Services > Workshops > Speech Skills

Reading Aloud: Tips and Tricks to Improve How You Bring Storybooks Alive

Target Participants:

Parents/teachers/caregivers of young children

Duration:

1 session, three hours per session

No. of Participants:

Min: 10 people; Max: 30 people

Pre-Workshop Preparation:

  • Participants who are able to communicate fluently in English are welcome.
  • Please bring a storybook that you would like to practise on

Notes for Organisers:

  • Please make available a fair-sized room that allows participants to sit preferably in a large circle, if not in small groups. There should be space as well for participants to stand up and do some physical (non-strenuous) movement and for the facilitator to interact with the participants.
  • Please provide a large whiteboard and pens as well as access to computer/computer projection to show PowerPoint slides.
  • Please make copies of hand-outs that will be emailed to prior to the workshop. The hand-outs are to be given to the participants at the end of the workshop.

You want to read aloud stories to your children and bond with them. Instead, you can’t be heard, you don’t make sense, or maybe you sound lifeless. If you want to bring a piece of text alive, help is at hand! In this short workshop, you will learn practical ways to increase your volume, clarity, expressiveness and confidence when reading text aloud. By the end of the workshop, you will have improved your oral communication skills and ability to enhance your children’s appreciation of their favourite storybooks.

About the Facilitator

Verena Tay has spent more than 25 years acting, directing and writing for Singaporean English-language theatre. She has three published collections of plays and is now working on her debut novel and first volume of short stories. In addition, Verena is an active storyteller-cum-storytelling coach and a co-founder of MoonShadow Stories. Possessing an MA in Voice Studies (Central School of Speech and Drama, 2005) and an MA in English Literature (National University of Singapore, 1993), she has been helping people to improve their communication skills since 2001 and currently teaches voice, speech and presentation skills at various local institutions. For more information about Verena, please visit www.verenatay.com.