Baffling spelling system is blamed as literacy falls short of level in other European nations

Anushka Asthana, education correspondent
Sunday June 8, 2008
The Observer

(http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2284503,00.html)

The English spelling system is ‘absolutely, unspeakably awful’. That is the conclusion of new research that has found that children face 800 words by the age of 11 that hinder their reading because of the way they are spelt.

Monkey, asparagus, spinach, caterpillar, dwarf, banana, handkerchief, pliers, soldiers, stomach, petal and telescope have all been included on the long list of words that baffle children because they contain letter combinations that are more commonly pronounced in a different way.

The words have all been identified as problematic for reading, as opposed to writing, because of their ‘phonic unreliability’, according to the study The Most Costly English Spellings. It was presented yesterday at the conference of the Spelling Society, held at Coventry University. Masha Bell, the literacy researcher who carried out the work, argued that there were 200 words on the list that could be improved by simply dropping ’surplus letters’ such as the ‘i’ in friend or the ‘u’ in shoulder.

‘English has an absolutely, unspeakably awful spelling system,’ said Bell, a former English teacher and author of the book Understanding English Spelling. ‘It is the worst of all the alphabetical languages. It is unique in that there are not just spelling problems but reading problems. They do not exist anywhere else.’

Bell argued that the spelling system was a huge financial burden on schools and was to blame for poor literacy results compared with the rest of Europe. In Finland, where words are more likelyto be pronounced as they look, children learn to read fluently within three months, she said. In the UK, academics have found that it takes three years for a child to acquire a basic level of competence. The tricky spellings make English particularly difficult for children with dyslexia and those from disadvantaged families, who are less likely to be read to regularly by their parents.

In the research Bell highlights examples of words that have the same pronunciation but different letter combinations. Examples include to and two; clean and gene; same and aim; day and grey; kite and light; and stole and coal.

Then there are those that look alike but sound different with the combinations of ‘ea’, ‘ee’ and the letter ‘o’ causing most trouble. Among the words falling into that category are eight and height, break and dreamt, and move and post. The letters ‘ough’ can also be pronounced in a number of different ways.

Simplifying the system would transform literacy results, according to Bell, but she said people were resistant to change. ‘People feel that they have suffered so much at the hands of English spelling that they are reluctant to look at it,’ she said. Yet other countries have made changes. Last month the parliament in Portugal, where the spelling system is also thought to be complicated, voted to reform and simplify it, bringing it into line with Brazil.

‘In 1928 the Turks changed their entire alphabet from Arabic to Latin,’ said John Wells, professor of phonetics at University College London and president of the Spelling Society. ‘It happened in the Soviet Union.’ In Germany there were changes made in the 1990s to make the writing system more consistent. English has also developed with words such as ‘olde’ and ‘worlde’ dropping the ‘e’.

Wells wants to see things change again and feels there are two possible approaches. The first would be to simplify the way in which words are spelt and then allow people to choose whether to use the new or old system, while the second approach would involve a complete change. ‘The Spelling Society favours the first,’ he said.

Chris Davis, spokesman for the National Primary Headteachers’ Association, said the spelling system had a major impact on children’s literacy progress: ‘It definitely slows English children down. In international comparisons, languages that are phonetically uniform always come top.’

But he said that teachers would be reluctant to see things change. ‘It would be such a major revolution that people would find it very difficult to contemplate,’ he said.

‘There are already problems because of the different spelling system in America, but there would also be resistance about going down that route. I think it is an ownership thing, that it is our language.’ Davis argued that people felt that spelling was linked to the origin of words.

100 of the most difficult words

Orange, foreign, rhinoceros, properly, vomit, tambourine, tournament, tourist, heaven, engine, exquisite, opposite, advertisement, gnarled, rigid, risen, sinister, spinach, video, vinegar, tie, wheelie, quiet, science, crier, pliers, soldier, Monday, mongrel, monkey, courage, magic, manage, palace, four, journey, gnash, gnaw, gnome, ghastly, guard, miracle, miserable, pigeon, pity, prison, month, mother, nothing, once, smother, son, sponge, tongue, wonder, almost, both, comb, ghost, gross, most, only, post, programme, deny, reply, July, obey, caterpillar, chapel, damage, dragon, fabulous, family, famished, garage, glacier, habit, hazard, hexagonal, imagine, panic, radish, miaow, powder, cauliflower, plant, pyjamas, raft, rather, salami, task, vast, kiosk, kiwi, machine, encourage, somersault, swollen, souvenir.
 

Absolute Magazine, South Africa’s premier luxury lifestyle publication goes on sale in Exclusive Books, countrywide, for the first time in June 2008.  The June/July Space Issue examines all aspects of space and the implications thereof, be it personal, interior, living or outer space.

Cape Town, South Africa (NVISION PR) June 05, 2008 — Since its launch in February 2006, Absolute Magazine has been a Verified Free Distribution (VFD) title. From June, the magazine shall employ a dual distribution strategy of retail sales as well as continuing with the VFD for the foreseeable future while the subscriptions and sales base increases.

Absolute Magazine offers its readers truly unique content that they won’t find anywhere else. All editorial content is specifically commissioned for Absolute and no use is made of syndicated press articles. Home décor, fashion, travel, health and beauty, motoring and food features are complemented by a wide range of local content covering the arts, entertainment and business. Beautiful photography and contemporary design make each issue of Absolute Magazine a must-read.

“Being on sale in a retail environment is a new direction for us. It was the next logical step after we merged the two regional titles, Absolute Cape Town and Absolute Johannesburg, in February 2008,” says founder and editor, Fraser Dodge. “The decision was taken after careful consideration, and a lot of prompting from our readers.”

