Little Voices
I’m sitting in our new studios, back in the heart of a nursery setting, Broomhill, Kirktonholme.
First of all it has taken the Reggio mantra as “the environment as the third teacher’ and exploded it! Each wonderful space has been considered and curated with children in mind.
Our wee studio within this wonderful nursery, has attempted to curate and exemplify the same values and vision and now the real joy begins.
As Marie and I sit discussing, debating and designing the content for our new masterclasses, we can hear the hubbub of laughter, the gentle pounding of feet and the anxious wonderings of parents as they visit and stay and play.
How lucky are we that this is the soundtrack to our days!
But as we pause to soak it up we begin to reflect on the sounds and the murmurings of our little humans. Do we notice them enough? Do we take them for granted? Did you know vocal folds (chords) produce sound when they come together and then vibrate as air passes through them as each baby, toddler or little one exhales air from their lungs.
These exhalations produce the sound wave of our voice. In order for the sound to be clear, these visual cords need to vibrate together regularly. So talk, talk, talk!!
Our voice is made up of the lungs, the vocal folds in the larynx (voice box) and the articulators. The lungs ‘ the pump’ has to produce ‘airflow’ and air pressure to vibrate the vocal folds.
The vocal folds then vibrate using the air from the lungs to form sounds. The muscles in our larynx fine tune the pitch and tone. The articulators tongue, palate, cheeks, lips etc articulate and filter the sounds.
I’m exhausted just writing about it!!! Do we consider this complex process as each child’s murmurings, babbles or words are shared.
The sounds of each individual voice is entirely unique. It depends on the shape and size of our whole bodies too. It’s as unique as our fingerprints.
Another aspect of this that helps create our unique voice is the way our speech sounds are influenced, formed and articulated.
No two voices are ever exactly alike. So as our new little people cascade into visit and explore let’s salute them.
Lets pause what we are doing and listen to their one off incredible sounds.