Published on 12, July, 2020
I've seen the GCSE results are in today and it's made me aware (again) of how badly we seem to teach both these subjects.
IHave we still not learned anything about learning difficulties? I wonder if problems with maths are less likely to be diagnosed and helped than those with English, particularly reading and writing, but do we understand what we're taught?
My Dad was terrified of maths, if you put a maths problem in front of him, he'd totally go to pieces and insist he couldn't do it, but if you gave him a tape measure and a pencil and paper and asked him how much wall paper you'd need to cover a room, he do fine and tell you how much paint you'd need too. It makes me wonder if we wouldn't be better off teaching maths practically, like getting a class of children in groups to design a room, work out how much of what types of materials you'd need, how to cost them, stuff like that?
I'm told that as an autistic woman I should have a love of classic literature, I don't I hate it, it annoys me and I don't relate to it at all. I was terrible at English, I could never write stories, I don't understand most poetry, it dosen't speak to me, it's just a set of disjointed images and I don't think I've ever written a poem and wouldn't know where to begin.
I was better at school with Maths as you learnt by practising. The subjects you had to learn facts for and write about were the ones I didn't do well on. However I am not sure I could do the things they do now at GCSE. In regard to English we did do grammar, but I was not good at making up stories and have no creative ability in that or poetry.
I get by in my job with my level of English, but much of it is Maths calculations and problem solving. I think I have heard of some Maths exams being based on every day Maths. I think it might be called Functional Maths. I do think that is the best idea for those who aren't going on to a Scientific or Engineering career.
My son will now be doing Maths and English in college. One of the difficulties in school in respect of Maths and English seems to be the difficulty in getting permanent staff. I don't think in 5 years he had one English teacher for a whole year.
I was taught English grammar and punctuation through a very 'old school' method. Any mistake was met by a rap over the knuckles with a ruler from the teacher - who was known as "Bulldog" Taylor.
Martin said:I was taught English grammar and punctuation through a very 'old school' method.
I'm not saying you are one, but I have nothing but contempt for 'Grammar ***'. Most things can be understood despite not being written in subjectively good grammar. If a person's losing the plot over a perfectly understandable comment that subjectively is less than grammatically perfect , then that, IMO, says far more about the cognitive shortcomings of the person losing the plot than the author of the comment.