Gauwarf and Waahogroam - exciting new onomatopoeia

 Long time, no post. This is what happens when I have to work at work. Blogging gets neglected. Plus I had a large amount of marking to do this weekend. Tis the season of reassessments and exam preparation essays to mark. 'Nuff excuses. Beginning to sound like a student.

My juniors are reviewing language techniques such as metaphor, simile and my personal favourite, onomatopoeia (as much fun to spell as they are to make). Hopefully the excessive amount of time we are spending on revision will hopefully mean they won't fail their exams next week or at least won't fail any more than the other classes. Today when I gave out their homework/revision a collective wail rose up from the students*. However, my ears must have been highly tuned today because out of this din were two discernible sounds. Gauwarf and Waahogroam. Listen out for them whenever you hear teenagers mumbling their ways through a groan. Quite distinctive.

I informed the students of the spelling (as best as could approximate) of the weird noises they had made and added the additional homework task of writing down any other whiny sounds they make today. They seemed reasonably enthusiastic but asked for a limit of five. Apparently some of them are such prolific groaners and whinge-makers that it would result in a hefty-sized document if they were to record all their complaints.

* This is usual and to be expected. If you give out homework and there isn't any whinging then chances are that students are either: a) not listening or b) dead.