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.
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 will be able to:
- use in their audio narration the knowledge of English phonetics, grammar, syntax, , morphology and pragmatics on an advanced level (K_W05)
Abilities
Students will be able to:
- (K_U03) analyze linguistic phenomena, especially at the phonetic level, and draw generalizations on their basis with respect to the interpretation and reception of read-out texts
- (K_U05) collect information from various sources, critically assess a source and usefulness of information; analyse and draw generalizations on the basis of information so obtained in relation to the process of creating a documentary
- (K_U07) employ modern technology for the sake of obtaining information and using various communication channels and techniques
- present knowledge on relevant topics and communicate it in a cohesive, precise and linguistically correct manner in the English language at level C1 as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (K_U09)
Social competences
Students will be ready to:
- undertake life-long learning and personal development towards working with one’s voice (K_K02)
- value responsibility for one’s own work and respect the work of others, adhering to the professional and ethical norms used for public reading and commenting (K_K03)
- implement knowledge to describe a problem related to communicating messages in audio narration and identify means to solve it (K_K04)
- function effectively in social and cultural interactions through interpreting the content read aloud in a cohesive, and lucid manner, attracting the listener’s attention (K_K05)
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: