yourself. With consistent effort, you’ll progress and feel proud of your progress.

Useful Tip
Incorporate a few minutes of daily practice with guided exercises from apps like Get Rid of Your Accent or Fluent English Speech—you’ll be amazed at how quickly your confidence grows.

More on www.batcsglobal.com

226. 4Ps: Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause App

Do you struggle with a monotonous voice? Do you want to sound dynamic, engaging, and professional when you speak?

The 4Ps: Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause app is the ultimate voice training and public speaking tool, designed to help you transform your communication skills, sound more persuasive, and captivate your audience.

Whether you are giving a presentation, reading reports in meetings, debating, storytelling, or broadcasting, the way you deliver your words is as important as the words themselves. This app will teach you how to add energy, clarity, and variety to your speech so you never sound dull or flat again.

App Content

Part 1 (Lessons 1–6): Master the 4Ps of Public Speaking

  1. Power – Train your voice for strength, projection, and clarity

  2. Pitch – Learn to vary your intonation to add emotion and hold attention

  3. Pace– Control your speed for maximum clarity and persuasion

  4. Pause – Use silence correctly and effectively to add drama and emphasis.

  5. These skills are essential for **formal presentations, board meetings, speeches, debates, and storytelling**.

Part 2 (Lessons 7–17): Classic Elocution Training

  1. Muscular and rhythmic exercises to strengthen your voice.

  2. Practice English sounds, onomatopoeia, and tricky place names.

  3. Extracts from famous English poems and prose to develop rhythm and expression.

  4. Techniques to make your speech crisp, clear, and engaging.

App Functionality

✔ Listen to professional model recordings

✔ Record your own voice and play it back

✔ Compare your speech with the model for instant feedback

✔ Train anytime, anywhere at your own pace

This App Will Help You:

1. Make your voice loud, clear, and confident.

2. Use pauses for dramatic effect and impact.

3. Modulate your voice by changing pitch, pace, and power.

4. Neutralise your accent and improve clarity.

5. Sound more professional, persuasive, and engaging.

With 4Ps: Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause, you’ll stop sounding monotonous and start sounding like a confident, dynamic speaker who commands attention.

Meet the Authors

Linda James (RAM, Dip. Ed., IPD, LRAM), Speech and Drama coach, trained at the Royal Academy of Music, with 20+ years of experience teaching RP and accent reduction in London drama schools, films, and TV.

Olga Smith (BA Linguistics, MBA), Linguist, public speaker, and co-author of the best-selling *Get Rid of Your Accent book series. Having overcome her own strong Russian accent, Olga brings practical expertise to learners worldwide.

Visit www.batcsglobal.com to book a professional speech analysis.

218. The Role of Voice and Accent in Job Interviews

When it comes to landing your dream job, most people focus on polishing their résumé, practising common interview questions, and researching the company. But there’s another factor that plays a huge role in how you’re perceived — your voice and accent.

In a job interview, your words matter — but how you say them can matter even more.

 Why Your Voice Matters

Your voice is more than just a tool for communication — it’s part of your personal brand. The tone, pace, and clarity of your speech can instantly influence whether you come across as confident, competent, and trustworthy.

Here’s what interviewers often pick up on: 

1. Clarity – Clear speech signals professionalism and attention to detail.

2. Confidence – A steady, well-projected voice makes you sound self-assured.

3. Energy – A lively tone helps you sound engaged and interested in the role.

A nervous, rushed, or monotone delivery can unintentionally send the wrong message — even if your answers are perfect.

 Accent and First Impressions

In today’s global job market, accents are normal — but they can still affect comprehension. If an interviewer struggles to understand you, they might (consciously or unconsciously) question your ability to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, or stakeholders.

This doesn’t mean you need to erase your accent entirely. But reducing a heavy accent and improving pronunciation can make your speech easier to follow, helping you connect with your interviewer and keep their focus on your skills and ideas — not on deciphering your words.

