Choral Speaking Prepared by: Clare Concepcion

Choral speaking or reading has many benefits: Because it is a group activity, it provides for co- operation and directs all students toward a common goal. It can be successful regardless of class size or grade level, and is useful in multi-grade classrooms and for ESL students. As students are not speaking alone, they may feel less conspicuous or intimidated, and this offers greater opportunities for those who are shy or withdrawn to speak. It provides for speech improvement in pitch, tone, volume, rate, diction, enunciation, and clear interpretation of selections.

 Several types of choral speaking or reading are appropriate for classroom use: Refrain is one of the most common forms of choral speaking. One person reads the narrative portion of the text while the rest of the class joins in the refrain. Unison calls for the whole group to read the material together. Additional sound effects might be incorporated

 Antiphon calls for the class to be divided into two or more groups, with each group being responsible for a certain part of the selection. Cumulative choral reading or speaking refers to a method where groups of voices or individual voices are added to or subtracted from the choral reading, depending on the message or the meaning communicated by the selection. Solo Lines is a type of choral reading where individuals read specific lines in appropriate places throughout the group activity. Line Around is more solo work where each line is taken by a different person in the group.