The wearing of masks during the pandemic has really highlighted to me how much we rely on body language and facial expressions for communication.  In my city, we’re required to wear masks in public places. Just like working virtual, it has been a new thing to get used to. 

  If you’re not articulating properly, while wearing a mask, you will be very difficult to understand.  You must recruit your lips, jaw and tongue, which are your articulators, and form words clearly, or your message may be lost. Pronouncing the endings of each word helps project your voice as well. 

Here are some easy exercises to help wake up those articulators: 

Tap your face – use your fingers to tap all over your face, wake it up.

Give your face a good massage – rub your hands all over.

Pretend you’re eating 10 crackers and chew…do this for 20 seconds.

Pucker up – Smile – pucker again – smile – repeat 5 times.

Tongue twisters – always a favourite.  Here’s one I like:

All I want is a proper cup of coffee in a proper copper coffee pot,

I may be off my dot, but I want a cup of coffee in a proper copper coffee pot,

Iron coffee pots and tin coffee pots, they’re no use to me.

If I can’t have a cup of coffee, in a proper copper coffee pot,

I’ll have a cup of tea! 

For another cool exercise check out my blog “The Power of the Pencil.” 

https://alysonconnolly.com/articulation-and-the-power-of-the-pencil/