Westministers: May Shares the Cake

[RedToothBrush]

May's Speech Abbreviated:

We still have nfi how we are going to do this. EU this is your fault. You sort it out. We are too lazy, workshy and fighting like high school children to work it out ourselves. Be our whipping boy.

I support democracy as long as I get to do whatever I like
I support human rights as long as I can ignore them when I like.
I support the rule of law except when it doesn't suit my agenda.

Waffle waffle.

"Creative", "Dynamic" PR for my Premiership.

Waffle waffle

We really need policing cooperation, PLEASE keep it with us. I know I threatened to withdraw this, but I'm sorry, I was wrong and a bit of a dick about this.

Gets to the point FINALLY.

"2 year transition period"

(With another time bomb lock which is still too short for IT departments. Nothing to do with the next general election, honest).

RULE BRITANNIA!

Polite Applause.

Somerville As I highlighted earlier the key for those with learning difficulties is to offer a range of teaching styles and strategies, since the problems are different even within the much narrower definition of Dyslexic, Dyspraxic etc. within the wider definition of Specific Lesrning Difficulties. I agree that phonics are useful in that mix. My DD still uses the phonic strategies she was given at age 6 to spell, but she used / uses context heavily to decode words. I know testing her on made up words would have made her a confidence sapping failure as the link I posted highlighted is the case for most with literacy difficulties. The way in which the government have systematically dug up the leveller playing field for those with learning differences (a more accurate description) that so many have worked so hard to bring about is not just manifested in the way in which synthetic phonics have been imposed, they also introduced a nonsensical criteria for extra time in GCSE and A level that discriminates against many more able pupils with learning difficulties whose prospects of university will be worsened. They are amongst the groups with disadvantage that actually do better at university than their A level grades would predict. All to provide Gove with a Daily Mail soundbite.

So many manifestations of the way in this government is divisive, worsens the prospects of those who are different (because Specific Learning Difficulties are just a brain difference, they can be an advantage, the reason MI5 go out of their way to recruit people with those differences, and only a disability in terms of the way in which they are taught and tested in schools) jumps on the bandwagon of every simplistic dogma, and lives and dies by Daily Mail soundbite.......

And it's spelling where a secure foundation of phonics really shows up in the 75% of children who would have learned to read easily with any method.)

Totally agree with this (except for the small number of children who can spell any word they have read once, like my DD who can spell perfectly in four languages).

I agree that blindly following a synthetic phonics policy isn't wise, and that a range of strategies can be appropriate depending on the child, but I am fairly convinced that synthetic phonics is an important foundation for good reading and spelling in ESL kids, or native speakers whose exposure to good English outside school is limited. You can't ask kids to guess words from the context if they don't have the cultural or linguistic tools to make effective use of that context. In that respect, I do think that phonics is a tool that helps improve opportunity for kids who are at the highest risk of failure. But it has to be used sensitively and in a way that ensures exposure to good literature and literary culture too.

One side effect of using synthetic phonics to teach my DS was that certain mysteries of French spelling and pronunciation suddenly came clear to me - 20 odd years after I completed my A level. Bizarrely, while French schools have been surprisingly resistant to the use of phonics to teach reading, they seem to be used systematically at the beginning of teaching foreign languages. DS just started German as a third MFL and ahead of his first test this afternoon he spent lunchtime giving me a lesson on German pronunciation, spelling and word order rules

This debate is symbolic of the way government policy has evolved over the last few years, with its focus on ideologies, simplistic solutions for complex problems, and an unwillingness to listen to the people on the ground.

YYY to this.

David Attenborough: Brexiteers “probably don't understand” facts

www.newstatesman.com/politics/staggers/2017/09/david-attenborough-brexiteers-probably-dont-understand-facts

Oh dear.

Belated place marking

David Attenborough: Brexiteers “probably don't understand” facts

I'm trying to find that contentious ...

That's interesting Somerville and Misti on phonics. I think I might have benefitted from it for foreign language learning too.

As per that Fintan O'Toole article, I agree it was in part an identity politics thing for Unionists who voted Brexit. Too much neutrality and blurring of NI as part of the UK in the EU. Anything that makes NI look more British (not just UK, but of the island of Britain).

Then you have to explore the Nationalist vote for Brexit. Not in enough numbers to tip it, but there nevertheless. I suspect it had to do with forcing a possible resulting crisis, and was a vote for dissatisfaction with or exit from the UK. On leaving the EU, NI would again face the less neutral effects of Britain, without the calming waters of the EU. Maybe increasing dissatisfaction with the status quo. Things that people were able to live with as the entire Island of Ireland was in the EU. With demographics possibly becoming more favourable to achieve this aim. In it's own way, this was also a burn down the house type pro Brexit. I suspect some of the things that the Brexiteers in Britain were saying about the EU, in NI these were being looked at throught the prism of NI in Britain. Thus voting Leave was to achieve the aim of another Brexit. Exiting Britain.

This map shows no border. At all.

www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/uk-must-address-irish-border-question-before-negotiations-continue-eu-negotiator-806670.html

Just a thought.

Going back to sythetic phonics: despite the Clackmannanshire Project being used as the justification for a hard line approach in England (despite the more nuanced reasons for the results), as far as I am aware, the literacy plan in Scotland does not require a rigid adherence to synthetic phonics. Indeed, although it suggests phonics is an important method, alongside paired reading, it specifically mentions that a range of methods might be needed accepting to the child/school.

