johnc's Blog

Spelling - how important is it?

Hi
This issue has already been raised in the Ital category but I think it is pretty important to all of us involved with literacy. 
I'll quote the mail that started the idea and a reply from Stevieboy and we can go on from there.

'Spelling doesn't matter and too many people are worried about. It decreases in importance as more people realise that computers make spelling easier. Language is about 'meaning' not rules. The rules just create fear of failure. ' (by guest)

Stevie's response:
'I agree with guest to a certain degree, in a world of txt spk you don't find yourself rotfl when someone makes a spelling mistakd, you just assume they've not used spell chequer.
However as the poem we saw the other week highlights, spell check is not infallible.  We should not be getting too hung up over it, especially in the early days with a learner, the whole point of "correct" spelling and grammar is to allow us to communicate effectively with our target audience if the meaning is obvious does it matter if i follows e or even if it shouls be -sion or -tion?
The English language has been evolving quite happily on its own for nearly 2000 years in the writen form, taking on board bits of Norman French, Scots, Welsh, Norse and sundry other bits and pieces and in this age of global communication we are now seeing the Speakers of English from other parts of the world adding their local spellings and patois.  If English continues to evolve into the 21 century at the same rate that other areas of life are evolving the spelling and language being used next century could be as difficult for us to understand as Piers Plowman or Geoffery Chaucer.
God I've just read that back and realise that I'm getting on a soap box but hey ho! if it can stimulate some discussion it's worth it!!!!!!!!!'

My concern (JohnC) with the spelling isue is that many of us are simply defeated by the weird spelling conventions (or none) that we have in English.  Is there any way past this?  Perhaps phone text English will become a future standard.  Would that be a bad thing or a good thing?

This is a massive issue for us and is bound to be contentious.  Let it roll!

JohnC

Re: Welcome to the ABE forum

I wouldn't worry too much about lack of activity.  The forum has only been available since a couple of weeks ago - and I haven't gotten round to mailing all ABE tutors about it's existence.  I will do that today using the list that MarkR gave me.  This list doesn't include all trained tutors (most of the recant batches) so if you have any more email addresses of tutors please email them to privately and I'll add them to the mailing list.

Forums can be quiet places and can see extended periods of inactivity only to burst into life when a live issue needs discussion or someone posts a lively, irritating, cheeky, hilarious, inspiring or dodgy post. 

We are all fearties when it comes to stepping out on an empty stage (like this forum).  Once there is a record of puposeful activity tutors may well feel easier about posting (hiding in the bushes). 

On the other hand, our trainers and Ital training may be so good that no one needs to discuss anything; you know everything you need to know.  It's easy being a tutor, isn't it?  Nothing to it ... You just tell them wit tae dae and they'll dae it!  See learners.. like sheep ... no really.  No, seriously...

Now just a wee minute to see if I've any spelling mistakes .....  No, not one!  See us tutors we're perfect!

JohnC

www.abetutorforum.co.uk/ - easy address

Hi
Please not the new address.

http://www.abetutorforum.co.uk/

Makes it easier to find.

JohnC

Welcome to the ABE forum

Hi

This section of our ABE forum is designed to give you, Ital trainees, a chance to discuss the work you have been doing during the recent Ital sessions.  There is usually a short period following training where you will be waiting for disclosures to be completed so you could use the forum to keep in touch with other learners.

Please note that if you want to post topics registration is quick and easy and automatic.

Forum Admin

Re: Agenda for online project - a starter list

Hi all
here's a link to the doc link I sent out about a plan for the seminar in June.  
 http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgg6gz3w_171gz5tjdfm

Not sure if the editing rights thing will work.  If you can then you are doing your first wiki, albeit not in Moodle as i'd planned.  But i reckon we can get a Moodle wiki going in the next week. 
JohnC

Re: Agenda for online project - a starter list

"I like the idea of just doing what we are doing here really with a topic starter and a time span and we end up with learners' thoughts, feelings, opinions" Markc
Now you come to mention it - see this link for a wee plan i put to John McG a few weeks ago.  It's the 'wiki' idea that I like:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgg6gz3w_166g2sxx4gw 
John

Re: Agenda for online project - a starter list

Interesting stuff mark.  I like the podcast idea. 
johnc

Moodle Training

Excellent training session was had at Inverness College.  Many thanks to our tutor.  Tons of stuff to discuss.
John

Agenda for online project - a starter list

Hi
Me, Mark Newman, Mark Richardson and Cath MacKinnon are going to have a meeting soon about how to move forward with 'blended learning'.  We need to brainstorm a bunch of ideas and then thin the list down to a manageable agenda for our first meeting.

Registering for the site is automatic now so you don't have top wait for permission to just get fired in. 

So I'm going to get going: 

Methodology/Pedagogy
- what projects have we in mind?
- what are effective ways to learn online?
- what are we trying to do?

Moodle
- anything more we need to know? 
- turther training or group sessions? 
- technical issues?
- any ideas for pilot projects?
- would what we are doing here be a good thing to do in a Moodle* wiki?

www.icandothat.co.uk
- what's it for?
- any technical issues?
- how to share administration/site management?
- who does what?
- what needs to be done?

*If you look at what a 'wiki' is in Moodle you'll see that it is a good way to collaborate on producing a document.  Might be a good starter for a group effort at a Moodle assignment?

John

Welcome Message to New Members

Welcome to the ABE Tutors Forum.  I hope you have an interesting and stimulating time here and that you find good ideas and support for the work you do as a tutor.  Please post any requeset for support as a topic on the forum.

Why not post in and introduce yourself to the community.  What is your particular interest?

Good luck!
John Cradden
ABE tutor

How this forum works!

Hello fellow tutors and welcome to the new tutor forum.  We are working on  a new online presence for ABE and this forum is a way for us to create a community of interest in the work we do.  We hope that you will be able to participate in the discussions and let us know abouit your experiences as a tutor.  The main purpose of the forum here is to gather together the best of what we all do and to share it round.
 
Here is some basic advice about how to use this forum (in no particular order):
 
- browse around the forum and learn what you can do (eg, attach an image to a posting or use emoticons)
- remember to put any 'new' post into the correct 'category
- try to use 'reply' where appropriate (posting a new topic every time you send a message in will make the site very cluttered)
- try to stick to the topic in the original post
- always be polite, even where there is disagreement about an issue
- don't be afraid to express strong opinions - debate is good
 
All the best
John Cradden
ABE tutor