Is english really necessary until GCSE?

[roguepink]

Related to Drusilla's Maths is overrated question.

I believe english is sooo not necessary til GCSE, Long before GCSE, pupils learn the rules for punctuation, grammer, how to read comprehension, write letters, and set out and write essays.
Why on earth is it necessary to do english at GCSE? I don't see the practical use of me being able to find the meaning within a poem or comparing it to another. The thing I found most annoying was the fact that english didn't seem to be based on facts, just how well you argued the facts.

[lynneuk74]

You say

'Long before GCSE, pupils learn the rules for punctuation, grammer, how to read comprehension, write letters, and set out and write essays.'

Really? On which planet is that? Certainly not the one I know.

Instead basic literacy skills are appalling - spelling is diabolical and many people have no grasp of grammar at all.

It horrifies me sometimes to read some of the postings on this site - some are barely comprehensible as English. I accept that some people may not have English as a native language but I doubt that is the cause for the dreadful English I see so often.

I do agree, however, that English lessons would be better used to teach the basics of the English language - the use of grammar and punctuation etc - than to discuss comparing poems etc. English is generally split into two segments - English Language and English Literature. I always thought that English Literature was interesting as I love reading but couldn't understand why it was compulsary - unlike English Language which I think isn't taught enough.

[lynneuk74]

My partner teaches in a local FE college. One of the 'delights' of his job is having to take a Key Skills class with his IT students on a weekly basis. In this lesson he teaches basic communication skills - both written and oral. In other words - how to use English in an appropriate way.

Why on earth isn't this done at school? He also teaches basic numeracy too - percentages, fractions, ratios.....

It is about time, in my opinion, that schools stopped focussing on 'Literature', 'Algebra' and 'Trig' and focussed on the 'three rs'

God, I sound like my Grandad!!! I used to mock him but I now realise - at the grand old age of 30 - how right he was.

Teach people how to do basic maths and use the English language correctly in a written and spoken manner - and then, only then, move those who are fully competent in these things onto something more complex. Maybe allowing them to either choose from further mathematics or further linguistics/literature as their natural talents lead?

Trying to make all pupils - regardless of ability - follow exactly the same syllabus and curriculum means that the most able cope and the least able end up with no basic skills - let alone advanced ones.

Anyway, there ends my sermon!!! Sorry to have ranted on.

[lynneuk74]

Ah well - never claimed to be perfect!!! I know that there are times with some words that I struggle with which vowels to use - and that is definitely one of them!!!

I remember having handwriting classes too although, I was saying to my partner last night, don't ever remember learning grammar. I know my grammar through learning French and German - not English. He is in his 40's and learnt English grammar - so it shows how things have changed. Remember learning 'full stops' and 'commas' but little other punctuation.

I am driven mad by the use of apostrophes - one guy I work with (a mechanic) writes about faulty brake's and tyre's etc. Guess I'm just sad really :)

[charliebaps]

English also helps some people to organise their thoughts and prepare an argument. Although this sounds like common sense to some of us, turn on the TV and watch younger people try and form an opinion or argue without continually saying 'well, it's like that,innit?' and you will see the need for idea formulation to be harvested.