Some fear such moves could alienate some pupils.ĭr Marcello Giovanelli, a senior lecturer in English language and literature at Aston University, said: “Slang has always been at the forefront of linguistic innovation.” He described “he cut his eyes at me” as a “wonderfully creative example” and said “dismissing students’ home or own use of language may have negative effects on identity and confidence”. The instructions encourage the use of “furthermore”, “consequently” and “in conclusion” to link sentences and clarify meaning. They include avoiding the use of “colloquialisms” such as “like” and “so” in academic speech and writing. In Birmingham, St Thomas Aquinas Catholic school has attached instructions to schoolbooks about achieving “eloquence”. Other schools are also trying to restrain rapidly evolving slang, which is finding its way into pupils’ written and oral work.
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“Oh my days” appears in lyrics by Stormzy, and even inspired a line in T-shirts after the footballer Jeremie Frimpong, declared “oh my days, best game ever” in a post-match TV interview after winning a trophy for Celtic against Rangers. “He cut his eyes at me” is a phrase that has been used by the popular teen novelist Lily Anderson as well as Richard Ford, the 77-year-old American writer. Some of the phrases prohibited in formal learning at Ark All Saints have been widely used in books and music. Yet, as a subject of study, “code-switching/style-shifting, youth slang … and use of accent and dialect” is increasingly of interest to English language A-level students, according to the AQA exam board. A 2019 survey of 2,100 tutors found that “slanglish” was the most common reason for English GCSE failures. Bridging the gap between what is normal language for pupils and what is acceptable for exams is a challenge for teachers. External examiners have noted pupils nationwide using “unnecessarily rude and strident vocabulary” in weaker answers. The intervention may reflect a widening gap between language that is accepted by examiners and that used day-to-day by pupils in some areas of the UK. But this list is used in some formal learning settings to help students understand the importance of expressing themselves clearly and accurately, not least through written language in examinations.” “None of the words or phrases listed are banned from general use in our school or when our students are interacting socially. “The development of reading and speaking skills is a central part of what drives our school to help our students learn effectively and fulfil their potential in academic and non-academic ways,” said Lucy Frame, the principal at the school in Camberwell, south-east London.
The school said the specific words and phrases on the list were selected because they were “showing up a lot in pupils’ work” and it stressed the importance of pupils expressing themselves “clearly and accurately”.Įxpressions that must not be used at the beginning of sentences include: “ermmm”, “because”, “no”, “like”, “say”, “you see”, “you know”, and “basically”. Teachers say it guides pupils to use language that fits more formal situations and helps them succeed.
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