*headdesk*
Mar. 15th, 2004 07:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maderrTaken from the fox news site here.
In Atlanta, students who are "on track to attend college" but have "poor reading skills" are reading Shakespeare without Shakespearean language. Study guides translate Shakespeare into pedestrian modern English, so students don't have to struggle. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Leon Allen, a student in (Connie) Kollias' class, didn't understand the original line. But he read the translated sentence aloud with ease.
"It's nice because all those ancient words aren't there," he said. "It is a cool story — what with people making plans to kill one another. It can be difficult because everyone has strange names, but at least it isn't using any of those old words anymore."
In one version, "Beware the ides of March" in Julius Caesar becomes "Beware of March 15."
I keep wondering about students who are incapable of reading Shakespearean language yet are considered "on track to attend college." How can they do college-level work if they can't figure out "lend me your ears" isn't about organ transplants? Maybe they'll just "attend" college but not actually pass any courses.
I remember the joy I experienced when I realized that Shakespeare's "hautboys" were oboes and that the word comes from haut bois or high wood. That was so cool.
In Atlanta, students who are "on track to attend college" but have "poor reading skills" are reading Shakespeare without Shakespearean language. Study guides translate Shakespeare into pedestrian modern English, so students don't have to struggle. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Leon Allen, a student in (Connie) Kollias' class, didn't understand the original line. But he read the translated sentence aloud with ease.
"It's nice because all those ancient words aren't there," he said. "It is a cool story — what with people making plans to kill one another. It can be difficult because everyone has strange names, but at least it isn't using any of those old words anymore."
In one version, "Beware the ides of March" in Julius Caesar becomes "Beware of March 15."
I keep wondering about students who are incapable of reading Shakespearean language yet are considered "on track to attend college." How can they do college-level work if they can't figure out "lend me your ears" isn't about organ transplants? Maybe they'll just "attend" college but not actually pass any courses.
I remember the joy I experienced when I realized that Shakespeare's "hautboys" were oboes and that the word comes from haut bois or high wood. That was so cool.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-15 08:02 pm (UTC)Mew. It bothers me - REALLY bothers me - that the dumbing down of literature is becoming acceptable. I mean it's not that hard to understand if you just sit down and try.
That's okay, I only just got the comp back (dad was doing tax stuff).
no subject
Date: 2004-03-15 08:42 pm (UTC)Errr.. don't mind me... I'd blocked it out that you were staying off the comp -_-;;