How to read expressively

To read texts in front of the audience, it is not enough to learn to portray various shades of emotions, actively gesticulate and speak loudly. An expressive reading will be obtained only if you supplement the technical skills with the ability to deeply feel the work.

Instruction manual

one

Preparation for expressive reading begins with an introduction to the text. In order to transmit the thoughts of the author and the emotions of the heroes through yourself, you need to feel them fully. Understand the plot of the work, understand for yourself the logical connections. After that, think about the motives of the heroes' actions, their feelings, feelings. To create a more accurate idea of ​​the text, you can find out in what circumstances it was created, what the author survived. Only having the most complete picture of the poem, story or play can you convey the images created by the author to the audience.

2

Print a passage of text to be read aloud. Depending on the plot, select the pace and rhythm of reading. Pause in the text. Logical pauses are necessary where punctuation marks are, thanks to them the statement becomes complete. The pause after the decimal point should be shorter than after the dot or ellipsis. Another symbol mark the location of psychological pauses. They help the reader highlight relevant parts of a phrase or sentence. You can highlight a phrase by pausing before or after it. The same technique of expressiveness before or after a sentence will draw attention to the essence of the whole sentence as a whole.

3

To be able to use means of expressive reading, you need to learn how to breathe correctly. There are various teaching techniques that it is advisable to master under the guidance of a teacher of stage speech or oratory. You can try to independently adjust the volume and uniformity of inspirations and exhalations. Take a breath during a pause. Thanks to constant practice, you will learn how to take a deep enough breath so that there is enough oxygen until the next pause. During the first exercises do not try to artificially “hold out” to a pause - such efforts only distort the voice. After collecting air, exhale it evenly, without sudden jolts.

4

The main tools for expressive reading are voice power and intonation. Having experienced the thought and emotion that you express, you can determine when you need to speak louder, and when - go to a whisper. When to smile, and when to add detachment to the voice. In a work in which there is an author’s speech, there are often direct indications of raising or lowering the tone of the hero and his experience. You just need to follow them without undue dramatization, theatricality. You will achieve the greatest expressiveness when you learn empathy, that is, empathy, passing a text through yourself.

5

Reading aloud can be accompanied by facial expressions and gestures. Mimicry directly corresponds to the emotions that the reader experiences during the speech. In addition, “playing face” is not worth it if you have not studied acting - so you can’t focus directly on the voice. In addition, there is a great risk of spoiling the impression of reading an inappropriate grimace.

6

If you use gestures during emotional speech, practice in front of the mirror. Read the monologue, moving in the way you are accustomed to. See if the gesture is a duplicate of the intonation of the phrase. Does it contradict the text emotionally? Whether sweeping gestures distract from the essence of the work. If you find it difficult to evaluate yourself in the mirror, try recording your performance on video.