Thursday 15 November 2007

The Onward March of Dimness

The average 16-18 year old these days has 1/3 less words in their vocabulary than 20 years ago. Partly this is due to their complete inability to read books. As a teacher I find all of this incredibly frustrating.

5 comments:

Youth of Australia said...

Well, it's clearly the fault of lazy alcoholic teachers like yourself, Spara.

Here in civilized Australia, we have a national Book Week which encourages reading in all forms - the literacy levels are generally high (give or take people with learning difficulties, dyslexia, etc.)

If you are so upset about 'dimness', get off you arse and DO something about it. You're in a far better position than I am to educate English youth, are you not?

I hate people that just tut dismissively when they could be taking action.

Like Ben Chatham, for example.

Bernie Fishnotes said...

Actually, 16-18 year olds have a 100% higher vocabulary than they did 20 years ago - THEY HADN'T BEEN BORN YET!

Blimey, I'm such a wit!

Incidentally, did science exams include stuff about genetics 20 years ago? I'd like to know, just so I can ask how exams can be easier if the subjects are more complex?

And don't get me started on quantum theory at A-level...

Youth of Australia said...

What? The youth of today might actually know things Spara doesn't?

BLASPHEMY!

Paul Sutherland said...

"1/3 fewer words" please, not "less". Whatever happened to good English grammar?

Johnstone McGuckian said...

As a 15 year old, 16 in less than a month UI'd like to complain about your continued agism, you are abusive to younger people and you beleive that we should automatically respect you. How the fuck are we supposed to do this with you posting crap like this?