the current english course is a waste of time, true or false (3 Viewers)

[iEdd]

I know a number of people that are smart enough to do mathematics, but they think it's too hard because they can't coast through without doing homework like in general maths. I also know many not-so-smart people that find general easy. So yeah, I agree, it's a joke subject.
The one good thing that's beginning to happen is universities are selecting students based on chemistry/physics/mathematics and somewhat disregarding UAI and english marks. It makes sense, because when you are studying and working, you don't sit around reading and watching movies.

 

[Tulipa]

I know a number of people that are smart enough to do mathematics, but they think it's too hard because they can't coast through without doing homework like in general maths. I also know many not-so-smart people that find general easy. So yeah, I agree, it's a joke subject.
The one good thing that's beginning to happen is universities are selecting students based on chemistry/physics/mathematics and somewhat disregarding UAI and english marks. It makes sense, because when you are studying and working, you don't sit around reading and watching movies.

Unless you're doing a humanities based course.

Like me. My maths/science marks didn't count for shit when I got accepted. Also for something like law, why would you need to do any math?

 

[iEdd]

Yes, but that's my point. No-one makes you do maths/science. So if you elect it/them and it counts, fair enough. It's if you want to have a career in something unrelated to the english course, this gives you an option to be selected based on relevant marks.

 

[Tulipa]

Yes, but that's my point. No-one makes you do maths/science. So if you elect it/them and it counts, fair enough. It's if you want to have a career in something unrelated to the english course, this gives you an option to be selected based on relevant marks.

Correct me if I'm wrong but most if not all university degrees require you to do an essay at some point.

If not [and I highly doubt that], they require you to read the English langauge at the very least.

I have not had to deal with math at all in any of the classes I've done. Not even basic math.

 

[slzybanana]

@powerdry
no one's saying maths is unimportant, just saying english is also important. as for general maths, thats an absolutely pathetic joke of a subject

 

[melbell2046]

I have Two points to make on this topic as a person who is currently doing the HSC cources in Advanced english and Mathematics.

English, while the course and the texts studied may seem pointless is a skill that is used in every industry. Being able to communicate in a professional and articulate way is important, the study of these variety of texts make it possible for us to do that. And just to let you know, i despise english and believe that the course should include other skills such as how to write CV's and letters of application etc.

Mathematics, even at a general level, is also needed throughout life. You may not need it in the UNI course you study, but to be able to take out a personal loan and understand what your interest rate is, having the ability to understand your personal finances if you ever enter the stiock market etc. These skills are essential in having a productive life. I do beleive that mathematics should be a complusory study at school. You will always use this skill even if you are uinaware.

Hopefully this give you something else to think about.

 

[woho]

I believe the current english course is in many ways a waste of time for some people.

Firstly, if you make it through the SC without knowing how to use the English language and spell properly, then obviously something went wrong. So dont tell me HSC english aids in any way to that respect. Also, you should learn how to write an essay in Yr 7. If you're doing Law, go ahead, do HSC adv, or even ext english, and good on ya. I'm going to be doing forensic science. Somehow i think postmodern intepretations of King Lear wont help in that respect... and my yr 10 essay skills were more than adaquate (i mean, if they got me into yr 11 extension english...).

Maths, on the other hand, is a subject you can choose. The stuff you learn in Yr 10, 11, 12 in mathematics, mathematics ext 1 and mathematics ext 2 is essential for many maths, science and engineering degrees (to say the least). Maths Ext 2 is in fact university level maths, so it will give you a head start on uni.

Cant talk about general maths... but I believe a fundamental understanding of maths is essential for our rapidly developing technological world.

So if your doing Law, or humanities, English would not be a waste of time, no. For the rest of us who seem to be "stuck" with it, well... we'll just have to stick with the journey...

 

[slzybanana]

adequate is spelt with an E not an A and you the SC is pathetic. you don't need to necessarily be able to write essays and spell properly to pass it. it's virtually impossible to fail it unless you get non-attempts for your subjects. even a crappy band 2 or 3 will get you pass SC.

 

[eflatmajor]

Correct me if I'm wrong but most if not all university degrees require you to do an essay at some point.

If not [and I highly doubt that], they require you to read the English langauge at the very least.

I have not had to deal with math at all in any of the classes I've done. Not even basic math.

So when you get a 5000 word essay or whatever you just keep writing 1 word at a time and checking after every word untill the word count matches?

 

[Jachie]

So when you get a 5000 word essay or whatever you just keep writing 1 word at a time and checking after every word untill the word count matches?

