Jung Chang’s Wild Swans and James Joyce’s Dubliners don’t make my list of “books that changed my life” but as required reading for my grade twelve English class and therefore the sole focus of my attention for an entire year, let’s just say they’ve stuck in my mind.
If I ever want to remember what it felt like to devote an entire year to reading a couple of books, I only have to grab them down from the bookshelf and flick through the curled up pages and read the number of Post-it-notes still stuck to the spine or the lead pencil scrawled in the margins; a testimony to the days, weeks and months spent poring over the content, the characters, the plot line, the history and in the case of Wild Swans, the extensive family tree printed on the inside cover.
Yes, both books eventually did my head in. Yes, I often questioned their impact on my future life, the one that was sooo hard to see from my bedroom desk. But I’m glad I read them.
At first glance literature isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But, just like a masterpiece in the art world or the speciality dish of a great chef, it’s the culmination of years of practise and development that in turn, as long as it’s got an interesting message, deserves to be the subject of someone else’s study. And what better audience than someone young enough to absorb the rhythm and skills of the writer’s style, and maybe even lend some kind of inspiration.
My seventeen year old self would probably roll her eyes at me, but it’s these things that I think of when I read in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph that New South Wales HSC students would be happier to do away with the literature aspect of the Advanced English curriculum and focus on grammar and language instead.
Bruce McDougall reports that one in six students who completed their final subjects last year, felt the exams were not fair, and another 18 per cent considered the assessment tasks too hard while Advanced English students had been the most vocal in their opposition to the structure of the curriculum.
“There isn’t an emphasis on grammar. There’s a big focus on content and so many students can end up losing the fundamentals,” one student told The Daily Telegraph.
“I would like to see more on communication so that we can be articulate in the workplace,” said another.
According to the NSW Board of Studies website, the Advanced English curriculum was devised to “encourage independent learning”, “critical thinking” and an appreciation of “cultural heritage”.
And it’s true. Pledging your allegiance to one or two books for an entire year might not seem like the most rewarding thing in the world at the time and yes, grammar and language are essential, but a solid grasp of both are the tools of a good writer and a strong communicator. Skills that are important in almost every job you can think of.
The stronger argument to be made here lies in developing a better understanding of a student’s ability or your own capacity as a student. Be honest with yourself and if you need more work on your spelling and grammar, the higher levels of English subjects are probably not for you.
But if you’re feeling confident in those areas and you’re enthusiastic about language, how bad can spending a year devoted to the writing of some of the world’s greatest writers be? At the very least you’ll have something to talk about during a dinner party.
Facebook Recommendations
Read all about it
Punch live
Up to the minute Twitter chatter
@sarselack The question was to implications for public projects *like NBN* when industry is building vast internet infrastructure
Google is planning to build a wireless network to reach a billion people http://t.co/e972OOc2FT ... NBN implications?
RT @newscomauHQ: A suspected slur against Adam Goodes has marred the Indigenous round of the AFL at the MCG tonight. http://t.co/5oHSus5ekW
Recent posts
The latest and greatest
The Punch is moving house
Good morning Punchers. After four years of excellent fun and great conversation, this is the final post…
Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?
I have had some close calls, one that involved what looked to me like an AK47 pointed my way, followed…
Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”
In a world in which there are still people who subscribe to the vile notion that certain victims of sexual…
Nosebleed Section
choice ringside rantings
From: Hasbro, go straight to gaol, do not pass go
Tim says:
They should update other things in the game too. Instead of a get out of jail free card, they should have a Dodgy Lawyer card that not only gets you out of jail straight away but also gives you a fat payout in compensation for daring to arrest you in the first place. Instead of getting a hotel when you… [read more]From: A guide to summer festivals especially if you wouldn’t go
Kel says:
If you want a festival for older people or for families alike, get amongst the respectable punters at Bluesfest. A truly amazing festival experience to be had of ALL AGES. And all the young "festivalgoers" usually write themselves off on the first night, only to never hear from them again the rest of… [read more]Gentle jabs to the ribs
Superman needs saving
Can somebody please save Superman? He seems to be going through a bit of a crisis. Eighteen months ago,… Read more
Most commented