Contents
- Views and comments from Mike Hendy
- 'The Power of Words', led by Yvonne Morley
- 'Her Voice Was Ever Soft' with Sonia Fraser and Helen Kirkpatrick
- 'Charting the Impact of Stress, Anxiety and Depression on the Teacher's Voice' led by Stephanie Martin
- 'Five Main Voices for Effective Teaching' - review by Alex Smith
- 'Five Main Voices for Effective Teaching' - review by Sonia Wooley
Views and comments from Mike Hendy
Suzanne Parke announced that her vocal warm-up which kicked off the proceedings on the morning of Saturday 5th September could be done ‘in the shower, car or on public transport’. Stretching, shaking and shoulder-rolling could cause commuters (or fellow showerers) to dodge or possibly join in. But a different public reaction might result from the recommended ‘big yawn’ developing into sound, humming and chewing ‘through your range’, which in the case of VCN members is considerable and extensive. Volume and resonance were powerful in the subsequent utterances of poems or tongue-twisters – as well as the proposed cheery greeting to colleagues and students. Every day, following Suzanne’s suggestion, should start on a ‘Hi!’
Power was maintained and developed in Yvonne Morley’s session on The Power of Words. How one thought about certain images, considered self-criticism or prejudice was emphasised by uttering in counterpoint to facial expression: cheerful remark combined with a frown, or smiling to announce bad news, for example. The effect – and possible distortion – of translation was explored, from other languages or from other ages and cultures, using texts from Shakespeare, the Book of Psalms and Chekhov.
Most participants chose to lie on the floor, ‘lengthening and widening’ themselves while Yvonne invited interpretation of an apparently random list of words, from ‘Mummy’ to ‘madman’, ‘primitive’ to ‘greedily’. Attempts to connect them had echoes of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, but things made more sense when we were given copies of a speech from Duet For One by Tom Kempinski, which contained most if not all of the words previously contemplated. In context, as the speech was read in turn ‘round the class’, particular words had significantly different effects. For instance, ‘hopefully’ on its own could be relished for the prospect of optimism; in the speech it served only as a mere link word similar to ‘possibly’.
Unforeseen consequences meant that some of the same words – greedy, rewards, life, for instance – turned up in the course of Sonia Fraser’s session on The Voice of Women in Literature. But the first words she quoted were ‘ever soft, gentle and low’ (Lear talking of Cordelia) as not being characteristic of many modern women trying to speak in public and eager for power – that word again. Sonia was accompanied for this session by Helen Kirkpatrick, professional actress and former student of Sonia Fraser’s at Bristol. Helen spoke interestingly about the use of one’s own authentic voice when playing a part on stage.
To illustrate passion in women’s voices, Helen gave us Elizabeth’s ‘body of a woman’ speech, which Sonia followed with the same queen’s so- called ‘golden’ speech. We then heard words from Margaret Attwood on ‘bad behaviour’. In extracts from Sonia Fraser’s own compilation on Dickens’ Women, the age of (pause) seven-teen took on a special significance – of innocence or ...? Comparisons between Dickens’ female characters and his own wife Catherine were informative and intriguing, arousing the question of authenticity once again.
This session ended with poems by the new Poet Laureate and Judith Wright’s offering of advice by Eve to her daughters. The regrettably only two males present – your Chairman and this observer – were powerfully(!) entertained and enlightened, our horizons having been well and truly broadened.
- Mike Hendy (West Sussex)
'The Power of Words' led by Yvonne Morley
After a lively and refreshing warm up from Suzanne Parke, involving lip rounding, yawning, stretching and shaking out, we were treated to our first main session of the weekend: The Power of Words.
Working around the theme of ‘it ain’t what you say, it’s how you say it..’ Yvonne reminded us that no two words have the same connotations for different people. We need to be aware of the potential power of the ones we choose as teachers, as their manner of delivery can rest in a student’s consciousness, either positively or negatively, long after they have been uttered. Body language needs to be consonant with the message we are giving, or the tone won’t match! (Try frowning and saying something friendly!) What feedback can we get as speakers? Do we ever look in the mirror, for example, or observe ourselves on video? Actors work on influencing our emotions by connecting with the words they speak. If we as teachers can model a similar connection then our message is going to be far more powerful. Yvonne asked a number of us to remember phrases we had heard as children, such as 'Woe betide you!' or 'Nothing hangs on it'. After having thought about them, we repeated them out loud, with a greater degree of connection and communication.
Yvonne then led us through different versions of some Shakespeare and Psalm 23, ranging from the original language through to the more modern and simplified. The effects of each version were markedly different on us as listeners!
We then enjoyed some breath work, lying down and allowing the in-breath to occur naturally and leave us on a ‘shh’, ‘zz’ and ‘zhh...’ This was deeply relaxing and helped put us back in touch with our own natural rhythms. Once the breath was established we repeated different words such as ‘purpose’ ‘struggle’ ‘Atlantic’ to explore their meaning for us.
Finally we all took part in reading from Duet for One, a little each. Interestingly, as we got back to the beginning, the words began to sound more connected, making more meaningful impressions on the mind.
There was much to take away from this session, which we might apply to our own work in helping others to communicate their chosen message powerfully.Our heartfelt thanks to Yvonne, who was the very model of connected communication as she transported our imaginations through time, with the power of her words.
