How Spelling Keeps Kids From Learning

The Atlantic ^ | February 9 ,2015 | Luba Vangelova

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

It probably has much less to do with teaching style and quality than with language.

As usual, complete and total BS from the "teacher defenders".

It is totally teaching style and quality because we used to send kids to school for only a couple of years yet somehow those kids learned how to read.

[Teacher317]

I taught middle school mathematics, and was often challenging my kids in many different ways. Once, I gave an essay test (basically, EXPLAIN how to solve the problem with words, don’t actually do the work “the normal way”). I circles mistakes in their grammar and spelling, but only counted off for not getting the problem-solving steps correct. I was simply floored when the English teacher’s input was that spelling and grammar didn’t matter, as long as the thought was communicated. (And yes, she was a flaming liberal.)

[Teacher317]

That was not a teacher, that was an obedience-enforcing bureaucrat, and they usually see any variation from their marching orders as "life-ruining". They're morons. Ignore them as much as practicable.

It usually took me much longer to grade papers, but I would not force my kids to only learn how to do the problems "my way". I told them that there are always multiple ways to get to the right answer, and if one felt better or more comfortable or easier to understand, then use that one. Divide using the "cake method", the long division bar, multiply with fractions, whatever... as long as they have been introduced to each method, they could use any one that they wanted.

When grading, I always circled a wrong answer, and also circled where they made a mis-step. Again, it took much longer for me to grade than those who simply lined out any wrong answer and left it to the students to figure it out, but to me, that was the important part of the job. Any kid who cares about learning wants to know WHERE the mistake was, and how to not repeat it. Failing to find that mis-step and show it to them is simply ignoring a child that wants to improve, in my eyes.

[Vinnie]

I circles mistakes in their grammar and spelling, but only counted off for not getting the problem-solving steps correct. I was simply floored when the English teacher’s input was that spelling and grammar didn’t matter, as long as the thought was communicated.

That brings up another point in my daughter's schooling.
She would bring home work she had gotten excellent grades on and I saw all these glaring misspellings, punctuations.
Apparently that only counted in English class.

My how times had changed since my school days.

Now they don't even teach cursive.
How do these gangbangers read some of the cursive tattoos you see primarily on necks . :^)

[__rvx86]

The KJV was the Bible that led me to repent, and be baptised. My family has a big pulpit reader of 1960s vintage. I read from it often.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Now? Buncha whiners. ITS TOO HAAAAAAARRRRD.....

"Kids, you tried your best and failed miserably. The lesson is ... never try." - Homer Simpson

[Oztrich Boy]

Context as “bow of ship” vs “bow and arrow”