How to Figure Out What An Intelligibility Score Really Means
When native U.S. English speakers talk just above a whisper, they measure about 50% intelligibility. What does this mean to you? A score around 50 percent for an international person means that listeners have to strain to understand them. It is about the same as listeners trying to get information from a native speaker talking a […]
A Powerful Point of View for Presentations
Besides a weekly speech tip video above, here is a powerful point of view for presentations. Remember this: “The presentation is a moment of truth for the presenter. We can’t hide. We are exposed, for better or worse. The listeners decide whether they like us, believe us, trust us, and perceive whether we are secure in ourselves and […]
Getting the American Accent : “Never Say Never”
And this from Raul, on Facebook Hi Antonia,Would you please do a video and use as a topic “never say never”. I believe the majority of us think we are not going to go further into learning clear English speech. However, life pushes us to take more instruction and classes on this subject. Our jobs demand more […]
Stand Still and Watch Your Confidence Grow During Presentations!
Above is a weekly speech tip video. This cool tip is for a steady stance versus walking while presenting to an audience. It is true for men and women alike. You may have a picture in your mind of a speaker pacing back and forth while holding the eyes of everyone on him. But […]
What Practical Real-Life Difference will Increase in Intelligibility Make?
Everybody wants people to grasp what they say, so a high intelligibility score is better than a low score. It is a no-brainer. Speaking accurate English sounds and words makes life much better for the speaker and the listener! Recall the range of scores for our clients before any accent reduction instruction has been between 2% and 85%. […]
How Does an Audience Impact a Speaker?
Above is a weekly speech tip video. How does an audience impact a speaker? 1. You walk to the front of the room and turn to face the audience. Your instincts say to scan the audience. Your eyes almost wander by themselves. But that makes a feeling of nervousness. You get an extra jolt of adrenaline. […]
Why is Intelligibility Important?
A key question for you is: What do you want for your English speech communication skills? Probably first on your wish list is for people to understand your words. The professional term for that is “intelligibility.” Wikipedia states that intelligibility is a measure of the degree to which speech can be understood. Most important is that you […]
What is “Accent” and What is “Accent Reduction?”
What is “Accent” and What is “Accent Reduction?” Sylvia posted on Clear Talk Mastery’s timeline:“Another set of sounds that are difficult for my Hispanic students are in the words shin and chin. That short i is always a problem. But distinguishing between the sh and the ch is hard for them too. They wanted me to […]
Cool Tips for How to Prepare for Your Presentation
We give you our weekly speech tip video above. Here are some cool tips for how to prepare for your presentation. 1. Should you write out your talk? Some say absolutely no. Others say that with the computer, this is easy and helps us think. People are surprised to hear that is what I do. Many […]
How to Overcome Your Fear of Speaking in Public
How to Overcome Your Fear of Speaking in Public What NOT to do: Take solace in the thought that you are an introvert or shy or a “behind-the-scenes person.” Or have the excuse that English is NOT your first language. That has nothing to do with being able to speak. BTW, I always had the excuse […]