Absolute Magazine targets the most affluent homes in our communities, and its readers are discriminating, well-travelled and passionate about the finer things in life.

To coincide with the title being on sale, excellent introductory subscription offers are being made available at a 40% discount from the cover price.
 

Speak to most people and they’ll scoff when you say you’ve got balance in your life. 

Being successful as a woman is demanding. You’ve got to be the all-in-one best mother, wife and career go-getter and by the end of the day you’re left feeling exhausted and wondering if there will ever be time to do the things you want for yourself. Taryn Sydow, innovative creator of Optimal Energy, knows exactly what every working woman needs. 

With a successful career in corporate and merchant banking behind her, Taryn set out to follow her true passion of supporting professional women who are looking for more balance in life. In 2007 She created Optimal Energy, a one-day workshop aimed at facilitating a journey for women so they can master the roles that they play, while still leaving time for themselves.

With her guidance, women can explore every aspect of what being a woman involves and learn how to cope with the reality of a demanding lifestyle. By identifying what is really important to them, Taryn will help them discover a deeper self-awareness. This is a workshop about learning to understand what you want and how to achieve it as well as discovering ways to manage your relationships. The result? A sense of empowerment giving you greater control of your life. “I have personally learnt some hard lessons around the dangers of not having balance in your life and truly believe that balance is not about time management – it is about ensuring that you stay true to yourself and do the things that give you energy; the hard part is finding out what these things are. Balance is completely unique for each person and can only be obtained through a journey of self-discovery. ”

Achieving balance is equally important for men and later this year, Optimal Coaching will launch a similar workshop, called Optimal Mastery, facilitating the journey towards balance for men.

Taryn is inspirational, with the ability to walk you through the steps to discover their values, beliefs, dreams and support systems. She will not only enlighten them but also give them the knowledge that there is a difference between being and doing, and that anything they set their mind to is achievable.

Taryn has a B Comm in Accounting and Business Management and is an internationally accredited Meta Coach™ through the International Society of Neuro-Semantics (ISNS). She has completed her ICT training with Results Coaching Systems and is a member of COMENSA.

What South Africa needs more than anything else is a growing number of entrepreneurs – individuals who have the passion required to start businesses and make it successful. This is the only sustainable way to create wealth for themselves and much-needed employment for others. Unfortunately, South Africans are a little reluctant to do that, probably because historically, entrepreneurship was never seen as a viable career option.

Eric Parker, who is passionate about entrepreneurship and determined to promote it as a career of choice, decided to change all that. The first edition of his book Run Your Own Business and Make Lots of Money, first published in 2003, kindled the entrepreneurial flame in thousands of South Africans of all walks of life. In the small South African market, where a book of this nature is considered a best-seller when it sells 2 500 copies, Run Your Own Business and Make Lots of Money sold over 30 000.

Throughout the period the book was on sale, Eric hadn’t been idle. He took every opportunity to discuss the book with prospective and established entrepreneurs, gave lectures and wrote articles on entrepreneurship. At the end of each one of these interactions, he extended an invitation to his diverse audiences to provide feedback on their experiences. They responded magnificently and the gist of the wisdom that was distilled from their experiences is contained in the new edition of this book.

The book before you is not merely an update of an existing title but a comprehensive rewrite that brims over with practical advice. Regardless of whether you have read the original version or not, it will provide you with fresh insights and unlock the entrepreneur in you. It will take you from self-assessment – will you be happy as an entrepreneur – to the implementation stage, all presented in simple and easy-to-follow steps. Best of all, it will teach you how to achieve your dream of creating wealth for yourself and your family to enjoy while having fun along the way.

Eric Parker is widely sought-after as a strategist and speaker on entrepreneurship, business renewal and expansion. Working closely with his long-term collaborator Kurt Illetschko, he has published a large number of books focussing on the promotion of entrepreneurship and franchising.

As he says on the back cover of Run Your Own Business and Make Lots of Money: “If you haven’t made the move to entrepreneurship just yet, this text will assist you to make up your mind. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to reach for the stars and achieve your dreams – I personally guarantee it!” The mere fact that he follows this by giving his personal email address: eric@franchisingplus.co.za is a measure of his passion for entrepreneurship.

Run Your Own Business and Make Lots of Money is published by Frontrunner Publishing and is available from 31 May 2008 at all leading bookstores for R139.00

I received a great email today that fits quite well with my “fun with words” blog series (with thanks to the anonymous creators of these great lines):

1. A bicycle can’t stand alone; it is two tired.

2. A will is a dead giveaway.

3. Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

4. A backward poet writes inverse.

5. In a democracy it’s your vote that counts; in feudalism, it’s your
Count that votes.

6. A chicken crossing the road: poultry in motion.

7. If you don’t pay your exorcist you can get repossessed.

8. With her marriage she got a new name and a dress.

9. Show me a piano falling down a mine shaft and I’ll show you A-flat
miner.

10. When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

11. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered.

12. A grenade that fell onto a kitchen floor in France resulted in Linoleum
Blownapart.

13. You are stuck with your debt if you can’t budge it.

14. Local Area Network in Australia: The LAN down under.

15. He broke into song because he couldn’t find the key.

16. A calendar’s days are numbered.

17. A lot of money is tainted: ‘Taint yours, and ‘taint mine.

18. A boiled egg is hard to beat.

19. He had a photographic memory that was never developed.

20. A plateau is a high form of flattery.

21. The short fortuneteller who escaped from prison: a small medium at
large.

22. Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.

23. When you’ve seen one shopping centre you’ve seen a mall.

24. If you jump off a Paris bridge, you are in Seine .

25. When she saw her first strands of grey hair, she thought she’d dye.

26. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.

27. Santa’s helpers are subordinate clauses.

28. Acupuncture: a jab well done.