Quick poll - when your DC are asked to type up essays and reports...

[BoboChic]

do they use block style?

if you mean both left and right adjusting, then No, DD only left adjusts.

No I mean no indents for paragraphs and a double return before paragraphs.

Good question. No. They use indented paras unless asked for block layout by teacher. But loads of students do use block. Why?

In that case, yes, she uses block style.

Just wondering what is normal. Also - do different teachers specify different styles or is there a "house style" for the whole school.

No indents for paragraphs, but yes to double return before paragraphs.

Right aligning is never a good idea, it messes with word and letter spacing and makes text hard to read for people with dyslexia. It's a good thing to learn not to do.

Left aligned, no indent for a para but yes, a double space between paras.

Thanks

Double, 1.5 or single spacing?

Doing your dc homework OP?

Block style.

Double spacing when requested ( for marking below).

Trying to understand the very cryptic style guide that she has been given and is trying to get to grips with!

My DCs have never been given any guidance in that respect - two different schools.
I wish they were TBH because often it looks a real mess! I think this age has fallen between two stages - they re expected to know how to use a keyboard, but have never been taught the way to layout a page, either hand written or typed.
I remember being taught to write letters at school - addresses, recipients etc (although much of that seems out dated now). Neither kid has been shown how at school - only by me.

Hmm. Block style is harder to read in humanities essays, especially longer pieces, as white space denotes a substantial shift of material or theme. Overall, indented is easier to read which is why the majority of books published use indented not block. Does the school specify block?

I'm so used to block style as the default style (Word, MN ) that indenting looks old-fashioned to me.

This particular teacher has asked for indenting. He's from the US.

Seeline - I am very at the massive jump in assumptions made by teachers as to the DC's technological expertise between Y6 and Y7. At primary they did some quite basic ICT. Two months later they were supposed to have impeccable word processing and PowerPoint presentation skills and to use extracts from videoed questionnaires to illustrate their homework. Colour printers at home were a given.

The only technology that school requested parents to supply (on the list at start of term) was a USB key...

I am well aware that (a) our home is awash with technology (b) DP and I have well above average Word and PowerPoint skills, so gaps are easy to plug. But it shouldn't be like this, surely?

I'm un agreement about the assumptions being made by secondary school in relation to my DD's computer skills. She has no clue about the existence of word processing tools beyond changing a font. I read recently that this is a thing. The tablet generation haven't acquired basic pc skills.

Sorry for the hijack OP.

Mine seem pretty able with power point and publisher - it's the more formal approach need for essays etc using word that seems to be missing. I agree that tablets/phones etc probably do not help.
I sometimes wonder about the ability/knowledge of the teachers in this area though - I think this sort of thing has been of the syllabus for a good few years now.

Brytte - not a hijack - a useful and valid point

For legal documents, block style, right and left justified is UK-style. Indents and only left justified is US-style.

Yes, the latter looks old fashioned and messy IMO.

Do any of your DCs' schools actually publish a style guide?