Key Skills to Improve Before Your Interview

If you want to make a strong vocal impression, focus on these areas: 

1. Pronunciation – Aim for crisp, accurate sounds, especially for common industry terms.

2. Pace – Slow enough to be clear, but not so slow that you lose momentum.

3. Pausing – Use pauses to emphasize key points and give the interviewer time to process.

4. Intonation – Add variety to your pitch to sound natural and engaging.

5. Volume & Projection – Speak loudly enough to be heard without sounding aggressive.

How to Train Your Voice for Interview Success 

Improving your voice and accent doesn’t have to take years — with targeted practice, you can make noticeable changes in just weeks.

Get Rid of Your Accent for Business app provides: 

Audio models of clear, neutral English speech.

Step-by-step lessons to improve pronunciation and intonation.

Record & compare tools to track your progress.

Practice materials based on real-world speaking situations, including interviews.

By training your ear, practising key sounds, and mastering vocal techniques, you can walk into your interview sounding confident, professional, and easy to understand.

Your qualifications get you in the door, but your communication skills can seal the deal. A clear, confident voice helps interviewers focus on you — your ideas, your expertise, and your potential. 

Ready to sound your best in your next interview?

Start training today with the Get Rid of Your Accent for Business app — your personal voice coach, right in your pocket.

217. The Ingredients of Boring Speech

Have you ever sat through a talk where you just couldn’t keep your eyes open? I have — and usually, it’s not because the topic was boring. It’s how the speaker delivered it.

 As a member of a public speaking club, I’ve noticed that many people don’t realize how dull their speech sounds to others. They’re not trying to be boring — it just happens.

Here are 6 reasons why a speech might put people to sleep:

 1. Monotonous tone

Speaking in a flat, unchanging voice that makes listeners zone out.

 2. Speaking too fast

Rushing through your points so quickly that no one can keep up.

 3. Long, complicated sentences

By the time you finish, the audience has already forgotten what you said at the start.

 4. Lack of emphasis

Failing to stress the important words that give meaning and energy to your message.

 5. No pauses

Skipping breaks between ideas, so listeners don’t get a chance to absorb what you’re saying.

 6. Using jargon or heavy accent

Speaking in a way that’s hard to understand because of technical terms or pronunciation.

 The good news? These are all fixable.

 With the right practice and tools, you can transform your speaking style and engage your audience — often in just a few weeks. There’s even an app designed to be your personal voice coach, helping you with everything from pacing to pronunciation:

Ready to make your next speech interesting and memorable? It’s easier than you think!

216. Disadvantages of poor voice projection

Have you ever felt invisible? You said something, and there was no reaction. You felt that what you said was not interesting enough to pay attention to. Most likely, people did not hear what you said.

The reason is poor voice projection. The power of our voice depends on breathing and lung capacity. Actors do regular exercises to master voice projection.

When your voice has power:

  • You appear and feel confident

  • You make it easier for people to follow you

  • People will be more likely to be persuaded that what you are saying is important

To master voice projection, I recommend 5 minutes of daily exercises from the app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause. These exercises are easy yet very effective. You will see the results in a week.

More tips on www.batcsglobal.com

203. Impromptu speech

Impromptu speech or a table topic is a skill that requires practice. However, there are techniques to make your table topic stand out and give you confidence when delivering it.

Below are my tips.

1.       Allow yourself time to think what you will say while walking to the podium, and slowly repeat the topic. Prepare what you are going to say in your head

2.       Remember, how you say it is often more important than what you say. Modulate your voice, use pauses and articulate well. You can master these skills with the apps ‎Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause, ‎Fluent English Speech and ‎Get Rid of your Accent UK1.
For example, use a dramatic pause before saying something important and say it very loudly. This will wake up your audience.

3.       If you struggle to answer the question of your table topic, you can simply dismiss it and talk about what you want, but make it interesting. I recently received a boring table topic and instead I recited my favourite poem. I won the award for the best table topic.

4.       Smile and create zigzag eye contact with your audience

5.       Keep straight posture and use open body language to create an image of a confident person

6.       Breathe, use lots of pauses to separate your ideas.

7.       Enjoy speaking and do not rush yourself to finish it too early (speak for at least one minute), at the same time be aware of the allocated time (maximum of 2 minutes) and prepare a powerful ending.

