SUTTON VIEWS - Sutton Valence School

Headmaster speaks on falling standards
of English grammar
Back in 2004, examiners expressed their
concern that more and more pupils were
using text speak in their GCSEs and A
levels, and one sometimes feels that
mobile phone shorthand is in danger of
becoming the new standard English.
Does it really matter? For informal
communication between peers, then the
answer is perhaps “No, not really”. In this
context the use of shorthand, jargon and
slang is perfectly acceptable, provided of
course that everyone involved in the
communication shares the same
vocabulary and can be mutually
understood. This type of communication
has existed for years: Cockney Rhyming
Slang, the Backslang traditionally used by
grocers, and radio shorthand are all
examples of communication between
members of a community sharing
common experiences and knowledge. The
shorthand used in modern
communications by text, email, and
instant messaging is simply a development
of this type of informal communication for
a new cultural group.
However, for communication at school,
university and in business, then of course
it does matter. Here it is essential that the
right message gets across to the right
people in the right way, which requires
formal communication to be written to a
high standard of English, correctly spelt
and punctuated. Gr8 2cu LOL may get
your message across in a text conversation,
but it is not really going to wash on a CV, or
as part of a business report. In today’s
competitive climate, CVs are rigorously
raked over for faults with employers
wanting to be sure that their employees
are writing and communicating in ways
that are cogent and clearly
understandable by all.
Yet the decline in standards of grammar
is not only to be blamed upon these
modern modes of communication. In my
opinion it is traceable to three main areas:
the abandonment of explicit grammar
teaching in English lessons; the fall in
popularity of foreign languages, ancient
and modern; and, the most detrimental of
all, that children do not read as much as
they used to. Reading is crucial, because it
teaches grammar quietly and
continuously, in a way that is driven by the
child’s personal interests.
So, given that we can’t easily return to
the ‘good old days’ of grammar teaching,
what can we do to raise falling standards of
English grammar? Many English
departments have developed schemes of
work which are energized, focused and
also enjoyable. Lessons can be learnt from
the practices that are meat and drink to
many who teach English as a Foreign
Language, a vibrant corner of the English
teaching world that has lots of interesting
schemes to make the teaching of the
English language accessible and fun.
Whole EFL teaching books are devoted to
grammar games, which are easily
adaptable.
8 Sutton Views