Grammar/spelling type rant...

[skylarsmammy]

Yes, it's Facebook related and I know I should deactivate the bloody thing as it winds me up. Today an old friend posted about how she has just started her new job as a primary school teacher. Lots of people wishing good luck etc...someone asked which school she had been placed in and a conversation ensued in which the newly qualified friend used the word 'their' when it should have been 'there'. I am gnawing my hand off to stop myself pointing out the mistake. She's a FUCKING teacher. Of PRIMARY aged kids. AIBU? If teachers can't spell what hope do we have?

That's more than I did in the 70s!

I agree, and I don't buy the 'it's only FB' comment. If they need to think that hard about basic grammar then they shouldn't be teaching. IMHO.

I am so glad we don't restrict teaching to those people who never make mistakes in spelling or grammar. Don't you think, conor, that would drastically reduce the number of good, interesting teachers and result in them being replaced with rather less capable people?

It's not as if SPAG is the only skill teachers need and it's a bit patronizing to make out it's so crucial, IMO.

'Wofflingon A teacher can be 'old', ICT literate and teach grammar and literacy skills.'

I know, and maths, science, history, geography, PE (from gymnastics to athletics via team sports) , PSHCE, RE (multifaith) Art, DT, socialisation and personal care plus any other passing whimsy that occurs to those in power.
Of course we can teach it all, and nothing is a priority.

It's not about thinking hard obviously its about NOT thinking hard at all.

I'm guessing those with the sticks up their arses on this subject are a) not teachers and b) deeply insecure about their own abilities, otherwise they wouldn't be so ott interested in others.

#firstworldproblem

(explanatory link)

Music, dance, drama, public speaking and debate...swimming...

I have to admit to making the occasional typing error on 'there' and 'their' in e-mails, and, shock horror........ I am a teacher.
Admittedly, I was embarrassed when I found said errors. I only hope the recipients didn't question my choice of career.

pinapple

• pineapple even! There you go prime example to mistakes made while typing fast and I have a 2.1 in English. Shame on me hey skylar.

Languages, yup. Whether you actually know one other than English or not.

really well I know someone who has an English and Drama degree and a PGCE, and is now in teaching, who not long ago was asking me...'what's a noun and what's a verb?' - she had never been taught that...
So goodness knows how these grammar tests will be organised....
to be honest though it bothers me less than the general knowledge displayed by some primary teachers - unforgettable was the one who told my kid in year three that A.D. meant 'after death'.

yes languages are missing - but as it's very hard to learn a new language without a basic foundation of grammar knowledge, it's kind of a vicious circle.

skylarsmammy I couldn't agree with you more. I cannot bear it when people who set themselves up as infallible make basic grammatical errors. I have seen people on here make posts complaining about grammar and then use an exclamation mark inside a bracket in the middle of a sentence.

Well, I guess everyone outside of primary teaching knows everything. I hate the condescending nature of these threads.
One mistake and the teacher is automatically branded.

EvilTwins: Are you in Leicestershire? That's normal. My neighbour has just told me she's "going Anstey tomorrow and hopes she'll have time to go bank".

Not that I disagree about people setting themselves up and looking like twits, but what's wrong with an exclamation point mid-sentence? It used to be considered perfectly ok, AFAIK, and it's only relatively recently become unusual to use it except at the end?

well I don't know about anyone else but it's not condescending to expect a certain level of literacy, simple grammar, and general knowledge from teachers.

I cannot bring myself to use it anywhere but at the end I'm afraid.

It might be condescending to presume you can judge their literacy when yours is a bit crap, though, surely?

Capital letters? Punctuation?

Also not a fan of exclamation marks sprinkled liberally all over the place, just to make sure we get the emphasis.