Tweet Round-up: 13th July 2021

Crash! Bang! Wallop! — this week onomatopoeia, football racism, and taking the biscuit…

Photo by Adem AY on Unsplash

I really like a little onomatopoeia. The French language, for instance, is choc-full of words that sound as they are written.

Words that go bang.

So is English in fact. I was pleased to see the above tweet from @EnglishTips4U (with a linked article). There are lots of activities you could design around onomatopoeia:

• You could show your students the panels of a cartoon, and get them to put in the appropriate “bangs” “whooshes” and “slurps” in the right place.
• You could create a mime game using a variety of onomatopoeic words.
• You could get your students to try and make a story based on a string of onomatopoeic words and describe it to the class.

Sadly inescapable this week was the story about racism around England’s penalties loss to Italy. Black footballers Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka experienced awful racism following the defeat, with a mural of Rashford being defaced, and a litany of ghastly comments appearing online.

The redecorated mural.

We have previously said on this page that we think the English language needs to be used as a tool to change minds and question assumptions.

Wherever you think the buck stops in regards to the use of racist words and expressions of hate, (and my feeling is that it’s rather higher than some thuggish fans), English teachers need to be ready to correct and question words and expressions that are inflammatory and upsetting. Changing from one language to another can sometimes lead students to accidentally use insults and slurs.

We are not merely passive receptacles of knowledge. We have the power to help shape the discourse and steer English in a more inclusive, diverse direction.

“Crunch.”

Revisiting the theme of onomatopoeia, do you like your biscuits to go “crunch” or “splodge?”

Whilst English Classes for the Masses aren’t in the habit of giving companies more publicity than they need, the video of McVitie’s got us thinking.

Even the simple act of giving instructions for eating a chocolate biscuit can be made into a lesson. Have you tried doing this with your students? Get them thinking and using technical language with simple tasks like:

• Making simple 3 stage instructions for the most simple tasks.
• Interpreting signs, warnings and symbols in new ways.
• Teaching other students how to use, eat or enjoy various objects and foods.

My guide to eating a chocolate biscuit would go as follows:

1. Take the biscuit out of the packet, being sure not to break it. Place it on a saucer.
2. Fill a kettle with water. Boil it and pour it over a tea bag. Remove the tea bag after some time and light stirring, and add milk until it has a terracotta hue.
3. Carefully dunk your chocolate biscuit in the tea, waiting for it to cool a little (otherwise it will melt too quickly).
4. Enjoy your snack!