Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To pull someone up on their incorrect use of grammar in the classroom of children?

241 replies

biebersLadyLabyrinth · 12/07/2017 17:02

I'm working with another TA (new to this job) until the term breaks and we're not getting on. I used to be a parent at the school and thought she didn't mind me as I wasn't a fussy parent (she's always had the reputation for being a bit scary-this said by children and parents alike but she was good to mine and our paths rarely crossed)

She's very cool with me which I can handle and furthermore if she doesn't like me no problem as long as we can get the job done.

She keeps criticising my using certain phrases like "splendid" or "Cheese and Crackers" as a child-friendly expletive Grin even "marvellous" bothers her. This said, I've heard her over and over incorrectly speak to children. When one little boy told her his mum doesn't like him to say a phrase in that way-he was chided and told her way is perfectly ok.

I'm tempted to say something to her but worry she'll get a bit nasty.

OP posts:
waterrat · 12/07/2017 22:11

Wow i am open mouthed at this thread . The TA speaks slightly differently and in a more working class way. The children will survive ! What utter disgusting snobbery it would be to openly criticise or report this TA. I have no problem with jy children hearing variations on received pronunciation .

supersop60 · 12/07/2017 22:18

I can't be bothered to rtwt (and fight my way through the grammar one-upmanship).
My son had a TA in his junior school who would always use 'wasn't' in stead of 'weren't'. eg "you wasn't supposed to go in there, was you?" Never mind apostrophes etc - I think that is appalling.

BasketOfDeplorables · 12/07/2017 22:20

Here, non standard is the norm, though. So it's hard for children to learn to write standard English. If most of the parents use standard English, then it would probably have little impact, but I can see the logic of agreeing to model standard English in the classroom - 'here, we speak as we write' is fair enough.

The OP's colleague is also openly nasty about her way of speaking, though, which ought to be stopped either way.

Rockhopper81 · 12/07/2017 22:21

Okay, to the OP:

-Yes, I think spoken English in the classroom should be grammatically correct, as well as displays being correct in terms of commas, apostrophes etc. I don't think it's anything to do with 'working class' - my parents are as working class as they come, yet they wouldn't say, "you done well".

-I am predominantly an EYFS teacher and worked with TAs who used incorrect spoken grammar with the children and it annoyed me. I don't care about endings of sentences with prepositions or any of that, but you shouldn't say, "you done well" to a child, as they will eventually write how they speak and that is plain wrong. Good modelling is looked at by everyone in a classroom, including the TAs.

-There shouldn't be any issue with using 'splendid', 'marvellous' or anything else similar to that in the classroom - it's just vocabulary, possibly some of which they won't have encountered before, or didn't realise were synonyms for words they did know.

-Raise it with a line manager if it continues, including her disapproval of your choice of praise, rather than dealing with it. If she's telling children the way she says things is fine (against the correct phrasing that parents are modelling), she's unlikely to listen to what you have to say to be honest.

JemimaCuddleFuck · 12/07/2017 22:21

Incorrect grammar isn't a variation of RP.

MaisyPops · 12/07/2017 22:23

waterrat
Standard English in the classroom is the expected standard, and for good reason. I say that as someone who uses regional langauge.

It's particularly important in primary when they are learning the basics. At secondary, I can discuss and debate attitudes to regional langauge but that's a bit much for little ones.

By not modelling standard English in schools, we do the kids a disservice because those who get it at home will have more doors available to them than those who are never taught the difference.

BasketOfDeplorables · 12/07/2017 22:28

Yes, 'should've' is correct, but many people say 'should of' as they think that's what they've heard. That's why they write it that way. But as 'should of' is quite common, and will be passed on from person to person, it may well end up being considered dialect that evolved from a mistake, rather than a mistake. Wasn't 'an adder' originally 'a nadder'? This might be bollocks, but there's definitely some words that have lost their first consonant.

MaisyPops · 12/07/2017 22:32

Ah right. I see what you mean now.Smile

Maybe. Language is always changing after all (I always thought it was odd that loads of words used to have a silent e on the end. No idea why).

Given that standard English came about from people inventing rules, it seems logical that should of could actually happened going the other way.

I always think it's quite clever and interesting how langauge seems to change, but maybe that's just me.

