THIS MONTH, WE ASK My kid speaks too softly. How do I get her to project her voice?
THIS MONTH, WE ASK
My kid speaks too softly. How do I get her to project her voice?
First, it’s important to establish why your child is speaking quietly: Is it due to a physical reason, such as having weak vocal cords or a naturally quiet voice; a social reason, such as nervousness; or her personality, which may be naturally quiet and reserved.
Help her overcome the problem with these tips:
• Develop a love of books and enjoy reading aloud every day. Practise character voices – some loud, some soft. Have fun recording the reading and listening back to it together.
• Show her how to breathe and speak from her abdomen, rather than her throat. Can she make her tummy go in and out?
• Show her how to lift up her chin slightly when she talks, so her voice doesn’t disappear into her chest.
• Expose her to social situations where she can interact with others and practise using her voice.
• Play with a set of telephones made from empty tin cans. This makes voice projection fun.
• Enrol your child for speech and drama classes, where specific voice projection and confidence building are the programme’s key focus.
• Never compare or shame her in front of others – this will only make the problem worse.
Helen Marjan, Lorna Whiston Schools
EDUCATION
Brian Caswell is the dean of Research and Program Development at Mindchamps. He has 15 grandchildren.
Helen Marjan is the CEO and director of Studies at Lorna Whiston Schools. Her three children are in their teens.
June Rusdon is the chief executive officer of Busy Bees Asia. She has three kids in their 20s.
Fiona Walker is the group managing director of Julia Gabriel Education – Julia Gabriel Centre, Chiltern House Preschool and Chengzhu. Her son is aged 14, and her daughter is 11.
Dawn Lim is the curriculum advisor at Star Learners. She has four children aged eight to 16.
PSYCHIATRY
Dr Cornelia Chee is a psychiatrist and director in the Women’s Emotional Health Service at the National University Hospital. Her daughters are in their teens.
CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
Dr Richard C. Woolfson is a child psychologist based in Britain. He has written 15 books on child and family development, and is Young Parents’ long-standing Age by Stage columnist. He’s also a grandfather of five.
PAEDIATRICS
Dr Chan Poh Chong is the head and senior consultant with the Division of General Ambulatory Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the Khoo Teck Puat- National University Children’s Medical Institute, National University Hospital.
Dr Natalie Epton is a specialist paediatrician and neonatologist at SBCC Baby & Child Clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre. She has three kids aged five to 12.
GYNAECOLOGY
Dr Goh Shen Li is a senior consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist in the S L Goh Women’s Clinic at Mount Alvernia Medical Centre. She has three children aged four to eight.
LACTATION & PARENTCRAFT
Kang Phaik Gaik is a senior nurse manager and parentcraft/ lactation consultant at Mount Alvernia Hospital’s Parentcraft Centre. Her two children are in their 20s.
NUTRITION
Pauline Xie is a principal dietitian with the Clinical Services Division at the National Healthcare Group Polyclinics. Her three daughters are aged five to 12.
DENTAL
Dr Rashid Tahir is a paediatric dentist at The Kids Dentist. He’s also the president of the Pediatric Dentistry Association of Asia and an adjunct associate professor in the Faculty of Dentistry at National University of Singapore. His two daughters are in their teens.
FAMILY
Alfred Tan is the chief executive officer of Singapore Children’s Society. His two children are in their 20s.
Any views expressed by the Members of the Editorial Advisory Board in this magazine are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of, or are sanctioned by, this magazine. Members of the Editorial Advisory Board do not, by virtue of their membership, endorse or support any product or service advertised or articles featured in this magazine. The articles in this magazine are for your information only. Do not substitute them for the advice of a qualified health-care practitioner or professional adviser.
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