Real talk: What is the point in English? (1 Viewer)

[futuremidwife]

I've taken English for about 13 years. I saw the importance of it up until year 8. After that, I failed to see the point of it. It's irrelevant, don't you think? I learnt how to write solid, sophisticated essays through my other subjects. About 99.95% of the HSC populace will NEVER study literature in their life again. So, what is the point of it? I see the point in other subjects such as CAFS, and Early Childhood, but I fail to see the point of English. Where did it come from? And why is it compulsory in prelim + HSC? There are some who are not strong in English. Me being the first (clearly), so why am I being forced to take it?

Honestly, I don't know. Enlighten me.

 

[seventhroot]

nothing

/thread

 

[futuremidwife]

nothing

/thread

I dont understand. Then why is it compulsory? HAVE THEY NOT REALISED THAT THERE IS LITERALLY NO POINT TO ENGLISH?

 

[seventhroot]

I dont understand. Then why is it compulsory? HAVE THEY NOT REALISED THAT THERE IS LITERALLY NO POINT TO ENGLISH?

there are some reasons like it is a common subject everyone does so they look at how you preform in that and scale/align/magic whatever. It is very complicated (I don't even fully understand the process).

my legal teacher made this video that sort of explains it

 

[futuremidwife]

They are making me empathise and write essays about fictional characters who are facing oppression, when I could write about actual people facing oppression and devise ways to solve that. Give me the real shit to talk about. The BOSTES are talking about how they've changed the system, when all they did was change their name, and gave us personalised booklets. Oh, and also fucked everyone over when they changed the structure of the unseen text section.

 

[emilios]

the reason they say: develop strong communication and analytical skills and higher order thinking.
the actual reason: need a benchmark to compare other subjects to for scaling reasons.

in the end it's all a technicality. they'll never make english non-compulsory, but it's no coz they want people to gush over dickens

 

[Swaan]

To teach us what stress and anxiety attacks feel like

 

[Menomaths]

.

 

[Menomaths]

^ precisely dat

 

[Queenroot]

To dislocate wrists

 

[futuremidwife]

the reason they say: develop strong communication and analytical skills and higher order thinking.
the actual reason: need a benchmark to compare other subjects to for scaling reasons.

in the end it's all a technicality. they'll never make english non-compulsory, but it's no coz they want people to gush over dickens

The BOSTES benchmark subject is unjustifiable. They don't understand that not everyone can string together 26 letters, and not everyone can devise a sophisticated thesis in a response to a theme they prob have never seen before with a strict time limit. It's like math. My teacher always said you need to a natural writer to ace this subject. I could NEVER ace creative writing. I hate it. Thats at least 10 marks that section in the HSC because I do sooo shit in it. Totally a benchmark subject, hey? They need to revise there system man. And aha, "gush over dickens" - totally agree with your points dude. Thanks!

 

[futuremidwife]

To dislocate wrists

Agreed

 

[seventhroot]

To dislocate wrists

*and humanities

 

[BLIT2014]

We live in an English speaking country.
We will need to be writing essays,reportse etc and have the means of being able to effectivally communicate in the written form.

English should stay compulsory, but change the structure...

I mean most people ( Me included, can't even write a proper letter) which is a vital skill

 

[futuremidwife]

We live in an English speaking country.
We will need to be writing essays,reportse etc and have the means of being able to effectivally communicate in the written form.

English should stay compulsory, but change the structure...

I mean most people ( Me included, can't even write a proper letter) which is a vital skill

But they don't teach us how to write letters, essays to the standard required for tertiary education or life in general. I know subjects like society who teach us how to reference, and write academically. Most people are not likely to use the structure for English essays EVER again. I agree English is a vital skill, but the english from year 9 to year 12 is irrelevant and bogus. They should change it into like English life skills, and teach us the real shit necessary for the future Thats what we should learn from, not why Hamlet, a fictional character formulated over 400 years, wants to kill his uncle. Same goes for math. They should have a math life skill, and teach us how to pay taxes, etc.

 

[OzKo]

I'm inclined to agree.

I would prefer students to be taught how to write strong essays/reports within their own subjects (of course barring subjects like Maths). These skills are more relevant for the real world, and also teaches students how to write analytically.

 

[liamlolz]

I'm not sure how different the scaling and alignment or whatever in the HTC is, but the SACE does not require it in order to do so.
...thank god. I've got 2 more essays to finish and English is over for me!
I've personally learnt how to write better in Biology than English. As far as I can see, senior English isn't about how to write (unfortunately, because many still need to learn)
(hope everyone did well in their English exam!)

 

[siggy]

It's there because it creates jobs

 

[stealerhat]

English might be compulsory because there's too many Asians . BOSTES trying to limit the 99.95's.

 

[futuremidwife]

The subject English that we get taught should NOT be compulsory. It's not about learning grammar, spelling, how to write properly - which is what would make me consider it should be compulsory. It's currently about stupid crap like how does this century old book relate to the concept of belonging etc. or what techniques convey so and so. Why does this matter? And why is that compulsory?

It's as if whoever made English compulsory had the mindset of thinking that the course was about how to write correctly and be able to communicate their ideas effectively. However that's not what the course focuses on. It focuses on trying to understand weird figurative concepts.

THIS IS WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY! THANKYOU!!! THANKYOU!!!!!


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