Education System - UK

[chalkyhill]

Duz ppl tink dat da education system is going doonhill in tha UK

 

See news about TXT talk allowed in english exams.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-413866/Exam-chiefs-ridiculed-allowing-text-speak-English-answers.html

[Guest chris955]

That story did seem to refer to Scotland, they apparently don't speak English anyway. :biggrin: I did read here that exam standards are being lowered to achieve a better pass rate, I assume it is similar in the UK and elsewhere.

[Quinkla]

That story did seem to refer to Scotland, they apparently don't speak English anyway.

Ceart! Ach tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil Beurla aige cuideach ann an Alba an drasda.

[chalkyhill]

That story did seem to refer to Scotland, they apparently don't speak English anyway. :biggrin: I did read here that exam standards are being lowered to achieve a better pass rate, I assume it is similar in the UK and elsewhere.

 

wit are you being a pure dobber fur, ya dafty. we dae speak English

[LukeM]

You read the Daily Mail still? Problem number 1 :cute:

Problem number 2 - who DOESN'T know text speak so they left the examples at the bottom?! Haha!

[Guest BrightonBoys]

You beat me to this chalky!

 

I head up a teaching dept in an FE College (16 + but with some year 10 and 11), and I amazed at how bad the level of written English is when they get to us, and the majority have to have an English GCSE to study with me on one of my courses.

 

We now have to deliver something called Functional Skills in English and Maths. The majority of students do not have the ability to write a letter, complete a CV or even write their address!

 

As I said in the other thread, it is a rare occurrence to get a piece of work where there are no corrections to be made.

 

Are schools to blame? To a point as are parents, as are the media and advertising. We recently re-branded the College and the type face has no capitals! What sort of example are we setting when we can't even write our own bloody name correctly.

 

I am frequently told by students that they can't be bothered to write a word out fully - they don't when they text so why should it make a difference when its a letter for a job after all it makes sense don't it!

[chalkyhill]

You read the Daily Mail still? Problem number 1 :cute:

Problem number 2 - who DOESN'T know text speak so they left the examples at the bottom?! Haha!

 

I personally don't read the Daily Mail - just searched for an article on text talk that would possibly spark debate.

 

Please let me know what information source is acceptable.

[BritChickx]

Oh dear... that's just ridiculous. Does this include English exams aswell?

[Guest siamsusie]

I personally don't read the Daily Mail - just searched for an article on text talk that would possibly spark debate.

 

Please let me know what information source is acceptable.

 

Textspeak: Shortcut to Illiteracy?

 

http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3816314.ece

[Guest BrightonBoys]

I did read here that exam standards are being lowered to achieve a better pass rate, I assume it is similar in the UK and elsewhere.

 

I am under a lot of pressure to pass students who shouldn't really pass. We get paid by the Govt per student who passes and we are judged on success rates ( a success rate is the number of students who start a course, complete the course and then pass compared to the number who start and fail).

 

There are times we practically do the work for the students for them to pass for us to obtain good success rates. People will send their children to a school/college or attend a college themselves dependent on that College's success rates. Good success rates in most minds equates to good teaching, success rates also have a direct effect on Ofsted reports.

 

However none of this should stop good and proper teaching, and there are times I am sure it does.

[BritChickx]

I don't think it's good to try to pass people so that the teachers look good. That's not doing anyone justice.

[fish.01]

I am under a lot of pressure to pass students who shouldn't really pass. We get paid by the Govt per student who passes and we are judged on success rates ( a success rate is the number of students who start a course, complete the course and then pass compared to the number who start and fail).

 

There are times we practically do the work for the students for them to pass for us to obtain good success rates. People will send their children to a school/college or attend a college themselves dependent on that College's success rates. Good success rates in most minds equates to good teaching, success rates also have a direct effect on Ofsted reports.

 

However none of this should stop good and proper teaching, and there are times I am sure it does.

 

It makes me think every bit of govt legislation should pass the "human nature" test. Why do we continue to design legislation that tempts/coerces human nature into bad outcomes. We learn all these lessons and then ignore them again and again :goofy:

[Guest BrightonBoys]

I don't think it's good to try to pass people so that the teachers look good. That's not doing anyone justice.

 

You are right and I have had more arguments with my vice principle about it than anything else.

 

I hate it on two fronts, one why should someone pass when they are not to standard, we are hardly preparing them for real life. I teach a vocational subject and I hate, really hate, the fact I at times have sent people into an industry I love with a qualification that they really perhaps shouldn't have. One big employer at Gatwick will no longer work with colleges directly because of this!

 

Thankfully I have a good reputation with employers and they know that students I recommend to them have passed the muster! I won't send students for interviews if their work is poor, attendance is low or the behavior is unacceptable.

