Using the Telephone

Using the Phone:  Answering the telephone and making phone calls is something that only adults are allowed to do in our household. As we're integrating awareness and memorization of personal information, we are also going to include a lesson on courteous talking, on the phone or otherwise, to enable better communication with others. This is where I'd like to begin.

Items we'll be gathering from around the house: old cell phones, play phones. I will then act out the following scripts with the phones:
      a. (ring, ring)
          Hello. (in a cheerful voice)
          Hello. This is ______. May I please speak to _____?
          Just a moment please.

      b. (ring, ring)
          Hello. Who is this??!! or What do you want!?
          Go get _____.
          Wait. (slamming down receiver) _______!!! (yelling person's name)
I'd like to have a discussion about the appropriate and more polite way to answer the telephone and why. I'd like to see if Mara can identify my using "May I" or "please". I'd also like to point out that it is polite for caller's to identify themselves without having been asked.

We can then take turns repeating the first conversation, taking turns who is the caller and the receiver of the conversation or doing different role playing for taking a message if an adult is unable to take the call or if a call is received for the wrong number.

      a. (ring, ring)
          Hello.
          Hello. Is ______ available? 
          May I ask who is calling?
          This is ______.
          Just a moment please.

      b. (ring, ring)
          Hello. (in a cheerful voice)
          Hello. This is ______. May I please speak to _____?
          This is ______.

      c. (ring, ring)
          Hello. (in a cheerful voice)
          Hello. May I please speak to _____?
          I'm sorry. You must have the wrong number.
          I'm sorry I bothered you. Good-bye.
          Good-bye.


      d. (ring, ring)
          Hello. (in a cheerful voice)
          Hello. This is ______. May I please speak to your mom?
          I'm sorry. My mom can't come to the phone. May I take a message?
          Yes, please ask her to call me tomorrow.
          Okay, _______. Good-bye.
          Good-bye.

Look for some books about telephone etiquette and manners at the library.