Wonderful Words Workshop

I became a poet, basically, because I like words. I love how words sound, and the interesting things that can be done with them. Rowan Atkinson's famous 'schoolmaster' sketch is a perfect example of how certain words can be made to sound wonderful.

Watch this with students, and discuss why (or whether) it was funny. Based on this, students can write their own alphabetical 'school register'. This can either consist of words that would make interesting and weird names, or simply inherently great words. Here is my list. Read it out loud and savour each word like a Worthers Original:

Abacus

Bobcat

Clink

Diggle

Elk

Figment

Garble

Hammock

Igloo

Jolly

Kidderminster

Lummox

Muddle

Numpty

Oink

Pinch

Quango

Rex

Saliva

Tittle-Tattle

Umbrage

Vortex

Wombat

Xoxxy*

Yap

Zoology

*words can be made up.