More on www.batcsglobal.com

189. Secrets of Successful Self-Presentation

Self-presentation is a skill that can make or break your social and professional success. In this article, I will outline some mistakes and give useful tips in this area.

Self-presentation is presenting oneself to others; others here are more important than self. Many people make a mistake by starting their self-presentation by listing their achievements, accomplishments and rewards rather than what benefits they can bring to the people they present to. For example, instead of saying “I hold a Toastmaster bronze reward”, you can say “I am a keen presenter as I have 15 years of experience in public speaking and would love to step in to present to customers and partners”. The statistics show that most people shy away from presenting, which can make you a valuable asset for a team where presentation skills are needed.

The second mistake is too much information. Avoid too many personal details that are of little interest to others such as what your mother does or what is your favourite beach. Just say things that are relevant to the situation you are in and focus on the purpose of your self-presentation.

The third area I want to talk about is speech and voice. If your speech is difficult to understand and/or your voice is unpleasant this can be a problem. The good news is you can fix it. Read about techniques to master speech and voice in my articles. Here I just want to mention the main mistakes: mumbling, speaking with a half-closed mouth, hesitating and using filler words such as “eehm, aaahm, like, basically, you know,” etc.

What can you do to make your self-[presentation successful? I recommend the SUS approach for the content:
Simple, Useful, with an element of Surprise.

Use short simple words, make it useful for others and add something unique about yourself that might surprise others. For example, if you are an elegant lady people might be surprised that you ride a high-speed motorbike.

More on www.batcsglobal.com

183. What factors contribute to a person's voice sounding good or bad?

When talking about voice, let’s consider its main characteristics:

  1. Pitch

  2. Power and voice projection

  3. Pace

  4. The tone of voice and intonation

Children have high-pitched voices. When they grow up, the voice becomes deeper and the pitch lower. Often, grown-ups have high-pitched voices. Often, they come to our elocution lessons and we help them to develop different pitch ranges. There are exercises in the app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause that will create lower or higher-pitched voices and alternate between them to show different emotions and send particular messages.

The power of the voice or loudness depends on many factors. The power of the voice depends on the lung capacity, which in turn depends on breathing. Loudness can be trained as well with the app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause. There are times when a soft and quiet voice is more effective than a loud one. At the same time, a loud voice can be essential for a public speaker, a lecturer or when you are out in the open teaching kids tennis, for example. Some people who tend to speak very quietly hardly open their mouths, and instead of speaking, they just mumble.

The pace of the voice depends on several factors, such as the geographic location where the person lives. The pace of life and so many other factors. In our experience, we had many highly intelligent students whose brain works so fast, and that leads to them speaking very quickly as their thoughts rush to come out. We recommend the lesson from our app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause, to master pauses with simple yet effective exercises.

The tone of voice and intonation are very difficult to change. In my opinion, it is more psychological/inherited. copied from our parents, etc., rather than technical. Technically, there are a few intonation patterns. For example, the simplest pattern is simple rising. We use this intonation when asking a question. Simple falling is used when demanding or ordering people to do something, this intonation has an authoritative tone.

More on Get Rid of your Accent | Elocution Lessons

171. How effective are the accent reduction training programs?

The effectiveness of accent reduction training depends on three key factors:

 1.    The teacher’s expertise and experience

2.    The student’s listening skills, consistency, and commitment

3.    The quality of learning materials — books, apps, and video courses

Choosing the Right Teacher

Accent reduction should be taught by a qualified speech tutor (traditionally called an elocution teacher). A skilled tutor understands how sounds are formed — the exact tongue, lip, and jaw positions for each sound. This detailed knowledge makes all the difference. To get the best results, book a few elocution lessons with a qualified professional who can guide you through the process step by step.

What’s Expected from the Student 

Accent reduction is a process - it’s about replacing old speech habits with new ones. And just like any habit change, it takes time, consistency, and effort. We usually recommend mastering one sound per week. Some sounds are easy; others need more focused work.

For example, the /w/ sound doesn’t exist in Russian. It’s produced with tightly rounded lips — almost like a whistle — and requires certain muscles. If those muscles aren’t trained, it may take time to build strength and control.

