WORD ENUNCIATION

Tongue-Tying Twisters

Goal To communicate clearly and precisely through voice and diction. Participants will practice reading and pronouncing words by saying tongue twisters.

Time Required Approximately 30 minutes

Group Size Subgroups of four or five persons each

Materials

• One copy of the Tongue-Tying Twisters Handout for each participant.

• One sheet of paper and a pencil for each participant (optional).

PROCESS

1. Introduce the session by stating that the ability to communicate clearly and concisely is an important part of providing exceptional customer service. This activity is designed to help participants practice these skills in a fun and amusing way.

2. Form subgroups of four or five persons each.

3. Distribute one copy of the handout to each participant.

4. Explain that the members of each group are to read all twelve sentences out loud, first individually in round-robin format and then in unison. Continue until time is called.

5. Allow approximately 10 minutes for the task to be completed, and then call time.

6. Optional: Distribute one sheet of paper and a pencil to each participant and ask each person to write an original tongue twister. Direct members of each group to pass their sheets to other members, who will read the twisters out loud.

7. Facilitate a large group discussion by asking the following questions:

• How difficult was it for you personally to accomplish this task?

• How did rate of speech affect your ability to speak clearly?

• How does this relate to your on-the-job performance?

• Why is clear and concise communication a basic component of exceptional service?

• What issues may result from poor communication skills?

• How well did the group perform when the statements were read in unison? Why?

• How can this aspect of the activity be related to the importance of teamwork in customer service?

• What steps can be taken to improve the clarity of communication in customer interactions?

TONGUE-TYING TWISTERS HANDOUT

Directions: In round-robin format, each individual will read one statement, and then all statements should be read in unison at least one time. Continue until time is called.

1. Surely Shirley shall sell Sheila’s seashells by the seashore.

2. Which witch wishes to switch a witch wristwatch for a Swiss wristwatch?

3. The skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.

4. The butter Betty Botter bought could make her batter bitter, so she thought she’d better buy some better butter!

5. Not many an anemone is enamored of an enemy anemone.

6. Five fine Florida florists fried fresh flat flounder fish fillet.

7. A three-toed tree toad loved a two-toed he-toad that lived in a too-tall tree.

8. The instinct of an extinct insect stinks.

9. Growing gray goats graze great green grassy groves.

10. Imagine managing the manager at an imaginary menagerie.

11. Mix a box of mixed biscuits with a boxed biscuit mixer.

12. A cuckoo cookie cook called Cooper could cook cuckoo cookies.