Presented by Eric Johnson, Senior English Language Fellow, and Calvin Beckett, theatre arts teacher.

2. How Can Theatre Improve
ESL Performance?

3. Using Vocal Exercises
The purpose of vocal exercises
in acting is to improve your
enunciation and breath control.

4. Vocal Exercises in the
Classroom
1. Creates a safe environment where mistakes in
pronunciation are expected for practicing English.
2. Lessens the fear of speaking out loud.
3. Are fun to do.
4. Allows the beginner learner time to listen and practice
as part of a group, which builds confidence.
5. Allows the move advanced learner to tune their ear to
multiple variations in consonant and vowel sounds, as
well as speech patterns.

5. Short Vowel Chart
Consonant Short Vowels Consonant Short Vowels
b ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ p ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
c ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ qu ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
ch ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ r ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
d ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ s ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
f ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ st ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
g ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ t ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
h ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ th ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
k ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ v ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
kn ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ w ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
l ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ x ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
m ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ y ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ
n ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ z ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ

6. Tongue Twisters
① I thought, I thought of thinking of thanking you.
② She sells sea shells by the seashore.
① Nine nimble noblemen nibbling nuts.
① How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
② Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?
① Roberta ran rings around the Roman ruins.
① A big black bug bit a big black bear on his big black back.
① Green glass globes glow greenly.
① I like New York, unique New York, I like unique New York.
① If you notice this notice, you will notice that this notice is not worth
noticing.

7. Tongue Twisters
Betty Botter bought some butter,
"But," she said, "this butter's bitter;
If I put it in my batter,
It will make my batter bitter;
But a bit of better butter,
Better than this bitter butter
Will make my bitter batter better."
So she bought a bit of better butter,
Better than the bitter butter,
And made her bitter batter better.
Theophilus Thistle, the thistle sifter While sifting a sieve full of
unsifted thistles,
Thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb.

8. Other Ideas
For Theatre in
ESL Classes
Dialogues
Readers Theatre
Puppetry
Story Read Aloud
Short Plays
Dramatic Production

9. Theatre Resources