Sweetland: Whining

6 March 2012

Taking inspiration from another English TA in Alicante, I decided to teach my kids how to whine in English. Of course, tone was crucial in this exercise, and I made sure that everyone practiced until they achieved a proper amount of whine.

This involved a lot of: "I can't write because my hand hurts." or "I don't want to do my homework because my head hurts."

In the end, they had to write a complaint as their character in Sweetland. Then, everyone gave the student advice of what to do.

This was my favorite complaint.

Clown: My nose and my feet hurt.
Child: You should find ice and put your nose in the ice. You should put on the small shoes not the big shoes.

It was decided that the Clown could put his feet in ice, but that it didn't really solve the problem.

Later...

Child: You should cut your nose.
Clown: I can't because I'm a clown!
Child: Go to Healthy House.
Clown: Why?
Child: Eat sweets. It's got proteins.
Witch: Put liquid in your nose.
Child: He hasn't got any money.
Clown: The witch can make me a potion.
Witch: But the potions they smell bad.
Clown: NBD
Superhero/Teacher: Qué es eso?
Child: No big deal!

A month or so ago, I got tired of hearing the kids say "Me da igual. It doesn't matter." So I decided to teach them the American phrase "NBD. No big deal." I certainly never expected them to use it! But it does make me glad to know that they are using English!