Parents of children at a primary school in the UK received a letter home from the principal encouraging them to stop their children using phrases such as 'I seen that' and 'I done that', and providing the correct phrase for each.
The school, Sacred Heart Primary School, a Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided school, criticised the use of the word 'yous' and pointed out that it should never be permitted because 'you is never a plural'.
The principal of the school in Middlesbrough, Carol Walker, says she 'would like to equip our children to go into the world of work and not be disadvantaged. We need the children to know there is a difference between dialect, accent and standard English'.
On the whole, parents were in support of the measure, although they were surprised to receive the letter, especially, they said, given the young age of the children attending the primary school. Having said that, some parents have admitted to correcting their children's speech to ensure they 'get the best start in life'.
Other schools across the UK have taken measures to correct poor language use, as it has begun to affect grammar and spelling, with one school banning 'text speak' last year.
