Arabic numerals are simply the digits 0 through 9—the standard number symbols used in every classroom in the United States.

Another post from betting market company Polymarket read: “BREAKING: Zohran Mamdani to require all New York elementary school students to learn Arabic numerals.” The post has almost 14 million views.

  • greedytacothief@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    4·
    23 hours ago

    So, what were you reading in the sixth grade? My memory isn’t that good, but I think I was past reading Captain underpants, maybe I was up to reading Percy Jackson (sorry got a bad case of CRS). I definitely gave Harry Potter a pass through, didn’t like the main character.

    Anyway, I feel like in 6th grade I was good at reading the text of a book, but not much beyond that. Symbols, themes, subtext — those are hard for a 6th grader.

    • jjjalljs@ttrpg.networkEnglish
      8·
      19 hours ago

      6th grade is reading for plot. It’s able to read the story and understand that the hobbits brought the ring to Mordor, and Aragorn fought in Gondor.

      Anything about symbols, themed, subtext, unreliable narrators all comes later.

    • Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      20 hours ago

      You hit the nail on the head. Literacy is about more than just sounding out words - understanding the intended message is equally important.

      I wish I could be surprised, but I’ve been on internet forums long enough that it’s undeniable. It’s like understanding subtext (and even overt context) is a lost art. Making a short post and expecting readers to correctly “connect the dots” practically invites commenters to misinterpret things. So the choice is either “over-explain and risk making a super long post,” or “come back again and again when someone inevitably argues something you didn’t intend.” It’s so frustrating.