1. Participate
If you want your English to improve you must participate in class, speaking English, not Chinese, not playing on your cellphone, not doing other homework. If you don’t this ferocious kitten will eat you. You have been warned.
Mad Kitten Face; pixgood.com

2. Improves
Fluency
Remember creativity improves fluency. So when we do silly, funny or strange things in class, its not just to be entertaining, its really so your English fluency improves. There is a reason for my madness. Muhahahaha.
Pixabay.com

3. Warm Up
If two witches would watch two watches, which witch would watch which watch?
This tongue twister works with the “w” sound.

4. IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY IT’S HOW YOU SAY IT
We’ve started a series of lessons based on this phrase. Anyone remember what it means? It means that how you sound or how your words sound (louder, softer, pitch, emotion, etc.) when you speak can changes the meaning of those words and sentences. What did we talk about last time? Sentence Stress.
IT’S HOW YOU SAY IT
Heather Evers; flickr.com

5. REVIEW What is “sentence stress”?
Sentence Stress is saying one word differently (louder, softer, different pitch, etc).

6. REVIEW What is “sentence stress”? I did not cheat on the test today.
Say this sentence several times, stressing a different word each time. Ask students to tell you which word you stressed and the implied or extra meaning.

7. REVIEW What is “sentence stress”? I did not cheat on the test today.
I did not kiss that woman!
Say this sentence several times, stressing a different word each time. Ask students to tell you which word you stressed and the implied or extra meaning. Ask students to come up with their own examples.

8. SENTENCE STRESS TONE INTONATION PRONUNCIATION
These are different ways that native English speakers can change the sound of the words that they are speaking. We have already talked about sentence stress. This lesson will be about tone.

9. TONE
This lesson is about tone.

10. GOALS Hear and recognize “tone”
Understand how “tone” changes the meaning of a sentence
Add “tone” in your speaking
These are the goals for the lesson today. Students should be able to do these things when the class is over.

11. What is tone?
What is tone? Do the students know anything about it? Have they heard the phrase, “Don’t use that tone with me!” What does that mean? (That the speaker of the phrase does not like the attitude the hearer of the phrase has – maybe the attitude is rude or impolite.) That’s exactly what tone is: the attitude or emotion you can hear in someone’s voice.
Vinamra Agrawal; flickr.com

12. The emotion or attitude in your voice
Tone is the emotion or attitude in your voice. When you’re speaking people can tell how you feel even if they cannot understand your words, or you are speaking a different language.

13. If you are happy, you sound happy
If you are happy, you sound happy. People know you are happy by the sound of your voice.
Lucas Jans; flickr.com

14. If you are angry, you sound angry
If you are angry, you sound angry. People know you are angry by the sound of your voice.
Ryan Hyde; flickr.com

15. If you are sad, you sound sad
If you are sad, you sound sad. People know you are sad by the sound of your voice.
Muhammad Taslim Razin; flickr.com

16. If you are scared, you sound scared
If you are scared, you sound scared. People know you are scared by the sound of your voice.
That is what tone is. That emotion in your voice so your words sound different than they usually do. You sound emotional – your words have emotion or attitude. Because of this people are able to know how you are feeling, because people know how you are feeling it can change the meaning of words or sentences. For example…
Gia Ciccone; flickr.com

17. I’ll do it!
For example if this angry boy says “I’ll do it!” when someone asks him to do a favor, the listener will know that really he doesn’t want to do it. He’s angry about it. He feels forced to do it. But…
Mindaugas Danys; flickr.com

18. I’ll do it!
But if this happy boy say that same phrase “I’ll do it!” to someone who asks him a favor, the listener knows that this boy is willing to do it, and is happy to help with the favor.
The same phrase was spoken, “I’ll do it!” but the meaning was different because the emotion, the tone, was different. Another example, and this time with a question…
Maria Grazia Montagnari; flickr.com

19. Who did this?
Questions are the same. If the tone is different the meaning is also different. Again if this angry boy asks, “Who did this?” the listeners will know they did something wrong, or at least something that this boy does not approve of. They will know he is not happy with them. They may not want to take “credit” for whatever they did.
Mindaugas Danys; flickr.com

20. Who did
this?
But again if this happy boy asks, “Who did this?” the listeners will know this boy is happy or appreciative for whatever action was completed. They will know the boy is pleased and wants to thank whomever did this. The listeners will want to take “credit” for whatever action was completed.
Again the same phrase was spoken, “Who did this?” but the emotion, the tone, was different and so the meaning was different.
NOTE: Tone conveys our inner feelings, so make sure you are using it correctly – that you are truly communicating the message that you want to send. Don’t accidently sound angry if you’re not angry, your listener will think your message means something different than just what your mere words are saying. Also be careful with second language learners in a different culture than their native tongue – tones may be different for different cultures.
Maria Grazia Montagnari; flickr.com

21. OK
Students turn. Either as a group or ask individual students (depending on the size of the class) to say “OK” using these situations… It may be helpful for students to say what emotion they are portraying first, and then have them say it. Remember, not all students will be fabulous actors, but make sure they understand the concept. Also if different students say the same example they can sound different and still be completely correct. It’s possible to sound happy in different ways.
Sylvar; flickr.com

22. OK Enthusiastically agree to do something
Happy, excited, definitely willing to do something. Maybe go to a movie with a friend, or do something else besides have English class. (haha)
Sylvar; flickr.com

