Modern languages in decline
#61
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Posts: 12,053
Re: Modern languages in decline
No sorry, please don't think I was suggesting we should all be correcting each others grammar or spelling. I think that should be left to parents and teachers. I just don't think it happens much these days. My nephew asked me to look over his university application 5 years ago. It was riddled with bad grammar, spelling mistakes and ambiguity. Yet he was a bright boy at a good school and went on to get a 2:1 and then an Msc at Sheffield.
As for the neighbour who thought 'derecha' meant 'all right' in spanish. He's been asked to help with the english class at the local school.
As for the neighbour who thought 'derecha' meant 'all right' in spanish. He's been asked to help with the english class at the local school.
many of the parents of today are themselves riddled with bad grammar, spelling mistakes, use of the correct sounding but different word, (there instead of their and hear instead of here in a letter recently received). So how can they be expected to correct their children's spelling and grammar??
and the kids will only react with "what do you know anyway".
most of that came, I believe, from the relaxed attitude of a whole swathe of teachers who took the easy way out, who didnt agree with sports as there have to be winners and losers, who just shrugged and let the kids get on with it. This has been reflected in lowering of standards in exams, where poor spelling in maths isnt counted so long as the math is right.
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#62
Re: Modern languages in decline
most of that came, I believe, from the relaxed attitude of a whole swathe of teachers who took the easy way out, who didnt agree with sports as there have to be winners and losers, who just shrugged and let the kids get on with it. This has been reflected in lowering of standards in exams, where poor spelling in maths isnt counted so long as the math is right.
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I think the situation really began to deteriorate in the 60s and 70s when kids were given almost free reign to wander about their classrooms at will.
Prior to that they were all restricted to their own individual seats and desks and were easily individually accountable and controllable.
#63
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2009
Location: Alicante province
Posts: 5,753
Re: Modern languages in decline
As someone who doesn't like grammar nazies, but also someone who dislikes sloppy writing, I don't know where I stand on this issue.
So it would be best to just pass, but I'm a bad passer as well, and passers' bad habits don't help.
Next.
So it would be best to just pass, but I'm a bad passer as well, and passers' bad habits don't help.
Next.
#64
Re: Modern languages in decline
OK - it's controversial. Many people use the apostrophe in acronyms to indicate the missing letters. Working in IT (acronym hell!)we always used the apostrophe in this way. I was pulled up by our style chiefs for not using it. Long discussion here
#66
Re: Modern languages in decline
most of that came, I believe, from the relaxed attitude of a whole swathe of teachers who took the easy way out, who didnt agree with sports as there have to be winners and losers, who just shrugged and let the kids get on with it. This has been reflected in lowering of standards in exams, where poor spelling in maths isnt counted so long as the math is right.
#67
Re: Modern languages in decline
I'm not pushing this - I'm not convinced either way. The people who seem to think the apostrophe is acceptable are largely American so that might make the difference. Note that in UK IT, American spellings are often used - 'program' instead of 'programme'.
#68
Re: Modern languages in decline
But that doesn't explain "Potato's £1/kilo" !
#69
Re: Modern languages in decline
I'm not sure if it's all the teachers fault.
I think the situation really began to deteriorate in the 60s and 70s when kids were given almost free reign to wander about their classrooms at will.
Prior to that they were all restricted to their own individual seats and desks and were easily individually accountable and controllable.
I think the situation really began to deteriorate in the 60s and 70s when kids were given almost free reign to wander about their classrooms at will.
Prior to that they were all restricted to their own individual seats and desks and were easily individually accountable and controllable.
#70
Re: Modern languages in decline
do you know - I had never realised that it was spelled with a 'k' !!
#71
Re: Modern languages in decline
Words ending in s usually add an apostrophe and another such as James's but the possessive of Jesus is always Jesus' not Jesus's.
That should confuse things!
#72
Re: Modern languages in decline
[QUOTE=Fred James;10232445]The plural of DVD is DVDs.
QUOTE]
But if it were written D.V.D. then it would be D.V.D.'s.
QUOTE]
But if it were written D.V.D. then it would be D.V.D.'s.
#73
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Posts: 12,053
Re: Modern languages in decline
I'm not sure if it's all the teachers fault.
I think the situation really began to deteriorate in the 60s and 70s when kids were given almost free reign to wander about their classrooms at will.
Prior to that they were all restricted to their own individual seats and desks and were easily individually accountable and controllable.
I think the situation really began to deteriorate in the 60s and 70s when kids were given almost free reign to wander about their classrooms at will.
Prior to that they were all restricted to their own individual seats and desks and were easily individually accountable and controllable.
who gave the kids free reign ??
was it the parents ? who arent there
little green men visiting for the day ?
or was it the teachers ?? who when I was a lad, had us restricted to our own desk (although at secondary we had lockers and moved to different classrooms creating huge whirlpools of pupils rather than the teachers breezing in)
#74
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: In the middle of 10million Olive Trees
Posts: 12,053
Re: Modern languages in decline
HTML is written in American rather than English, as you will see if you look at the write-up for these posts.
#75
Re: Modern languages in decline
OK Dick, I will be the sucker in this and ask........
who gave the kids free reign ??
was it the parents ? who arent there
little green men visiting for the day ?
or was it the teachers ?? who when I was a lad, had us restricted to our own desk (although at secondary we had lockers and moved to different classrooms creating huge whirlpools of pupils rather than the teachers breezing in)
who gave the kids free reign ??
was it the parents ? who arent there
little green men visiting for the day ?
or was it the teachers ?? who when I was a lad, had us restricted to our own desk (although at secondary we had lockers and moved to different classrooms creating huge whirlpools of pupils rather than the teachers breezing in)