Know Your Onions

As of September I’m going to be learning about teaching English to teenagers, so I figured it was about time I brushed up on my subject knowledge. The English half of my undergraduate degree was English Literature (joint honours with History) so while I’m not going to get complacent about my English Lit knowledge, I definitely need to brush up on English Language.

When I was at school English Language was something you were just expected to pick up as you went along. I remember being taught in primary school that (and I quote) “An apostrophe is a comma with its flying license”. Funny when you’re seven, but useless when you need to know how to apply it. By secondary school it was just assumed that we all knew how to use punctuation. Thankfully one discerning teacher realised the problem just before our GCSEs and gave us a crash course in apostrophes, with a bit about colons and semi-colons. Sometimes I wonder if we weren’t taught this stuff because our teachers didn’t know it. Even now, when I’m in school, I hear confused explanations of how to use punctuation, unless it’s a full stop. Aside from punctuation, I think I got most of my knowledge of what is a ‘verb’ or ‘adverb’ from French classes. And as for what constitutes correct sentence structure…well, I’m still waiting for that little lightbulb to appear.

Obviously, I can’t be doing that much wrong. I did complete an English dissertation, and no one mentioned any problems with my language skills. I guess I have just picked it up as I went along. But, I have identified English Language as my weak area. So I’ve been out and bought a book. Now, I’ve not finished it yet but I’m going to recommend it you.

My Grammar and I (or Should That Be ‘Me’?)- Caroline Taggart & J.A. Vines
This book is brilliant. It is not a dull drudge through the rules of correct grammar. It’s hilarious. I’m sure I’ve been annoying everyone around me by sporadically bursting out laughing, then reading out snippets from the book. It is so funny. It’s also really well organised, so you can just dip into sections as and when you need them.

I’ve also had Trevor Wright’s How to Be A Brilliant English Teacher recommended to me. I’ve yet to read this, but once I do I will review it in the blog.

Not forgetting the dreaded QTS skills tests. Apparently Jim Johnson’s Achieving QTS Skills tests books are good (again, I’ll write about them once I’ve read them). Although until then, I have bookmarked the online practice tests.

 

 And in order to maintain that ever-so-important work/life balance; I’ll also be taking Rachel Khoo’s The Little Paris Kitchen with me to University. I think on my one day away from work I’ll be trying out the recipes. Very excited.

 



Any suggestions for what I else I could be reading to improve my subject knowledge?

This ‘Know Your Onions’/ reading corner could become a semi-regular feature on this blog, especially if I keep finding books as brilliant as My Grammar and I (or Should That Be ‘Me’?)

Oh, and as an afterthought, after deciding on the title of this post, I got to wondering about the origins of the phrase 'Know you Onions'. After a quick google, voila, an explanation.

UPDATE: After I posted this, the tes posted on Twitter this page of recommended reads for trainee teachers. Handy.