Presented by: Theresa McElwee
When viewing an especially well acted foreign language film, have you ever experienced a fairly clear understanding of what was being communicated, even without referencing the subtitles? Did you somehow have an innate understanding of what was being said, although you did not speak the language the actors were speaking?
This phenomenon occurs because, according to Mehrabian Communication Theory, 55% of what we understand when someone is speaking is communicated through body language and gesture. 38% of our understanding comes from vocal tone, including intonation and volume. A mere 7% of our understanding comes from the actual, literal meaning of the words we speak.
In this workshop for non-native speakers of English, the skills of body language and gesture, as well as voice and speech will be harnessed to empower clear and confident speaking and storytelling. Employing foundational concepts of Fitzmaurice Voicework® and Knight-Thompson Speechwork, a variety of storytelling text from poetry to speeches, will serve as a launch pad for your original writing and storytelling. The workshop will culminate in a “The Moth” style story-slam. Now more than ever, we need to hear your story.
Recommended for pairing with Beyond Fluency for a full 10-week experience.
Paired with Beyond Fluency, these two workshops comprise a 10-week Speech 3 option for our International students.