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Private Coaching / Small Groups / Teacher Training


Just don't call it "Skype"!
We use a state-of-the-art
High Definition
High Fidelity 
virtual classroom.
Except for on-site training by special arrangement, all training is conducted via video tele-conference (VTC). Below are links to the Speech Lab Videos, where you can watch video clips taken from actual training sessions, and see for yourself exactly how it works.

Private Coaching


You need only a webcam. Headphones are seldom necessary. The virtual classroom has a library of 16-hours of professional training videos. Sessions are scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time, usually a minimum of once a week. 8-session packages are specially priced, including discounts on DVD training materials. Besides training in speech dynamics and fluency, any special needs may be addressed. For example, specific public speaking preparation for any event, or even rehabilitative training for speakers recovering from a stroke.

Small Groups


There are distinct advantages to training small groups via VTC. The obvious being--freedom for participants to join sessions from their own unique location, on their own laptop or tablet. In the virtual classroom, instead of looking at the backs of your classmates, you are seeing their faces close-up. This is a highly interactive environment, and everyone learns from seeing the faces of participants. The intensity of participation is equal to, or greater than, a real-life classroom. Being on-camera compels involvement.

Teacher Training


We have conducted on-site teacher-training in 58 countries, at all levels, pre-K to graduate and professional schools, including specialized training for theatre conservatories and deaf speakers.

VTC is a very cost-effective, flexible, and thorough way for teachers to get expert-level training.
Step 1. Teachers take individual or group training sessions via VTC for orientation.
Step 2. Teachers or students shoot video of students and teachers in their own classroom.
Step 3. Teacher simply uploads the unedited video footage to Youtube, and we download it.
Step 4. We edit your video, annotate comments onto it, and upload it to our training room.
Step 5. Teacher and trainer VTC again, watch that video together, and work on improving.
Step 6. That training session is recorded and available to your school for teachers and students.


Advanced Movie Scene Practice Materials

My Man Godfrey
- (1936) NR
(Nominated for 6 Academy Awards)
A high-society scavenger hunt leads to levity when scatterbrained socialite Irene Bullock (Carole Lombard) stumbles upon an erudite vagabond named Godfrey (William Powell) living in the city dump and offers him a position as the Bullocks' butler. As it happens, the seemingly bankrupt bum is, in fact, the heir of a well-to-do family. While Godfrey sets out to teach the pampered Bullocks a few lessons, Irene conspires to capture his heart.
Word Lists & Phrase Links exercises are provided. Scenes have color-coded phonics, with linked phrases blue-underlined for fluency training.
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) PG
Starring Jim Carrey
After their parents are tragically killed, three young orphans -- siblings Violet (Emily Browning), Klaus (Liam Aiken) and Sunny -- are taken in by the cunning and dastardly Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), who hopes to snatch their inheritance from them. Meryl Streep, Billy Connolly and Timothy Spall co-star in director Brad Silberling's take on the best-selling series of darkly funny children's books, with Jude Law narrating as Lemony Snicket.
Suitable for children, but great fun for all ages. Jim Carrey plays a villainous stage actor, so his speech is particularly good to practice with. The speech dynamics are rich in sustained and articulate Consonant Energy.
The Merchant of Venice - (2004) R
Starring Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons
Lacking money to woo an heiress (Lynn Collins), smitten Bassanio (Joseph Fiennes) turns to his merchant friend, Antonio (Jeremy Irons), whose cash is tied up. But he secures a loan from Shylock (Al Pacino) on the condition that if Antonio defaults, he'll literally pay with a pound of flesh. Michael Radford directs this lush adaptation of William Shakespeare's incendiary drama about passion and justice amid an anti-Semitic atmosphere.
Shakespeare’s verse is always superb for speech training. While some of the vocabulary is more advanced, our step-by-step approach makes this great drama accessible.
Bright Star - (2009) PG
Critically acclaimed Australian filmmaker Jane Campion helms this drama detailing the passionate three-year romance between 19th-century Romantic poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw) -- who died tragically at age 25 -- and his great love and muse, Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish). Much of the story was inspired by Keats's poetry and the actual love letters the pair exchanged. Thomas Sangster, Paul Schneider and Kerry Fox co-star.
Keats’ poetry inspired this film, and the language is beautiful. We begin by using slow-motion playback to learn the dialogue, and discover the vocal energies. These scenes are also evenly-paced for practicing in real-time with these fine actors.


Below: Sample I.D.P. (Individual Diagnostic Profile)


SpeechMasters
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