23. OK Enthusiastically agree to do something
Finally agreeing to do something you don’t like doing
Reluctance, unwilling, unhappy. Maybe stop watching TV and go do your homework. Go clean your room.
Sylvar; flickr.com

24. OK Enthusiastically agree to do something
Finally agreeing to do something you don’t like doing
Showing interest, encouraging the other person to tell you more
“OK now that’s interesting, tell me more!” “Really? OK!” “Yeah ok ok ok.” “OK are you serious? That really happened?” something like that. Think active listening: “OK tell me more!”
Sylvar; flickr.com

25. OK Enthusiastically agree to do something
Finally agreeing to do something you don’t like doing
Showing interest, encouraging the other person to tell you more
Showing amusement
Wow that’s super interesting! Or could be a soft, jaw-dropping O-K. Possibly a half laugh OK.
Sylvar; flickr.com

26. OK Enthusiastically agree to do something
Finally agreeing to do something you don’t like doing
Showing interest, encouraging the other person to tell you more
Showing amusement
Showing boredom
O-K. I’m not happy, I’m bored. I don’t know what to do. This is not interesting me. I want to do something else.
Sylvar; flickr.com

27. HELLO
Same as before with “OK” but now say “Hello”
白士 李; flickr.com

28. HELLO
To a friend
Happy, joyful, pleased
白士 李; flickr.com

29. HELLO To a friend To a friend you haven’t seen for 3 years
Surprised, very happy, thrilled.
白士 李; flickr.com

30. HELLO To a friend To a friend you haven’t seen for 3 years
To a neighbor that you don’t like
Mumbling, forced hello, not happy, almost ignoring the person – hardly acknowledging them.
白士 李; flickr.com

31. HELLO To a friend To a friend you haven’t seen for 3 years
To a neighbor that you don’t like
To a 6-month-old baby
Baby talk! Kind, caring, loving, happy, warm!
白士 李; flickr.com

32. HELLO To a friend To a friend you haven’t seen for 3 years
To a neighbor that you don’t like
To a 6-month-old baby
To someone you have just found doing something they shouldn’t
What did I just see you do? Uhhhh, hello? Do you know I’m here and just saw you do that?
白士 李; flickr.com

33. HELLO To a friend To a friend you haven’t seen for 3 years
To a neighbor that you don’t like
To a 6-month-old baby
To someone you have just found doing something they shouldn’t
To someone on the phone when you’re not sure if they are still on the other end
Question, hello? Hello? Are you there? Can you hear me?
白士 李; flickr.com

34. Check Your Understanding
Hear and recognize “tone”
Understand how “tone” changes the meaning of a sentence
Add “tone” in your speaking
Ask students if they feel confident in their ability to do this things. (They probably will all say yes, and if they’re not they probably won’t say so for fear of embarrassment for now following the lesson. But from body language you may be able to see who needs more help.) Ask what “tone” is. (The emotion or attitude in your voice that can change the meaning of words and sentences that you speak.) Ask several students to give you examples of tone. If one student gives you an example, ask another student to say the same thing in a different tone. Then ask a third student what was the different meaning with those answers. Do this several times.
NOTE: If students struggle to understand a difference between sentence stress and tone, it may be helpful to explain it like this:
Sentence stress CHANGES the meaning of words or sentences (usually it will add an implied meaning)
Tone REVEALS the meaning of words or sentences with emotion and attitude
Ultimately remember that when students are communicating with people they will not have to identify if the speaker is using tone or sentence stress or intonation etc, but will only have to identify the correct meaning that is being communicated.

35. CONVERSATION TIME A: Yes B: No
Two frustrated people are having a minor argument
Two angry people are fighting
Two lovers having a playful argument
Have students pair up. One student will be A the other B. They will have this same conversation with each other using the 3 different situations. They should start with this same basic conversation each time, but they should feel free to go on and add more dialogue to their conversation. Again, if needed, have students state what tone or emotion they are portraying before they begin the conversation. This will help them be more accurate and better understand how to use tone. While students are doing this walk around and listen to them and help and correct as needed.

36. CONVERSATION TIME A: “Hi. How are you?”
B: “I’m fine. I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
Two friends who haven’t seen each other in a long time meet.
You see a friend’s baby. The two of you start talking with the baby.
A boyfriend and girlfriend meet. The boyfriend is really angry because his girlfriend has been ignoring him.
Another example. Have students pair up. One student will be A the other B. They will have this same conversation with each other using the 3 different situations. They should start with this same basic conversation each time, but they should feel free to go on and add more dialogue to their conversation. Again, if needed, have students state what tone or emotion they are portraying before they begin the conversation. This will help them be more accurate and better understand how to use tone. While students are doing this walk around and listen to them and help and correct as needed.

37. More Examples! Watch the clip. Tell me the meaning.
Show a couple tv clips (from TSE) and have students tell you the tone or emotion, and also the meaning.
Note: there are many examples on TSE, but be sure to watch them before class and make sure the are appropriate for your students. Some clips will have more than one example.
LG; flickr.com

38. RIDDLE
A man was just doing his job when his suit was torn. Why did he die three minutes later?

39. He was an astronaut on a space walk, doing repairs.
RIDDLE
He was an astronaut on a space walk, doing repairs.

40. HOMEWORK
Watch TV or a movie and listen for examples of Sentence Stress and Tone. Write down 3 examples of each, and be prepared to share them with the class next time.
Have students prepare some examples or sentence stress and tone to share with the class from TV shows or movies. This causes them to practice their listening skills and recognition of sentence stress and tone from native speakers.