In response to Re: irony (The Enlightened One)

"What do you think are the chances your post is going to make one of those dullards care?"

In answer to that question I would have to guess that it is more probable that younger teachers would be more apt to care than older teachers. But that statement needs qualifying also, so let's just say that young teachers with an interest in excellence will care more than others. I suppose the fact that many of the older teachers - especially those who have come here for a variety of reasons that are supported by their teaching rather than coming here specifically to teach - are content with the English they've got by on for their whole lives.

Yeah, laziness is a factor. Some of the statistics regarding post high school and post college academic pursuits are pretty alarming. For example, it has been said that the average college graduate in America, after the age of 30, reads only one or two books a year.

But look, I don't really have an opinion about most people who don't choose to elevate the level of their language skills. What I'm specifically referring to is those who've been given the responsibility to teach English. In the years that I've been in China, most of that time spent as a coordinator, I've encountered so many examples of the language being misrepresented in class that it's not worth mentioning all of them. Why haven't those teachers guilty of said misrepresentations taken the time or given the energy to at least familiarize themselves with the subject matter before "teaching" it improperly? Moreover, since this is a website for English teachers, it begs the question of why said "teachers" would not be embarrassed by what is revealed in their writing as a fairly weak grasp of English. Again, though, problem areas could be identified and then fixed with a little diligent study coupled with a small portion of giving a damn.