Think of it like the gym

You wouldn’t expect a six-pack after one workout - the same goes for clear speech. Aim for 15–45 minutes of daily practice, rather than two hours once a week.

How to Practice — Recommended Apps & Resources

For British English:

For American English:

Accompanying video courses:

Pro tip: Listen to good RP (Received Pronunciation) speakers, repeat short sections, and record yourself to track progress.

More on www.batcsglobal.com

170. How to introduce a speaker

This blog post is useful for people who participate in public speaking events and social gatherings.
To introduce a speaker is a very important task. If you do it right you will make yourself popular.

  1. The main principle to follow is to showcase the speaker's best qualities and talk very highly of his/her achievements, mentioning their awards, work and other contributions. Do your homework and find out the facts about the speaker.

  2. Learn how to pronounce their name correctly and articulate it well when calling the person.

  3. When calling the presenter smile, use a loud voice and upward inflections because it will make you sound optimistic and energetic. Maintain a straight posture and good eye contact with the audience. When the presenter comes to the stage shake his/her hand and make eye contact with him/her.

  4. It would be fantastic to ask the audience to clap: “Let’s give a round of applause to our next speaker Simon Bird.”

  5. Stress the most important words by saying them louder.
    Below is an example of an introduction; I put the most important words in italic font:
    “It is a great owner to introduce our next speaker, Simon Bird. Simon has a Ph.D. in Politics and is a Nobel Prize winner. It is impossible to overestimate his contributions to human rights in this country. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give our warm welcome and a round of applause to Simon Bird!”

You can master the skills of presenting and more with the apps ‎Get Rid of your Accent UK1 and ‎Fluent English Speech (British English) or ‎American Accent App and ‎Fluent American Speech (American English), and Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause.

More on www.batcsglobal.com

168. How do you deal with people who don't communicate directly ?

As Oscar Wilde once said: “The first duty in life is to be as artificial as possible.  What the second duty is no one has as yet discovered.” In English-speaking, Anglo-Saxon culture people see directness as a form of aggression, and being polite is above being sincere. It is absolutely vital to pay attention to subtle details of communication. Learn and understand these subtleties if you would like to build good business and social connections.

I recommend the following instructions if you want to master the art of subtle communication:

Master your listening skills

  1. Create eye contact with a speaker and look at them with empathy and a smile. People relax when you smile at them

  2. Observe the way a person speaks. Namely intonation, tone of voice, speech speed, loudness, etc. You can learn more about it in the book Get Rid of your Accent Part Two, Advance Level, and the apps Fluent English Speech and 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause

  3. Learn to read between the lines and pay close attention to words, voice, intonation, and facial expressions. Listen to the feelings and emotions behind words and voice, and respond to them appropriately

  4. Imagine that you are a psychotherapist who is talking to a patient and that you are paid for listening

  5. Allow a pause after what was said and connect with what was said

Work on your messages

  1. Substitute negative words with euphemisms, for example instead of saying “poor” say “not bad”, instead of saying “I disagree” say “maybe I understand it differently”, and so on

  2. Avoid giving orders, ask or request instead, for example, instead of saying “Do it!” say “Would you like to do it for me, please?”, and so on

  3. Use a friendly tone of voice and intonation even when speaking about something difficult. You can master it with the app ‎Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause

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164. Be in control and exude authority

Good barristers, politicians and business leaders sound confident, in control and have authority in their speech and voice. Can it be mastered? Yes, and I will explain how.

First of all, in order to achieve authority in your voice be in control of your breathing. Good breath control will bring energy to your voice.

Secondly, good articulation will help you sound clear, more energised and powerful. You can master it with the apps ‎Get Rid of your Accent UK1 (British English) or ‎American Accent App (American English).‎

Thirdly, avoid sounding monotonous and saying everything on one level of pitch. Change the pitch, power and pace according to the emotion/meaning of a particular message. We can recommend the app 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause if you want to learn and practice this technique.

