Spoken English Skills

Central runs a three-week summer school for those wishing to improve the clarity of their speech. This allows students to practice and assimilate the complex linguistic skills learnt between sessions. The course is modular, with the first week introducing key concepts and the second week introducing more advanced ideas and applying skills to text.

In previous years the group has performed extracts from Noel Coward’s play Private Lives in order to practice Received Pronunciation (RP).

The Spoken English course is aimed at those who speak English as an additional language and tutors are both TEFL and voice trained. This course will introduce you to the sounds of standard English as represented in the phonetic alphabet and give you techniques to practise and perfect the sounds that impede effective pronunciation. We will also explore how stress and intonation can transform your communication.

Course objectives

During this course you will discover:
> your areas for development
> how voice and speech are produced
> how to practice and improve the sounds of standard English in a supportive environment
> the use of intonation and stress patterns in English
> exploration of speaking text aloud to learn about the subtleties of Spoken English
> exploration of drama through scene study and forum theatre as a way of exploring hidden meanings in English, so that you really understand what is happening in communication.

You will also learn some key objectives to allow you to continue your development after the course.

In previous years, in order to allow for language practice in social context, the group:
> visited the National Portrait Gallery
> had afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason
> saw Agatha Christie’s play The Mousetrap
> went on a London Bus Tour
> visited the Victoria and Albert Museum.