Local Aussie students to be taught basic English (2 Viewers)

[cannibal.horse]

Because of this, secondly, our school system prefers that students can analyse the journey on a CD cover to being able to use spelling, let alone grammar, correctly.

So teaching students to be grammar nazis is more important than analytical skills/higher order thinking?

 

[xeuyrawp]

So teaching students to be grammar nazis is more important than analytical skills/higher order thinking?

No that's not what I'm saying.

Ironically, by making a hard line strawman from my argument, you've demonstrated that some people have neither.

I still hold out in hope. Maybe this will change once we have important enough 'hard working migrant' culture? (likely culminating in a World War centred on Camden or some such)

I try to hold hope, but...

And lol at World War.

 

[cannibal.horse]

No that's not what I'm saying.

Ironically, by making a hard line strawman from my argument, you've demonstrated that some people have neither.

You criticised the advanced english journeys module, and in particular the unseen text section which accesses whether you can identify the purpose of texts, how the purpose is communicated and whether the form/techniques employed are appropriate, it's hardly a useless thing to be studying.

I'd argue a focus on analytical skills is far more important than knowing what a double negative is. The english syllabus has really moved forward in leaps and bounds since it moved away from such moronic learning.

 

[xeuyrawp]

You criticised the advanced english journeys module, and in particular the unseen text section which accesses whether you can identify the purpose of texts, how the purpose is communicated and whether the form/techniques employed are appropriate, it's hardly a useless thing to be studying.

I'd argue a focus on analytical skills is far more important than knowing what a double negative is. The english syllabus has really moved forward in leaps and bounds since it moved away from such moronic learning.

To be honest, you're making assumptions about what I like and dislike.

Yes I dislike the journeys module, but I agree with you that what you posted are useful things to be studying. AFAIK, I haven't really expounded my criticism of the English Advanced course in this thread (I have elsewhere).

I'd argue that you in fact can't focus on any analytical skills unless you have the basics. It's a universal constant in pedagogy that basic skills come before advanced skills - take riding a horse or a bike, writing an essay, and baking a cake all as examples.

 

[cannibal.horse]

To be honest, you're making assumptions about what I like and dislike.

Yes I dislike the journeys module, but I agree with you that what you posted are useful things to be studying. AFAIK, I haven't really expounded my criticism of the English Advanced course in this thread (I have elsewhere).

I'd argue that you in fact can't focus on any analytical skills unless you have the basics. It's a universal constant in pedagogy that basic skills come before advanced skills - take riding a horse or a bike, writing an essay, and baking a cake all as examples.

I apolose for any assumptions I've made - you mentioned a specific language paper I've seen and so I thought you were having a stab at the current advanced course.

Basics are fine, but the majority of people on this forum have already mastered those. It's really sad when people correct others on forums for basic typos or occasionally mixing up 'then' and 'than' as if it's some massive insult to their intelligence. As long as you can make out what someone is saying quickly and easily there's no need to go into depth about the wonders of the colon and semi-colon.

 

[Enteebee]

...90 per cent of his first-year students could not identify a noun

Huh? By "a noun" do they perhaps mean that there was at least "a noun" in a bunch of examples he gave which 90% of the students missed? Because I find it truly unlikely that 90% of students do not know what a noun is.

 

[wrong_turn]

It's ridiculous- my English teacher thought ignominious meant 'special' and spelt falsify with a 'c'. A fucking 'c'. Those are only two of his countless errors which border on ridiculous. And yet he is (supposedly) teaching me English.

I agree with those who say that as long as you can get your message across, you have sufficient knowledge of English, but there are limits.

When communicating on bos for instance, or msn, abbreviations, contractions and whatever else takes your fancy is fine as long as it makes sense.

But when necessary people should be able spell words correctly and construct grammatically sound sentences with such ease that thought isn't required.

That's called being fluent in a language and anyone born in any country should, by definition, be fluent in their mothertongue.

Well Said !!
Did you hear that " Mr. Wrong Turn " ?
We must not let entropy dominate.

im glad that you read the post carefully nutting. in addition, my response to entropy dominate is for you to read animal farm. and if you have read it, read it again. it is simple but the message may yet still sink in.

 

[xeuyrawp]

Basics are fine, but the majority of people on this forum have already mastered those. ... As long as you can make out what someone is saying quickly and easily there's no need to go into depth

The two ideas completely contradict each other.

Because I find it truly unlikely that 90% of students do not know what a noun is.

I find it more likely that >95% of Australian students don't know what a noun is.