Practice Book, Leland Powers School

Powers, Leland Todd, 1857-1920Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.3

Word count: 113K words
Chapters: 12

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Practice Book, Leland Powers School by Leland Todd PowersAuthor: Powers, Leland Todd, 1857-1920,Language: English, Class: PN: Language and Literatures: Literature: General, Criticism, Collections, Release Date: Dec 1, 2003

Editor's review

This book is a practice manual used at the Leland Powers School founded by Leland Todd Powers, and belongs to the public-domain body of materials on voice and expression training. Its value lies not in theoretical exposition but in the framework of exercises it provides for repeated practice, helping readers grasp the relationship among articulation, breath, rhythm, and emotional expression. The exercises bear a clear stamp of classroom training and are well suited as supplementary material for spoken expression and reading aloud. For readers studying early methods of oral instruction or seeking to understand the training system of the Powers School, this is a primary source. It need not be read straight through; each set of exercises should be treated as a training task, and recording oneself and listening back will better reveal one's problems. Because the book dates from an early period, some of its training vocabulary and scenarios are remote from the contemporary classroom, and readers should adapt it to their own needs.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Teachers and speakers who want systematic practice in reading aloud and spoken expression
Those in drama, broadcasting, or recitation groups who need basic vocal training
Readers in educational history studying early methods of oral instruction and expression training
Learners who want English practice materials to improve vocal rhythm

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for a systematic textbook on phonetic theory
Those expecting modern spoken-language courses with audio and illustrations
Readers who want light reading without hands-on practice

Reading tips

First review the table of contents, select exercises that target your weak areas, and schedule weekly practice.
Record each practice session and listen back to check articulation, pauses, and tone against the book's requirements.
Practice with a partner: one reads aloud while the other gives feedback based on the exercise requirements.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for beginner spoken-language learners?

It can serve as an introduction, but guidance helps. The exercises are mainly practical with little theoretical explanation, so beginners should first learn basic vocal principles or use the book under a teacher's guidance; otherwise, they may imitate the form without grasping the key training points.

Do the exercises need to be completed in order?

Not strictly. As a practice book, it can be used as needed; readers may choose exercises based on their weak areas. Within a given type of exercise, however, it is best to progress from easy to difficult to ensure effective training.

Does this public-domain book come with audio or explanations?

According to the book's details, this is a plain-text ebook released by Project Gutenberg and has no accompanying audio or explanations. Readers need to read aloud and record themselves, or use other voice materials to support their practice.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Powers, Leland Todd, 1857-1920 Author · American · 1857–1920

Leland Todd Powers (1857–1920) was an American teacher of elocution, known for compiling textbooks for training in public speaking and recitation. He devoted himself to the teaching of oral expression, focusing on the basics of voice production, articulation, intonation, and emotional delivery, and stressing that clear and moving public speaking should be developed through repeated practice. His representative work, Practice Book, Leland Powers School, was compiled around this teaching approach; it consists mainly of practice materials through which learners gradually master changes in rhythm, stress, and tone while reading aloud and speaking. Public information about the details of his life is limited; what can be confirmed is his nationality, dates of birth and death, and the textbook-like work mentioned above, of which one title is held in the collection. His teaching materials reflect the practical orientation of American elocution education of his time and offer some reference value for later training in recitation and public speaking.