Dear Nicky, It has been news for some time now that this year has seen a fall in the number of teacher training applications, and I read this morning that you blame the media for its negative portrayal of teachers and teaching. I agree that the media has made a bad situation much worse, but [...]
Education in Britain is a right – something to which we all are entitled – but school league tables and performance-related pay for teachers are undermining this fundamental right. Since the introduction of school league tables, we have a situation whereby school is set against school. Schools should be able to work together to do [...]
I consider myself to be more of a ‘descriptivist’ language lover than a downright pedant, but still I remember my horror when, as a trainee teacher many years ago, I was informed that I could not tell children that incorrect English use was ‘wrong’. I had to use the term ‘non-standard’. There is a not-so-subtle [...]
Imagine a school that puts its pupils first. The teachers in this school take account of the talents and needs of each pupil they teach, helping them to overcome educational barriers whilst also nurturing each pupil’s personal skills and interests. In this school, those children who struggle with maths, writing or reading will receive appropriate [...]
Today, 4th March, is National Grammar Day in the US. I would like to see this adopted in Britain, where standards of English writing are declining. But what is grammar? Many believe that grammar covers everything regarding language, including punctuation; however, grammar is distinct from this. It is the study of sentence structure and word [...]
The Good Grammar Company has been in the news quite a lot recently, and all because of the humble apostrophe. It’s three weeks since I was first asked for my view on Cambridge City Council’s decision to omit apostrophes from future road signs and, as I’m widely quoted as saying, I don’t think, educationally or [...]
Last week I was approached by a reporter from the Cambridge News who wanted my views on Cambridge City Council’s decision to drop apostrophes from new road signs. It was the first I’d heard of this, although I had read about this ruling for other counties. I was unpleasantly surprised to learn that Cambridge was [...]
I’m sometimes asked this question at networking events, and a very interesting question it is. It makes sense for a business to employ a copy-writer to ensure its promotional material is professional and its website beyond reproach, and I would be the first to encourage this practice. However, the problem here is that most businesses [...]
I’m having a moan. I know, I know – most unlike me. Anyway, contrary to what many of my followers think, I don’t spend my days trawling websites and social media platforms looking for written English errors (honest!) but I have noticed a growing number, particularly from businesses. As I often say, I’m not being [...]
It is if you want to write properly. Which of the following is incorrect? I need to practise my spellings. I need to practice my spellings. Spell check won’t help you as it recognises both words: one as a noun and the other as a verb. If you don’t know the difference between a noun [...]
I ask two questions because, sadly, each has a different answer. I’d like to focus on the positive, so will discuss the second question. Education should be something to which we are all entitled, whatever our background and upbringing. It provides opportunities for those of us who want to pursue an academic route and who [...]