Standard of Education now

[Seren]

Two incidents in the last few days have really made me think about how well English Language is taught in schools. Since using MS Word I've become aware that my spelling has got worse and generally my language skills have declined, but in 2 situations in the last 7 days I've used 2 words which haven't been understood.

In a childrens play area I asked if they sold Fromage Frais, the girl behind the counter said "what?", "Whats that?"

At the zoo yesterday I reported some excrement in a public area (not sure if human or animal) "whats that?"


Do you think we are becoming a "dumbed" down population as we are not thinking and using our brains so much?

What do you think about the standard of education now? Are we producing well rounded children in terms of knowledge?

[smirnoff]

i think that education today is geared far more towards tests/exams.. children are not allowed to be children any more, they are taught what is required for the tests/exams.
I agree either i know far more language than others or everyone else is just plain stupid! I have similar experiences in shops and in the playground too.
Writing is something i have a HUGE problem with!
When i was taught at school we had to learn to write using pencil and lower case.. when wwe were deemed worthy we were taught joined up still in pencil and then came the huge honour of being awarded your berol handwriting pen!!!
Now children are not taught seperate letters, instead they are taught cursive style in nursery!!!! Trust me the difference is incredible! Ben handwriting really is quite horrific.. It is however far bettter now when we spent 6 weeks at home starting separate and then moving on to cursive... but still!!!
And im a teacher!!!! Qualified in mainstream, but for lots of reasons - main one being sats - i choose to work in the specail needs sector.....
ok rant over.. well for now anyway.....

[Jen]

I am so glad SATS have been abolished here in Wales (well they have for infants and juniors) not too sure whether this applies for the high school.
smirnoff don't go checking my spelling and punctuation now will you :blusingan

[Bunny]

I still remember having a 1 hour handwriting lesson every week at primary school, plus we continually had oral tests where we had to read out a list of 100 words

[smirnoff]

we had handwriting with the "proper" handwriting books - cant get them anywhere now!!
We also had spellings, proper reading lessons, proper maths etc etc etc.....
Oh and we had a blackboard!! Not allowed them anymore.. chalkboard or white board or interactive whiteboard...... pah!!
With regard to checking spelling and punctuation... i am in no fit state to be checking mine, let alone anyone elses!!!! LOL

[lisa1980]

i rember doing an hour a day on handwriting and spelling and maths even when i went to a school when doing an nvq it was still the norm and that was only 8 years ago


ive been told dd has problems forming letters and her writting is too big but when she practices at home she seems fine im not sure if school are doing it a different way to me (they probably are) but i can only teach her the way i know the school havent said do it this way

[Seren]

sometime I feel like the basic language skills are missing, maybe its my strange foreign accent ( I'm from Middlesex), but quite often I will say something and I get a puzzled look. Me and my big words!


I think I'm turning into a Mrs Meldrew :hysterica

[Netty]

Our primary school also teaches cursive writing from the beginning - they say wuth good results ... not in ds's case - but that could be due to his difficulties.

I do know other local schools that do teach the separate letters to start with, though, - not sure which way is best.

[MrTempleDene]

Tricky really, I think exam standards are still good, and rising as this article (http://education.guardian.co.uk/alevels/story/0,,1827444,00.html) points out.

However, standards for mental arithmetic and spelling and grammar I think have fallen because of calculators and spell checkers, I know I stumble on spelling where I didn't used to simply because I know the spellchecker will catch it (most of the thyme)

[Netty]

lol - very droll!

[Jess85]

Lol @ nettys hubby!
Hmm I can't comment because I don't really know tbh I have it all to look forward to in a few years with Zack. I just remember that we had to use pencil for a few years before being allowed to write in ink (I think we could use ink from year 5 but I may be wrong!)

[mumsiejudy]

Oh dear! Can't let this thread go without responding. Smirnoff will certainly tell you all how I used to and still do with dfd argue (to put it lightly) over the falling standards. I believe that correct spelling and language is a thing of the past. When I was at school (alright, I'm aware that it was years and years ago) if we had more than three spelling errors on a page a red line was drawn through the whole page and you had to stay in at playtime or lunchtime to redo the work and this was repeated until the piece was correctly done. A bit hard I hear you all thinking but at least we learnt how to spell with just the odd exception but now I am told that the teachers are only interested in the content and spelling does not matter. I think it is the advanced tecknology i.e. computers we have today that the younger generation can work wonders with these but when pen and paper is needed they are lost. Dictionaries aren't used much or needed these days. Mind you, I've yet got to work out how to use the spell-checker on the computer let alone all the other wonders it can do. As for teaching little ones how to write, I really think if they are not being taught at school it is up to those at home to teach them. You don't need books on handwriting to teach this just a pencil and paper even the back of surplus wallpaper.