BasketOfDeplorables · 12/07/2017 22:39

I am also pretty into language, and write copy, so sometimes find myself in a place where I have to make my own rules, as plenty of what is correct sounds wrong in certain contexts.

supersop60 · 12/07/2017 22:44

maisypops No doubt, someone will know more about this than me, but i think the silent e used to be pronounced (eg in Chaucer's time)

nina2b · 12/07/2017 22:55

Today 22:21 JemimaCuddleFuck

Incorrect grammar isn't a variation of RP.

Correct. Is that word allowed - or should that be aloud? Lol

JemimaCuddleFuck · 12/07/2017 23:00

Adding 'lol' to any post immediately negates any credibility you might have with regards to the correct usage of the English language.

Original poster
biebersLadyLabyrinth · 12/07/2017 23:12

So what do I do?

Kick her in the flaps if she annoys me again?

OP posts:
AtHomeDadGlos · 12/07/2017 23:44

I would call her on it and do so in front of the children. That's just lazy ignorance.

Reminds me of the 8 year olds I taught who spelled think 'fink' and thing 'fing' as that's how they were spoken to at home.

nina2b · 12/07/2017 23:45

Today 23:00 JemimaCuddleFuck

Adding 'lol' to any post immediately negates any credibility you might have with regards to the correct usage of the English language.

Oh perlease, we are being informal now, no? Lol

BasketOfDeplorables · 12/07/2017 23:51

Tell that to David Cameron

nina2b · 12/07/2017 23:51

Today 22:32 MaisyPops

Ah right. I see what you mean now.smile

Maybe. Language is always changing after all (I always thought it was odd that loads of words used to have a silent e on the end. No idea why).

Given that standard English came about from people inventing rules, it seems logical that should of could actually happened going the other way.

I always think it's quite clever and interesting how langauge seems to change, but maybe that's just me.

That "should of could actually happened going the other way."?

DixieFlatline · 13/07/2017 00:17

Grammatically, Alexkate2468, it is 'I try, gently, to...' or 'gently, I try to...' Are you saying you never make errors, ever?

Those suggestions don't read as more grammatical than Alex's version. I'd be interested to see a source.

emmyrose2000 · 13/07/2017 04:37

Examples:
Jonny you done really well didn't you
Well done class you done brilliant listening
You was going to the other classroom you said
We didn't get no fruit for snack time so we will have crackers instead

There is no excuse for this. None. It doesn't have anything to do with regional differences, class or accents. These sentences are just plain wrong.

In your shoes, OP, I would definitely talk to the TA's supervisor and let them know. She may need a crash course in the correct use of grammar or something. At the absolute very least, she needs to know when to use done/did correctly.

Quite frankly, I'd rather my child came home from school and told me the teacher/TA had used a whole string of swear words, than left school thinking it was okay/correct to say "look what I done", instead of "look what I did".

emmyrose2000 · 13/07/2017 04:46

*isn't any excuse

Toadinthehole · 13/07/2017 05:07

It's not snobbery to say that standard English is better than non-standard forms. The purpose of language is to communicate, after all. Standard English, with minor variations from country to country, is where it's at. It's those who complain that such a view is snobbish who need to take their judgy-pants off. Speak Scouse, Doric, Smeggins or whatever to your hearts content if you like, replace "would have" with "would of" if you must, insist that your newly-created dialect is a national treasure if you need to; but keep it away from the classroom, and don't pretend that your idiosyncratic and parochial usage is as good as all others: doing to makes you look silly, especially over the county boundary.

derxa · 13/07/2017 05:43

So what do I do?

Kick her in the flaps if she annoys me again?
OP you've got a bully on your hands. I would have a quiet word with the teacher if (and I say if) you get on well with her. This has the potential to escalate. The issue is her humiliating you in front of the children.
Quite frankly I would tone down the use of hyperbolic language till the end of term and pray you don't have to work with her again. Just do your job which I'm sure you do splendidly.

Pengggwn · 13/07/2017 05:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 13/07/2017 06:13

I'd be surprised if it hadn't also been an issue on her application form, Penggwyn. Although you'd hope she'd got someone to read and correct it before submitting it.

LindyHemming · 13/07/2017 06:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.