Analyzing Performance: Vocal Delivery & Nonverbal Communication

Write in complete sentences and no short answers

Question 1: Bringing Your Full Voice to Life

After watching Barbara McAfee's TED Talk on the human speaking voice, please write a self-assessment of your own vocal qualities as a speaker.

McAfee created a model that consists of 5 unique voice types:

Earth Voice:A pessimistic, yawny voice. It conveys authority. No compassion. To the point.

Examples: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Darth Vader.

Fire Voice:It shows passion and personal power, good for public speaking.

Examples: Martin Luther King Jr., Adele, Jennifer Hudson

Water Voice:A voice that speaks with sincerity, straight from the heart. A caring and sometimes apologetic tone.

Examples: Barbra Streisand, Desmond Tutu, Justin Timberlake.

Metal Voice:It is sharp and it cuts through the clutter. It demands attention immediately. Good for amplification.

Examples: Dolly Parton, Demi Lovato, Barack Obama

Air Voice:It is inspirational in tone. The voice of a natural storyteller. Pleasant to listen to.

Examples: Pharrell Williams, Taylor Swift, Matthew McConaughey

Which one of these voice types best describes your speaking voice? (Yes, it can be more than one.) What are one strength and one weakness that you have noticed in your speaking voice and why?

Question 2: Evaluating An Informative Speaker

After watching the three national finalists in Informative Speaking, please choose ONE of the speakers and analyze their vocal delivery and nonverbal communication. [NOTE--you are only going to discuss the performance elements, NOT the content of the message.]

A.) Please evaluate the quality of their volume, tempo, and inflection--are these elements engaging, and why or why not?

B.) Please evaluate the quality of their gesturing, facial expressions, and movement--did they enhance the content of the speech, why or why not?

C.) Takeaways: what did this speaker's performance ultimately teach about vocal delivery and nonverbal communication? Discuss at least two performance skills that you want to work on for your informative speech.