A rant about english (1 Viewer)

[satvik_1008]

Why. Just why

I get the point of having English in the syllabus. We should understand the culture and norms of the society we live in, we should have a unifying language that we understand, we should study how influential literature has shaped society.

I get that. I even agree. But the way it is taught in New South Wales is BS.

English here is not about appreciating quality literature, no matter how much the syllabus emphasises it as such. It is simply about spending weeks and weeks on end, painstakingly crafting each and every word of a model essay, and practicing adapting that to different questions to maximise marks.

Since when was that appreciating quality literature?

The demands of HSC markers are so weird as well. They don't want us to be logical, in the way we stucture our essays. Essays on other subjects, like eco, business, modern, legal, pdh etc. have a very clear flow, structure and meanign to them. You are proving a point, you provide evidence and you provide causal links between points.

English is not that. You have to be flowery in your expression, making random broad statements as your answer to the question that doesn't even mention the text at play,and vaguely alludes to the rubric but oh boy do teachers at schools like ruse, baulko, syd girls and others like that., as well as HSC MARKERS.

Why is english so bs like this.


On top of this, fine, make it compulsory. But why make it a COMPULSORY PART OF OUR ATAR. Sure kids should be encouraged to learn about quality literature, but it should be more like how we learn about sex ed in pdhpe, than how we learn english currently. Just something we should know. And those who like it in year 11/12 can pursue it then. Even if it were to be compulsory, at least dont make it a compusory part of the 10 units counting towards atar.

Why is english like this

ugh.

just a rant.

 

[Drdusk]

Yeah just let it out. We’ve all done this at some point. I used to think and still do think there is no reason to have compulsory English in year 11 and 12.

 

[jimmysmith560]

Add to that not being a native speaker (in my case), making it harder to cope

 

[vishnay]

The demands of HSC markers are so weird as well. They don't want us to be logical, in the way we stucture our essays. Essays on other subjects, like eco, business, modern, legal, pdh etc. have a very clear flow, structure and meanign to them. You are proving a point, you provide evidence and you provide causal links between points.

English essays that have a clear and cohesive structure usually get the best marks lol. I used to be just like you, hating on English as a whole and I would criticise its purpose and value. I was profoundly misguided on how to approach the subject as a whole and I ended up disliking it, since my essays would have no logical structure and nothing seemed to flow. I strongly believe your view of English has been distorted by your teachers at school and my best advice for you is to realise that English is about answering the question with evidence to support the claim you make. Once you simplify it to just answering the question, you'll realise English is quite forgiving in the way it's marked as you're not required to employ 'flowery' language but just answer the question.

random broad statements as your answer to the question that doesn't even mention the text at play, and vaguely alludes to the rubric

I also have to disagree with you here, as you're indeed required to be explicit in what you're answering. When you answer essay questions, you can be slightly more implicit compared to other humanities, but being explicit is actually the key to getting good marks.

 

[dasfas]

The demands of HSC markers are so weird as well. They don't want us to be logical, in the way we stucture our essays. Essays on other subjects, like eco, business, modern, legal, pdh etc. have a very clear flow, structure and meanign to them. You are proving a point, you provide evidence and you provide causal links between points.

English is not that. You have to be flowery in your expression, making random broad statements as your answer to the question that doesn't even mention the text at play,and vaguely alludes to the rubric but oh boy do teachers at schools like ruse, baulko, syd girls and others like that., as well as HSC MARKERS.

Agreed English can be a pain, but you've got it wrong here. I only realised this in year 12, but teachers absolutely do not want broad statements, flowery expressions. Sure, you can show off your vocabulary, but it's very clear when you're trying to compensate for your lack of argument and teachers won't give you marks for it.

The most important thing is to realise that english is all about clarity in your arguments, being logical, clear, having a consistent thesis. If you read essays by the best students, they have a very very clear thesis statement and very clear logic to their arguments.

