Religion and Ethics Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Rhiannon on March 12, 2016, 11:25:42 AM
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One of my kids has just brought this to my attention; words fail me.
http://schoolsweek.co.uk/key-stage-1-changes-take-writing-back-to-the-19th-century/
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I don't usually agree with the Government's education policy. But it is about time modern kids were taught to write properly. Too many kids use text speak when writing a sentence! >:(
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You've just failed, Floo. According to the DofE all exclamation sentences begin with What or How.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/12185164/Nonsense-Backlash-over-new-school-rules-on-exclamation-marks.html
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Bullshit!
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Exactly!
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Exclamation marks are most commonly used in relation to speech in either the third or first person. People no longer speak like characters from Enid Blyton - in fact the majority never did - and children should be able to reflect that in their creative writing.
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It looks to me as if the confusion has arisen over the use of exclamation sentences in formal writing, where the rule is that they should start with 'What' or 'How' and exclamations which are more often used in informal writing, often to express more direct emotion. Exclamations can be a sentence or a phrase, indeed, even a single word.
I would agree that the whole effect is far too rigid for 7 year olds, and, on the face of it, looks rather ill thought out.
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What's going to happen, enki, is that stock phrases will be taught to children to include in their writing to boost their SATs marks - in this day of Ofsted inspections every mark counts and schools don't have the time to go outside the box. Creative thinking and writing will go out of the window, on this at least. And so children taught this way will be on the back foot as they progress through school and thinking creatively becomes exactly what is expected of them.
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What's going to happen, enki, is that stock phrases will be taught to children to include in their writing to boost their SATs marks - in this day of Ofsted inspections every mark counts and schools don't have the time to go outside the box. Creative thinking and writing will go out of the window, on this at least. And so children taught this way will be on the back foot as they progress through school and thinking creatively becomes exactly what is expected of them.
I agree with you in part, Rhi, but this isn't exactly new. In all sorts of ways, once SATs were introduced, schools were increasingly tempted to teach with these in mind.
However the subject of creative writing, as distinct from,say, informative writing is an interesting one. To write creatively and imaginatively is very important, but without some sort of a structure to build on, it can easily become uncontrolled and even incoherent to the reader. The ability to produce music, for instance, can be an intensely creative activity, but needs some sort of basic structure to convey that creativity.
So, generally, if a pupil is putting down his/her thoughts ignorant of sentence structure(or even not using sentences at all), the effect to the reader can become quickly incomprehensible, and, surely, the main purpose of writing is for it to be read.
However, I do agree, that if one rigidly sticks to grammatical rules, then this could genuinely curtail creative writing. Freedom, but not total freedom, is probably the way I would put it.
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Rhiannon said:
''Exclamation marks are most commonly used in relation to speech in either the third or first person. People no longer speak like characters from Enid Blyton - in fact the majority never did - and children should be able to reflect that in their creative writing.''
Thank goodness for that. I think many kids did speak like characters from Blyton 'back in the day' when I was at school, but we were discouraged by the teachers from reading Enid Blyton because of her poor use of the English language. Queer, isn't it? :D When I did eventually dip into a couple of her books I was appalled, especially by the stereotypes. (Shocking !!!!!)
The required form of “exclamation sentence” does not seem to be a natural form of expression for a 21st century seven-year-old to use in either spoken or written language
I agree with that and wouldn't want any child's enthusiasm to be stifled. At the same time, good grammer and sentence formation should be gently encouraged if only to stop them getting carried away. It also makes for easier reading.
(Funnily enough and not especially relevant I was criticised at school for writing in a ''cheap journalistic style'' :D. I did rather let my sentences run away with me, they were overly long with many conjunctions. I still do that though try to correct myself.)
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Thank goodness for that. I think many kids did speak like characters from Blyton 'back in the day' when I was at school, but we were discouraged by the teachers from reading Enid Blyton because of her poor use of the English language. Queer, isn't it? :D
+1.
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Whizzo!!!!
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It looks to me as if the confusion has arisen over the use of exclamation sentences in formal writing, where the rule is that they should start with 'What' or 'How' and exclamations which are more often used in informal writing, often to express more direct emotion. Exclamations can be a sentence or a phrase, indeed, even a single word.
I would agree that the whole effect is far too rigid for 7 year olds, and, on the face of it, looks rather ill thought out.
I thought that Gove had been moved from Education!! In fact, I wonder how many of the current crop of MPs ever studied grammar as part of their own education - it was originally deemed unnecessary as far back as the late 70s.!
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Not the most official of websites, but this blog makes some interesting comments re. the use of EMs
http://www.grammarly.com/blog/2015/how-to-use-an-exclamation-point-properly-how-not-to-use-it/