It’s not WHAT we say, it’s

how we say it!

It’s not WHAT we say, it’s

how we say it!

When it comes to your e-mails you don’t have the tone of your voice — so those on the other side of the screen will read tone into your e-mail based on the efforts you make, the formatting you integrate and the words you choose to use.

A job candidate came into town to interview for a faculty position. The faculty member responsible for organizing a meet-and-greet dinner sent around an e-mail invitation that read "talking to the candidate is not required; just don't embarrass us.”

Betty, hi, I haven't been successful reaching you

by phone, so I'll try e-mail instead.

• Fold your paper like a hotdog and then like a hamburger so you create quadrants on your page

• Open up the quadrants and pick 4 tone words from your list (the more different they are, the better). Put the one tone word at the top of each quadrant.

Caustic Reflective

Compassionate Worried

• Fold your paper like a hotdog and then like a hamburger so you create quadrants on your page

• Open up the quadrants and pick 4 tone words from your list (the more different they are, the better). Put the one tone word at the top of each quadrant.

Caustic=very sarcastic, sharp

Reflective=thinking about life or yourself, thinking about your past

Compassionate=Caring or loving, understanding

Worried

In each of the quadrants you are going to reply to a Dear Abby question.

Take on the tone of that quadrant, giving advice to the exact same answer, but with a different tone

Dear Abby/Andy,I’m trying to decide what elective to take

in high school. My parents think I should do Spanish because it will be useful, but I really want to do art because I like it. We’ve agreed to go with whatever decision you make. So what do you think?

- electing to do with your decision

Dear Elect, I remember when I was your age, I too

had a passion, a dream I wished to follow. My parents wanted me to join band, but my heart lay in the world of theater. How I wished to grace the stage! To this day, playing the tuba has never satisfied me. I say follow your dreams and become an artist!

Your dramatically,Abby

Dear Elect,You do realize there are children starving

in Africa, right? Get over your boo hooing and just pick the foreign language so that way you can learn to whine in 23 other countries.

Adios,Abby

Dear Elect,I know high school decision making can be very

stressful, and I hope you end up being happy no matter what you do! Your parents have put you in a tight spot, but they only want what is best for you. Before you pull out your hair, I would suggest writing out a four year “game plan” with art as your elective. If you can show your parents there will be plenty of room in your schedule for Spanish later, I’m sure they will see your choice is a reasonable one.

Yours planningly,Abby

Dear Abby/Andy,My best friend in the whole world is going

to a different high school next year. She says we’ll be BFFs, but I’m afraid not seeing her every day will make our friendship fade. How do I prevent this from happening?

-Missing my friend already

• Get into groups of three.• Read one of your quadrants. See if your group

members can figure out the tone (tone words that are synonyms count! Ex. If your tone word is “enraged” and a group member says “angry” they get a point!)

• If they can’t figure it out, tell them the four tone words you used.

• Take turns rotating who read a quadrant.• Scoring: 1 point if you guess the tone of the

response. 1 point if someone can figure out your tone without needing the four tone words.