A significant amount of the information that we receive each and every day, comes to us, via the spoken word, of which, some people are quite good in their usage of their voice, as well as their emphasis on certain syllables in their speaking, whereas others are somewhat monotonous and lazy in their pronunciation as well as in their speaking. The bottom line is while it always makes a difference what we say, it also makes a significant difference in how we say what we say, and especially in how those spoken words are emphasized and stressed.
The above signifies the importance of not only learning how to read and write, but also being able to properly express our language in a manner in which the words being spoken are being pronounced correctly, as well as learning how to speak in such a manner that the words so spoken, engage a given audience, as opposed to boring them, or annoying them, through the monotony of the delivery, or the lack of the proper emphasis or emotion in the words so being expressed.
This does mean, that proper elocution should be part of the educational experience, but not done in the manner so that each region of the country, should speak without an accent or lose their distinctive regional voice, but rather that they should speak in a manner that clearly understands the words so being spoken, how to enunciate them, as well as how to clearly and properly project oneself to their compatriots and peers.
In point of fact, when people read straight from a paper, with minimal eye contact with their audience, and a lack of body language, then about the only possible thing, that will keep the audience involved, is the actual elocution, modulation, and emphasis of the words so being spoken, and those that do that very well, will succeed in getting their message across in a competent and pleasing manner, whereas those that drone on in a monotonous tone, with no special emphasis on any word so being spoken, will almost surely lose their audience, even when the subject so being discussed, is one that interests them, greatly.
The ability to communicate well with other people, in our personal, educational, and business lives, is a valuable attribute, which is often important in order to not only work well and mesh with our peers, but as an integral part of being able to advance within organizations, as well as to receive respect from our associates. Those that are quite competent but are unable to express themselves in a way, that doesn't run their words together as if each word represents the same value, and can't get their voice, above a constant annoying drone, will not be effective in getting across the very ideas and concepts that they are verbalizing to others, because their intonation belies that they actually care to do exactly that.
There are many people that are book smart, or street smart, but these people will almost always be surpassed by those of even average skills, that are able to verbally communicate in a manner that engages their audience, usually because of their elocution and inflections that capture their attention, which thereby means getting their message and their point of view effectively across in a very pleasing way.