Why can't the 17-19 year olds that I work with spell....?

Question

They have no common sense at all, but act really cocky? How do they get away with it?

Answer 1

It's not limited to that age group - though there seems to be a concentration of it there.

This country is going to hell wrapped in sheets from the Sun and Daily Mail.

It's no better at universities - people seem to have lost the ability to think for themselves. And that includes some of the lecturers, too!

They get away with it because it's all we've come to expect. Nobody is allowed to say, no you can't come on this course because you are thick, semi-literate at best, or just don't speak English - it's all, oh, let's make a special case for those with dyslexia, ADHD, a large foreign bank account, etc.

I'm not saying we shouldn't give them some help, or a second chance, but right now we're bending over backwards and wondering why we're getting shafted...

Answer 2

When I did my exams at school, you got marked down in subjects if you had poor spelling and grammar, regardless of the subject. This no longer happens.

Also, a lot of qualifications are gained through course work, typed up on Word with spell / grammar checks. If you are handwriting, you need to know the correct spellings and grammar as there are no squiggly lines to indicate that you have made a mistake.

I also believe that there is a general arrogance with the current generation about language in particular and people seem to think that provided they can communicate their message then rules are unimportant (text speak is the one that winds me up the most - txt spk is 4 ur mbl!)

Even in spoken language, laziness is accepted because 'that's how language evolves'

When I was completing my UCCA forms to apply for university and also completing job application forms, I was led to believe that spellings and grammar have to be perfect otherwise your application gets binned instantly. I don't think that is the case any more, otherwise these people would never have been employed in the first place.

Answer 3

Because spelling and grammar are no longer thought essential skills at some schools (unlike in the "olden days" when we had regular spelling tests and work marked with corrections to incorrect grammar and spellings. Common sense does not always come naturally and general knowledge is also lacking in some youngsters. It is because they are cocky that they are able to get away with it.

Answer 4

Most of the grownups I work with can't spell, either. It seems that everywhere I go, I see signs with incorrectly spelled words or apostrophes placed into plural words. As a business owner, I would be embarrassed to have a sign with obvious spelling and grammar errors on my front door but they tend to just shrug it off and call me crazy when I point it out.

Answer 5

Because they can do no wrong, they think they are self important, they are above the law, they think they know everything (hence no need to learn anything i.e spelling and manners) Whereas we have the years to be able to see what lifes really about, and how destructive this kind of behaviour is to themselves and people around them.

Answer 6

Because the schools aren't enforcing it - which is dissgusting. We will end up with a world full of illiterates. Nobody reads books any more either which improves vocabulary spelling and grammar.

Answer 7

I've worked with a lot of adults who can't spell either. But I know what you are saying.

Answer 8

Because the poor buggers have been educated under Blair's government with little or No parental support.

Answer 9

Texting and spell checkers, they're just not used to having to spell correctly.

Answer 10

As the old saying goes: "BULL**** BAFFLES BRAINS!" They BLUFF their way, through life, most of the time!

Personally, - I'm RIGHT WITH YOU, my friend! I, too, "WONDER" about this!