[SENco-forum] Access arrangements (was Extra Time for sats)

From: <SEN at tringham.net>

Which brings up my old argument of why are we spending so much time teaching
children to write neatly as if is the be all and end all of learning, so
they can then go out in the "real world" and find that none of us handwrite
anymore!

What on earth has the neatness of someone's handwriting got to do with
solving mathematical problems?  Should we not pay any attention to the
Theory of Relativity because Einstein had scruffy writing?

Jamie

> From: <SEN at tringham.net>
> Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:29:27 -0000
> To: Jamie Munro <jmunro at djsn.co.uk>, Becta Senco
> <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
> Subject: RE: [SENco-forum] Access arrangements (was Extra Time for sats)
> 
> Missed the article, but my mum now 65 remembers people in her class being
> beaten or punished for having poor /slow writing.
> 
>  A friend of mine says it happens in China where until recently dyslexia did
> not exist.  Even in HK the favourite homework is to copy text and punishment
> (detention and more copying usually from the bible) given to those with more
> than 3 mistakes per page. Having dyspraxia and dyslexia her son really
> suffers at school even though he is extremely bright.
> 
>  My friend just copies out her son's work when it has just been given due to
> laziness rather than as a genuine learning exercise.    Like me she does not
> want his love of learning crushed by such heavy burdens.  To this end I copy
> my son's math questions into his book and he works out the answers.  I am
> glad to see that he is getting B+ at the moment, but the teacher comment is
> that ' work could be neater'!
> 
> My mum has always said she thinks there is a handwriting difficulties is due
> to the absence of structured PE & dance in the curriculum.  They had that
> 1950' club swinging and rhythmical exercising, skipping, and music and
> movement that lots of research has now show to be beneficial.  Move over
> Brain Gym and bring back the old stuff although maybe without the clubs
> these days -probably classed as an offensive weapon or would be declared
> unsound by Health & Safety.
> 
> Sharon Tringham
> 
> -..........
> 
> Sad to read the comments at the bottom of the article online though.  My
> favourite relating the rise in the number of students diagnosed with
> dyslexia directly to the curtailing of corporal punishment.
> 
> Times readers living up to my prejudices.
> 
> Jamie
> 
> 
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.20.4/1275 - Release Date: 12/02/2008
> 15:20
> 
> 