[SENco-forum] 21st century skills

From: Peter Syme <APAHSyme at compuserve.com>

Hi Anne

Going back to the earlier discussion on handwriting, what I was arguing
against was spending valuable school time teaching children to write in
flowing cursive handwriting when it was a skill they were unlikely to use
outside school.  I do still handwrite (badly but legibly) sometimes but I
print - on notes, shopping lists, Christmas cards and so on.  And my mum
always knew they were from me!  I had a miserable time with handwriting at
school as I never was able to write neatly and it makes me furious that even
today marks are knocked off for handwriting in exams.

On times tables my question was about why do we teach the 11 and 12 times
table but not the 13, 15 or any others further up.  The only reason I can
see is because we used to teach the 11 and 12 times table because of
predecimal currency.  So why do it now?

As for employers insisting they only accept handwritten applications - they
are quite simply breaking the law by openly discriminating against people
with a disability that prevents them from handwriting, as covered in the
Disability Discrimination Act of 1995, which specifically says that job
applications must be allowed in alterative formats to hand writing.  Saying
"handwritten applications only" in a job advert is also illegal.  They
should be reported and prosecuted.  This type of behaviour should not be
tolerated and certainly not by a group like this!

Jamie

> From: Peter Syme <APAHSyme at compuserve.com>
> Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:26:00 -0400
> To: Jamie Munro <jmunro at djsn.co.uk>
> Cc: Peter Syme <106070.776 at compuserve.com>, <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>,
> Martin Miles <Mmilesep at aol.com>, Tim Rupp <tgrupp at ntlworld.com>, Maggie Downie
> <maizie2004 at yahoo.co.uk>
> Subject: Re: [SENco-forum] 21st century skills
> 
> Hi Jamie 
> 
> There are still employers out there who want hand written job applications
> Jamie. My son, mid 20's and a scientist has very recently applied for a
> position where the company concerned wanted a hand-written letter of
> application. This was in addition to the initial on-line application.  This
> was a big, international company. There was also a long form to be filled
> in by hand!  This is not that unusual. He uses a computer all the time for
> everything else .  So  this letter took ages!!  Most jobs seem to  entail
> applying on line initially  but you would be surprised by the number that
> still entail some handwriting bits at some stage of the process.
> 
> I am still in favour of teaching  handwriting because , whether we like it
> or not, ,it is still necessary. Not many primary schools have modern,
> glitch free computers freely available for all pupils in the classroom. You
> work in a very hight tech, ICT rich environment. As yet, ,not everyone does
> and we have to recognise that fact and work with it. Competent ICT skills
> and good handwriting are good companians ... not mutually exclusive. Some
> pupils never master neat handwriting but the vast majority learn to write
> without much trauma.  While we may like to see everything done via ICT we
> are still a very long way from this being the 100% solution for  all
> written communication.
> 
> So, we don't just do it because it has always been done. We do it because
> it is necessary and,for many kids,  we do them  a great dis-service if we
> don't do it. No-one else will teach them if if is not done well  in primary
> school. This skill is definitely relevant  to the world we live in at the
> moment. 
> Yours waiting to be shot down in flames.
> 
> Anne Syme
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Message text written by Jamie Munro
>> This seems very like the discussion earlier in the year about teaching
> children neat cursive handwriting.  Are these skills relevant to the world
> these students will live in or are these skills being taught because that's
> what has always been taught?
> 
> If you need to know the 11 and 12 times table to do long division, why not
> the 13, 14 15 or 16 times table?
> 
> As I keep pointing out, this is the 21st Century - should we be teaching
> children the skills they need to be medieval farmers or biblical boat
> builders?
> 
> 
> Jamie
> <
> 
> 