Southerly: When Otters Get Famous
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edumacational
Jeez. Wot sort of techer is we leetig lose in our skools?
Ha! Nothing wrong with a bit of edumacation. Funnily enough, one of our boys who is very into his writing at the moment (he writes his mother letters - " Mum, can I use the computer after school today? "Etc) and I were doing some reading work today. Cos he said to me he wanted me to write hard words on the board, and he would read them. Interestingly enough, we ended up talking about different words that mean the same thing. Afraid, he knew. Scared, he knew. Frightened, took him a while. And then he said to me "You've spelt that word wrong, Jackie. It should be just an i, not all those other letters. Why is the g there? " he wanted to know. Exactly. I rest my case.
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There are groupings of letters in words in English that must make a lot of new learners - kids or adults who already have a second/more language/s -want to weep.
My favourite set is 'ough'...
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Ooo. Of course. I have been thinking of combinations of letters that make different sounds than they look, for him. He's a completely self driven learner, and he likes a challenge.
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"Ough" and "augh", as in rough, slough, through, ought and daughter and laughter.
EDIT: Knew I'd come up with another. Draught. Oh, except it's the same again. Duh.Here, there
Heck, who'd want to learn English? -
slough - also pronounced sloff
bough...The kid sounds able to cope with it all though- :)
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Oh he is, Islander. He's a very cool 4 year old. Cool as a cucumber.
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I have just received "Albert Otter" from David. His generosity has astounded me. Two books no less and he has sacrificed a first edition since I missed out on the first round. Not just any FE but 00/50. The author's copy he says.
I have told him he has given away a family heirloom.
"Unworthy unworthy!!!" I scream.
It will be treasured. Along with my signed copy of Margaret Mahy's "Jam". A story that arrived in the household when i was house husband of 3 under 6 and it was sooooo appropriate and the kids loved it. "Always read the newspaper so as to be well informed".
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O-U-G-H
A Fresh Hack at an Old Knot
by Charles Battell Loomis
I'm taught p-l-o-u-g-h
S'all be pronouncé "plow."
"Zat's easy w'en you know," I say,
"Mon Anglais, I'll get through!"My teacher say zat in zat case,
O-u-g-h is "oo."
And zen I laugh and say to him,
"Zees Anglais make me cough."He say "Not 'coo' but in zat word,
O-u-g-h is 'off,'"
"Oh, Sacre bleu! Such varied sounds
Of words make me hiccough!"He say, "Again mon frien' ees wrong;
O-u-g-h is 'up'
In hiccough." Zen I cry, "No more,
You make my t'roat feel rough.""Non, non!" he cry, "You are not right;
O-u-g-h is 'uff.'"
I say, "I try to spik your words,
I cannot spik zem though.""In time you'll learn, but now you're wrong!
O-u-g-h is 'owe'"
"I'll try no more, I s'all go mad,
I'll drown me in ze lough!""But ere you drown yourself," said he,
"O-u-g-h is 'ock.'"
He taught no more, I held him fast
And killed him wiz a rough.A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed, houghed, and hiccoughed.
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And a " I love Lucy" clip from yonks:
"ough" starts about 3 minutes in
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Heh! Excellent Ross Mason (though what that's going to do to the kid's head, I hate to think.)
I was saving loch = Irish lough for afters...
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Psst: How's the whitebait? Freezer full yet?
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Bugger all mate. I have arthritis in my right knee & shoulder (known as 'whitebaiter's knee & shoulder') and we have a dead body still out there...I'm going to have to prevail on my more fit neighbours for any feeds for the family, if they will take my skinny wee coins...
Been really good catches in the Hokitika & Grey (and some rivers south...)
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Languishing in language...
....and let's not forget all those Russian Doll words - like shoot - with multiple meanings and Yin Yan words - like cleave - which means both split and join! -
If I may get back to our friend, Albert the Otter. I have a brand spanking new copy of the aforementioned adventures of Otterboy in my hands. Oh, I almost cried. But I smiled, instead. No childers to read it to today, but on Monday afternoon (when I am on inside) I will be reading it to some very enthralled people. Edit Scratch that. I read it to two of my colleagues. Smiles and laughter throughout, and "Nice story" at the end.
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Brilliant - that's the niece's Christmas present sorted (well, part of it at least, I am the child-less well-to-do uncle...).
Beautiful looking illustrations, I'm very envious. My children's book (about a bossy rodent named Chairman Mouse) remains entirely unrealised.
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David Haywood, in reply to
Thanks for passing on that feedback, Jackie -- music to my ears, of course! What wonderful taste your colleagues must have...
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...more anguish in language!
those pesky words like
wound and wound
...before he swooned,
he wound the bandage
round the wound... -
Thanks David & Peter, Angus & Isaac love the book!
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Jacqui Dunn, in reply to
Just loved that poem. I'm going to send it to my French bonne-soeur.
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David Haywood, in reply to
Splendid! Delighted to hear that Angus & Isaac enjoyed the book -- and very nice to be able to personalize the book for them a little... Cheers, DH
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In case you missed your weekend edition of
The Press here is a link to Philip Matthews' story
on The Talented Mr Haywood and his rippley, underwater Lutrine protagonist... -
I'd like to add that I did push for "The Lives of Otters" as the headline ...
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From the Sunday Star Times (21/11/2010) - Sunday magazine -
Steve Braunias column:Best children's book:
The Hidden Talent of Albert Otter by David Haywood and Peter Adamson (Public Address Books, $19.95).
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He also names my daughter's English teacher as one of two Best Teachers (and bestows praise on Browser's Bookshop and the Frankton Market in Hamilton)
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Ferdinand's delight in Albert Otter is matched only by the glee with which his grandparents read it to him (at least twice a day since Christmas day).
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