Re: [xmca] new national curriculum in Australia

[mike cole <lchcmike@gmail.com>]

Ain't got hardly know hidea of what 2 due about grammar, Andy.
There is a book by Markova, student of Davydov's, on teaching Russian
to Russian kids that may provide some insight.

Speaking from personal experience, I was totally put off and confused by the
lessons designed to teach me (American) English grammar that involved
parsining sentences in diagrams that totally befuddled me,
used as i was, to speaking in (more or less grammatical) sentences without
realizing what i was doing.

I believe that my most effective education in learning grammar in a
conscious, motivated, and (largely ineffective) manner came when i began to
learn Russian as a graduate student.

My wife, Sheila, and i puzzled over such arcane issues as what is the
genetive or dative case? Case? I was a mental case. I learned Russian most
effectively elbow to elbow with other of Luria's lab assistants who need to
get the job done but could not speak English.

I always marvel at the ability of people like David Kel to think about these
matters from, so to speak, above. I find it difficult to think about them at
all. Its like chewing gum, walking, and considering what the hell m=mc**2 at
the same time!!  (actually, i am guessing that the ** convention which I
learned when I learned Fortran, has something to do with grammar, but that
was in the prior millenium).

Zo hit goz.
mike

On Mon, Mar 1, 2010 at 6:21 PM, Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net> wrote:

> Our immensely incompetent Labor Government yesterday announced their new
> national curriculum for schools (formerly this was a state responsibility).
>
> It features the teaching of history from the very beginning, including
> indigenous history (this is an unambiguous good) and emphasises the 3 Rs,
> including grammar. No curriculum has been set yet in Geography and other
> subjects.
>
>
> http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/a-sound-beginning-20100301-pdlv.html
>
> Helen raised with me off-line this problem of reintroducing the teaching of
> grammar: who is going to educate the educators? Anyone under 55 today did
> not learn grammar at school or until they did a foreign language, when they
> learnt the grammar of the other language. (Grammar means "Which icon do I
> click now?")
>
> What do xmca-ers think about teaching grammar? (I am in favour.)
>
> Also, many progressive educators here are opposed to curricula in toto:
> education should be about learning not content. Do xmca-ers agree?
>
> Given the disastrous implementation of policies by this government over the
> past 2 years, I fear for our education system. What do people think?
>
> Andy
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Andy Blunden http://www.erythrospress.com/
> Classics in Activity Theory: Hegel, Leontyev, Meshcheryakov, Ilyenkov $20
> ea
>
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