Speech Communication NZ Conference

PRESS RELEASE

Speech Communication NZ Conference

Speech teachers from throughout New Zealand will descend on Hastings on October 12 and 13 for their annual professional development seminar.

Only this year it will be different as the Speech Communication Association of New Zealand is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee.

With teachers registered from Whangarei to Invercargill, and with a large contingent from Christchurch attending the celebrations, centred at Theatre Hawke’s Bay there are a number of high profile key note speakers.

Amongst them are Glenda Pearce: (M.ED (Hons) BA LTCL, Dip TESOL, Dip teaching, and a Speech Co mmunication accredited adjudicator who subject is ‘CRAFDSMART’ which is A creative and analytical approach to characterization.

Ms Pearce designed this for students and teachers to analyse and create characters and examines portrayal from a range of perspectives. After a short introduction, the workshop will have participants working in groups and actively involved in character deduction, analysis resulting in the performance of a range of texts.

Second in the large line-up of speakers is Jackie Shaw who has an Honours Degree in Theatre (Otago 2008.) Jackie is a member of SCA, teacher of communication and runs her own theatre company,’ Bare Hunt Collective’. Jackie was a recipient of the Deirdre Snedden Trust in 2011 and took the opportunity of travelling to New York to attend a six week intensive course at the Neighbourhood Theatre Playhouse – the home of the Sanford Meisner Technique. Jackie was so inspired, she intends to return sometime in the future to complete the two year course. Jackie will share her experiences with those attending the seminar.

Next is a duet comprising Gabrielle Thurston and Ashleigh van den Akker who will present ‘TRIPPING THROUGH THE THEORISTS (Speech NZ)

Gabrielle Thurston FTCL, LSB (PS), ASB (S&D), RTSCA, CAT, Dip Tchg, and Speech New Zealand Examiner .
Gabrielle has a creative approach to understanding the drama theorists, incorporating styles and relevant techniques as an aid to enhance teaching. A master class with students is included within this practical workshop.

Gabrielle is Vice-Chairman, Trustee and Head of Examinations for Speech New Zealand. She is also HOD Drama at John Paul College and operates Catch a Rising Star, a large, private Oral Communication company. Currently she is completing her Master’s in Education through the University of Canterbury.

Ashleigh van den Akker BA, Dip Tchg, ASB (S&D) is a Trustee of Speech New Zealand and has completed a BA in English and Theatre and is a trained Secondary School Teacher. She is presently teaching English at John Paul College in Rotorua.

Ashleigh has a creative approach to understanding the drama theorists, incorporating styles and relevant techniques as an aid to enhance teaching and a master class with students is included within this practical workshop.

The day will conclude with afternoon tea, a Trinity/Guildhall Workshop and SCA discussion time and housekeeping with social drinks and dinner at the theatre.

On the Saturday the association’s annual general meeting will be held before Jonathan Hunter head of Voice at Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School the country's foremost training establishment for the dramatic arts - and New Zealand's only Certified Master Teacher of Estill Voice Training presents ‘Evidence or Eminence ‘- Voice Training in the 21st Century

Mr Hunter says there have been significant advances in our understanding of how the voice works in recent times.

“ Is the approach we learned as students still relevant, are the methods of the voice masters of yesteryear sacrosanct, or could we find a new way to work with our students?”

He says his session will introduce Estill Voice Training - an elegant researched-based strategy for working across the vocal spectrum - with speaking, singing and voice therapy.

In 2011 he received the Speech Communication Association's Claire Marsh Award and, as a Deirdre Snedden Scholar, undertook professional development in London and Rome which included attending the Fifth Estill World Voice Symposium. He works with actors, singers and other professional voice users, and regularly presents workshops on a variety of voice and performance-related topics.

Following Mr Hunter will be: 'Archetypes Status and Tactics' an introduction to Lively Action Practice from the Globe Theatre London.

Josephine Carpenter who is head of Speech and Drama at Woodford House spent two weeks in 2011 as part of Teachers Go Global organised by Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ at the Globe in London.
This was sponsored by the Deirdre Snedden Trust.

Mrs Carpenter has her ATCL; LSB(S & D, PS) TTC; SNZ Examiner ; Acc Adj SCA

After lunch Mr Hunter returns with’ Accents’ a practical workshop on developing accents and sustaining these in performance.

The final session of the day will be ‘The unspeakable and unspoken’ by Sheridan Hickey Fellow SCA, BA, TTC, LSB (S & D, CT, PS), LTCL, ANZDA, Acc Adj SCA, Fellow SCA, SNZ Examiner
This session looks at non-verbal communication in a New Zealand environment for people of all ages, cultures and creeds. Pre-teen to pensioner; performer to politician.

The weekend will conclude with a restaurant dinner.

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