"Work" not "werk" language plea from Middlesbrough school principal (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

I heard the headteacher being interviewed on radio. Every time she used a word ending in "ing", she did not pronounce the "g"; thus "teaching" became "teachin'", etc. Glasshouses and stones came to mind. I was brought up in Manchester, and still have a distinct Mancunian twang, but it hasn't stopped me being able to write grammatically, nor did it stop me from getting a degree, a social work qualification and ultimately opening a bookshop.

There’s nothing wrong with local accents, regional dialects and colloquialisms, they are part of our heritage and should be celebrated. But Mrs Walker is absolutely spot-on. Children can be disadvantaged in their adult life by ‘default use’ of spoken regional slang and text-speak when writing. It is fine for informal and casual use, but not to the exclusion of knowing what is correct and proper.
A working knowledge of Standard English spelling and grammar is empowering; add to it a reasonable vocabulary developed in the child’s formative years and you really give them a spring board into adulthood. Knowledge of English grammar, syntax and structure is helpful when learning second languages. It’s never too early to start learning. Well done Mrs Walker for taking a stand.
Most people in their lives find they will need to say or write something that matters; perhaps to express an opinion, air a grievance, to write a compelling letter or argument, etc. A basic grounding in English is essential, and it’s so evidently a legacy weakness of the 80s, 90s and 00s state education system - a generation of school leavers has been equipped with inadequate English skills.
My English and Grammar are far from perfect, (there will probably be several mistakes in this.) After leaving school with poor English skills, but somehow an O Level grade C, I had to learn the hard way. I was fortunate to have a very understanding boss - he would, quite literally, take a red pen to my work and correct it. Not all employers are as understanding or tolerant; they expect, not unreasonably, their employees to read, write and speak to an adequate level.

Parent Cheryl Fortune, 35, a school escort for Middlesbrough Council, said: “When I saw the letter I was a bit shocked. I thought, my kids are only eight and five, so it is a bit extreme.

In early childhood you may lay the foundation of poverty or riches, industry of idleness, good or evil, by the habits to which you train your children. Teach them right habits then, and their future life is safe.

Ally F wrote:
There’s nothing wrong with local accents, regional dialects and colloquialisms, they are part of our heritage and should be celebrated. But Mrs Walker is absolutely spot-on. Children can be disadvantaged in their adult life by ‘default use’ of spoken regional slang and text-speak when writing. It is fine for informal and casual use, but not to the exclusion of knowing what is correct and proper.
A working knowledge of Standard English spelling and grammar is empowering; add to it a reasonable vocabulary developed in the child’s formative years and you really give them a spring board into adulthood. Knowledge of English grammar, syntax and structure is helpful when learning second languages. It’s never too early to start learning. Well done Mrs Walker for taking a stand.
Most people in their lives find they will need to say or write something that matters; perhaps to express an opinion, air a grievance, to write a compelling letter or argument, etc. A basic grounding in English is essential, and it’s so evidently a legacy weakness of the 80s, 90s and 00s state education system - a generation of school leavers has been equipped with inadequate English skills.
My English and Grammar are far from perfect, (there will probably be several mistakes in this.) After leaving school with poor English skills, but somehow an O Level grade C, I had to learn the hard way. I was fortunate to have a very understanding boss - he would, quite literally, take a red pen to my work and correct it. Not all employers are as understanding or tolerant; they expect, not unreasonably, their employees to read, write and speak to an adequate level.

Excellent comments, couldn't agree more, then we have the idiots reply from outragedofmiltonkeyn
es to clarify just what this teacher is on about. I fear though, that with the modern culture for 'texting', using made up words and phrases, (e.g. C U instead of see you) will see the standards of elecution in our children fall way below the standards of what older people would expect of them. When I went to school a pod was a pea pod, now it's an i (eye ?) pod, a tweet was a sound from a bird, on line was when you were travelling by train etc, etc. Lets hope commonsense prevails and employers stick to their guns or the lunatics will indeed take over the asylum.

doonhamer wrote:

Ally F wrote:
There’s nothing wrong with local accents, regional dialects and colloquialisms, they are part of our heritage and should be celebrated. But Mrs Walker is absolutely spot-on. Children can be disadvantaged in their adult life by ‘default use’ of spoken regional slang and text-speak when writing. It is fine for informal and casual use, but not to the exclusion of knowing what is correct and proper.
A working knowledge of Standard English spelling and grammar is empowering; add to it a reasonable vocabulary developed in the child’s formative years and you really give them a spring board into adulthood. Knowledge of English grammar, syntax and structure is helpful when learning second languages. It’s never too early to start learning. Well done Mrs Walker for taking a stand.
Most people in their lives find they will need to say or write something that matters; perhaps to express an opinion, air a grievance, to write a compelling letter or argument, etc. A basic grounding in English is essential, and it’s so evidently a legacy weakness of the 80s, 90s and 00s state education system - a generation of school leavers has been equipped with inadequate English skills.
My English and Grammar are far from perfect, (there will probably be several mistakes in this.) After leaving school with poor English skills, but somehow an O Level grade C, I had to learn the hard way. I was fortunate to have a very understanding boss - he would, quite literally, take a red pen to my work and correct it. Not all employers are as understanding or tolerant; they expect, not unreasonably, their employees to read, write and speak to an adequate level.

Excellent comments, couldn't agree more, then we have the idiots reply from outragedofmiltonkeyn

es to clarify just what this teacher is on about. I fear though, that with the modern culture for 'texting', using made up words and phrases, (e.g. C U instead of see you) will see the standards of elecution in our children fall way below the standards of what older people would expect of them. When I went to school a pod was a pea pod, now it's an i (eye ?) pod, a tweet was a sound from a bird, on line was when you were travelling by train etc, etc. Lets hope commonsense prevails and employers stick to their guns or the lunatics will indeed take over the asylum.

Idiots reply? I think you will find it was an entirely accurate statement and the solution is the only viable one.

Follow this link:
.
http://www.guardian.
co.uk/commentisfree/
2013/feb/08/taalk-pr
oper?INTCMP=SRCH

Language plea by Sacred Heart Primary School: Have they undervalued the concept of context?

http://scouseky7lfc2
012.blogspot.co.uk/