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

[trapizi]

I'd do English as a non-atar subject.

 

[Rhinoz8142]

I had this argument with someone and he told me that the ability you use in English of analysing and interpreting text but also using it to relate to a statement and write an "essay" is a require skill you need in the real world.

Tbh, honest I did learn some skill during the English course.

 

[seventhroot]

I had this argument with someone and he told me that the ability you use in English of analysing and interpreting text but also using it to relate to a statement and write an "essay" is a require skill you need in the real world.

Tbh, honest I did learn some skill during the English course.

skill of bullshitting

 

[Katsumi]

I learned more bullshitting in business than i ever did in English.

English increased my vocabulary and ability to rote learn. Having to rote essays word for word helped me remember things and i can prob pass the application stage of a job interview now

 

[badookey]

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

This just makes it easy, but distracting for the students. In class you write bs like "the sky is blue to represent belonging in the characters", but when it comes to the HSC... how is it at all relevant and how will we know if we're going to get marks or not?

 

[Crobat]

To give students something to complain about

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.

Tbf though if you still need to learn that shit when you're 17/18 you are somewhat mentally challenged.

 

[teridax]

To give students something to complain about



Tbf though if you still need to learn that shit when you're 17/18 you are somewhat mentally challenged.

There has to be a better way of ensuring English is relevant to us in the real world, as opposed to its current form.

Like, maybe developing a logical framework from essays is useful, but other than that; creative writing and analysing texts is something I really question; not to mention the bias associated with it being compulsory.

 

[Crobat]

There has to be a better way of ensuring English is relevant to us in the real world, as opposed to its current form.

Like, maybe developing a logical framework from essays is useful, but other than that; creative writing and analysing texts is something I really question; not to mention the bias associated with it being compulsory.

There is virtually nothing in the HSC syllabuses relevant to us in the real world, save for basic concepts in economics and general maths.

 

[callipygian]

Board of Studies has a rationale on their website haha

summarised:
- English is our national language and also useful internationally
- It allows you to understand the use of language/techniques, meaning you'll be able to manipulate these yourself in the future
- Lovely postmodern attitude (typical of BOSTES) in that they love students to understand how context shapes meaning, which tbh is useful in a postmodern society (especially for those studying humanities)
- Studying/reading texts allows you to understand different perspectives (and I kinda love that this is a reason for it being compulsory not gonna lie)

and of course we need something common to scale everyone against, so why not English? Yes it favours students who are naturally good at English, but wow gosh your high-quality free education doesn't cater to the individual? your life is so hard

 

[teridax]

There is virtually nothing in the HSC syllabuses relevant to us in the real world, save for basic concepts in economics and general maths.

Then why hasn't BOS realised this?

 

[seventhroot]

Then why hasn't BOS realised this?

 

[Crobat]

Then why hasn't BOS realised this?

Who says they haven't?

The work needed to the high school education system is enormous and resources are limited. Most life skills can be learnt independently and you have university and private accreditation institutions to provide vocational training, so the urge to work on the syllabuses is not a priority. If you wanted to learn things in detail anyway it'd take too much time (e.g university degrees take years to do and they learn and teach at a faster pace than high school).

So yes, English is not directly relevant, but neither is nearly every other subject which barely teach beyond a general gist of things. But that's the purpose of high school - to give you a gist of how things work. English is just particularly good at making you think critically of motives behind things, and also an easy one to set as a benchmark for the 70,000 students a year who will no doubt speak the language and come into contact with it every day of their lives.

 

[seventhroot]

.

but for now

 

[turntaker]

There is virtually nothing in the HSC syllabuses relevant to us in the real world, save for basic concepts in economics and general maths.

It depends on what you consider the "real world". Of course for a person who is going to work at McDonalds all their life none if it has any relevance to the real world.

If it wasn't for mathematics, science and even English, we would still be in the 16th century. For my, maths and science are the most important subjects that have relevance to the real world.

 

[Crobat]

It depends on what you consider the "real world". Of course for a person who is going to work at McDonalds all their life none if it has any relevance to the real world.

If it wasn't for mathematics, science and even English, we would still be in the 16th century. For my, maths and science are the most important subjects that have relevance to the real world.

Please tell me how your high school level of maths and science is going to take us into the next era

 

[seventhroot]

Please tell me how your high school level of maths and science is going to take us into the next era

not high school maths but those key concepts are used in higher level maths etc. It's like saying we're going to build a house without a foundation, if you get what I'm saying

 

[Crobat]

not high school maths but those key concepts are used in higher level maths etc. It's like saying we're going to build a house without a foundation, if you get what I'm saying

My whole point has been that the syllabuses have little use beyond a foundation, but to actually get real world benefits from them you need to expand on them in more detail, which happens outside of high school in higher education like university studies or, more appropriate to science, in research projects.

 

[BlugyBlug]

So that we can build up communication skills which will help us in the long run.
Unfortunately, HSC English doesn't do a very good job of this. But I think that's it's main aim.

Also, I think English is compulsory so that it "balances out" the HSC. Too often, logical/mathematical subjects with concrete answers like MX2, Physics etc have the highest scaling whilst the more subjective ones are scaled lower. English is made compulsory to make it a bit more fair for those people who tend to be well versed in the humanities/arts rather than the sciences.

 

[turntaker]

No point .

 

[Sien]

"Critical thinking" pshhh bs critical thinking my ass, English is like the most useless subject out of all the useless hsc subjects lol


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