What you get with this Module

Your main text

The Book How to Perform Under Pressure by celebrant Jane Day

The Book Ceremonial Public Speaking by celebrant Jane Day

The CD on Public Speaking (Jane Day)

Module 2

Ceremonial Public Speaking, Organisation and Choreography

PART 1
Of all the necessary celebrant skills (and they are many) the one most obvious to the audience is the ability to deliver the ceremony in a manner that enhances the occasion for all participants.

That is the 'up-front' part of a celebrant's equipment. This is difficult to organise by Distance Education.

To ensure the desired outcome the college arranges for a qualified person to firstly assess and recommend exercises, and finally to examine the student. This person is then required, inter alia, to certify:

a. That the applicant can project the voice to a gathering of, say, 70 people in the open air.

b. that his her/diction is clear. (and he/she knows exercises, including breathing exercises, for sustaining clarity and audibility.)

c. that he/she can read poetry/prose with competence, due understanding, inflexion, and emphasis etc. A celebrant should be able to read poetry and pleasing prose professionally and well. A celebrant should have the interpretative skills, personal aptitudes, technical skills, and voice management ability to read and speak competently i.e. the elements of voice and speech which effectively transmit thought, mood and feeling.

d. that he/she can set up a portable PA system for celebrant /readers, and use it competently with appropriate microphone technique.

e. that he/she knows how to adapt to a variety of PA systems such as are found in reception centres, funeral parlours etc.

f. that the applicant knows how to organise a gathering so that they are together enough to be part of the ceremony.

g. that the applicant knows in what way the needs of ceremonial audiences differ from those of other audiences.

h. the applicant, through a range of examples should be aware of the importance of attending to a myriad of organisational details to ensure the ceremony itself goes well.

PART 2
i. That the applicant has a grasp of what details are necessary in the performance of a good ceremony, and what are the pitfalls and hazards.

Some of the Topics treated.

(a) FIRST MOVE: THE PACKAGE
(b) SECOND MOVE: THE INTERVIEW
(c) LISTENING SKILLS
(d) BODY LANGUAGE
(e) POETRY AND MUSIC
(f) CHOREOGRAPHY
(g) MIXED CULTURES AND RELIGIONS
(h) SAME SEX COMMITMENT CEREMONIES (i) PA SYSTEMS
(j) THE VALUE OF MARRIAGE
(k) ACOUSTICS AND SOUND
(l) AN EFFECTIVE REHEARSAL -Readers (m) MORE ON REHEARSALS (Kirkley)
(n) THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY ITSELF
(o) CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND TENSION EASING.

Relevant FAQ

Source material
The texts are provided - including Module Text with Assessment Tasks, the two other texts Ceremonial Public Speaking, and How to Perform under Pressure, and special tape or CD on public speaking - all by celebrant Jane Day - sent by post - aiirmail where necessary.

• Assessment
  is by the following methods:-
  
  Learning Journals including compulsory research and writing tasks.
  
  Assessment by an independent qualified speech person in your local area where possible.
  
  Literature Review of supplied Texts.
  
  Short analysis of the unique nature of ceremonial audiences.
  
  An examination by an independent qualified speech person.

Workload/Due Dates

• The time envisaged for working on each unit is equivalent to 10 weeks at 8 hours per week .
  
  
• The College has not set dates for submission of individual items. However, unless special permission to extend is granted, should be completed within 6 months.
  
  
• Temporary suspensions of enrolment are negotiable; however, fees for courses which have not been completed are not refundable.

Please note carefully. CREDITS ARE RARELY GIVEN FOR THIS UNIT. This unit aims to communicate basic ideas and raise awareness. The detailed assessment by a qualified speech person should make the student aware of strengths and weaknesses in the vital areas of speech, voice and presentation.

It may be that practising certain exercises could bring a failed student to a competent level. If private coaching is required to achieve this competence, this must be pursued at the student's expense.

Readings/Questions/Assignments
The texts, books, DVDs and CDs which are illustrated in the left column are provided. If the book "Ceremonies and Celebrations" wqs not forwarded with Module 1 , it is included also.
Module Text and other items with Assessment Tasks are normally sent by post - aiirmail where necessary.

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WARNING TO CONSUMERS

Celebrancy courses vary widely in quality, substance, and depth. Consumers are advised to proceed with care.