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English is too hard to read for children | News crumb | EducationGuardian.co.uk

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by

Jax Blunt
in

English is too hard to read for children | News crumb | EducationGuardian.co.uk

Monkey, asparagus, spinach, caterpillar, dwarf, banana, handkerchief, pliers, soldiers, stomach, petal and telescope have all been included on the long list of words that baffle children because they contain letter combinations that are more commonly pronounced in a different way.

Interesting article that suggests we should simplify the way that English is spelt. This would mean that we (the adults) would have to learn to spell differently presumably, or our children wouldn’t be able to read what we had written.

Which would read something like this?

Interesting artikle that sujests we shuld simplify the way that Inglish is spelt. This wuld meen that we (the adults) wuld hav to lern to spell differently presumably or our children wuldn’t be able to reed what we had ritten.

Urgh.

Comments

8 responses to “English is too hard to read for children | News crumb | EducationGuardian.co.uk”

  1. Merry avatar
    Merry

    “caterpillar”
    Am i missing something? What bit of this isn’t easy to sound out?
    Like the new look.

    Reply
  2. Jax avatar
    Jax

    wouldn’t get to used to the look just yet, it’s a work in progress 🙂

    Reply
  3. Tim avatar
    Tim

    I think I am done with the theme. Any problems, could you let me know dear reader.

    Reply
  4. Tim avatar
    Tim

    Oh, and advanced smilies are back. :cheer:
    S M I L I E S

    Reply
  5. Tim avatar
    Tim

    Monkey, isperegoos, spinech, ceterpiller, dwerff, boonoona, hoondkerchieff, pliers, soldiers, stomech, petel und telescope-a hefe-a ill beee-a inclooded oon zee-a long list ooff words zeet beffffle-a childree-a becoooose-a zeey contein letter combineshoons zeet ire-a more-a commonly pronooonced in a difffferent wey. Bork Bork Bork!

    Reply
  6. Sazza avatar
    Sazza

    Wot utta toss(at least one word won’t require ammendment). Apparently Finnish is reasonably easy, so perhaps we could dispense with the archaic nonsense that is English, and embrace Suomi. Why was ‘Kiwi’ included in the final list? It’s Maori, it’s phonetic, it’s meant to portray the bird’s call!!

    Reply
  7. Tim avatar
    Tim

    Has crossed my mind that for someone like my brother, who cannot decode words phonetically, it would be a real pain. He would have to learn each respelled word from scratch, all over again.

    Reply
  8. barbara avatar
    barbara

    spanish is phonetic and it works well. but to change a language doesn’t seem quite right. then again i never had a problem with spelling so to me english seems fine as it is. my eldest however is still struggling at 14 with words like wich and wat and majick and she was reading well by 5 and devours books so it can’t be that…
    and as tim said his brother would struggle with phonetics so whatever happens whether it’s left well alone or meddled with it’s not going to suit everyone. suits me fine as it is and if it changes i’ll live with suddenly not being able to spell….

    Reply

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