Write-on mess
UNIVERSITIES TOLD TO IGNORE BAD SPELLING
UNIVERSITIES will no longer insist on students being able to spell because it is “elitist”.
Professors are being told that an insistence on literacy discriminates against ethnic minorities and pupils from schools in deprived areas.
The Office for Students says it needs to close the gap between white and black students getting good degrees.
It also wants to help prevent “poor” students from dropping out.
At Hull University a policy has been introduced, saying that a requirement to read and write properly is “homogenous, North white, male, and elite”.
At the University of the Arts London academics have been told to “accept spelling, grammar or other language mistakes that do not significantly impede communication unless the brief states that formally accurate language is a requirement”.
And professors at Worcester
European,
University should not mark down poor spelling, grammar and punctuation and judge students on their ideas and knowledge of the subject.
Academics have slammed the decision. Professor Alan Smithers, an education expert at Buckingham University, said: “Exams are there to discriminate between those who can and those who cannot, including being able to say clearly what you mean. This approach won’t do the students any favours in getting and keeping a job.
“Gaps will only be truly narrowed by supporting students more and teaching them to write well rather than ignoring mistakes.”
And Professor Frank Furedi, of Kent University, added: “Lowering standards of assessment lowers expectation of what students should achieve. Worse, normalisation of illiteracy flatters instead of educates students.”