Voice-Over Practice 3301-L3PA-VOP
Class 1. Intonation: fall vs fall-rise. Bradford Unit 2 and 3.
Class 2. Intonation: fall vs fall-rise vs rise. Low vs high key. Bradford Unit 4, 5 and. 6.
Class 3. Rhythm (stress, linking, vowel reduction), the pronunciation of segments, intonation and keys in reading the voice-over in TV/radio/Internet productions.
Class 4. An attempt to modulate one’s voice and imitate typical features of speaking depending on a variety of English used and the sex, age, social status, mood, etc. of the character played in a theatrical performance.
Classes 5-12. The oral interpretation of texts such as fragments of narrations of film or audio documentaries, fairy tales, short stories, novels, the Bible, journalistic reports, contemporary plays, which tend to be read aloud and/or are often released as audiobooks or podcasts. Preparing a commentary to a video material played without soundtrack.
Classes 13-15. Analysing students’ 5-10 minute-long audio recordings of their own narration to a documentary on a topic negotiated earlier with the course teacher. Individual meetings.
Regular listening to audio material and recording one's own reading performances at home is an indispensable part of the course. It is expected that texts are read with suitable rhythm, intonation, stress and pronunciation of individual sounds and are given appropriate (though not exaggerated) interpretation rather than being delivered in a monotonous way.
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
Students know and understand:
-advanced structures, lexis and conventions of spoken and written English, especially referring to audio-visual delivery (K_W08)
Abilities
Students are able to:
- use structures, lexis and language conventions appropriate to the communicative situation (e.g. commentary to a documentary film), primarily in spoken English (appropriate pronunciation, rhythm, intonation, key) at the minimum level C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (K_U08)
Social competences
Students are ready to:
critically appraise their knowledge and content obtained from various sources, especially as regards pronunciation and widely understood interpretation of oral texts. (K_K01)
Assessment criteria
The final grade is given on the basis of:
a) a 5-10 minute-long audio recording of the student’s own English narration to a documentary either already existing in their native tongue (if it does not happen to be English) or prepared from scratch. (75 points). Evaluated are: usage and pronunciation of individual words, rhythm, intonation, key, stress shift.
b) and reading performance throughout classes 5-12, where the same aspects are taken into account as in a). (25 points)
Two formally justified absences are allowed. Ways of making up for missed classes are to be negotiated with the class instructor.
Bibliography
Bradford Barbara. Intonation in Context. CUP, 1999. + recordings
Hewings Martin. English Pronunciation in Use Advanced. CUP, 2007 + recordings.
Porzuczek Andrzej, Rojczyk Arkadiusz, Arabski Janusz. Praktyczny kurs wymowy angielskiej dla Polaków.
Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego, 2021 + recordings
https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/how-to-do-a-scottish-accent-75895/
https://biteable.com
https://www.dialectsarchive.com/
https://www.openculture.com
https://www.listentogenius.com
https://www.pbs.org Nova Transcript
https://www.simplyscripts.com
https://www.storynory.com
https://voiceoverkickstart.com
https://www.voices.com
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: