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Original poster

knifes

50 replies

hillian · 14/09/2013 06:48

DS ( who is in year 5) has comes home with 10 words to learn to spell. All of them far too easy but the one that bothers me is KNIFES.

This is spelling homework FGS!

The words were written out in her handwriting. And she's a NQT.
what would you tell DS to do in the test to check he's learned the words?

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prissyenglisharriviste · 14/09/2013 06:56

I would red pen it and send it back on Monday, asking the teacher to ensure that all pupils receive a corrected list to learn.

But I'm a beeatch. (Sp)

I always correct spelling mistakes on spelling lists. They wind me right up.

As for Ds, I would tell him it's wrong. Why doesn't he know it's wrong already? He should have told you....

Original poster
hillian · 14/09/2013 07:02

He didn't look at the list.

When i pointed it out he made excuses for her. According to DS, she specialised in teaching maths at college so its not her fault!!! He can only have got that view from her.

I find my confidence in her is shaken. Plus she seems to have a temper that's on display already!Shock

OP posts:
burberryqueen · 14/09/2013 07:12

red pen it and write a pedantic little reminder about F becoming V for plural.
just not good enough IMO

Dwinhofficoffi · 14/09/2013 07:24

I am a TA my spelling is terrible! (I have strategies I use in class which ensure that I spell correctly.) This has made me go Shock. It is really not good enough. I would highlight it and take to the head to draw his/her attention to it.

Original poster
hillian · 14/09/2013 07:30

Not everyone is good at spelling but if you aren't and you are setting spelling homework, you would use a dictionary to check, wouldn't you?

What I really want to say to her is that its ok if she decides that DS can spell anyway so she doesn't need to worry about imparting her knowledge to him!

OP posts:
Periwinkle007 · 14/09/2013 11:19

yes IMO if a teacher can't spell then they should be extra careful that anything like that is checked. mistakes happen, she could indeed be dyslexic or something but she needs to be aware of it as that isn't acceptable in spelling homework.

clam · 14/09/2013 11:30

I think you have to draw her attention to it - otherwise, if you teach him the correct way to spell it, won't she mark it wrong in the test?

Feenie · 14/09/2013 11:47

Er....knife can be used as a [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knife verb]], so it may not be an error - knifes is acceptable.

Not amazingly appropriate for Year 5 though. Are the rest of them plurals?

Feenie · 14/09/2013 11:48

Try again: verb

burberryqueen · 14/09/2013 11:50

oh right hadn't thought of that....
but i have never seen morphed verb forms in spelling lists.
also how would it fit into a suitable sentence?
the boy knifes the......? complete as appropriate

juniper9 · 14/09/2013 12:25

Feenie it's like glass, I suppose. A typical Friday night back home...

"The boy knifes the old man whilst the girl glasses the unconscious woman."

clam · 14/09/2013 12:28
Feenie · 14/09/2013 12:46

Grin Grin

Burberryqueen - look at the link I posted. You could say 'The ship knifes through the water'. Apparently.

Feenie · 14/09/2013 12:47

Fwiw it's probably an error. But the OP could look daft if she complains and the class teacher has a frantic google.

burberryqueen · 14/09/2013 12:48

Grin funny feenie

spanieleyes · 14/09/2013 12:51

Next weeks spelling list

maim
murder
strangle
asphyxiate
garrotte

Pachacuti · 14/09/2013 12:52

I'd like to see their example sentences for "knifes" as a verb form... "Johnny walks into the bank and knifes the security guard" ?

What kind of school is it -- would this be valuable vocational training Grin , or is it more likely to be a cock-up on the basic grammar and spelling front?

Original poster
hillian · 14/09/2013 13:30

its a state primary in a lowermiddle class area.

Once the children have progressed from the verb" to knife", I believe there will be a class assembly on the theme of the song Blurred Lines.
The teacher doesn't seem very stable (has been losing her temper a lot - even once with a parent who didn't jump to her command!). She has only been teaching for a week so its quite a dramatic start.
On reflection, I think I will just quietly tell Ds to just spell it accurately on the test.

OP posts:
clam · 14/09/2013 13:41

Was it part of a theme on the list? Were there similar words or all just random?

Original poster
hillian · 14/09/2013 13:58

they were all 6/7 letter words. i think prefect was another one.

actually it was just a fairly odd assortment.

DS has a spelling age of 15 (he was privately assessed this summer) so the words are all a bit basic for him.

I am not worried about him learning to spell, so luckily I am not relying on her. Its just i was hoping she'd improve his English generally.

OP posts:
eddiemairswife · 14/09/2013 14:15

Just a query. Why would anyone have their child's spelling privately assessed?

clam · 14/09/2013 14:19

Is anyone else wondering what the educational value is of random 6/7 letter words?

Original poster
hillian · 14/09/2013 15:48

eddimairswife because a learning disability was suspected. They do a whole range of tests, looking at every aspect of the child's learning including types of memory etc so that the disability stands out (if it exists).

OP posts:
Original poster
hillian · 14/09/2013 15:59

Clam ... looking at the list again I think the theme was they all have a silent letter (or at least if you say them fast).

OP posts:
Wellthen · 14/09/2013 16:20

In which case knifes or knife is necessarily incorrect as it is in fact a word. If the theme was plurals then the mistake would be more glaring.

Highlighting/red pen is passive agressive and bitchy. Go in, politely point it out. She will probably be grateful. Yes its not on, spelling lists, displays and marking should be spelt properly and teachers should make extra effort to ensure this. It needs pointing out but theres no need to be unkind.

The point of random words is there there are some words (often with silent letters, repeated consonants, less common letter strings etc) that people often spell wrong. One way, amongst others, to overcome this is to learn by rote.

I don't understand what her being an NQT has to do with anything.