Trabalenguas Mexicanos by Robert J. Haddad Tongue twisters are tongue-tangling sentences that have a number of words starting with the same sound. Consonants are the most phonetically consistent sounds in the English language. Further, tongue twisters support an awareness of how language works. A quick look at the tongue twisters mentioned earlier shows sentences with easily identifiable nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Finally, the humor in tongue twisters helps children focus on meaning while reinforcing their understanding of phonics and sentence structure.
Good readers use phonics, language cues, and meaning to identify words while they're reading.
These three types of cues make up cueing systems that the reader uses to process written information. In Phonics They Use , Patricia Cunningham recommends the following strategy for reviewing consonants . Next, have students say the tongue twisters as fast as they can and as slowly as they can. When students have said them enough times to have them memorized, have them watch you write them on a chart, poster, or sentence strip. Underline the first letter of each word starting with the sound in a different color marker.