(Note: I was originally debating on whether to put this on the Random Thoughts thread or the What you find funny thread, but thought that it would provide a good discussion point:)

From this website: http://www.sntp.net/education/illiteracy.htm

(Read the article first.)

Apparently, there's a new thrust in reading and writing in United States public schools. The thrust is to encourage "inventive spelling" and the like in school children. Teachers take a "holistic approach" to the writing, grading compositions on the "a total impression of its quality rather than for such separate aspects of writing skill as organization, punctuation, diction, or spelling."

Man, this soooo explains 90% of the stuff in Fanfiction.net.

Honestly, this idea is quite stupid. I am not an American, but I've spent years and a lot of effort to learn how to spell English correctly (honestly, it's easier to spell Tagalog and Filipino words). Grammar is something that I strove to improve on because I want to communicate better. However, I don't think that it's a good idea not to inculcate the ideas of good grammar and spelling as early as elementary. It's harder to learn once you're in college...

Plus, how the heck do you grade an essay that reads like:



It took me ten minutes just to understand what "disenelan" was.

Oh, and this quote was just priceless:



I find the whole thing both funny and irritating at the same time. :sweatface:

Your thoughts?

What a load of bull. :rofl:

No wonder there's an influx of newbies who can barely spell, let alone put a coherent sentence together! Why bother learning at all if you aren't going to do it right?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the defined components of "writing skills" were identified to make it easier for students to learn how to write, and for teachers/readers to understand what they wrote. All that's lacking is the subject matter (theme) and how the student chooses to approach it -- with passion, rancor, wit, objectivity, etc.

Take away the framework and what have you got?

No, no ... it's spelled G-I-B-B-E-R-I-S-H.

Eggzactly. ^_-

I mean, they standardized English spellings and then they're trying to throw all those centuries of work...and for what? To return to being Cro Magnons?


Ugh...this is skysenshi. I hate not being able to use my own PC and I'm too lazy to log out, delete this post, and log in, and repost this...

as if the English language hasn't been butchered enough yet. are they saying that their kids are too stupid to learn how to do things right that they decided to come up with this BS? or is it that they're just too lazy to think up more effective ways to teach?

oh well. it's not like language and communication skills are important in the real world. :rolleyes:

there's a reason why schools were established, and that's to teach kids on the right and wrongs in everyday life.

If they go on telling that a kids imagination is as good as any lesson taken, then what would become of that kid? yeah, he'll go back to thinking that everything he does is right, and everything that's not right in his eyes are wrong. how will the kids refine their technique in imaginative spelling? if one word is good enough, why should he make more? how can he learn to spell then?

and of course we can count on the fact that this idea won't be limited to spelling in a kid's eyes. this idea will be like a virus, infesting other correct ideas of the kid, tricking him to do stuff he wants. Sure his imagination may grow, but what about the other aspects... like science, math, history, heck even his daily habits?

sheesh.

I prefer "Engrish". Go to babelfish, change something from english to japanese, and then back to english. You get some funky results.

For instance, the above paragraph becomes:

As for me " Engrish" ; You like. Modification something from Japanese the range and English it goes next from babelfish and English. A certain fan key the result is obtained.

Scary, isn't it o.o

they encourage it?! why go to school when you can learn improper grammar and spelling out in the streets? teachers have given up on their stupid students, haven't they? they just keep them in school cuz it's the law...tsk,tsk,tsk...no wonder foreign people who study in the US are smarter than 'local borns'...

If we can be creative in spelling in English... wouldn't it be ironic, because other than the person who's writing it, nobody would know it is English.

that and they already have a president who can't speak properly... what they don't need is his re-election campaign advisor to be spelling his name with Two 'O's (Wote fore BOOSH!)

(DETH TU Tearrowrist)

All I can say is, I'm glad my school doesn't teach like that. It reminds me of how they tried to introduce ebonics as a language in some schools. I mean, how could you get a job or do anything at all that involves writing something down if no one can understand what it means. What bugs me is that this kind of thing is encouraged in public schools, and then politicians complain about low test scores and not enough spending on education.

I'm glad I go to private school. :wink:

Well, with ebonics, you could get a job in the NBA, helping all those White Coaches talk with all the Black Superstars! You can bet Shaq would understand Triangle Offence better if the Zen Master had an ebonics major on his staff. :sweatface: :nuts:

EDIT: (When I say on his staff, don't think dirty thoughts).

Thats just awful. I live in America and i've never heard of Inventive Spelling. This is a horrible idea. No i can see making this an assignement for fun, but you teach people the correct way to spell things. Only if hand writing was a bigger deal. I have awful handwriting.