How To Work The Intonation Of Words
When we speak, we do not eat robots, unless that is our purpose. Each word and each phrase has its own intonation, since there are parts that are emphasized more than others. However, it is not as easy to tone while speaking as when reading. Therefore, we will see some keys to work the intonation of words.
The basis of the intonation of words
You may not have realized it until now, but although there are people who speak with different accents, and even in different languages, we all follow intonation patterns. These patterns can refer to the type of word or the type of phrase. Normally, we assimilate them unconsciously by imitation, but they are very useful for improving intonation.
According to the type of word
All words, regardless of the syllables they have, have a stressed syllable that stands out from the rest. If there is only one syllable, there is no doubt, but if there is more than one, it will lead to classify that word as acute, flat or spruce.
Also, all words are not of equal importance within a sentence. Words that provide information, such as verbs, nouns or adjectives, are pronounced with more intensity than others such as prepositions and conjunctions.
According to the type of phrase
This part is even simpler, since there are only three types: sentences (that is, the usual affirmative and negative sentences), questions and exclamations. What phrases will be the most expressive? Exactly, the questions and exclamations mark the intonation more, since they express emotion, doubt, surprise, etc.
How to improve the intonation of words
Intonating is part of the process of mastering speech, so the more you talk the better. If your kids have any shreds of shame, help them get over it, because it’s time for them to have fun while practicing their intonation.
Sing
For the little ones in the house it is the most fun option. They will not only improve intonation, but also another very important part: pronunciation. Both aspects go hand in hand, since improving pronunciation usually produces an improvement in intonation.
The best thing about songs is that, being catchy, children repeat them over and over again until they get to sing it well because they want to imitate the way of singing. In addition, they will also learn new vocabulary and expressions, and develop their creative part.
Reading and intonation of words
We are not referring to the usual way of reading, which also has its benefits, but to reading aloud. At first glance it doesn’t seem like a big change, but it is. When children read aloud, they are forced to pay attention to punctuation marks to manage the air well while reading and intoning correctly.
At first, we can differentiate between two types of readers: those who read quite slowly and mark the intonation a lot and those who read very fast and ‘eat’ words or confuse them easily, which tend to have a very linear intonation. Little by little, young readers polish these characteristics as they read aloud. And if they read to someone, it will be even better, because you can help and correct them when necessary.
Now comes the big question: how do you get a child interested in reading to improve these aspects? It does not have to be a very long or very short reading, it just has to cover a topic that interests them. In this way, they will get involved in reading activities themselves, because it will be something they will enjoy.
The intonation of words in the theater
Doing theater would only take reading aloud one step further. In theater activities, children are taught to interpret a role and, therefore, to express themselves through the intonation of a text.
However, theater will also help children to express themselves through their own bodies and to express feelings with words, which is not always an easy task. This cognitive and emotional development makes children feel more self-confident when communicating, interacting with other children, and expressing their own ideas.
