Deputy Principal, Teaching and Learning
This week it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to our Head of English Mrs Belinda Nichols, as she reflects on some of the key skills that our students will require in their future world of work, study and life.
George Orwell, author of 1984, and one of the most significant authors of the 20th century once declared ‘If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them’.
While I don’t necessarily agree with Orwell – I don’t think he considered the incredible thinking and understanding of the world’s ancient and indigenous cultures who didn’t necessarily record their thoughts and document their lives in a written form – I have been prompted recently to think about his claim in relation to contemporary society, particularly as the impact of an explosion of information is becoming increasingly prevalent and pervasive in our society.
So, how might we consider Orwell’s words? He was certainly making a link between reading and writing and navigating the world (in his case a world devastated by regimes - Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia, who wielded language and information to generate fear and perpetrate some of the most horrific and unimaginable crimes against citizens). In essence his statement is a plea for the recognition of the importance of a confidently literate public, who have the skills and capacity to query and question the information they receive from governments and media; not to subscribe to conspiracy theories but to ask questions about where information comes from, to check the validity of claims, to think carefully about the implications of words and have the confidence and the skills to consider the simple but significant questions – What is said (and by whom) How is it said (what language, tone and literary devices are employed) and Why is it said (what does the writer want the reader to think, feel or do as a result of making that particular claim).
These questions are at the heart of English teaching, particularly in the senior years and I have been reminded, as the ubiquitous nature of social media is being increasingly scrutinised, as is its impact on young people, of the importance of thinking and language. A recent article, published in response to research findings by Plan International, titled ‘I was afraid I was going to die’: Misinformation fuels vaccine hesitancy underpinned why literacy and the ability to ask questions and discern the validity of information can be a matter of life or death! The article outlined the impact of misinformation on the lives of young people, particularly in relation to Covid 19 and vaccinations. The report noted that “COVID-19 is regarded as the first pandemic of the social media age, according to a global report by girls’ equality charity Plan International, which surveyed more than 26,000 girls and young women from 26 countries and found false information was severely impacting their lives.”
In the English classroom students are taught to analyse the ways in which language is used to persuade and this was recognised in the same article; it is taught specifically in Using Language to Persuade tasks but also in Text Response tasks where students analyse how ideas are presented in texts. While the 2021 cohort may not always see the relevance of Wordsworth’s poetry in their lives (although his emphasis on the importance of nature, community and creativity has struck a worldwide chord since the beginning of the pandemic), the skills developed while analysing, discussing and synthesing ideas about the poetry are critical – what does he write, how does he write it and WHY does he write it?
So, what can we take away from Orwell’s claim? In this day and age, where former Facebook employee, Frances Hagen, has testified in a Congressional hearing about the insidious and dangerous methods utilised by social media giants to influence young people, and the subsequent fear and confusion misinformation and disinformation can generate, the skills developed in English, while not always immediately apparent to students and parents, become more vital than ever, to ensure we are equipping young people with the literary weaponry to navigate a complex world – to send our students into the world with the capacity to question information and to make sure ‘ others do not do their thinking for them’.
Belinda Nichols
Head of English
Susan Bradbeer
Deputy Principal, Teaching and Learning