 

[DarkOperator618]

Ah yes, i feel your pain.
I had a mate whose multimodal visual aid looked like an anime comic book (i think its called manga but idk)
Man got 12/20, while my shitty visual aid gave me 20/20
Some utter bs happens in the English staffroom istg

 

[satvik_1008]

English essays that have a clear and cohesive structure usually get the best marks lol. I used to be just like you, hating on English as a whole and I would criticise its purpose and value. I was profoundly misguided on how to approach the subject as a whole and I ended up disliking it, since my essays would have no logical structure and nothing seemed to flow. I strongly believe your view of English has been distorted by your teachers at school and my best advice for you is to realise that English is about answering the question with evidence to support the claim you make. Once you simplify it to just answering the question, you'll realise English is quite forgiving in the way it's marked as you're not required to employ 'flowery' language but just answer the question.

thats how its taught at my school, and thats what I do. And thats what the exemplars that I read from my school do well. BUT when I read exemplars from other schools (baulko, ruse, etc), they dont do that, and instead are just very flowery and weird in their expession. Which reallly annoys me

 

[satvik_1008]

I also have to disagree with you here, as you're indeed required to be explicit in what you're answering. When you answer essay questions, you can be slightly more implicit compared to other humanities, but being explicit is actually the key to getting good marks.

again, there are many model essays out there from other schools I have read, that don't do that, and it really does annoy me.

 

[Mazar97]

I never understood why we had to do it and the fact that it is part of ATAR calculation is bs.

 

[satvik_1008]

I never understood why we had to do it and the fact that it is part of ATAR calculation is bs.

I know right, it should never be compulsory as part of our atar. ATAR should be measuring what we are best at, not what we have to do

 

[Etho_x]

Why. Just why

I get the point of having English in the syllabus. We should understand the culture and norms of the society we live in, we should have a unifying language that we understand, we should study how influential literature has shaped society.

I get that. I even agree. But the way it is taught in New South Wales is BS.

English here is not about appreciating quality literature, no matter how much the syllabus emphasises it as such. It is simply about spending weeks and weeks on end, painstakingly crafting each and every word of a model essay, and practicing adapting that to different questions to maximise marks.

Since when was that appreciating quality literature?

The demands of HSC markers are so weird as well. They don't want us to be logical, in the way we stucture our essays. Essays on other subjects, like eco, business, modern, legal, pdh etc. have a very clear flow, structure and meanign to them. You are proving a point, you provide evidence and you provide causal links between points.

English is not that. You have to be flowery in your expression, making random broad statements as your answer to the question that doesn't even mention the text at play,and vaguely alludes to the rubric but oh boy do teachers at schools like ruse, baulko, syd girls and others like that., as well as HSC MARKERS.

Why is english so bs like this.


On top of this, fine, make it compulsory. But why make it a COMPULSORY PART OF OUR ATAR. Sure kids should be encouraged to learn about quality literature, but it should be more like how we learn about sex ed in pdhpe, than how we learn english currently. Just something we should know. And those who like it in year 11/12 can pursue it then. Even if it were to be compulsory, at least dont make it a compusory part of the 10 units counting towards atar.

Why is english like this

ugh.

just a rant.

Pretty simple response to this:
I agree.

(I’m too lazy to type a full response forgive me lmao)

 

[idkkdi]

It’s only flowery if you don’t have the vocab to read it lmao.
Good literature should be intricately crafted and frankly flowery expression often makes it more engaging to read.

not everyone wants to read boring direct discourse.

As for the logic part I got no idea what you mean. All good essays have logical flow.

 

[idkkdi]

It’s only flowery if you don’t have the vocab to read it lmao.
Good literature should be intricately crafted and frankly flowery expression often makes it more engaging to read.

not everyone wants to read boring direct discourse.

As for the logic part I got no idea what you mean. All good essays have logical flow.

Another thing to note is what is viewed as ‘flowery expression’ often more precisely states a thing by providing more detail and connotations.

