Why is it important to speak well?

Speaking English well is as important as writing it well. It projects a confident, polished and professional image. Good speakers are not identified by their accent, but by the way they manage their articulation, their speech patterns, and their voices.

Having a grasp of good spoken English is not only important for speaking clearly - it is also necessary for speakers to better understand the English that they hear.

For example, many people feel a little uncomfortable speaking with a native speaker of English. This is usually because they cannot understand what the native speaker is saying; in other words, the native speech pattern is unfamiliar to them.

What do you gain from this two-day workshop?

In this workshop, you will learn and practice each sound of the English language in the phonetics system. This equips you with the tool to determine how words should be pronounced.

On top of that, you will also listen to and be aware of the implications of different speech patterns. You can then improve your own speech patterns to speak more clearly and confidently.

This workshop also discusses the common problems with spoken English in Singapore. These include grammatical errors in spoken English and the use of Singlish.

Workshop Objectives

1. Understand the speech mechanism and how to care for it.
2. Learn the phonetics system and practise the sound of each phoneme.
3. Understand the features of speech patterns such as linking, stress, and intonation.
4. Know how speech patterns can affect the message.
5. Know how to avoid common grammatical errors in spoken English.
6. Know how to avoid Singlish when speaking in business situations.

Workshop Highlights

• The speech mechanism – what it is, and how to care for it
• Common speech faults and how to overcome them
• Improving and optimising your speaking voice

• Phonics and Phonetics - what's the difference?
• The phonetics system and how it works
• Understanding the schwa sound

• Linking in sentences
• Word stress
• Sentence stress and weak forms
• Intonation patterns and their implications
• Using contracted forms in spoken English

• Commonly mispronounced words
• Speaking too fast
• Common grammar mistakes to avoid
• Using Singlish inappropriately
• Understanding the causes of Singlish

I would just like to say how much I enjoyed your course last week. Understanding how to use the phonetic alphabet is a skill that will be very useful in my research.
I found the course materials stimulating and the exercises were not easy, even for a native speaker. It was good to test my knowledge and it highlighted areas of communication that I may have taken for granted. I also enjoyed the enthusiasm of the other class participants.
Ms Charmayne Highfield-Goodwin
BBus MCom Grad Cert Univ Teach & Learn FCPA
PhD Student - Charles Sturt University

I have learnt that proper pronunciation and tone do make a difference. I will speak confidently and professionally when conducting corporate orientation and interviews.
HR Executive,
Singapore National Eye Centre Pte Ltd

I have gained from the programme, especially on the dictionary usage. The skills learnt will help me to be more aware when speaking with others.
Managing Director,
Fusion Clad Precision Technology Pte Ltd