Key Takeaways 🎤️
- Elocution simplifies communication: Elocution helps you speak clearly and confidently.
- Elocution is for everyone: It’s great for professionals, students, and anyone wanting to improve their speech.
- Elocution can be learnt online: Flexible and personalized lessons you can take from anywhere.
- Elocution boosts confidence: Improve public speaking and make a strong impression.
Does the thought of holding a microphone or speaking in front of an audience give you sweaty palms? Have you rehearsed your speech or script countless times, only to stumble over your words and struggle to convey your message effectively?
If you answered 'yes' to either of these questions, it might be time to consider enrolling in elocution lessons near you.
🔊What is Elocution and Why is it Important?
Elocution is the art of speech. It goes far beyond the words you speak, but also how you say those words to create an impactful communication, depending on your intended purpose or audience. In other words, mastering elocution is about creating the best of both worlds — blending clarity and artistry in your speech at the same time.
Being able to speak clearly and have an impact with our words can be extremely beneficial. The key elements of good elocution aren’t talked about enough, especially in the aspects of pronunciation, articulation, and voice modulation. First, let's review the definitions of these key areas of good elocution.
Pronunciation
- The ability to say words with the right sound and syllables
Articulation
- The ability to produce the right pronunciation clearly
Modulation
- The ability to adjust your voice, tone, and pitch
Having good pronunciation, articulation, and voice modulation can be incredibly valuable for both personal and professional development. Whether you are a student or a business owner, it will certainly improve your confidence when sharing your thoughts through a presentation or an important pitch.
It's also an essential skill set to have, regardless of your age and background. With the right elocution training and consistent practice, instead of fearing public speaking, you'll be better at public speaking, aka more persuasive and more engaging.
This will even boost your public persona as someone capable of professional communication, whether as a full-time career like a motivational speaker, language teacher, or emcee. For instance, a person with good elocution can master the right English pronunciation of several minimal pairs clearly with the right tone.
A pair of words that differ by one sound and can sound similar when pronounced.
Some examples include:
Sheep vs ship
Day vs they
Think vs thing
🎯Who Can Benefit from Online Elocution Lessons?
Everyone can benefit from online elocution lessons, but there are a few core reasons someone may consider taking elocution lessons, whether for medical or self-development purposes.
For instance, stroke patients need to recover their full speaking abilities after their speech ability is affected. On the other hand, if you have watched the award-winning movie The King's Speech starring Colin Firth, you'll know that elocution lessons are important to overcome a speech impediment.
Here are some common groups of individuals who can benefit from Canadian elocution lessons for various personal development reasons:
That said, elocution lessons are suitable for anyone and everyone. They are a practical skill worth investing in at any age or stage of life. Continue reading to discover what you’ll learn in an elocution class.
🗣️What Will I Learn?
Or, rather, why should you consider going to an elocution class in the first place? There are many things you could use elocution to study. It isn’t all about poetry recital anymore. Here are four main learning outcomes if you choose to enrol in an online elocution class:
✅ Standard English Pronunciation
In Canada, we generally follow the standard sounds of Canadian or neutral North American English when pronouncing English words. Learning a standardized Canadian English pronunciation is important as it helps to avoid miscommunication when you're interacting with someone from a different background or location.
Both American English and Canadian English do sound the same in terms of pronunciation, most of the time. However, there are some exceptions — for example, Canadians pronounce the letter 'Z' as 'zed,' following the British English pronunciation, rather than 'zee,' as in American English pronunciation.
By adopting a neutral or standardized form of English, speakers can be more easily understood in both professional and social settings. This is particularly valuable in connecting with a broader audience at workplaces, academic environments, and media, where clarity and confidence can make a significant impact.
✅ Dialect Training and Accent Reduction
Canada is a large, multicultural country with a diverse range of regional and cultural accents. Just as elocution lessons can teach you to speak standardized Canadian English, they can also do the opposite. An experienced elocution coach will be well-versed in various dialects and accents across the country.
