I see a lot of parents seeking information about ways to improve their children's vocabulary, writing skills, spelling abilities, and all around language development.  As a former teacher,  I am sad to see the loss of respect for spelling correctly (Hey what was spell check invented for anyway?), and the lack of standards to improve students' command of the English language.  Grammar is pretty much a forgotten art.  Students know how to text message better than recognize a grammatically correct sentence.  In my work speaking to parents with children of all ages, i find that 99 out of 100 of the parents alone are incapable of defining one word that students taking the ACT and SAT are expected to understand.  it's no wonder the US is ranked as the 2nd lowest in intelligence, of all the countries in the free world!!  The only one that beat us at such a 'prestigious' # 1 spot is Mexico.  And given that they should be given a big handicap when competing with us; if this were a golf game, well--we would have it- without a doubt.

    And as a former teacher, looking on the 21st century's education priorities, I am sad, and very worried for the future of this country.  I sat in, recently, on a training program, taught by very young people, whose only certification was their SAT scores were in the 90th percentile!  I had the opportunity to take the SAT, after not seeing one in 37 yrs, it's no wonder why the scores are so 'inflated' nowadays.  The test is so dumbed down, that they include all the formulas, and theorems, (for reference!) so anyone (even someone who hasn't opened a geometry or algebra book  since high school-such as myself) can manage a decent score.  Not to mention the fact that calculators are allowed--to be used for the simplest arithmetic if you really wanted to--although they were meant to be used (like slide rules when I took it), for figuring the functions and exponentials on the test.  And of all the math questions-75% are basic arithmetic, a few algebra and geometry questions thrown in too- to separate the 'men from the boys'!--and don't forget the formulas and theorems are right there for you--no need to memorize !!

What is worse, is that I learned at this training session, that students are told--"NO NEED TO KNOW YOUR ALGEBRA OR GEOMETRY, OR EVEN THE VOCABULARY ON THE TEST. We have strategies to teach, that will make you test great, regardless of how much you really know"  If you have an algebra question, the answers are multiple choice.   Simply use our 'plug-in' strategy--voila--simple arithmetic instead (and you have a calculator if that long division is to difficult.)  And then, for geometry, and the really hard questions (there are approximately 5-10 questions that require some knowledge to solve)--but as they tell you--a hard question is worth the same points as an easy one-(how many really want to get a perfect score-?)-That might take some studying-so don't waste your time on the hard questions.-but if you want to, try 'back-solving'; a strategy that involves multiple choice questions always presented in numerical order- a-e:highest to lowest or vice-versa-and always use answer "C" to start--process of elimination--baby!!  Math teachers have to be appalled!

So getting back to the subject at hand; the prep course teaches their students  (remember the teachers are young students who scored highly-most likely by following the golden rules  of the prep course they perpetuate)  "Don't concern yourself with the vocabulary on the test "(and there are at least 200-400 4-5 syllable words on the test, not just to define, but to read within passages, multiple choice answers, within the questions that are asked, etc. etc.)  Students are taught to make educated guesses, through process of elimination, work around the word and try to figure out the point from context, and remember, most of the words in the passages aren't of the slightest bit of importance to the actual overall meaning or point of the passage anyway.  When the trainer posed the question to the class, which was basically comprised of other young people recently graduated and grateful for the help they found using these methods, "who knows what the meaning of the word paradox means anyway?"-it was one of the first words in the first sentence of a reading comprehension passage.  When I raised my hand, and no one else did, well he lost all respect for me-and knew I wouldn't fit in believing in these teaching methods, and chose to cut me from the class on account of my "undermining his authority".

Let's not completely despair yet.  There are programs out there that still equate a good command of language, with an ability to use vocabulary in everyday life, that, is more than three syllables.  Programs that teach vocabulary in a way that is fun and challenging--and as all parents know, the better the teacher, the more interesting the study materials are, prove to give the best results.  And in some circles  (still obviously respected by elementary school curriculum), spelling and grammar are still valued.   Who doesn't think that when they hear the British speaking English, or even Canadians too, how eloquent they express themselves, and (grudgingly by some-I bet) how we feel respect for their ability to use the right and most expressive words so effortlessly?  When an American does that (and I've been accused of it often enough to know how my fellow citizens react) they're called pretentious or 'putting on airs'!  I understood that I had to bring my vocabulary down to 1-2 syllable words, when I taught  in inner city schools-because if i didn't there was little chance of my students understanding what I was saying.  And i say this with no intent to insult-and i apologize if anyone is offended by my admission,but I had no other choice, if my intent was to impart knowledge.  How many heads did I go over here?

If you're interested in finding out about programs dedicated to improving education in the US, i can offer you some materials you can buy or try out, or just check out for curiosity's sake. My e-mail address is lorainreiterlr@aol.com and I'll be happy to discuss anything of which you might care to have my 2-cents worth!!