I Got An Email From A Friend.......

[Shutpa]

......who teaches in a secondary school with a fairly high percentage of students from the EU. "In some of my classes" she says, "some of the kids have no idea what I'm talking about, and I often have no idea of what they are trying to say because my grasp of their language is just as poor as their grasp of mine. Is this situ mirrored throughout the length and breadth of the U.K?". I have no idea. Is it?

 

[charliegolf]

For 17 years I was head of a primary school with 24 nationalities and 28 languages/dialects. Not a single one got to secondary age without good English (oral at least). Any child with less than 2 years- maybe, but otherwise it's a poor show imo. I would say that I suppose.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Do you mean that is what she actually wrote?

"me" "situ" "mirrored"

 

[Shutpa]

For 17 years I was head of a primary school with 24 nationalities and 28 languages/dialects. Not a single one got to secondary age without good English (oral at least).

Any child with less than 2 years- maybe, but otherwise it's a poor show imo. I would say that I suppose.

As you were the head of a primary school, I would have thought that you would have a good command of the English language! This: "Any child with less than 2 years- maybe, but otherwise it's a poor show imo. I would say that I suppose". Shows that you have not! Is it any wonder that standards are falling?

 

[charliegolf]

Former head. I really do hope you have a job... My pension ain't gonna pay itself.

 

[ericmark]

I have tried to learn other languages and have failed to speak even my mother tongue although she was 40 before she learnt it. Yes I have odd word of Welsh, French, Arabic, and Cantonese but not enough to converse. I was taught Welsh at school and if it is spoken slowly I can pick up more and more as it is spoken around me. But that is the point it is so easy to get away with just English that I never get the chance to practice Welsh so I have forgotten most of the words.

I can't even remember the sounds for each of the 27 letters, if I did then in theroy I could speak it, unlike English it is spoken as written no words like Canada and Granada which are written similar but spoken very different. I know Araf written on the road means slow, and I can work out what the place names say. But talking to people not a hope and I have lived in Wales at least 40 years and was born here.

 

[Shutpa]

Do you mean that is what she actually wrote?

"me" ......No, now edited to 'my
"situ"....yes.
"mirrored....yes"

 

[empip]

"you were" Also added in post #4 ? Makes a difference.

-0-

 

[charliegolf]

Eric, Wales is a 'pocket' language, and neither you nor I live in pockets where the language remains indiginous. Down the road in Gwynedd for you, or Carmarthenshire for me, and the story would be different.

 

[Shutpa]

Former head. I really do hope you have a job... My pension ain't gonna pay itself.

My reply was ambiguous and has now been edited to show that the former head I was referring to was you and not me! And as for the following..........

For 17 years I was head of a primary school with 24 nationalities and 28 languages/dialects. Not a single one got to secondary age without good English (oral at least)

......you must be totally unaware of the fact that one of the biggest problems facing teachers today is that they have children of all ages in the classroom with little, if any, command of the English language. "Not a single one got to secondary age without good English"? In your dreams my friend, in your dreams! And what on earth does the following mean?

Any child with less than 2 years- maybe, but otherwise it's a poor show imo. I would say that I suppose.

P.S. Despite the fact that I 'retired' 15 years ago, I do have a job and pay taxes so you can rest easy, your pension is safe!

 

[misterhelpful]

Let's be honest - half of us can't fully understand regional dialects that are spoken in English, if they are spoken too quickly.

Woss gowin on by yuh mun.

 

[charliegolf]

Shutpa, I will type slowly so that you understand, and I'll do it without picking over typos and grammar...

In the school where I was head, EVERY child who was in my care for more than 2 out of the 8 primary years, left for secondary education with good English oral skills. For 15 of the 17 years, my rolling average for those children achieving the government's target for 11 year olds was 94%. That target was tested via a written SAT paper and by teacher assessments. The 94% included my special needs pupils who were not excused the tests and assessments. In real life, not in my dreams.

 

[Dave54]

Let's be honest - half of us can't fully understand regional dialects that are spoken in English, if they are spoken too quickly.

Woss gowin on by yuh mun.

Ar bin awright maerte.
Ow yo bin?

 

[EFLImpudence]

I'm always puzzled when people try to write in accents - it's different with dialects using different words.

Surely, if you write "Ar bin awright maerte. Ow yo bin?", that's just your idea of what it sounds like, and your idea of how to spell it, and it will sound different again depending on who is reading and saying it.

 

[Dave54]

Being as most "properly spelled" English is only really "somebody's idea of how to spell it" then so what?
It's meant as a bit of fun.