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Some techniques to consider when presenting a poem include: Pitch is the highness or lowness of your voice q Avoid a monotone pitch; it may put your audience to sleep. q Vary your pitch for emphasis
Pace is the speed at which you speak. q When people are nervous they tend to speak too quickly. q Take a few deep breaths before you start, and consciously decide to slow down. q Vary your pace to suit the emotions behind what you are trying to convey.
Volume—the loudness or softness of your voice. Obviously, you must speak loudly enough to be heard. Vary the volume to suit the emotions behind the words you are trying to convey. When we are surprised, excited, or afraid, our pitch is higher, the pace is faster, and the volume is louder. When we are depressed or bored, the pitch is lower, the pace slower, and the volume quieter. Vary pitch, pace, and volume for emphasis on important words—Underline the three key passages in the piece you are presenting. Circle words you want to emphasize. Try deliberately slowing down, maintaining eye contact, and changing your pitch and volume to encourage your audience to see and hear the most important lines. Eye Contact—It is important to connect with your audience from the beginning. q This means standing up, getting their attention, and beginning your reading in a clear, audible voice. q Eye contact helps you build a presence, and this cannot be done with a quick glance. q Memorize the first three to five lines so that you can make sustained eye contact with your audience. q Memorize two key passages within the poem that you want your audience to remember, and look up and keep looking up as you say them. q Your ending is important too, so memorize and look up. Gestures and Facial Expressions q Use gestures and facial expressions to reinforce the feelings, tone or attitudes about various ideas. q Eliminate nervous gestures (for example, hair twirling, twisting fingers, or swinging feet if you’re sitting). q Practice in front of a mirror at home so that you can see what your audience will see
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