Also, the P1 children in Clackmannanshire would have ranged in age from 4.5 (very few that young) to 5 years 10 months. Very different to starting in Reception.

In ds' case (and I know the plural of anecdote is not data but this was indicative of the personalised approach at his school), he got through P1 not actually blending (the wee tyke was learning his dratted Bif and Chip books off by heart), but the school was relaxed as they said that some kids - especially boys - don't "get" reading until they are 6. Despite 6 weeks 1:1 support from the depute head at the beginning of P2, it was only April - when he was 6.5 - before he finally "got" it. It was another 3 years before he was back in the "top" group for language/reading - and got a B for his Higher English this summer (and IMHO quite gratifyingly as at the time he was focussed on the Sciences was disappointed it wasn't an A).

It does indeed seem to be (in England) seem to be symptomatic of dogma and a "one size fits all" approach

Just like Theresa May saying in Florence and in her White Paper that the "British People" are behind her in wanting to leave the EU and that "we" have never felt part of the EU. She does not speak for me.

Interesting by sadiq Khan
twitter.com/Independent/status/912657334987640834

Irrespective of their stance on Brexit, a second referendum could easily see me voting Labour.

Many others too I suspect LH

(That was directed more at the Labour activists who patrol this forum, than regular posters. I would contact my MP, but so far have zero confidence in them by their actions).

Sadly, despite his standing in London, Sadiq doesn't seem to have much influence with the Labour party's leadership.

Reading some of the comments below that tweet by the Independent about Sadiq Khan

Whereas there are people on here saying it would help them considered voting Labour again, some of the comments on there are complaining that he is subverting democracy.

By their logic of "the people have spoken", we may as well give up on parliament. After all, once the "people have spoken", one colour of party has won and the government has been decided. Why not just send the MPs home? It would save a lot of money.

No wonder Attenborough says that the referendum was an abrogation of parliamentary democracy.

I think Sadiq is regarded as an enemy of the people and an enemy of the great leap forward by some in the Labour Party.

I don't think his disloyalty to the Leader has been forgotten or forgiven.

For the record, there are many aspects of JC's platform that sit well with me. However, I can't bear the insane tribalism and fervour - and attendant attacking of moderates and anti-Brexit positions - that seems to surround him.

Labour activists who patrol this forum,
Duly noted comrade. I'm fighting the good fight by learning to jog.

That's what a formerly Labour supporting friend of mine says. She hates Momentum and has been horrified by their antics at various Labour Party meetings she has attended.

She's still very pro-Labour principles, but is now (like me) going to vote SNP until we get the chance to vote for our "own" Labour Party (unlike me, she voted No "because she wanted to stay in the EU" even though I told her that the greater risk was if we stayed part of the UK she does have the good grace to admit I was right and she was wrong )

If anyone's got any minecraft age DC's X box is doing a 'better together' game.

Irrespective of their stance on Brexit, a second referendum could easily see me voting Tory.

... is the problem ...

There was an interesting pro-Single Market Labour person being interviewed on the lunchtime news yesterday. He was being realistic pointing out the time that it would take to negotiate a free trade agreement that came anywhere near the benefits of the Internal market that we already have

He was also pointing out the fallacy of Corbyn's "justification" for leaving the EU/the single Market - that the UK is prohbited from using state aid to support industries/re-nationalise. He said that there are ways in which we can use state aid, so that we could support (for example) our steel industry and in any case WTO rules about state aid are even stricter (so no help allowed for the steel industry) - albeit that the enforcement mechanism is weaker.

Unfortunately, at that point the interviewer cut back to the conference proper as Keir Starmer was starting his speech.

Khan is saying that AFTER polling has said that 70% of Labour supporters like the idea of a 2nd ref compared to 50% for the population as a whole.

Corbyn and his chums can dislike Khan for making that point, but Khan can't really be touched either for that reason. Its reflective of what supporters are saying.

SWP/momentum are awful. White male dominated, shouty, intransigent dogmatic with anti semitic tendencies. Probably funded by the establishment. Although members commit 10% of their income to party funds.

They have also the back bone of nearly every successful political action there's been over the last 40 years. During the poll tax debacle, I had no choice but to work with them as mainstream labour would not assist or even be associated with the campaign. Likewise the miners' strike.

When times are tough the tough get purchase].

The anti semitic allegations against their membership are absolutely horrendous, Daniel Finkelstein and others are keeping an eye on it.

I'm observing from afar.

But it wasn't the liberal party which stopped Hitler.

No one did.

Because all opposition was so hopelessly divided.

meanwhile, Brexit stories continue - whether people know it or not ...

Jaffa quake as McVitie's cuts pack sizes
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41400677

Thomas Cook predicts Spanish holiday prices to rise
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41397402

All round to Moggys then

And of course :

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41389498

European Council president Donald Tusk has said not enough progress has been made to move to the next phase of Brexit talks in Brussels.
He said Theresa May's "realistic" speech on Friday showed the UK's "philosophy of having a cake and eating it is finally coming to an end".
But he said "there is not sufficient progress yet".
Mrs May had hoped her offer of a two-year transition period after Brexit would unblock talks in Brussels.