The Debate Over Merit Pay for Teachers Part II

Question

Critics say performance-based pay should recognize all that happens in a classroom, not just student performance on tests. All that will do, they say, is get teachers to teach to the test. This is already a concern now that yearly testing is federally required for millions of students.

The above is a whole paragraph from the article (http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2007-09-26-voa2.cfm ). I just can not see how the red part relates to the blue. Please help. Thanks.

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

People are already concerned that teachers will "teach to the test" because of the federally required testing. If their pay also depends on students having high test scores, they will increase the amount of efforts spent on getting students to learn test answers instead of the overall concepts they should be learning.

Osee · Answer

Ha, I know why I did not understand that sentence. I thought "now" there just an adverb with the same meaning as "at present"; in fact, it is in the phrase "now that" which means "since" or "in view of the fact that." Right? With this understanding, the original sentence is easy to understand.

But I feel so angry about the person who made such a phrase "now that!"

Because we know adverbs sometimes can be put anywhere in a sentence. For example:

Now it is a concern that we should pay more attention to.

It is now a concern that we should pay more attention to.

It is a concern now that we should pay more attention to.

Obviously the third sentence is a little confusing at least at your first glant.

Any comment about what I say there? Thanks a lot!

Grammar GeekPeople are already concerned that teachers will "teach to the test" because of the federally required testing. If their pay also depends on students having high test scores, they will increase the amount of efforts spent on getting students to learn test answers instead of the overall concepts they should be learning.

BarbaraPA · Answer

Yes Osee! Good instincts! "Now that" is pretty much the same as "in view of the fact that X is currently happening."

It does note that whatever it is that's happening is a change from a past situation, however.

And yes, a lot of those pesky adverbs can move around in the sentence.

Osee · Answer

Hi Grammar Geek,

May I ask some further questions about what you said below? Thanks a lot.

Grammar GeekYes Osee! Good instincts! (Q: What's this mean?)"Now that" is pretty much the same as "in view of the fact that X is currently happening."

It does note that whatever it is that's happening is a change from a past situation, however. (Q: I do not understand this sentence totally; would you like to say it another way?)

And yes, a lot of those pesky adverbs can move around in the sentence.

BarbaraPA · Answer

Good instincts means that your guesses or assumptions about English are good.

I mean that when you use "now that" it's not a simple substiution for "since" or "because." It notes that the situation has changed in some way.

Osee · Answer

This is already a concern because yearly testing is federally required for millions of students.

This is already a concern now that yearly testing is federally required for millions of students.

So, by what you said below the green part, the second sentence above, comparing to the first above, not only means the testing is now required, but also implies testing was not required for millions of student in the past. Is this right?

In addition, I remember that "in that" also means "because." Then what's difference between them? Thanks a lot.

Grammar GeekGood instincts means that your guesses or assumptions about English are good.

I mean that when you use "now that" it's not a simple substiution for "since" or "because." It notes that the situation has changed in some way.

The Debate Over Merit Pay for Teachers Part II

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