Lessons like these are extremely helpful for actors who are trying to land a role which requires them to speak in a specific Canadian accent or dialect. Elocution lessons that focus on dialect training teach more than just pronunciation — they also cover mannerisms, oral posture (to promote clarity), and the stress, intonation, and rhythm patterns of the target dialect in relation to one’s natural speaking voice.
The same principle applies to actors who take online elocution lessons for accent reduction. That's because they want to neutralise their Canadian accents to appeal to a wider market, like the American or European audience. The goal of the lessons is to help you sound as natural and close as possible to your desired accent.
✅ Training for English As a Second Language (ESL) Learners
Many people, such as international students, immigrants or permanent residents, learn English as a second language in Canada. While they may feel confident reading and writing in English, they often hesitate to speak up due to fear or embarrassment about mispronouncing words during everyday conversations.
Elocution lessons can help them speak clearly and confidently in both casual and formal settings. This improved communication can lead to better job prospects — whether it’s landing a job interview, securing a promotion, or making a career switch that involves public speaking.
Public speaking skills are an essential key to achieving career advancement and success.
Robert Moment
🔔 Private Coaching vs Group Elocution Classes: Which is Better?
Now that you have reviewed the significance of taking elocution classes, the next step is to enrol in them. You might be on the fence when it comes to choosing between private coaching and group elocution classes. Let's break down the pros and cons of these different learning modes according to your learning goals, budget, and learning style.
Private coaching
- ✅ 100% tailored to individual goals and speech needs
- ✅ Faster progress with direct feedback and correction
- ✅ High schedule flexibility which revolves around your availability
- ❌ Usually more costly
Group class
- ✅ Strong peer support as everyone is united by a common learning goal
- ✅ Allows immediate public speaking practice
- ✅ More affordable per session
- ❌ Lesson progress is slower to cater to all participants
🌐 Best Online Platforms for Elocution Training in Canada
Canada has so many great elocution teachers, but learning online can bring lots of other great benefits due to its flexibility and great personalization. Here are a few different resources, apps and websites to get you started learning online for various learning levels.
🎙️ Speeko (Online App)
This is a suitable learning method for individuals who are always on the go. Speeko is an AI-powered app for public speaking and voice training. It can efficiently track your voice and speech patterns in real-time and offers you feedback based on the following metrics: pace, eloquence, sentiment, intonation, talk time, and even word choice suggestions.
🎨 Skillshare (Online Course)
For individuals who prefer a pre-structured video training module but also value flexibility, you can enrol in a Skillshare online elocution program. All you need to do is pay a monthly subscription fee and access unlimited elocution-related resources at your own pace.
🧑💻 Superprof (Online tutor)
One of the best reasons to learn elocution is from an elocution tutor. A tutor can be the perfect way to get all your information from one source. At Superprof, you can easily find the best elocution tutors in Canada.
As you browse through the wide selection of tutors' profiles, you can choose from online elocution lessons and physical elocution sessions, where you can have the freedom and flexibility to learn whenever and wherever you want. Having an experienced elocution tutor who is well-versed with various Canadian English accents, academic Canadian English, and standard English pronunciation will help you speak clearly and confidently in no time.
📍Tips to Improve Your Speech and Pronunciation at Home
Developing strong elocution skills requires consistency, persistence, and above all, the right techniques. In addition to investing in elocution lessons, here are some essential tips you can use to improve on your own at home.
Record and Replay
- Use your phone or mobile app to record your speech
- Pause and replay to focus on your intonation, pace, and pronunciation
Listen and Imitate
- Watch a video in the desired accent that you want to learn
- Pause and repeat to mimic the speaker's pronunciation, tone, and rhythm
Observe and Practice
- Look at yourself in the mirror as you speak (how your jaw and lips move)
- Add a little gesture and facial expressions while practising
Regardless of the reason why you take elocution lessons, one thing is for sure. It is a skill that will empower you in many ways, personally and professionally. With a wide range of online resources these days, anyone and everyone can be a good speaker.
Before you know it, taking the microphone and speaking in front of a big audience is no longer a sweaty event. You are owning the stage, and most importantly, owning your voice in style!
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