This workshop training aims to give priests the skills needed to:
produce spoken English in a way that is easy for Americans to follow
proclaim the Gospel and other liturgical texts in a listener-friendly manner for North American audiences.
Using techniques from the Compton P-ESL (Pronouncing English as a Second Language) method, participants will progress systematically through the essential elements of producing the target accent, including individual sounds, words, sentences and elements of prosody (rhythm, stress, intonation and phrasing). Participants will then apply these principles to their proclamation of liturgical texts, as well as by negotiating meaning in interpersonal encounters.
This training is delivered in eight sessions, typically over two or three days, depending on the needs and availability of the diocese and the participants.
Session 1: Introduction to North American Speech - Vowels, Part 1
This session focuses on how to train the ear to detect derivations between one's current speech patterns and those of target speakers and provides techniques that can be used to practice the target speech patterns for vowels.
Session 2: Introduction to North American Speech - Vowels, Part 2
Continuation of Session 1.
Session 3: Introduction to North American Speech - Consonants
This session focuses on how to train the ear to detect derivations between one's current speech patterns and those of target speakers and provide techniques that can be used to practice the target speech patterns for consonants.
Session 4: Speech Patterns for Increased Comprehensibility - Stress, Part 1
This session teaches how to apply target speech patterns to important features of linguistic comprehensibility. Particular attention is given to stress at the word level.
Session 5: Speech Patterns for Increased Comprehensibility - Stress, Part 2
This session teaches how to apply target speech patterns to important features of linguistic comprehensibility. Particular attention is given to stress at the sentence level.
Session 6: Speech Patterns for Increased Comprehensibility - Rhythm
This session teaches how to apply target speech patterns to important features of linguistic comprehensibility. Particular attention is given to sentence rhythm.
Session 7: Speech Patterns for Increased Comprehensibility - Intonation
This session teaches how to apply target speech patterns to important features of linguistic comprehensibility. Particular attention is given to the rise and fall of pitch in words and within sentences.
Session 8: Speech Patterns for Pastoral and Liturgical Ministry
This session focuses on how to apply target speech patterns to important speech tasks for priests, including proclamation, homiletics and spontaneous speech. Particular attention is given to phrasing, linking, volume and speed.