To achieve authority, speak in a straightforward way and stress the key messages. To make the keywords stand out use a louder or quieter voice (depending on the meaning). Raise the inflection when saying keywords and vice versa, use downward inflection with unstressed words. Learn more about inflecltion and sentence stress in the apps ‎Fluent English Speech (British English) or Fluent American Speech (American English).

Finally, think about physicality and be well in control of your posture and gestures. Have a good straight posture and gestures that support your messages.

What is the best way to practice it? Listen to speakers like Winston Churchill. Watch courtroom dramas and note how effective barristers speak. Here is a practical exercise for you:

  1. Read a speech out loud and record yourself.

  2. Underline stresses keywords and mark pauses in the printed copy of the speech. You can learn how to do it right with the app Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause.

  3. Read the speech again and record yourself. If necessary repeat this exercise a few times.

If you need help book a few elocution lessons.

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163. Impact of modern technology on our ability to communicate in person

I believe that since the introduction of smartphones and messengers like Whats Up, Viber, and others people prefer to text and send images rather than speak.

It has both advantages and disadvantages. The obvious advantage is speed and convenience. The disadvantages are that people lose the art of communicating in person and do not know how to enjoy it. They lose their confidence when they have to communicate in person. These people are at a disadvantage in moving forward in their careers. Successful salespeople, CEOs, MDs, and top Politicians must have amazing in-person communication skills.

To master communication in person I recommend:

  1. Learning to speak clearly

  2. Learning to communicate not only thoughts but also emotions and feelings

  3. Learning to use non-verbal messages, such as eye contact, posture and hand gestures to support your verbal messages

Many students who take our elocution lessons often tell us that they want to become confident communicators. Feeling confident is expressed by your body language, voice and words.

I recommend apps ‎Get Rid of your Accent UK1 and ‎Fluent English Speech (British English) or ‎American Accent App and ‎Fluent American Speech (American English), and Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause if you wnat to master your communication in person.

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161. Android Apps to master English speech

This article will help you choose the best apps to master Received Pronunciation, clear articulation, expressive voice modulation, and the strategic use of pauses. These core speaking skills are essential for public speakers and professionals who use English as a second language and want to sound confident, polished, and persuasive.

All the apps featured share powerful, user-friendly functionality. You can listen to expertly recorded audio by professional actors, record your own voice, and instantly compare your pronunciation with the model—making progress measurable and motivating.

British English:

Elocution Lessons - Apps on Google Play This app is ideal for children and people who just started learning English. This app has 48 lessons. It contains short, commonly used phrases, sentences and verses that are easy to repeat and it also has useful tips for teachers of English. It is actually useful for everyone as it contains essential, everyday English.

Get Rid of Your Accent - Apps on Google Play This app is ideal if you want to get rid of a regional or foreign accent and to speak with Standard English or RP (Received Pronunciation). It has 42 lessons; it contains effective practical exercises to perfect all English sounds and perfect your articulation.

Fluent English Speech - Apps on Google Play This app is a follow-up to the Get Rid of your Accent app.  It is ideal if you want to develop fluency in English and sound more like a native English speaker. It contains exercises for difficult and connected speech patterns, natural flow of speech, intonation, sentence stress and onomatopoeia.

Business English Speech - Apps on Google Play This app was designed for top-level professionals, diplomats and lawyers. It is the only app on the market that has both English pronunciation and business vocabulary training. It contains 43 lessons with material gathered from interviews with CEOs, CFOs and MDs of global companies and helps to develop proficiency in English.

Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause - Apps on Google Play This app is ideal if you want to get rid of monotonous speech and become a successful presenter and public speaker. It contains practical exercises for voice modulation and the use of pauses.

Get Rid of Chinese Accent - Apps on Google Play This app is the same as the app Get Rid of your Accent with an additional bonus - Chinese translations.

General American English:

American Accent App - Apps on Google Play This app is ideal if you want to get rid of a foreign or regional accent and master Standard American accent. It has 42 lessons. It contains effective practical exercises to perfect all American English sounds.

Fluent American Speech - Apps on Google Play This app is a follow-up to the American Accent App. It is ideal to develop fluency in your American English speech. It contains exercises for difficult and connected speech patterns, natural flow of speech, intonation and sentence stress

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