[Toolbox]

It's not just the Education its society, it's the way we act, the way we treat people and the way we appear to have less respect for our elders and family.

 

The greatest part of my education came from my family, the guidance, discipline and love given from them encouraged me to get on in life, the desire to be successful was encouraged upon me through pier pressure within the family and the desire to do well and impress.

 

Its too easy to blame teachers and politicians, I believe that the problem lies more with parents than with schools - we have a generation of disaffected kids who's parents don't really give two hoots about what they get up to at school as long as they are out of their hands. As a parent it if your responsibility to ensure your child not only behaves at school, but also completes the work handed out and actually works towards bettering themselves through education.

 

Many don't however as a life on the dole and incap looks like a better proposition.

[fleabo]

I don't think it's good to try to pass people so that the teachers look good. That's not doing anyone justice.

 

I don't think it is to make the teachers lood good tbh.

[Guest VickyMel]

I don't think it's good to try to pass people so that the teachers look good. That's not doing anyone justice.

 

 

Totally agree - but one of the problems is that when the gov puts values on it and rates you as a teacher or an institution the pressure to pass someone becomes massive.

 

Things in my area recently (luckily not to me though)

 

Requirements to explain (what you did wrong as a teacher) if more than a certain % of students do not pass.

Salary Increases / Bonuses will only be paid if your students pass.

Disciplinary measures will be taken if you do not perform (ie ensure students pass).

Suggestions that you are not trying hard as a teacher if your students are failing.

Massive pressure from bosses who have their performance based on what you do.

 

When these sort of pressures come in and starts to press people have to move on or knuckle under.

 

 

Its not right and is not helping anybody.

 

 

Had a job application from someone - txt in various places and ended in the word "thx"

Yep it went on the reject pile

 

VickyMel

[Guest BrightonBoys]

Brilliant post VickyMel

[BritChickx]

A lot of the time the teachers aren't the reason why pupils don't pass, it's the pupils. They have to want to learn to be able to pass, if they don't want to then they won't no matter how hard the teacher tries. I know my grades suffered because some of my teachers were rubbish, and because in some subjects I hated I felt like losing the will to live so never concentrated because it was so boring. I hated English (and still do) and I also had numerous teachers throughout my last year at school and I ended up with a D . Had to retake at college lol.

[Guest guest37336]

It's not just the Education its society, it's the way we act, the way we treat people and the way we appear to have less respect for our elders and family.

 

The greatest part of my education came from my family, the guidance, discipline and love given from them encouraged me to get on in life, the desire to be successful was encouraged upon me through pier pressure within the family and the desire to do well and impress.

 

Its too easy to blame teachers and politicians, I believe that the problem lies more with parents than with schools - we have a generation of disaffected kids who's parents don't really give two hoots about what they get up to at school as long as they are out of their hands. As a parent it if your responsibility to ensure your child not only behaves at school, but also completes the work handed out and actually works towards bettering themselves through education.

 

Many don't however as a life on the dole and incap looks like a better proposition.

 

 

Hi Toolbox.

 

You make some very valuable comments there. I can't really speak about the education system as such, since I left school over thirty one years ago. I have two children, one left school and the other in final year, and I would say that for the most part when I have spoken with the teachers they do seem to want the best for my kids, which is never a bad thing.

 

But I think at times we can fall into the trap of giving teachers too much responsibility reference integration into society. Teachers have enough on their plate as it is. They should be able to concentrate on the subject in hand and teach it to the best of their ability. To have to instill life skills etc into them can 'admonish' parents of certain respsomsiblities.

 

I think teachers where and when they can should be able to instill in young people a degree of respect, politeness and inter personal skills, BUT.

 

They are on a hiding to nothing if he same pupils then go home and are not taught these skills within the home environment. No matter what anyone says, it is the PARENTS responsibility to bring the kids up in a manner that allows them to interact on a daily basis with all those around them, of course the teachers where possible should do the same, but as I said, at times there isn't enough hours in the day.

 

Just my opinion, but have often seen kids taught very well, then they get home and the lessons learnt forgotten once again.

 

Cheers Tony.:wink:

[Guest guest32776]

The fashion in education seems to be to foreground process over content - to teach kids how to use a computer thesaurus rather than words, to know how to search for facts rather than learn them and to press the buttons on a calculator rather than perform mental arithematic... The teacher has become a 'scaffolder' to guide these processes. Personally I think this is shallow and too reliant on technology. We have also become terrified of testing academic achievement - everything is project based which seems to involve going home, cutting and pasting something from the Internet and spending hours beautifying it with fonts, borders, italics etc