Control Descriptions in advance?

[Guest]

spelling doesn't matter so long as you are understood

Yes it does, as you will discover if you haven't already!

[Adventure Racer]

In any sport there are specific rules/laws/disciplines/whatever and for orienteering IOF descriptions are the same principle as understanding the hand signals of a ref, the better players/competitors/spectators will know them and gain an advantage.

I've got the point, and have printed off a set of descriptions to learn! The point still stands that it is another thing to learn, which can put beginners off (also see Mrs H's comment about having to explain "re-entrant" - I had exactly the same experience, which is why I brought it up). Personally I can almost always work them out, but (at the moment) still prefer written on the basis it's one less thing to think about, and being a bloke I can't multitask Maybe we should have pictorial on white and yellow for the children who can't understand words, and written on the longer courses for adults who can't understand pictures.

p.s. Any tips on how to learn them - can't think of anything much more constructive than just sitting down with the list and learning by rote and then testing myself?

all times on nopesport appear to be GMT + 1 hour, so i had done all my work

Poor excuse - since that's down to your personal settings (there is a timezone in there) I reckon you must have been cheating, and that really shouldn't be encouraged with school work.

[Q]

There is an online quiz where you can test yourself on the IOF control descriptions at:

http://www.fortnet.org/icd/

[RJ]

I've got the point, and have printed off a set of descriptions to learn!

It is one of the real pleasures of any sport.... learning the language. You wouldn't go sailing if you didn't understand.... jibe, reef (several!), trapeze, spinnaker, boom.... it is the excitement of the sport!

People soon learn new names/expressions etc.... it's no big deal.

We really need to stop putting ourselves down, and finding fault at every turn. Orienteering is a great sport.... revel in it!

[Fratello de Pingu]

Poor excuse - since that's down to your personal settings (there is a timezone in there) I reckon you must have been cheating, and that really shouldn't be encouraged with school work.

yes but my home computer is set up for GMT + 1 hour, so i was infact actually posting at 8:31am.

[jogger]

So let me get this right, the hieroglyphics translate in to a language that the average English speaking person doesn't understand (re-entrant) which then has to be paraphrased. umm sounds like an easy sport to pick up. doh!!

[EriOL]

The swedish take on it all:

1. The control description symbols were created with the purpose of making international competitions easier to handle. Not everybody understands english, believe it or not.

2. Giving out control descriptions before start is generally considered unfair. With an old map of the area and knowledge of where the start and finish is located it is possible to pinpoint some of the controls before start. This is quite common on international competitions, but can be easily avoided by giving out the descriptions on the -1 or -2 minute line.

3. It's a good idea to tell the size (like "maximum 6 x 23 cm" or something) of loose control descriptions in the pre-competition notes, especially if they are larger than normal. You can also explain unusal symbols that are used.

4. If you skip loose control descriptions completely, codes printed directly on the map (like: "1 - 146") is a must.

[ryeland of doom]

it takes about 3 mins to be told what a re-enterant is, and then after that - knowledge for life.

I learnt the word easily.. It was my third ever control. Had no idea what one was until I encountered it.

A memorable control as it was in the only block of the forest that was not fight. (Great Breech Wood, Somerset)

[graeme]

it takes about 3 mins to be told what a re-enterant is, and then after that - knowledge for life.

And (since we're on the theme) another two to learn to spell it

[Adventure Racer]

It is one of the real pleasures of any sport.... learning the language. You wouldn't go sailing if you didn't understand.... jibe, reef (several!), trapeze, spinnaker, boom.... it is the excitement of the sport!

The difference being that these are descriptions you use in conversation with other people, also having some sort of relationship to normal english (like "re-entrant") so you pick them up naturally. Meanwhile, the language of orienteering is the map symbols, which you learn by doing, and also when studying the map with other people after competing. Control descriptions OTOH is a kind of peculiar dialect of normal orieteering, only used for that singular purpose, and not something anybody ever talks about except when asking before the start "what does this symbol mean?", so the only way to learn it is to actively set out to learn it.

[RJ]

It is one of the real pleasures of any sport.... learning the language. You wouldn't go sailing if you didn't understand.... jibe, reef (several!), trapeze, spinnaker, boom.... it is the excitement of the sport!

The difference being that these are descriptions you use in conversation with other people, also having some sort of relationship to normal english (like "re-entrant") so you pick them up naturally. Meanwhile, the language of orienteering is the map symbols, which you learn by doing, and also when studying the map with other people after competing. Control descriptions OTOH is a kind of peculiar dialect of normal orieteering, only used for that singular purpose, and not something anybody ever talks about except when asking before the start "what does this symbol mean?", so the only way to learn it is to actively set out to learn it.

Yes... and sailing has, in similar fashion to pictorial descriptions, a set of flags that are flown from shore and on boats to designate various actions to be taken!

Orienteering is wonderful.... all these things make it the great sport it is. To repeat... revel in it!

[awk]

I've got the point, and have printed off a set of descriptions to learn! The point still stands that it is another thing to learn, which can put beginners off

One of the great joys of pictorial descriptions is that they are easy for young children to learn: I use pictorial descriptions from the outset with my children, and they really enjoy them. Once or twice it's been necessary - they have been orienteering before they can read properly! They also enjoy the mastery of this skill! In fact, the last event I took them to, several translated the written descriptions into pictorials, as 'they are easier to read'. They are also what 'real' orienteers use.

And what are they? Beginners!

The fact is that every sport has its skills that need to be learned. Pictorials are not difficult, especially for beginners (far easier than trying to mentally visualise a verbal description), especially as beginner courses usually use a limited range of descriptions.

The longer term advantages of pictorials (ease of visualisation, rapidity of reading, international) far outweigh any shorter term disadvantages.

What IS a constant source of mystery to me is why it's the youngest junior classes that get written descriptions provided - they are the very ones who should have pictorials from the word go.

[Tatty]

Just as said in my previous post !!

[lincolnsteve]

I have been following this post with interest for a while now, control descriptions for kids is never something I have had to think about as I don't have any or ever orienteered as a small child however I am organising our clubs first ever C3 in March and given the response from parents on here I have told the planner (who maybe lurking in the mists somewhere on here) to provide both written & pictorial descriptions.

I have to agree with AWK that pictorials for kids at a very early age can only be a good thing, their minds are like sponges which absorbs lots of info all the time, unlike older people who I feel sometimes refuse to learn new stuff as they think it will be too hard or just can't be bothered (hmm a bit of controversy there maybe!)

Steve

[Guest]

Using pictorial descriptions for juniors / beginners may be okay for those who orienteer a couple of times a month (or more). But seems likely to be more tricky for people who only try it every other month.

To address this, should we always display tables of pictorial descriptions at enquiries - and possibly the start.

To take AWK's point further, should we start using pictorial descriptions as "controls" on the string course?