I was teaching grammar and punctuation back in the early sixties but not what you described.
Yes, I was, of course, referring solely to the UK education system of the time.
And actually, I have no idea how widespread this was. It could have been solely the Scottish education system of the time. Or even a locally based experiment. I have absolutely no idea. The one clear memory I have - other than trying to mercifully forget what I was taught - is of our teacher describing the bright and glorious future where writing was no more and machines did all the work for us.
LabRat
