We have many parents who get in touch with us wondering whether LAMDA can help their child’s speech and elocution. They’re concerned that their child mumbles when they speak, or they may have got into a habit of speaking in a certain way, such as using an upward inflection at the end of sentences. LAMDA isn’t just for aspiring actors and it can absolutely help all children develop an awareness of how they speak so that they can express themselves with clarity.
Elocution lessons in the past focussed on accent softening or speaking in a heightened ‘Received Pronunciation’ accent – see Colin Firth’s accent in his performance in ‘The King’s Speech below. This was a time when there was a uniformity in the way people spoke if they wanted a job in a particular profession, or even if they were the King of England.
Nowadays, having a Received Pronunciation accent is not a requirement if you’re looking to improve your career prospects and the diversity of different accents is celebrated. Even the Queen’s accent has become less cut glass over the years. However, the one thing all successful people from any walk of life share, is the ability to communicate clearly. They have self-ease and they communicate persuasively, expressing themselves in their own unique way.
Working with our voices and our attitude to the way they sound is something we’re all sensitive about. Our one-to-one lessons provide a nurturing environment where our students feel comfortable to develop these skills at home (rather than in a more daunting group drama lesson).
Our lessons always start with a vocal and physical warm up. Each week, our students build an awareness of their articulators (such as the tongue, and the hard and soft palate on the roof of the mouth) and how a free and relaxed body can produce a resonant, clear vocal sound. Our students are also encouraged to really enjoy the sounds they use when speaking. They’ll use the full weight of their words and develop an understanding of how sounds in speech can communicate meaning. Through this, they will start to develop clarity of speech.
Whether our students study Acting, Speaking Verse and Prose or Speaking in Public, they will present a narrative to an audience. Our tutors ensure that our students present material which they’re passionate about. When our students care about what they’re speaking about, they soon understand why speaking with clarity matters. They also gain an important lifelong skill which will benefit their personal and professional lives now and wherever life takes them.
Do you have any concerns regarding your child’s speech clarity? Get in touch or call +44 (0)20 8064 0549.
