to despair when I saw a teacher today spelling...

[emkana]

... beautiful as...

"beautifle"

But fizzbuzz, I totally understand of course, the point about the disability act preventing anyone being discriminated against in terms of not being allowed to do a job because of a disability, but what if that disability means that you actually can't do the job fully or reliably? I'm genuinely interested to know how this act works in these circumstances. The only example I can think of is that people with colour blindness can't (or didn't used to be able to) be pilots. Can see why. If the little red light is winking to tell you the wings are about to fall off and you don't see it, there might be a few problems. So how does it work?

Also of course I'm not suggesting that teachers who can't spell are not good teachers, but if you have a major problem with word blindness surely that means you can't carry out some of your teaching goals effectively?

I used to work with a teacher (secondary SN) who was dyslexic , she had the kids spelling words out for her which helped them as much as her to think about how to spell (and we would help if it was needed!)

I know DG - it was sarcasm. I think a sense of humour along with complete perfection in all other areas (and a burnished halo) should be elementary in teachers

As I said before, I think it depends on the severity of the spelling problem. I agree with the poster who said that it is difficult to get all desirable skills in teachers and I would rather ds is taught by someone who has a passion for the job but may sometimes spell a word incorrectly, rather than someone who spells beautifully (correctly!!) but lacks zest for the job.

"beautifle" is just pain ignorant. How can you be a teacher - presumably someone who has read one or two books in your time - and spell so badly? That example isn't just a typo, it's so bad it's off the spectrum.

I could probably forgive a dedicated, inspiring secondary school science teacher for the odd spelling mistake, but really, the whole point of teachers is to teach. Which implies knowing what's correct and what is not correct.

The ability to look stuff up if you are not sure is an essential part of the job, surely. If a teacher can't be bothered to use a dictionary then what else aren't they bothered about?

Ds comes home convinced that every word that passes the lips of his teachers is God's holy writ. If Mrs Grey ever wrote 'beautifle' he'd think she was right and would completely refuse to accept any argument.

Dyslexia may be an issue for some teachers, but as someone said, people with dyslexia develop coping strategies. I'd be prepared to bet a substantial amount of money they make fewer mistakes than the lazy sods who just think spelling's somehow 'not important'.

I hate it when they write things like "we was going to the..." in the communication book. These people are teaching my CHILDREN ffs, is it really too much to hope that they have even the most basic grasp of grammar?

I'm not a pedant, I care not about the split infinitive or stuff like that, but was v were. I mean COME ON!

I have found a nice printout for those having trouble...perhaps I should stick it in the communication book?

here

Ladylush, I am not sure why you are attacking me. All I am saying is that IMO a teacher should be able to spell. Plenty of people here agree with me.

I in no way implied that my children are ok so sod everyone else. I explained in my first post that I am a teacher. I feel very happy and privileged to be able to give other people's children a good education. I have my failings, but a lack of a sense of humour, a lack of an ability to communicate, and a firm knowledge of primary school subjects (spelling included) are not included in those failings.

I do wish you would leave me alone though as I don't even know you and don't understand why you are singling me out.

Oops, that should say " a lack of a firm knowledge..."

Oh sod it, what do I care what one person thinks of me?

I taught and my spelling is not my strong point but I figure that nobody is born with a dictionary in-built. We all learn all the time. I always used it as a teaching point and would tell children I wasn't sure of the spelling and 'lets look it up in the dictionary' Got really stuck on 'guinea' pig once. I suppose the difference comes when you don't even realise it's wrong.

I think the importance of spelling depends on who and what you are teaching. My son's primary school teacher cannot spell - she does not know when to use "too" and "to" and how to use apostrophes. On the other hand he is 5 and she has instilled an enthusiasm and love of learning in him which is far more important than spelling.

However, if ds was 11 and she was his English teacher, I would be a lot more concerned.

I agree with those who say that teachers should be able to spell. Of course we all make mistakes and typos but I think anything that is printed and reproduced should have been proof read before it is given to the children. An innocent spelling mistake written in an exercise book, not good but understandable. Handing out sheets with typos on, not good and not understandable.

DS1's teacher last year handed out spelling sheets for the children to learn with spelling mistakes on them more than once. That is definitely not acceptable. And before anybody says so long as she was a good teacher that's OK - she wasn't much good in other areas so not even that excuse, but is a whole other thread.

I think there is a generation of people in their 20s and early 30s let down by the approach to spelling in this country.

As an employer I interview a lot of graduates whose spelling and grammer are really bad, although they are very bright themselves. As the interviewee is required to represent the business in written form, this can do them out of a job.

It seems such hypocrisy to give the children a weekly spelling test, if you can't insist on the teachers knowing how to spell. And we have frequently had spelling mistakes in the weekly spelling list sent home for the children to learn.

Fair enough, a school might want to keep a dyslexic teacher if otherwise good.

But if one teacher sets the spelling lists for the whole year- does it have to be the one who can't spell? Or can none of them spell?

The truth is that there are times when you won't get the job if you send in a badly spelled CV. Your manuscript won't get past the agent if your covering letter is full of spelling mistakes. It is doing children a disservice not to let them learn to spell correctly.

That sounds fine, pushchair, it's the idiots who don't think spelling matters in a school fgs that I object to. No wonder we have two generations of people who can't manage their own ruddy language. Speakers of English as a second language put our nation to shame!

The thing is, if we allow teachers to get away with poor spelling on the grounds that it does not really matter then we are doing our children a disservice.

I worked with a guy who consistently wrote 'software'as 'softwares'. Gramatically this is incorrect. Even worse, his students were expected to use this word frequently in their assessed work. Their grades are reliant, to a small amount, on their spelling and grammer. How are they supposed to know the correct spelling if they are consistently presented with it in the incoorect form? Yet no matter how often it was pointed out to my colleague he effectively shrugged his shoulders and, mostly, neglected to correct it.

DS 3 has a Head Teachers Award the title (done on PC) is;

This is to Celebrate Outstanding Behaviour.

Then it says To: Ds3

For: (hand written) good behavior and being a good listener"

Signed: The Head

DG, I wasn't attacking you. I may have used sarcasm yes, but that's because I found your tone rather self-righteous. You are entitled to your opinion of course, but to say
"Am (shocked) that some people here are saying that it doesn't matter if teachers make the odd spelling mistake. Maybe not if the teacher teaches Maths or ICT or PE etc in a secondary school, but if definitely matters very much if they are a primary school teacher. No wonder literacy levels are so poor!

I am a primary school teacher and I know better than most the failings of many of my colleagues. The inability to spell (or at the very least the inability to look up a word they are unsure of in a dictionary) is, IMO, inexcusable."

Wrt to the odd spelling mistake seems a bit ott imo. As you will see in my posts I don't actually think there is an excuse for laziness, teachers should look words up if they're not sure. Also there was an inference that poor literacy is somehow the fault of a few people who posted different views to yours - or maybe that was just inintended use of grammar?

It really isn't personal on my part. I have posted on one of your threads before and iirc was actually quite helpful.

"Also there was an inference that poor literacy is somehow the fault of a few people who posted different views to yours - or maybe that was just inintended use of grammar?"

No I was not inferring that at all. I was simply expressing my view that teachers should be able to spell and I stand by my view. What I meant about poor literacy standards was not an attack on others here with different views to mine, but an attack on the profession I belong to for failing to employ teachers with, what I consider to be, a necessary skill for the job.