Grammar and usage skills scarce in high school English classes

Amer. School Board Journal ^ | ASBJ

[hsmomx3]

When students enter college, their English instructors want them to have a good grasp of grammar and usage skills. Unfortunately, high school English teachers don't consider those skills important, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

A national curriculum survey by ACT, the company that creates the widely-used college admissions test, found that grammar and usage were the least likely to be taught at the 700 high schools surveyed.

Among the high school teachers surveyed, 90 percent said they taught sentence structure, writing strategy, organization, and style, and 83 percent taught punctuation. Only 69 percent said they taught grammar and usage. College teachers surveyed said that grammar and usage were the most important skills for their classes.

(Digested from the Chicago Sun-Times, April 9, 2003)

[ladylib]

I actually heard a teacher say, "I should have went."

[wildbill]

When students enta' college, deir English head homeboys wants' dem t'have some baaaad grasp uh grammar and usage skills. Unfo'tunately, high farm English head homeboys duzn't consida' dose skills impo'tant, de Chicago Sun-Times repo'ted. A nashunal curriculum survey by ACT, de company dat creates de widely-used college admissions test, found dat grammar and usage wuz de least likesly t'be taught at da damn 700 high farms surveyed. Among de high farm head homeboys surveyed, 90 puh'cent said dey taught sentence structure, writin' strategy, o'ganizashun, and style, and 83 puh'cent taught punctuashun. Only 69 puh'cent said dey taught grammar and usage. College head homeboys surveyed said dat grammar and usage wuz de most impo'tant skills fo' deir classes.

[wildbill]

When students inter college, their English instrucko's be hankerin' them t'have a fine grasp of grammar an' usage skills. Unfo'tunately, high skoo English skoo marms doesn't cornsider them skills impo'tant, th' Chicago Sun-Times repo'ted, cuss it all t' tarnation. A nashunal curriculum survey by ACT, th' compenny thet creates th' widely-used college admisshuns test, foun' thet grammar an' usage were th' least likely t'be taught at th' 700 high skoos surveyed, cuss it all t' tarnation. Among th' high skoo skoo marms surveyed, 90 percent said they taught sentence struckure, writin' strategy, o'ganizashun, an' style, an' 83 percent taught punckuashun. Only 69 percent said they taught grammar an' usage. College skoo marms surveyed said thet grammar an' usage were the dawgoned-est impo'tant skills fo' their classes.

[Junior]

They ain't that great on FreeRepublic, either.

[RansomOttawa]

Unfortunately, high school English teachers don't consider those skills important, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

It's because "We have very little books."

[RansomOttawa]

I actually heard a teacher say, "I should have went."

Everybody knows it's supposed to be "I should of went."

[hsmomx3]

My 12 year old son's English assignment today consisted of progressive tenses. Future progressive, present perfect progressive, etc.

Think I ever learned any of that? Nope. I try to stress proper punctuation and good writing skills.

Have you ever spelled "a lot" as "alot" only to have your spell checker tell you that it is "allot?" Happens to me often.

[ladylib]

You can't depend on a spell checker. One of my mistakes is writing "there" when I mean "they're".

[ladylib]

He really means "We have very few books." I believe him because LAUSD is a corrupt school system.

[ladylib]

Right.

[Playnice]

Maybe that was the reason he was an EX-teacher.

[HIDEK6]

Not hardly.

No teacher gets fired for being illiterate.

The only firing offense I can think of is to actually teach people something.

This guy actually thought that business was as easy as teaching and paid a whole lot more.

[FreedomPoster]

Your write, that their bothers me too.

;-P

[ßuddaßudd]

Are you series?