(The Slice of Life Challenge in March is hosted by Two Writing Teachers as way to encourage teachers-as-writers. You can join in, if you want. There is also a monthly call for Slices on Tuesdays. You can write then, too)
Give them a chance, and young writers will invent words that will spark your pondering and set you guffawing, and make you wonder where our language might yet be heading.*
Peace (invented and spoken),
Kevin
*This is the 17th year that my sixth graders have been building an online collaborative dictionary of invented words. It’s part of a unit on word origins. Each year, every student adds a new word, and their voice (through audio file), to the dictionary. It’s just one of those annual rituals that keeps moving forward …
Listen to this year’s voice collection.
I enjoyed reading the words in the picture, then scrolled down further to find the audio. It was the perfect compliment to the picture. I looked back after listening and the words made sense. Your students are very creative- you’ve got a great yearly ritual here.
I love to listen to those neologisms! It’s a great yearly project!! I’m going to put this idea on my to-do list, Thanks!
Hi Kevin,
I was thinking about the way you started slicing at the very beginning. What a treat to hop over here and find you still writing.
Ruth
And that you came here to check in makes my heart sing, Ruth. Writers, still connecting …
I’d have loved this, in school – I love it now. Creating new words – not unlike Rowling did for spells and such in HP.