by Nan Keltie

Created on: October 13, 2009

One of the most effective tools you have as a teacher is your voice. Think back to your favorite primary school teachers - what was it about them that won your heart? Chances are, they knew how to catch your attention, make the subject interesting and inspire you to learn.

You can do the same for your students, too. Start each day with a cheerful greeting or a bit of news or trivia that will grab their attention. Why not ask them a thought-provoking question to wake up their brains? What you communicate to your class early on sets the tone for the day ahead.

There are many ways you can use your voice as an effective teaching tool. Consider the following:

Expression -

In the classroom, what you say and how you say it is important. Use an expressive, sincere voice to encourage a student that struggles with new concepts. Quietly affirm someone who has little support or encouragement at home. When the class (or a student) is overly-excited, a calm, steady voice can help diffuse the situation.

Express pride in children and groups when they are cooperative and helpful. When special events are on the schedule, share your anticipation through the tone of your voice. Your facial expressions. tone of voice and pitch automatically come into play as you speak. Be expressive as you teach and never hesitate to inject true emotion into your voice. This helps the children learn to be expressive, too.

Volume -

There's just something about a whisper young children can't ignore! It signals intrigue, mystery, secrets and more. Place a finger to your lips to signal for quiet, then speak in a whisper to introduce the next activity. Whisper, "I've got a brand new story you'll love. Let's tiptoe over and find our places very quietly." Be sure to vary the circumstance and occasions for using whispers. If you whisper every story time, it will soon lose its appeal and intrigue.

The rise and fall of volume helps maintain interest for all students and can be especially effective for older children. During a history lesson, quote a couple characters, using different voices and volumes to peak interest. When posing class questions, making announcements and giving assignments, a bit louder volume is in order. You want everyone to hear you clearly. On the other hand, yelling is never in order! It shows the teacher has lost control of the situation and also feeds the frenzy you are trying to dispel.

Inflection -

The dictionary defines inflection as "any change in tone or pitch of the voice

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