Suggested course level

Lower level undergraduate

Activity purpose

• Students will practice some vocal exercises they can use prior to giving an oral presentation.

Materials required

• Instructions on screen

Activity instructions

1. Project each instruction on screen one-by-one.
2. Ask students to stand up if they are able and comfortable. Reiterate that they are all doing this together and looking at the front of the room and no one is watching them. (I tell them I have 25 people looking at me, whereas they have one person looking at them.)
3. Demonstrate each vocal exercise and then invite the class to do it with you.
   • Here are the vocal exercises:
   • Deep breaths/sighs, sing AY-EE-I-OH-OO a few times while exhaling (one vowel sound per breath and then all of them in a row)
   • Purse your lips and then exhale loudly while relaxing your lips (make a horse-like noise)
   • Practice saying a tongue twister (any tongue twister)
   • Shrug your shoulders up and then relax them down.

Debrief questions / activities

• How did you feel while doing these exercises?
• Do you notice any difference in how your body or your mouth feels from before or after?

Additional resources / supplementary resources

• Additional exercises

Tags: oral presentations, oral communications, hands-on, whole class, vocal exercises