Should English be compulsory?? (3 Viewers)

[mac_attack94]

I know how you feel, I'm assuming about 90% of the people dislike/hate English but the skills you develop are obviously important in life. I also hate but, hated every minute of it, still, the skills I learnt are good, in general.

I understand that it is developing skills for later in life, however I think areas such as grammar, essay writing, spelling (for some) and things like that would be better.

 

[Absolutezero]

No, how will poetry and Shakespeare help me when I want to pursue science.
It will only lower my ATAR =[
I hate it!

Because scientists never have to write theses, peer reviewed journal articles, and grant applications; do they?

 

[Absolutezero]

I understand that it is developing skills for later in life, however I think areas such as grammar, essay writing, spelling (for some) and things like that would be better.

The texts you study are a gateway to learning these things. It's the skills, not the texts themselves, that's important.

Trust me. If you had to spend a year on grammar, spelling, syntax, and structure, you'd go crazy.

 

[mac_attack94]

Because scientists never have to write theses, peer reviewed journal articles, and grant applications; do they?

I really don't see how poetry techniques would help with those.

 

[Absolutezero]

I really don't see how poetry techniques would help with those.

You'd be surprised how much difference a well placed simile can make in expressing difficult concepts.

 

[kaz1]

Because scientists never have to write theses, peer reviewed journal articles, and grant applications; do they?

Scientists never have to analyse how juxtaposition represents the concept of belonging in texts. I don't think there is anything useful in HSC english.

 

[Absolutezero]

Scientists never have to analyse how juxtaposition represents the concept of belonging in texts. I don't think there is anything useful in HSC english.

The texts you study are a gateway to learning these things. It's the skills, not the texts themselves, that's important.

Trust me. If you had to spend a year on grammar, spelling, syntax, and structure, you'd go crazy.

.

 

[harrisony]

No, how will poetry and Shakespeare help me when I want to pursue science.
It will only lower my ATAR =[
I hate it!

Ancient History or music wont help with science

 

[mac_attack94]

Scientists never have to analyse how juxtaposition represents the concept of belonging in texts. I don't think there is anything useful in HSC english.

I agree

 

[mac_attack94]

Ancient History or music wont help with science

I know I just like those subjects.

 

[Absolutezero]

Again, it's the skills you learn. Not the concepts you look at.

 

[kaz1]

I wish HSC english was structured around grammar, spelling, syntax, and structure. I liked that better than analysing texts which I really sucked at.

 

[Absolutezero]

I wish HSC english was structured around grammar, spelling, syntax, and structure. I liked that better than analysing texts which I really sucked at.

Two years of just that though. You'd hate it more than analysing texts.

Also, in analysing the texts your applying the skills, rather than just learning them.

It's not the best system, but it beats theorectically learning metalanguage.

 

[slyhunter]

The syllabus needs a serious overhaul.

I think this has been discussed already.

 

[Drongoski]

Analysing texts is like reading tea leaves.

 

[4025808]

I reckon it should be compulsory; just not compulsory for calculation as part of the ATAR

English has important skills that you have to do; a lot of the skills which are good for university, that's if you don't do any humanities or something. I'd say that Modern History has much better skills and the skills can actually be applied to a lot more humanities and social sciences (I dropped modern because I had a shit teacher though =_=)

 

[LoveHateSchool]

I have a mixed answer, yes and no.

I think it's unfair that it always counts when it's the only subject to do so. That's unfair for ATAR calculation to people.

However I still think you should have to do some sort of English during yr 11 at least, maybe yr 12 too. But no necessarily HSC english as it is, I think the curriculum for it should be a bit different. Though I think the IB/FB has a good idea where you don't have compulsory subjects, but you have to do some from each category. (Like some humanities, some mats/sciences and a language).That liberal education is a good idea because so many people change what they want to do at the end of HSC. Also would make the ATAR more useful as people couldn't just capitalise on one good area, the people who do the best would be well rounded.

That said, atm, I would probably drop Eng if it weren't compulsory, it's too subjective for my liking (despite liking creative writing and reading books, but I hate comparison studies and themes and all that main stuff you do in snr years).

 

[MrBrightside]

English should be compulsory, it is used as a "cohort benchmark."

This, otherwise if it wasn't compulsory, hardly anyone would choose it. knowing BOS, they'll probably change it in future.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

^Well, the whole thing will be overhauled whenever they bring in that apparently imminent National Curriculum. Though if they bring it in, won't that make the board of studies redundant as they'll have a national board of education or something?

As long as the new sylalbus isn't like VCE/Victoria in general, that state's education sucks. No actual QLD is worse (I have no idea about TAS, but I don't have great expectations). I hear WA/SA systems are good?

 

[pony_magician]

If my knowledge is correct, things like spelling and grammar can not be marked in the HSC.
Now that shit is ridiculous.