Tongue Twister Relay

Abbiola Ballah

OBJECTIVES:

PROCEDURE:

1. JTE introduces the topic to the students by explaining the word ‘Tongue Twister’ in Japanese.

2. JTE then writes a Japanese tongue twister on the board for the students. We use this one: ‘Tokyoto Tokkyo Kyokakyoku Tokyoku’

3. JTE asks ALT to say as fast as he/she can. I usually mess up a lot since it’s really difficult for me to say this very fast. The students usually get a laugh out of it.

4. Students are then allowed to practice for about thirty (30) seconds.

5. ALT explains to them that each row/lunch group (depending on class size) is a team. Each student has to say the tongue twister as fast as they can. As soon as one student is done the next in line begins until the last person has had his/her turn. JTE times them and their aim is to be the team with the lowest times.

6. After students complete the Japanese tongue twister relay, ALT introduces English tongue twisters for them to try.

7. ALT writes tongue twisters on the board for the students or you can write them on poster board before hand so you just have to stick them to the board. I usually start off with short ones and then increase difficulty as the game continues.

8. Teach them how to say tongue twister for about two (2) minutes. Give them another minute or two to practice on their own and then begin the relay.

9. In the end, all the times are added together and the team with the lowest times receives points towards test or seals or handclaps etc.

10. Some tongue twisters that I usually use are:

“Red leather, yellow leather” (say three (3) times)

“She sells sea shells by the sea shore.”

“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

“How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.” (This one I use so that they understand rhythm.)