Theme: The Role of Games in Teaching Pronunciation to A1 Level Learners Group: Done by: Axmadova Iroda Checked by

Tongue twisters: Introduction

All levels and ages enjoy tongue twisters. They work well as a warm up to get students speaking or as an activity to help students to practise pronouncing difficult sounds in English. It is the combination of sounds in the words and the repetition of the phrases that makes them difficult but fun.

Preparation

Choose some English tongue twisters which are suitable for the level of the students. Write one on the board and check that the students know what the words mean. The teacher might need to draw a picture on the board to help them imagine the scene.

Step1: The teacher says the tongue twister at normal speed. Teach it to the students by letting them join in. Then get them to say it a little faster and to repeat it three times in a row.

Here are some examples:

She sells sea shells on the sea shore A proper copper coffee pot Red lorry, yellow lorry, red lorry, yellow lorry A big black bug bit a big black bear

Extension activity: Higher level of challenge

The students write their own tongue twisters. This means they choose a letter or a sound and repeat it in a sentence.

For example: Bob bought a bike in Beihai on his Birthday because he was bored.

Step2: Put students into pairs or small groups. Write the following questions on the board:

Q1- Who? Q2- What did she/he do? Q3- Where? Q4- When? Q5- Why? Because…

Step3: Model the activity with a group. Each group can start by choosing a name. The first letter of the name then becomes their special sound.

For example: Who? Bob What did he do? Bob bought a bike Where? in Beihai When? On his birthday Why? Because he was bored

Ask each group to make their own sentence and to write it on a strip of paper. Pairs could choose any name, or try and use the same sound that is in one of their own names.

Step4: Students’ pairs pass their paper round the class for other students to try and say the tongue twister

Rhyming words

Pronunciation focus: repeated sounds

Activity Type: whole class

Time: 15-20 minutes

Level: All levels