SLP as Public Speaker
For those who wonder why speech-language pathology lends itself to public-speaking training, I can provide many reasons.
First, in order to diagnose a speech, language or voice disorder, one has to first and foremost understand the essence of "normal" optimal communication.
Second, our background and coursework has provided us with extensive knowledge about voice, articulation and appropriate non-verbal behavior. When working with clients such as professional voice users (e.g., broadcasters, members of the clergy, politicians, and others whose voice is their livelihood), we are uniquely qualified to provide information about everything from vocal hygiene and ideal pitch and volume to the physiology of clear articulation to the mechanics of body language.
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| Stacey Marshall, MS, CCC-SLP |
Third, because we are qualified to treat myriad pathologies, should we find that a client does have a disorder, such as a voice or articulation disorder, we are trained to treat the disorder that hinders the individual from being the best speaker he/she can become.
There are graduate school programs embracing this role in their curriculum. When I attended UNC-Chapel Hill in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences for my master's degree, for example, Professor Celia Hooper, PhD, CCC-SLP, conceptualized a program she called "SIG" - "Speech Improvement Groups."
For those of us lucky enough to partner with Professor Hooper to put SIG into action, she had us work with various groups - student athletes, university professors and business executives - to whom we provided public-speaking training weekly.
The programs were inordinately popular, and the role of the SLP as public-speaking coach seemed to be a perfect fit for me.
My career path as an SLP has led me to become a public-speaking coach specializing in teaching clients to become the most optimal speakers they can be. I also write fictional children's stories, in which I sneak in tips for kids about how to speak clearly with a strong, confident voice and make use of effective and appropriate non-verbal communication.
The main character in my new children's book, "Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes," teaches kids to speak with confidence and poise, something SLPs do every day.
When you conjure up an image of the quintessential speech-language pathologist, public-speaking coach and author may not come to mind, but who better than an SLP to teach optimal speaking skills and write about them!
By Stacey Marshall, MS, CCC-SLP
Stacey Marshall's book, Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes, is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com and select retailers throughout the U.S. Visit her website at http://www.captaincourage.com/.
We have a free copy of "Captain Courage and the Fear-Squishing Shoes" available to give away!
Leave a comment here or on our Facebook page with tools or tips you use to teach kids to speak with confidence and poise!
We will pick a comment at random on Feb. 27 and notify the winner!