Removal of English as a REQUIRED subject. (1 Viewer)

[Giant Lobster]

although english is useful for communicating and all that crap, it comes with heaps of useless baggage. Stuff like being able to analyse shakespeare, analysing texts for techniques etc and all that crap is useless if the goal for english is to better communication skills.

if bos are serious in their goal, they should design a whole new course for this purpose. english is too specialised.

plus, i dont see why maths is any less important; but then again stuff like calculus isnt essential to daily life, similar to shakespeare in english. If it were up to me, there'd be this course called "General Ability" ( nostalgic to selective test hehe) and it would have only the useful bits of english and maths

 

[Mizuki]

good point sam04u...
I understand that english is needed but personally, I'd rather not do it at all^^

 

[mengqing]

danm standard english, its killing my hsc

 

[CrashOveride]

If the english courses we're actually about communicating and what not, fine. But to learn about Shakespeare and all this crap has no use or relevance in the modern world, WHAT SO EVER.

English is compulsory in counting towards the UAI? Of course, i mean we can't have 95% of universities dominated by Asians, can we now...

 

[Slidey]

Ask me in term 1 or 2 year 11, I'd have said "kill English", but... no. It should be compulsory, as should maths be. These are life skills, you can't just ignore them. Why they have ditched maths, I don't know.

EDIT: Though I think the course needs an overhaul. Two new courses: Basics of English, and Philosophy/Psychology/Politics. I'm sure you can imagine which parts of the current course would go to which course.

 

[Estel]

I love the English course, and contrary to G Lobster I would argue that it is not too specialised. Learning things such as representations and transformations are engaging. One thing I wish they went ahead with is that 2U Literature idea. Also make a 2U Problem Solving course or something.

Crash... Shakespeare isn't compulsory in the course... you could go through it without being exposed to him at all.

4U Maths has no relevance to the modern world, WHAT SO EVER.
And at least English spills into other subjects.

Then bring on 6 maths 6 english

 

[Xayma]

Actually inside the English Advanced course it is compulsory.

"Text Requirements

• the close study of at LEAST FIVE TYPES OF PRESCRIBED TEXT, one drawn from EACH of the following categories:
  - Shakespearean Drama"

 

[Estel]

hmm
damn
You win.... still I mean what's wrong with Shakespeare
Many people wouldn't otherwise be exposed to some form of art...

 

[mervvyn]

4U Maths has no relevance to the modern world, WHAT SO EVER.
And at least English spills into other subjects.

aw..... but 4u maths is just so cool!
but seriously, it has its uses - all the physics for example, has direct relevance to a lot of stuff everyone does, like driving round corners in mechanics. it's just most people don't do it, so people assume it must be amazingly arcane and pointless, but it really isn't...

edit: sorry, in a debating mood today....
i could say equally that 4u english is a very specialised subject with very little relevance to the modern world, but then you might say that writing and researching is important, and i would say yes, and so is maths

 

[Estel]

You can't win
You can stake the high ground and say 4u Maths suits a niche.... then 4u English does that.
You can stake the middle ground and say 4u Maths is good for broadening education... then 4u English does that.

Or you can be happy and do both.

 

[Xayma]

Thats what general maths is for. For relevance to the real world.

 

[mervvyn]

oh just leave me alone to contradict myself will you...
my point is... oh, i knew it before but i forgot.
english is worth keeping as compulsory though, don't disagree there, just happen to prefer maths to english.

 

[mattsta]

English is very important if you intend on going to university. So yes, I think it should be compulsary for those that want a UAI.

For those that don't want a UAI because they intend on doing something else, then perhaps they should have an option of being able to complete the HSC without having to do English.

 

[Snapwizard]

Would people be happier if only one unit of english counted? That sounds fairer to cause then u still need a serious attempt but can afford to not be as good in english and till get inot a demanding uni coruse with a high enternce score

sam04u That was some good stuff

 

[Jago]

although english is useful for communicating and all that crap, it comes with heaps of useless baggage. Stuff like being able to analyse shakespeare, analysing texts for techniques etc and all that crap is useless if the goal for english is to better communication skills.

if bos are serious in their goal, they should design a whole new course for this purpose. english is too specialised.

plus, i dont see why maths is any less important; but then again stuff like calculus isnt essential to daily life, similar to shakespeare in english. If it were up to me, there'd be this course called "General Ability" ( nostalgic to selective test hehe) and it would have only the useful bits of english and maths

that doesn't sound like a bad idea...

 

[paper cup]

English is very important if you intend on going to university. So yes, I think it should be compulsary for those that want a UAI.

For those that don't want a UAI because they intend on doing something else, then perhaps they should have an option of being able to complete the HSC without having to do English.

You have a point there.
English should be compulsory, I mean otherwise we'd have a whole generation lacking knowledge of shakespeare, james, woolf etc - it's necessary in order to further our culture. I mean I hate jane austen but yeh then again she DID pioneer the novel. and with the advent of technology this need is rendered increasingly crucial - we have enough idiots already typing LiKe ThiS and lolling and rofling in inappropriate contexts.
But then again I'm biased because I'm an English person. *cowers* don't hit me!

 

[malkin86]

I think you'll find that Lady Murasaki Shikibu pioneered the novel.. but Jane Austen was very important to the English novel format.

I feel that English Advanced is more about having the same opinion as that of the BOS, and being able to write at length about their opinion, while pretending that it is your own. I'm not too happy about this, because I would prefer to communicate my own thoughts on the subject.

 

[Li0n]

i think english should be compulsory however, the 2units counted in the uai should only count if they are in the best 10 units just like every other course.
Thats the best option imo.

 

[Gemstone]

I don't like the fact that English has to be counted for your UAI because it's my worst subject and will affect my uai badly. All my other subjects I do quiet well in but english I only ever get around 50% in. I agree it is an important subject and all but it caan affect people's UAI's if they aren't good at it. I do eleven units and in all my other subjects I get around 80% in so english becomes such a small part of my UAI anyway and I would much rather count one of my higher courses so I could get a better UAI.

That's my oppinion I still think that English should be a compulsory subject but not that it should automatically count to your UAI.

Gemma

 

[sneaky pete]

4U Maths has no relevance to the modern world, WHAT SO EVER.
And at least English spills into other subjects.

People that take 4U maths MAKE it relevant to the modern world by benefiting the students in their tertiary education.
How much people take 4U Maths and have no plans whatsoever to enter tertiary edu? Very little.
I'd say a good amount of 4U students plan to enter tertiary education in the fields of Engineering/Sci/And other subjects that involves a first year maths course such as Chem.
Graphs for finance, biz, eco, comm
Complex numbers for complex analysis
Mechanics for first year physics
People do actually use this stuff, and a portion of the 4u candidature was advantaged by studying this material post tertiary ed

English however, is pure bullshit

If the English content covered was actually useful; ie Letter writing, grammar, punctuation, essay writing (just one), resume writing, e-mail, etc, It would be great, and a course like this should be compulsory.
'Middle English version' of The Pardoner’s Tale ..What a piece of shit!
How did reading that assist us to comprehend the English language.
I forgot what other texts I did in yr 12 but I can assure you they were just as bad.