Speling

Duz god spelin matr?

De prym obgict of riten langwich is too git yore mesag akros - evryfin lse is sekodry.

Not so long ago, very few people could read or write and society still managed to progress. People weren’t “educated” but that didn’t mean they lacked the ability to think; they just couldn’t put it down on paper. The above example shows appalling spelling but suggests the wide vocabulary of someone with intelligence.

These days we tend to look down on poor spelling as a sign of a poor education and of a low grade brain. This is not necessarily the case. Some people just have trouble with written language.

Sadly however, and in a lot of cases, poor spelling is a reflection of the individual’s lack of education and equally a reflection on their lack of interest in their own abilities. They didn’t like school and have finished with it for good. Education is for other people.

Now why would you want to employ someone like that?

This is what is comes down to these days.

Education is all about fitting the individual into our working economy with a lot of businesses still value spelling along with other basic skills. Why wouldn’t they if the written word is important in their organisation. Not so sure I’m worried about the guy who fixes my car being able to spell or the kind person who stacks shelves and helps me when I can’t find something in the supermarket.

Should teachers be able to spell?

If that sounds too obvious let me put it another way. Should dyslexic sufferers be allowed to become teachers? After all, if they can’t spell themselves how are they going to spot poor spelling or correct it? Such people have much to offer but is the classroom the right place for them?

Would you want a brain surgeon with a trembling hand? An air traffic controller who stutters incomprehensibly under pressure? Both might be superb at most of their job but lack necessary and vital skills where it matters most.

I know a number of dyslexics and you wouldn’t know their problem until they put pen to paper or try to read some complex text. It’s a disease, not their fault, and usually not curable. You can work around some of the problems but not all of them. Specialist help will do just that but it won’t effect a cure.

In most jobs being dyslexic won’t matter too much but as a newspaper won’t employ a dyslexic sub editor (who’s job it is to spot errors and correct them) neither should a school.

I would bemoan the fact that good english just isn’t being taught in our schools if I didn’t know that not to be true. Even in Primary school, children are taught the basics of good grammar and are encouraged to use different sorts of words and different styles of writing to suit the circumstances of the exercise.

So why do we still have youngsters coming out of our High schools with poor literacy skills?