I am a picky reader, but it is in my nature to keep silent about threads I find unsatisfactory, because, in the end, I am a reader, not a moderator. In the last few days one thread has been very hot (amazingly) and was warmly received by a number of readers. I was at first confounded, then alarmed. I realised that even as mere members of the forum, one has the responsibility to point out what is not right. A responsibility—so I call it; and presently I am taking it up.
By my understanding this board should mainly—if not always—focus on the issues of oversea study, such as the sharing of experience, exchange of opinions, Q&A, etc., as it is so named. Sadly, visitors to this board seem to be more interested in other affairs. Arely the former moderator, who is applying to take up the position again, went even further by setting up this “One Practice a Week” activity. Let us take a close look at it: “List whatever words you know about people.” The answers? “short, tall, beautiful, ugly…” I was amused. What kind of board is this? Study Abroad? Is not there a board specially designated for junior school English? I would suggest this board be renamed to “Primary School English”. You know, kids can speak pretty good English nowadays.
Secondly, in order to teach, one must be qualified to do it. The question in the first practice was quite easy, but how has the “teacher” marked the answers? I tried my best to forget about the countless grammar mistakes, but we still have things like “shepherd牧羊人。 perhaps wrote wrong. It should be sheepherder.”, “灰色的 should be “grey”, not “gray”， “Gray”is the name of men。”...
Last but not the least: the grading system. I noted that some of the replies have got three stars from the moderator. I cannot help doubting the whole system, or, at least, how it is implemented. I know people would answer me by saying that some stars are meant for encouragement and then go on to talk about how it motivates the learners of English. But this is not the whole case. I take it agreed that simple listing of words deserves no star at all, which means all the three stars are for encouragement. Three stars, out of five! I feel obliged to ask the moderator (and don’t forget about the manager): is this a little bit—just a little bit—too many?
After finishing this thread I read another one which is on reverse culture shock. Good topic, as it exactly suits the present board. The language is…well…okay, even though the writer chose to forget about capital letters, which, I must point out, is the basic for any formal writing. Remember, he/she has lived in Australia for several years. I will not comment on the content. The manager of English Salon often stressed that content is of the foremost importance when judging an essay. Whether this thread has talked about anything we shall leave to the reader to decide. Of course, the reader must read it—and understand it—in the first place.
Here I am trying to draw the attention of moderator and manager and whoever that has a heart for this forum, because I have been staying with it for some time and I hope it will go better, not worse. I am stating my reasons again for I do not want to be mistaken as an “irrational critic”.
