At least in America, the educational system has apparently changed since I was a boy (pre-Pleistocene). I think methods of learning to read have changed, and I suspect that spelling is not emphasized.

My memory of how we learned reading and spelling when I was in elementary school is sketchy (nascent Alzheimer's?), but I'm pretty sure it was different from the methods used nowadays.

All this rather worries me, because I can tell that my young Chinese students are looking at whole words, are not paying attention to the sound values of the letters even though I try to get them to, and in short, are learning to spell like Americans!

By the way, I won a silver dollar for spelling in the fourth grade. I think my mom used it one day to pay cab fare. I wish I still had it :-(

Anyway, the words will get spelled somehow.

razoo

Sanja,
ease up some.
you sound like you're in an "english" war of some kind. hee hee.

so far from what i've noticed in this forum, you've managed to use the subject of english, merely to make accusations, and insult people.

give people a chance.

if you were maybe, insulted in the past from a native english speaker, about your own english, try an realize how your words in this forum carry such venom.
you seem to be taking your frustrations out on others.

please...chill out. (^_-) have fun!

"If native and non-native speakers shouldn't be compared, why did you compare them?"

Because I was surprised that so many foreigners have better English skills than the native speakers, when it should be the other way around.

Quote: "Look at the average non-native's spelling and you will find a different picture."

Yes, but native and non-native speakers shouldn't be compared, because native speakers are always expected to be the best at their own language. When you use English every day of your life and finish school in English, you should be able to write correctly. And if you, for instance, learn French as s foreign language, you probably won't be as good as native speakers. I think it's a shame when someone can't spell their own mother language correctly.

Sanja,
to honest with you i totally understand your viewpoint, as well as My's.
i think a lot of the frustration comes from the fact that the schools and training centers always want "native-english teachers".

and this doesn't stop at nationality, but unfortunately (as we all know by now) continues on to ethnicity, age and even somtimes gender.

you sound as though you might have experienced some of this, as i have "too."
you may have excellent english skills, both written and spoken, but in the eyes of the money-making training centers, schools, and some societies, you lack the desired nationality.

it's unfortunate, but it has a lot to do with the expectations of the students, their parents and the stereotyped image of "native-english speakers.

also if you come from a non-english speaking country and you want a certain job that requires some command of english, you might experience being over-looked by potential employers.

this is also unfortunate.

i think a greater point to remember is communication is far more important than merely knowing when to dot your "i"'s and cross your "t"'s.
in america, many many people from foreign countries speak english with some accent everyday and do fine overall.

i always felt that english spoken by people around the globe brings a new and delightful character to the language.

in the states people from many countires have contributed to a kind of cultural ideology of the english language.

maybe countries like china, korea, japan or maybe slavic countries can't image this.
many from such societies swear that english is only "true" english if only spoken from the mouths of native-english folks.

this is where the discrimination sets in.
the fact is such societies are fooling themselves, and their children.

for example when students from abroad attend universities here in the states, well...unless they have a good command of the english language, they usually find that they have a very hard time understanding anyone speaking the language...native english nationals or foreigners.

plus, the fact that while they are here studying, they tend to make friends from their own countries, and usually end up speaking their native tongue daily among their friends.

they unfortunately tend to isolate themselves from the mainstream society, and then eventually return to their own native countries knowing so very little about the very country, where they studied for a few years.

once foreign students come to the states, the whole idea of "native-english speakers gets thrown out the window, because they then realize that hearing and learning english from native and non-native speakers might have been a benefit to them, while they were learning english in school.

almost only in america can you find two foreigners of any cultural background, talking with each other, or funny to mention, even holding an argument...in english.

i feel english is like any other language, and is simply a tool for communication...like the beat of drums.
everyone from around the globe, can understand the the good feeling they get from hearing the beat of music, regardless of what language they speak.

so like music, english is about communication first.

remember the positive side too...if the whole world can indeed share a common language, while still keeping their own national language, then hopefully a common language, i guess such as english, can help societies move in a positive direction for peace.