Alarming results have come from a pilot of new literacy and numeracy assessments for NCEA. The new assessments are scheduled to be introduced as part of the Ministry of Education’s review of the NCEA system.
Just one third of the pilot students passed the writing assessment, and only two thirds passed each of the reading and numeracy assessments.
In this short policy paper, Dr Michael Johnston, says that the pilot demonstrates an urgent need to reform the teaching of literacy and numeracy in New Zealand’s schools.
Dr Johnston also recommends a way ahead for the new standards, one that intends to recognise political reality while making it possible still to implement a robust credential for literacy and numeracy.
But perhaps the most important recommendation is for structured literacy and numeracy teaching to be systematically implemented in New Zealand’s schools.
Dr Johnston also recommends a way ahead for the new standards, one that intends to recognise political reality while making it possible still to implement a robust credential for literacy and numeracy.
But perhaps the most important recommendation is for structured literacy and numeracy teaching to be systematically implemented in New Zealand’s schools.
Dr Michael Johnston has held academic positions at Victoria University of Wellington for the past ten years. He holds a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Melbourne. This article was published HERE
2 comments:
Michael points to a genuine problem in education here in New Zealand. To address issues such as this it seems necessary to discriminate between measures that get at the fundamental causes and those that largely involve 'rearrangement of deckchairs' - though they too can support improvement.
Possibly two of Michael's proposed solutions are more urgent than the others:
a. Reform literacy and numeracy teaching at primary level
b. Introduce and fund structured literacy and numeracy programmes for Years 7-10
Can more be done at Teachers College to bolster trainee primary teachers' knowledge and skills in literacy and numeracy and their effectiveness in developing literacy and numeracy in young learners?
David Lillis
probably need to get kids back into schools for a start
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