This may be a bit uncomfortable. Yet, I tell you, from my experience and from the experience of my mates in radio, it is worth doing. What we are about to do, and with awareness and regular practice, is a sure shot way of improving our communication skills. It may sound very basic, and indeed it is, but quite a few of us forego the basics in our haste to achieve a certain goal forgetting what an old proverb says: “Haste is Waste”.
So, if your pen and paper are ready, and your mirror too, then let’s begin.
Reminder: I highly recommend that you do this in private. Doing this exercise in public will not only bring you some amount of embarrassment, it will also make people think that you will have to be sent to a hospital, or worse, to a mental institution. So don’t tell me that I did not warn you.
Preparation
1. Set yourself up in a comfortable standing position in front of your mirror.
2. Make sure that you see yourself well, especially your mouth, in the mirror.
3. Breathe.
4. Relax your mouth and your tongue.
5. Make sure that the door to your room is locked. Better be sure about this one.
6. Say this sentence three times: “Act enthusiastically and you will be enthusiastic!”
Now you must be ready for the next step. Here it is:
1. Say the sounds of these vowels “A-E-I-O-U” repeatedly.
Start off very slowly and softly, and gradually increase the speed and the volume as you finish each set.
2. Watch yourself in the mirror as you do the above exercise.
Watch your mouth. See if your mouth opens enough to enable you to pronounce the vowels clearly.
3. Make a little effort to open your mouth more as you say the vowels.
Notice how easier it is to pronounce the vowels and to make the sound of each vowel.
4. Open your mouth even more when as you repeat saying the vowels.
Notice how your tongue and your lips are able to have more movement.
Notice how easier it is to use both to make the proper sound of each vowel with complete clarity
5. After numerous times of saying the vowels following the number 4 step, stop. Give your tongue and your mouth a little rest.
6. Now, after a couple of minutes rest, let’s do the same exercise again.
This time, let’s put a consonant before each vowel.
Example: Ba, Be, Bi, Bo, Bu
Ca, Ce (Ke), Ci (Ki), Co, Cu
Remember: Give your tongue and your lips enough room to move by opening your mouth wide. Doing so will result to a clear and better pronunciation.
7. Do the above exercise until all consonants in the English alphabet are used.
8. Take a rest
9. Walk around in your room for about 3 – 5 minutes.
Relieve whatever tensions you may have.
10. When you’re ready, go back in front of the mirror.
11. Prepare (check Preparation)
12. Now, let’s do the same exercise but let’s use some basic expressions.
Example:
Hi! My name is…
Nice to meet you!
How are you today?
You may use other expressions, phrases, or sentences depending on your skill level.
13. Always remember:
Your mouth should be wide open everytime you say each expression.
14. Go on as long as you can. Stop when you feel you’ve done enough.
Clarity is a very important part of communication. Being able to exercise clarity especially in pronunciation makes it easy for your listener and for you to understand each other, and to be certain that you are following the same topic.
The exercise presented above, when done regularly, is a helpful tool in checking your pronunciation. Practice makes perfect, as the saying goes. Never get tired of practice for enough is not enough.
The good thing about this exercise is that you can apply this immediately in your next conversation with a friend, a co-worker, a teacher, or anybody you’ll have a chance to talk with. The next time you say “Hello!”, “Good morning!”, or “How are you today?” , remember: OPEN YOUR MOUTH.
Promote Understanding – that’s what happens when we speak. It is the underlying purpose of each of us whenever an opportunity to engage in a conversation, or simply to just speak, presents itself.
Thank you for checking back. As always I dearly hope that this provides you, my friend, with useful learning. Remember, learning is an everyday event. Or, as the late Michael Jackson said in one of his hits,
“Keep on with the force. Don’t stop ‘til you get enough”.
Mata ne!
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