The error quotient for assessment in lessons is being abolished in one federal state - apparently much to the annoyance of entrepreneur Wolfgang Grupp.
Munich – The former Trigema boss, Wolfgang Grupp, always causes a stir with his statements. Grupp recently made a clear statement about the 4-day week. Now the wealthy entrepreneur railed against a new spelling reform in German schools.
Spelling reform in schools: Schleswig-Holstein abolishes error quotients in German lessons
In Schleswig-Holstein, the number of spelling errors in German lessons will no longer be crucial for students from the coming school year. The reform eliminates the so-called error quotient for assessing spelling skills. “Regardless of this, the assessment of spelling and punctuation remains an important part of the grade,” explained Education Minister Karin Prien (CDU) on Tuesday (April 9).
For students, the error quotient previously meant: Anyone who did everything correctly in the class test might not get an A. For a spelling mistake in 149 words, students only received a grade of 2, for a mistake in 99 words they received a grade of 3. Although the regulation is adapted to the educational level of the children, it is now history in the north.
“A shortcoming for the individual”: Wolfgang Grupp rails against spelling reform
The spelling reform should make many students in Schleswig-Holstein happy. Entrepreneur Grupp, on the other hand, apparently has little understanding of this. “We shouldn’t complain that future generations no longer want to perform if we even give in when it comes to spelling,” the 82-year-old complained
at
Bild.de.
“We evaluate applicants based on the cover letter. If someone has a lot of errors in it, then they will be thrown out of the selection. That’s a disadvantage for the individual – you’re ruining the future for the children.”
“The abolition of the error quotient must not lead to students getting the impression that spelling rules and grammar play no role in their later professional life,” said Kirsten Schmöckel, state chairwoman of the Philologists’ Association, to the
Kieler Nachrichten
. The results of the last PISA study recently caused a stir: German students delivered the weakest results in the history of the study.
On the other hand, the former chairman of the teachers' association, Heinz-Peter Meidinger, did not think much of the error quotient. “It unreasonably restricts teachers’ pedagogical discretion,” he said years ago on
t-online
. Instead of simply counting errors, students should in future “receive qualitative feedback about the main areas of error and the systematic nature of their errors,” explained Schleswig-Holstein’s Education Minister Prien. This would allow teachers to assess spelling skills more fairly based on an analysis sheet.
Wolfgang Grupp against spelling reform: That's what a supporter says
While critics like Grupp fear that spelling could become less important as a result of the reform, for the chairman of the Hamburg High School Principals Association (VLHGS) it is “the right step”. Christian Gefert told
Bild
: “Linguistic expression is not just about expressing itself without mistakes. Example: A punctuation error can shift the meaning of an entire sentence or can simply be a missing comma. Of course we have to continue to highlight mistakes, but we also have to weigh them in terms of their importance.”
According to the Ministry of Education, with the spelling reform in Schleswig-Holstein, only in Hesse will an error quotient be used to assess spelling skills for the new school year. The background is a nationwide standardization of examination conditions. Meanwhile, a teacher faces consequences for wearing a baseball cap to school.
(kas/dpa)