English is darn hard to learn.

[redcowsrule33]

I led the cow away from the lead by her lead. :?

 

[Williamsv]

Luca, you must think all students are geniuses. Oh, how I wish they could all learn everything that is taught. That is not the way it works. I worked very very hard trying to teach and did the best that I could using every strategy that I could think of to get children to learn. Most are not disciplined enough to try.
I taught in rural Middle GA and cannot remember a genius ever walking in my door during 42 years. I did have students that became doctors, pharmacists, nurses, lawyers, preachers, and teachers. One former third grader selected me as her Star Teacher in 2013. That is an honor that usually goes to a high school teacher.
I ran a tight ship and was about as tough a teacher as they come. I believed in a lot of practice,as students need repetition. I remember the days that I spent at the board using every clue I could think of to teach these words so the students could remember them.
They are hard words and they do not come easy. Maybe you should try teaching, if you think it is so easy for children to learn. You will get a rude awakening indeed!!!

 

[alisonb]

He wound the bandage around the wound...
The plural for sheep is sheep, as far as I know(or was taught) the plural for buck is buck, so why do some refer to 'bucks' here on the forum or are they referring to money

 

[Luca Brasi]

Luca, you must think all students are geniuses.

On the contrary. I see a lot of people with less than superior intelligence who learn the basic concepts of how to use the language appropriately. Not everyone learns the same way or at the same stage in life. Algebra comes to mind for me, but if taught properly we have the ability to correct our mistakes at a later time, if we are willing.

I have no doubt that teaching is difficult, especially today. Much of what I see as improper use of the language is simply laziness. A lot of people embrace their ignorance and are actually proud of it, which just amazes me. I'm not the best speller in the world, although far from the worst, but when I do mispell I see it as a fault and a challenge which needs to be improved, not something to revel in. This long after I've been under the influence of any teacher.

The list of common words that are misused can be confusing, and not all of them are mastered by all people, but some don't even try to get any of them right.

 

[Luca Brasi]

Try teaching the difference in to, two, too,their, they're, there, to third graders. These plus others like weigh, way, hear, here, eight, ate,would all be in the same spelling lesson. I felt sorry for eight year olds struggling with these words.

Why? All it takes is a good teacher, and the discipline to follow through to ensure that the lessons are learned. It doesn't take a genius on either end. Refusing to accept or tolerate today's text-speak laziness will help a lot too (also).

You are a piece of work.

Not sure what warranted that comment. I guess it's just easier to lash out with name calling rather than offer or attempt to defend a different opinion or engage in an intelligent debate.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Allow me to clarify, what M-5 is trying to convey is that unless you have actually taught children in the classroom you really don't speak with the same level of authority as a professional educator with 40+ years experience.

Remember Lucci, the Dash don't be silent.

 

[M-5]

Why? All it takes is a good teacher, and the discipline to follow through to ensure that the lessons are learned. It doesn't take a genius on either end. Refusing to accept or tolerate today's text-speak laziness will help a lot too (also).

You are a piece of work.

Not sure what warranted that comment. I guess it's just easier to lash out with name calling rather than offer or attempt to defend a different opinion or engage in an intelligent debate.[/quote]
Where did i call you a name, your history and previous comments warranted my reply.

 

[ANAZAZI]

Both grey and gray are Old English but the use/spelling of gray is 'favored' by Americans. Just the same as favour and favor :help:

Well then is grey and gray both colors or colours?

Please allow me tho clarify; grey is a colour, while gray is a color. :2cents:
I hope I did both of you a favour, because I never do favors. :nod:

 

[ANAZAZI]

Try teaching the difference in to, two, too,their, they're, there, to third graders. These plus others like weigh, way, hear, here, eight, ate,would all be in the same spelling lesson. I felt sorry for eight year olds struggling with these words.

Why? All it takes is a good teacher, and the discipline to follow through to ensure that the lessons are learned. It doesn't take a genius on either end. Refusing to accept or tolerate today's text-speak laziness will help a lot too (also).

It is difficult to teach spelling - much easier on the pupils / students to pick it up by themselves by reading a lot. Then again, if they are exposed to a lot of bad writing that will not help, but have the children read entire books is what really helps.

 

[greybeard]

The important aspect isn't whether students enter a classroom as a genius--it's how they leave the classroom that matters.

 

[Jalopy]

Back to basics.....serial-cereal

Also when the letter c is s sound or k sound ie cat or cereal

The interchangebility of bring and take in modern day useage is hard for a stubborn old vogue to (like me) to adapt to also.

 

[greybeard]

I met a staid girl, in an inn where I stayed, and she brought clean towels that smelled of rose, which she hung on a bar in nice neat rows. I was just 1 of many roomers, but it wasn't long 'ere I heard the rumors,
she would never marry and her name was Mary, and was known to like fun and with men make merry.

I asked nothing more, was awaiting my ship that by shore would soon moor, but the ship didn't come from over the seas, every time they tried, the engine would seize.
As the mornings passed I forgot my own past and made out with the maid in a room where I'd stayed--got laid on the bed where I had just layed.

 

[backhoeboogie]

If you need to know something, just axe.

The acronyms are what drive me nuts. I can usually figure out what someone is trying to communicate - until the acronyms start. Then they create new terms for everything. Were they not aware of the original term? Then they have acronyms for the new terms. I can't keep up.

TMI was Three Mile Island for over 40 years.

 

[ANAZAZI]

If you need to know something, just axe.

The acronyms are what drive me nuts. I can usually figure out what someone is trying to communicate - until the acronyms start. Then they create new terms for everything. Were they not aware of the original term? Then they have acronyms for the new terms. I can't keep up.

TMI was Three Mile Island for over 40 years.

TMI :hide:

 

[greybeard]

If you need to know something, just axe.

The acronyms are what drive me nuts. I can usually figure out what someone is trying to communicate - until the acronyms start. Then they create new terms for everything. Were they not aware of the original term? Then they have acronyms for the new terms. I can't keep up.

TMI was Three Mile Island for over 40 years.

Don't you think you are being a bit acronomyous?

 

[TexasBred]

If you need to know something, just axe.

The acronyms are what drive me nuts. I can usually figure out what someone is trying to communicate - until the acronyms start. Then they create new terms for everything. Were they not aware of the original term? Then they have acronyms for the new terms. I can't keep up.

TMI was Three Mile Island for over 40 years.

TMI :hide:

Most folks never heard of it til it tried to do a melt down and even then it was always "Three Mile Island".

 

[backhoeboogie]

That's just one. There's hundreds in every industry Medical profession is probably the worst.

Doctor talking to a patient and the patient is simply nodding. Doesn't have a clue. Go talk to some elderly in the rest home. "My ABCs don't go with my XYZs" is what a lot of them tell you.

After seeing TMI for 40 years, I automatically think of what it means to me. TMI changed the whole industry.

Saw a new one today. ICE What the heck did that mean? In case of emergency.

 

[greybeard]

I figured anyone with a cell phone knew what ICE meant, tho "back in the day", it was NoK--Next of Kin.
PAVE LOW...PAVE PAWS...PAVE HAWK...PAVE WAY.......PAVE PENNY--all military designations
Precision Avionics Vectoring Equipment is what some call PAVE, but originally and for many years, PAVE was a code designation, not an acronym.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Poor grammar is one thing. Lack of punctuation another. But if it's important to me I can generally follow. When someone starts rattling off multiple acronyms, they've lost me. Maybe it didn't matter to them in the first place.

 

[Kingfisher]

Tear up or tear apart?