Quite Interesting @qi.com · Jul 18

The Initial Teaching Alphabet was a phonetic alphabet taught in some British schools in the 1960s. It was supposed to teach children to read faster. Instead, it created a generation of children who were unable to spell. (📷: Philip Howard)

123 likes 15 replies

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Replies

Muirly Sims · Jul 18

Some of that looks just like txt or "twit" speech that's used today! 🤣

Mary Unfaithful✔️ · Jul 18

Should they of known? But’ve course!

Simon Harris · Jul 18

Invented by James Pitman, the grandson of Isaac Pitman of shorthand fame.

PaulRobson666 · Jul 18

That's fucked up.

Olddogandgrump · Jul 18

Funnily enough @theguardian.com ran an article on this recently. I'm the right age to have been taught it, but it seems it didn't make it to Ireland. Thankfully.

Littlun007 · Jul 18

This explains why there's a bunch of Boomers who will loudly defend their right not to be able to spell properly.

Steve (unofficial) · Jul 18

I vaguely remember it at school, early/mid 70s I guess. But I don't remember actually using it or being taught it.

🚥Perrywong🚥 · Jul 18

It was used in the 70s, too. I had to endure it, despite having already learned to read, at home. My constant inability, to recognise the ‘letters’, in this abomination, led to me being considered a fool. Years later, they started using actual, fucking English. I caught up but the damage was done.

David James · Jul 18

Yep - that was me

Dirty Devotee · Jul 18

The original spelling of "donkey" was "donnie". They are miniature ("-ie") African "don" ("take away" from the farm) horses. "Don" is from whence we get the English "do" and "done".

Champie · Jul 18

That’s my egskews.

PeculiarSusan Invisible · Jul 18

We got a phonics based program (Lippencott) in the US during the 60s that managed to teach us to read with the standard alphabet and spelling. Go figure.

🍣 Robin Bobcat 🍣 · Jul 18

The US had "Hooked on Phonics", which helped kids read, but not to write.

Baylock · Jul 18

I remember seeing an article about this the other day, suggesting that it's difficult to read anything in the ITA. It's really obvious what it's saying. Why did learning in this make bad spellers when we know people can quickly learn to spell in things like l337? It's really interesting!