When we write, we use commas and periods and paragraphs and such. Readers are GUIDED from sentence to sentence as we take the time to separate our thoughts structurally. Run-on sentences miss the point. Inappropriate or inconsistent spacing and lengthy paragraphs become challenges. All of these errors can leave our readers to wander into unrelated thoughts or, worse yet, dismiss…
FLOW. A word that refers to many things: The movement of a river. A mental state indicating someone is in “the zone.” A workflow that can help with productivity. When it comes to English as a second language, I use Flow to mean the CONNECTION between words that helps non-native speakers sound more native-like in their speech. With human beings…
Speaking can be dynamic when we learn some simple tricks of the trade. Say vowels, for example. Have you thought much about the VALUE of a vowel versus the value of a consonant? Well, I have. I have thought about it a lot over the past 25 years and I’ll tell you why. When we emphasize a word in English,…
Jill Diamond: Breath is the fuel of life, and ideas are made up of life. When we make the connection between our ideas and breathing and communication, we set ourselves up to be very effective when we speak. How does breathing help our speech? A recent study by neuroscientist shows that when we take concentrated breaths, we actually can change…
Jill Diamond:Hi everyone, it’s Jill. Today we’re going to look at the shape of three key vowels. These three key vowels are so important because all of the other sounds fall in between these three sounds. Listen to the first sound: /i:/. /i:/. Can you see this shape, this big smile, how I use my cheeks? /i:/. You need…
Jill Diamond: Hi everybody, it’s Jill. Last time, we looked at the three key vowels in our vowel chart. Today, we’re going to add in all the vowels in between i, a and u. All these vowels are so important because of the emphasis we place on vowels when we say our stressed syllables. I want you to go ahead…