 

[Mazar97]

I know right, it should never be compulsory as part of our atar. ATAR should be measuring what we are best at, not what we have to do

Definitely agree, for example I got my results back last yr and English was my worst mark and I did way better in the unit that wasn’t counted so it’s definitely so annoying English is included in the Atar calculation despite of how bad you do.

 

[DarkOperator618]

Why. Just why

I get the point of having English in the syllabus. We should understand the culture and norms of the society we live in, we should have a unifying language that we understand, we should study how influential literature has shaped society.

I get that. I even agree. But the way it is taught in New South Wales is BS.

English here is not about appreciating quality literature, no matter how much the syllabus emphasises it as such. It is simply about spending weeks and weeks on end, painstakingly crafting each and every word of a model essay, and practicing adapting that to different questions to maximise marks.

Since when was that appreciating quality literature?

The demands of HSC markers are so weird as well. They don't want us to be logical, in the way we stucture our essays. Essays on other subjects, like eco, business, modern, legal, pdh etc. have a very clear flow, structure and meanign to them. You are proving a point, you provide evidence and you provide causal links between points.

English is not that. You have to be flowery in your expression, making random broad statements as your answer to the question that doesn't even mention the text at play,and vaguely alludes to the rubric but oh boy do teachers at schools like ruse, baulko, syd girls and others like that., as well as HSC MARKERS.

Why is english so bs like this.


On top of this, fine, make it compulsory. But why make it a COMPULSORY PART OF OUR ATAR. Sure kids should be encouraged to learn about quality literature, but it should be more like how we learn about sex ed in pdhpe, than how we learn english currently. Just something we should know. And those who like it in year 11/12 can pursue it then. Even if it were to be compulsory, at least dont make it a compusory part of the 10 units counting towards atar.

Why is english like this

ugh.

just a rant.

honestly, will we use english in life?

 

[Greninja340]

Only reason its compulsory is to nerf the asians

 

[Where's the Funny?]

Only reason its compulsory is to nerf the asians

 

[idkkdi]

Only reason its compulsory is to nerf the asians

English was legit made compulsory because too many asians were .95ing (different system at the time tho I think) when English wasn't compulsory iirc.

 

[pikachu975]

Why. Just why

I get the point of having English in the syllabus. We should understand the culture and norms of the society we live in, we should have a unifying language that we understand, we should study how influential literature has shaped society.

I get that. I even agree. But the way it is taught in New South Wales is BS.

English here is not about appreciating quality literature, no matter how much the syllabus emphasises it as such. It is simply about spending weeks and weeks on end, painstakingly crafting each and every word of a model essay, and practicing adapting that to different questions to maximise marks.

Since when was that appreciating quality literature?

The demands of HSC markers are so weird as well. They don't want us to be logical, in the way we stucture our essays. Essays on other subjects, like eco, business, modern, legal, pdh etc. have a very clear flow, structure and meanign to them. You are proving a point, you provide evidence and you provide causal links between points.

English is not that. You have to be flowery in your expression, making random broad statements as your answer to the question that doesn't even mention the text at play,and vaguely alludes to the rubric but oh boy do teachers at schools like ruse, baulko, syd girls and others like that., as well as HSC MARKERS.

Why is english so bs like this.


On top of this, fine, make it compulsory. But why make it a COMPULSORY PART OF OUR ATAR. Sure kids should be encouraged to learn about quality literature, but it should be more like how we learn about sex ed in pdhpe, than how we learn english currently. Just something we should know. And those who like it in year 11/12 can pursue it then. Even if it were to be compulsory, at least dont make it a compusory part of the 10 units counting towards atar.

Why is english like this

ugh.

just a rant.

Yea I've never used anything learnt from HSC english since then, like when am I ever gonna need to analyse a text for its themes and quotes ever in my life... But the flowery vocabulary I'd say is only if you want 95+, I still got band 6 with my very basic vocabulary (since I never read books so my vocab isn't the greatest)