Things that make you go ermmmm......

[Slooow_Jo]

If science is based on fact & prove, how come it goes against the old english 'knowledge' of i before e.............

[gen2]

" I before E when the sound is EEEE"

No rule broken here.

Admittedly though, there are a few exceptions to the rule.

[Ice.Maiden]

The anomaly of the English language!

[Slooow_Jo]

Wow such quick replies, my q was quite tongue in cheek but it does annoy me when my kids still come home being told this rule, when there are so many examples of when it doesn't work!

[Slooow_Jo]

& please no quotes on my 'naff' grammer coz I already know allll about it but learned no better lol

[tiggerblue10]

Apparently English is one of the hardest languages to learn (if its not your first of course). Well at least we know why its hard - i before e business etc! Lol

[Ice.Maiden]

I think that's true about English being difficult to learn. You have all the different sounds such as "ou" in thought, trough, rough, bough......and dozens more like it. At least many other languages have basic structures to follow.

[Slooow_Jo]

I have 2 boys aged 12 & 7, both times I done wrong learning them to read before school, with my eldest it was because I'd taught him the 'proper' alphabet & got told that now he'd have to work harder to re-learn the 'sounds'.....5 years later I done it wrong again with my youngest because now there was a 'new' way *bangs head against wall*

[Ice.Maiden]

I agree Jo - but you know what? I taught mine to read before going to school - using the old method which my mum taught us by - and even though the youngest's autistic - it worked. They learnt how they were taught at school, but at home, we kept to the tried and trusted ways. They both read brilliantly now. x

[tiggerblue10]

I blame the Germanics myself! lol

[~max~]

Of the languages I learned, English was actually the easiest. The grammar is much simpler than say...German; there aren't too many "difficult" sounds; you can start building coherent sentences very quickly with straightforward grammar. Very easy, for me anyway. The exceptions just have to be learned, but that's true with every other language.

[Ice.Maiden]

lol - well tbh, anything seems easier than learning Chinese - except for writing it!

[Slooow_Jo]

That is good to hear ice maiden :) I find it ruddy amazing how 'they' keep changing everything. Thankfully neither of my boys seem to struggle with any of their work apart from written....erm wonder where that comes from lol

I recall when I done a biology course at college, we were told the 80's was the worst time to learn (at school) as everything was changing so fast.....from what I've seen as a parent, no time is good, coz they'll either change it or say it was too easy *bangs head against wall & sighs* LOL

[Slooow_Jo]

max may I ask how many lan...lanu...oh ****** has to go back to spellcheck......languages *yay* can you speak?


my kids can speak certain spanish but only because of dora the explorer lol

[Ice.Maiden]

Bless. Well you know Jo, once they can read and write well enough, you can basically forget all the new-fangled stuff. Once kids get something into their heads, it stays with them. I had a couple of run-ins with our youngest's teacher, but insisted that although they were taught in a certain way at school, I'd continue to do it my way at home - and did.
Same goes for maths. Our eldest, who's 10, has to work out multiplication on a horizontal level!! I taught him the "old" way, and how to do long division as well. He picked it up much more quickly my way.
Hi Max. Yes, you've obviously picked up English very well, but funnily enough, I found German relatively easy. Wish I'd learnt French now, but didn't.

[leyenda_seis]

Things that make me go ermmmmmm??
Welll folks like whiffy who make a triumphant farewell forever speech on cb.To appear again in a blink of an eye


ermmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


lol



btw




I AM THE MESSSIAH

[Ice.Maiden]

Lol - and isn't Spanish quite a hard one to learn?

[~max~]

Jo, I learned German, Italian, Arabic (for 2 years only) and Latin for 7 years. I think grammar is the key though, we learn it very thoroughly in France, which makes it much easier to learn another language. Spelling is another thing we focus on at school. I think it trains your brain to pay attention from an early age. Once you know how to spell, you never forget!

[Slooow_Jo]

Ice maiden I recall being called in by my son's teacher because she wasn't happy how he used his knife & fork at dinnertime!!! I mean FFS!!!!!!! I actually found myself explaining how he had a younger brother & I cut his food by habit before I realised 'what the **** has this to do with his education' I got really angry when I did realise, it seems schools today seem to be more interested in 'grades' & 'appearances'.

[Slooow_Jo]

Max I left school at an early age (unfortunately) but my spelling is ok'ish its how to write/use the words & when, that I do have trouble with. commas etc I struggle with as well but I do like to hear how different countries teach their children. My niece in northern Ireland, my son in England & a family friend in southern Ireland were similar ages but the level of their learning was sooo different!