No, I believe she'd use a little-known Word function called 'Word Count'. What's you point, exactly?

 

[iEdd]

[1] Correct me if I'm wrong but most if not all university degrees require you to do an essay at some point.

[2] If not [and I highly doubt that], they require you to read the English langauge at the very least.

[3] I have not had to deal with math at all in any of the classes I've done. Not even basic math.

[1] Yes, but once again, the current english course only focuses on writing essays about its content. We learnt how to write essays years ago.

[2] Of course, without HSC english, none of us would know how to read.

[3] That's irrelevant, no-one made you do maths.

adequate is spelt with an E not an A and you know the SC is pathetic....

Sentences start with a capital letter. I think the only point you made is that of hypocrisy.

I agree that the SC is pathetic, but its english course at least had some importance.

 

[woho]

adequate is spelt with an E not an A and you the SC is pathetic. you don't need to necessarily be able to write essays and spell properly to pass it. it's virtually impossible to fail it unless you get non-attempts for your subjects. even a crappy band 2 or 3 will get you pass SC.

Oh... SORRY I succumbed to the supremely unforgiveable act of making a typo...

I realise that you dont have to do well to pass the SC, but my point was that by the time you get to Year 10, you should know how to write an essay. And spell. That should be basic knowledge by then, and if not, it is your own fault!

I agree that the SC is pathetic, but its english course at least had some importance.

^^Well said

[Oh, and by the way, slzybanana, your first sentence has an unnecessary word...]

 

[Captain Gh3y]

If you're going to argue for the importance of HSC English over maths, real life relevance is not the way to go.

 

[eddy11]

Both maths and english are relevant to life.
However as no one leads the same life it is difficult to say which is more relevant which is why we have this argument. To me advanced and extension 1 maths is essential for my chosen career path of medicine or science. But for someone who wants to be a lawyer, would very rarely if ever use maths other then that of the general level.

For an english teacher or journalist, being able to understand the concepts taught in adv or ext english is very important. But for someone like me i don't think or at least hope i never have to explain how metaphor or other technique is used to convey a meaning. What would be important to me though on the other hand is the meaning, so that i can understand people better. But this can be attained without having to discect a text, by simply living with different people and mayber doing SOR or pdhpe, both of which teach how to be more understanding and tolerant of others.

For anyone who wants to argue that english is essential to increase communication skills youv'e lost the plot because thats a load of shit as far as im concerned. It wouldn't be if we focussed on communication skills, but we don't (at least where im taught). Any humanity teaches this to some degree.

No subject should be compulsory in our senior years as no one subject is essential or relavant in everyones life (except general maths or higher levels of maths, or a subject that taught specifically communication skills), and by now i think we are old enough to make our own decisions. Too much emphasis is placed on uai, and by making english mandatory many people are disadvantaged.

I also apologise for posting such a vague topic saying that english is a waste of time, it is for me, but not for all, and if it taught what its name suggests it is supposed to teach (english, not literature) it wouldn't be for anyone.

 

[m.incognito]

Oh wise one . . .
No but the year 11 module is really rubbish.
TRUE.

 

[eddy11]

yeh i agree its rubbish, but can understand if others disagree.

 

[simonloo]

yeh i agree its rubbish, but can understand if others disagree.

Your signature doesn't make sense. Surely you mean 'Having English lessons is like being... etc'?

 

[eddy11]

that does make better sense

 

[Tulipa]

[1] Yes, but once again, the current english course only focuses on writing essays about its content. We learnt how to write essays years ago.

[2] Of course, without HSC english, none of us would know how to read.

[3] That's irrelevant, no-one made you do maths.

1. Not true. A lot of people beginning the HSC still have little grasp on how to write a cohesive, structured essay. Same with people who have finished it but that extra year helps set you up for university.

2. At least it makes you read. I know people who only read books because they had to throughout high school. Without reading throughout high school a lot of people forget how to spell and their vocabularies shrink.

3. Not really, there's a number of courses out there that don't require you to use math at all. I'm pointing out that my course in particular doesn't need it. There are many that don't. Also, if you are going to do a class that requires math in university, then obviously [unless you were rather moronic] you would take math.

 

[woho]

3. Not really, there's a number of courses out there that don't require you to use math at all. I'm pointing out that my course in particular doesn't need it. There are many that don't. Also, if you are going to do a class that requires math in university, then obviously [unless you were rather moronic] you would take math.

Of course- that's why maths is optional. No one made you or anyone else do it. If you need it, do it, if you dont, then dont!

Unlike English.