Posted on 06/20/2009 12:05:16 PM PDT by JoeProBono
The spelling mantra "i before e except after c" is no longer worth teaching, according to the government. Advice sent to teachers says there are too few words which follow the rule and recommends using more modern methods to teach spelling to schoolchildren. The document, entitled Support for Spelling, is being distributed to more than 13,000 primary schools. But some people believe the phrase should be retained because it is easy to remember and is broadly accurate. Bethan Marshall, a senior English lecturer at King's College London, said: "It's a very easy rule to remember and one of the very few spelling rules that I can remember and that's why I would stick to it.
"If you change it and say we won't have this rule, we won't have any rules at all, then spelling, which is already terribly confusing, becomes more so."
Judy Parkinson, author of the best-selling book I Before E (Except After C), told the Daily Telegraph it was a phrase that struck a chord.
"There are words that it doesn't fit, but I think teachers could always get a discussion going about the 'i before e' rule and the peculiarities of the English language, and have fun with it. That's the best way to learn."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Stupid is as stupid does. Bunch of educational stupids at work.
Oh crap - from here on out it will be bedlam!!! If they take our grammar rules away from us what do we have left?????? Mrs. Boston from 9th grade grammar is spinning in her grave.....
So obviously it makes sense to ditch a very easy method to remember a spelling foible. Let's just ditch it and have fun! WOOOOOO!
More granddaughter suffered terribly because they insisted on not correcting their spelling errors....They wanted the kids to be FREE....to express their ideas...unencumbered by poor spelling and grammar!!
I’ll bet that when English schoolchildren are being taught Arabic, the rules will suddenly matter again.
I before e has always been a foreign concept to me ...
What does it hurt to continue teaching this rule? I’ve used this rule all of my life. It took about 5 seconds to memorize it. I guess “the churldren” are too busy texting to learn how to spell correctly.
Is their any reason?
Who cares about reading and writing when we have social agendas to advance—erm, tolerance and kindness to teach?
ping
Teaching Arabic and the Koran would be much more appropriate.
Instead of being taught how to spell stuff, kids will now sit in a ‘learning circle’ and discuss how they feel about 500 years of imperialistic British spelling rules.
“..spill check”
Ouch ;-)
The quickerpickerupper.
About that rule..
Einstein got it wrong..
Twice..
I don’t know, that rule does seem to apply except when it doesn’t apply.
Height
Weight
Protein
Just dang, drove me crazy!
I halve a spell checker
It came with my PC It plane lee marks four my revue Miss steaks aye can knot see
Eye ran this poem threw it Your sure real glad two no Its very polished in its own weigh My chequer tolled me sew
A cheek or is a blessing It freeze yew lodes of thyme It helps me right awl stiles two reed And aides me when aye rime
Now spilling does not phase me It does knot bring a tier My pay purrs awl due glad den With wrapped words fare as hear
To rite with care is quite a feet Of witch won should be proud And wee mussed dew the best wee can Sew flaws are knot aloud
So ewe can sea why aye dew prays Such soft wear four pea seas And why eye brake in two averse Buy righting want to please
-Author Unknown
Sounds goog to me!
Another foray in the war against literacy is about to be launched. Hey, why have any spelling rules at all? Wye knot juct rite enee weigh ewe wont two?
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