1. I say a boom-chicka-boom!
Prepare for Learning
I say a
boom-chicka-boom!
Students should copy what you say in exactly the same way - make sure each time you choose a different way to say the phrase and add a gesture E.g. In the style of a cowboy while gesturing to lasoo:
I said a boom chicka boom
I said boom chicka rocka chicka rocka chicka boom
Oh yeah
All right
One more time ...
BUT THIS TIME in the style of: Cowboy Old Man
Posh
Baby
Australian

2. Learning Objectives
All will understand that there are 7 key vocal skills that can be applied to a performance.
Most be able to demonstrate these skills and give a good description of how these skills can change the communication of a scene .
Some will be able to give a thorough explanation how these skills can change the communication of a scene with links to professionals and how they will apply this to their own working practise.

3. There are 7 key vocal skills, what are they and how can we use them?
Present new information
There are 7 key vocal skills, what are they and how can we use them?
Pace
Pitch
Volume
Pause
Pitch - How high or low your voice is, often used to show age or reveal emotions
Pace – The speed in which you say your lines, often used to create tension
Pause – Similar to pace, the use of silence when a character is speaking, usually used to show tension ‘Dramatic Pause’
Volume – How loud or quiet your voice is, often used to show a change in emotion or time of day
Accent – Used to show where your character is from as well as their class
Tone – The emotion behind the line being said e.g. You can use an aggressive tone or a soft tone which would imply different things about your character and their relationships
Diction – The same as pronunciation, ensuring that the lines are spoken clearly.
Tone
Accent
Diction

4. In Pairs… Construct meaning
Choose one of the tongue-twisters below and with a partner see if you can get all the way to the end without any mistakes!
A Proper Pot of Coffee
All I want is a proper cup of coffee,
Brewed in a proper copper coffee pot,
I may be off my dot,
But I want a cup of coffee from a proper copper coffee pot,
Tin coffee pots and iron coffee pots,
They’re not good to me,
If I can’t have a cup of coffee from a proper copper coffee pot,
I’ll have tea!
Betty Botter
Betty Botter bought some butter,
‘But,’ she said, ‘this butters bitter!
If I put it in my batter,
It will make my batter bitter,
But a bit of better butter,
That would make my batter better.’
So she bought a bit of butter,
Better than her bitter butter,
And she put it in her batter,
And the batter was not bitter.
So ‘twas better Betty Botter,
Bought a bit of better butter.
The Tooting Tudor
A Tudor who tooted a flute,
Tried to tutor two tooters to toot.
Said the two to their tutor,
‘Is it harder to toot,
Or to tutor two tooters to toot?
Copies of these can be transferred to word and handed out to students if PP is not possible. Don’t give too long for this activity – focus on diction and pace

5. Pass it on… Yes Sorry No Whatever Hello Goodbye Construct meaning
In your groups you are going to pass around one of the words below. Every time someone new says the word they must try to communicate something different – it can’t just be the same!!
Goodbye
Sorry
Hello
In small groups 3 or 4 – students choose a word and change their use of voice to give it different meanings. Ask for feedback rather than watching students do the task.
Whatever No
Yes

6. In your groups… Pause Tone Pace Volume Diction Accent PITCH
Construct meaning
In pairs you are going to create a short role-play communicating one of the following scenarios:
3. Partner A has just found out that Partner B has been meeting up with someone they don’t like.
Partner A you have arrived home past your curfew. Partner B you are the parent of the teenager who has come home late.
2. Partner A has received a valentines day card from someone other than Partner B.
Tone
PITCH
Volume
Diction
Accent
Pause
Pace

7. Perform and Evaluate What Went Well (W.W.W.) Even Better If (E.B.I)
You showed a clear character by using your…to show…
You changed your voice by… to show…
You changed your movement by… to show…
Your scenario was good because…
You need to experiment with your voice more, for example…
You need to experiment with your movement more, for example…
You need to make sure your storyline makes sense, you could do this by…

8. Skill What is it? What is it used for?
SKILLS AUDIT
Skill
What is it?
What is it used for?
To show age – old or young
To show emotion - excited
PITCH
How high or low your voice is
To create tension
To show emotion – sad people speak slowly
PACE
How fast or slow you speak/move
A brief stop when delivering a line
To create dramatic tension or effect
PAUSE
VOLUME
How loud or quiet you speak
To convey emotion – angry = loud
To ensure you can be heard
A brief stop when delivering a line
To show where a character is from – eg. Scottish
To show a character’s class – eg posh
ACCENT
TONE
The emotion behind the words
To show a character’s attitude or feelings
The way you pronounce your words
DICTION
To ensure that what you’re saying can be understood – not mumbling