- Phyllida Furse, VT
'Her Voice Was Ever Soft' led by Sonia Fraser and Helen Kirkpatrick
Sonia Fraser and Helen Kirkpatrick made a riveting double-act. Sensitivity of delivery combined with excellent timing and some real, honest research to reveal the different voices of women in literature and their imprisonment in social stereotypes..
We heard how, rather disgustingly, Dickens was obsessed with seventeen year old girls, and more poignantly, how he publicly defamed his poor wife Catherine, declared her mentally unstable and unfit to mother her children. All this so that he could set up home with his seventeen year old mistress, Ellen Ternan.
We heard two stirring speeches by Elizabeth the First in which she describes herself as good as any King, if not better, because her womanhood made her ‘more careful and more loving’ of her subjects.
There followed excerpts from the Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, examining the polarity of female roles – either flawless or insufferable – and celebrating the increasing presence of women in horror fiction as werewolves and vampires. At last we can howl and suck blood along with the guys. Yippee!
Then came a selection of poems, all of them thought-provoking, and then excerpts from Virginia Woolf’s ‘A Room of one’s Own.’ Lastly, we had a chance to glimpse the power and dimension of Ibsen’s heroines, most notably in The Doll’s House, and the realisation that, as women, we can’t be of real use to others until we know who we are. This is real liberation.
The whole session was delivered with energy and style and laced with anecdotes which gave it immediacy and reality. In giving voice to these female characters in their struggle for identity, Sonia and Helen were also able to give them life.
- Nicola Harrison (Oxford)
'Charting the Impact of Stress, Anxiety and Depression on the Teacher's Voice' led by Stephanie Martin
The last session of the Kingston ASM 2009 was led by Stephanie Martin on ‘Charting the Impact of Stress, Anxiety and Depression on the Teacher’s Voice.’ This led naturally from Leslie Hendy and Suzanne Parke’s presentation on ‘Five Main Voice for Effective Teaching,’ thereby not only strengthening the importance and urgency of continued training and support for teachers’ use of voice in the classroom, but also raising awareness of the many factors which can lead to vocal disability for teachers.
We were firstly presented with statistics on the risk of disability, learning that ‘approximately 9.5 million people in the UK rely on voice as their primary work tool.’ (Ogren et al 2001) and that ‘teachers are absent from work due to voice problems twice as often as others in vocally demanding professions.’ (de Jang et al 2006). Stephanie explained vocal change is often due to a combination of issues: psychosocial, physical health and environmental, and that the voice is an ‘effective gauge for assessing physical and mental health.’ Interestingly, she noted although we see stress as a negative impact, stress in moderation can help an individual meet the demands of life. However, when stress is repeatedly experienced at high levels, it becomes difficult over time for the body to return to a relaxed state.’ Consequently the constant elevated levels of adrenaline take their toll both mentally and physically on the body.
It was also highlighted that ‘stress often co-exists with anxiety and depression as a continuum,’ and together contribute to the symptoms experienced by teachers with vocal problems. Symptoms may include: muscle tension disorder often characterised by fixed laryngeal position (often elevated), excessive high/low pitch, throat clearing, and vocal deterioration; over-breathing; dehydration; low immune system; and indigestion. After looking at the results of The Vocal Impact Profile (Marin and Lockhart 2005), Stephanie ended the session by stating there are limited studies to date on the impact of stress, anxiety and depression on the teacher’s voice. However it became evident through discussion that that there is ample evidence further studies are needed, and that these co-existing issues must all be addressed when working with teachers’ voices.
- Danielle Meunier
'Five Main Voices for Teaching' - review by Alex Smith
As a Speech and Language Therapist working within the NHS, I see a large number of teachers who are having a range of difficulties with their voices. Their problems range from mild discomfort to a severe persistent dysphonia. Some people had been advised to give up their job as their voice was “too weak” to be a teacher.
When I saw the "Five Main Voices for Effective Teaching" booklet that Lesley Hendy and Suzanne Parke have been working on I thought “YES! finally, something I can use to provide a common language with teachers!” However, in the course of the morning, it became apparent that this was, in-fact, something greater. I have found in my clinical practice that it can sometimes be difficult to get teachers to engage with the techniques we teach them and get them to use them in teaching practice to keep the voice healthy.
This booklet will be excellent at helping me, as a clinician, explain to teachers how to use their voice more effectively without resorting to technical jargon. I was amazed at just how over complicated I was making things in therapy without even realizing it. This book, provides a very simple way to access the difficulty teachers might have and provides an easy to follow framework so teachers can maintain their healthy voice and feel more empowered in the classroom.
- Alex Smith, Speech and Language Therapist
'Five Main Voices for Teaching' - review by Sonia Wooley
After a welcome voice warm up from Roz Comins, Dr. Lesley Hendy and Suzanne Parke introduced us to their work on “Five Main Voices for Effective Teaching”.
Everything they included in this workshop was fundamental to the core ethos of VCN, and especially to our work with teachers. In a dynamic and engaging presentation they described and illustrated the results of their combined expertise and experience in categorising and mapping effective voice use. The booklet they have produced is something many of us will have been hoping to find for ages – a deceptively simple but clear illustration of vocal changes achieved by appropriate use of power, pitch and tone colour.
Suzanne and Lesley led us through a series of exercises exploring the range of effective voices and the signals which they give. We moved along the scale from the “neutral centred” out to both the “comforting” and the “extra firm”. An important distinction was drawn between the firm voice being used to request rather than to demand, so that the tone colour encouraged a positive response instead of stimulating an aggressive reaction.
A most useful and enjoyable session!
- Sonia Woolley, Voice Coach