Several respondents said their schools bankrolled literacy catch-up classes and training from the Kahui Ako scheme that gave some teachers release time for specialist work with other teachers in their school or across groups of schools.
An English teacher from a large, low-decile school who RNZ agreed not to name, said that arrangement allowed her to work with four classes of Year 9 students who could not read.
The fact so many students can’t read after eight years of schooling is a disgrace. The poor secondary schools shouldn’t have to be teaching third formers (showing my age) how to read.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
8 comments:
When less than 40% of students attended school regularly over Labour's second term in office, is it any wonder that they now can't read? At least these schools are doing something about it, but I suspect most are more interested in teaching Treaty propaganda.
If pupils were failed to their level as of old likely they would not be at sea in classes beyond them, and a huge drag on the teachers. Including when the pupils are so dispirited they regularly stay away.
The failure here is clearly with the primary schools. I suggest we go back to an examination at the conclusion of primary school that kids have to pass to be promoted to high school (last run in 1936 if my memory serves me right). An alternative would be to put those kids straight into a remedial stream when they get to high school. The exam would enable the Ministry to put red-ink circles around primary schools that are apparently not doing their job and take action accordingly.
There is much criticism of streaming and examinations in schools. The argument against streaming is that in a class of mixed abilities, the bright ones bring up the not so bright ones but I think the bright ones just get bored and become disruptive. Some pupils fail and some excel, but without examinations, who knows which is which?
Allen, your argument against streaming is actually one in favour of streaming, as all kids in the class are at about the same level in a streamed class. 'Bright ones' and 'non-bright ones' arise in the context of a mixed-ability class, i.e. one that has not come about by streaming.
This is a crisis , that few people care to write about . Thank you , David.
As a self -proclaimed expert in NZ literacy history , I believe the answer to this lies in the past . From 1930-50 the NZ Whitcombe and Tomb' s Progressive Readers and Phonic Readers for infant classes (primer one to four - 5-7 year olds) readers were home based and OWNED by the parents . Consequently parents were an integral part of teaching beginning phonic reading . Every parent then knew exactly the sequence and method of teaching phonic reading to children with the Progressive Reading books as manuals. In 1950 , however , not only was phonics de-emphasized and replaced by the much less effective whole word reading ( Janet and John) but parents were informed they were not teachers and to leave reading instruction up to the professionals . From then on our literacy standards have dropped until now we now, most shamefully , have the lowest achievement in the English speaking world.
So my solution is to return to pre 1950 . Produce infant books like the Progressive readers and have them cheaply and freely available to the entire population. Break the tyranny of academia , Ministry of Education, etc in dictating they are the professionals in this field. They most certainly are not. They are ideologues who have pushed ineffective methods on our children and focused on social engineering through indoctrination instead of real schooling. Don't get me started on Whole ( Nonsense) Language reading and Marie Clay It would make my blog unprintable.
Anyway here are some materials available on line to use with a child remedial or beginner and also instruction in teaching reading -
'Queensland School Readers'. three books ;1915 - 65. Free and downloadable on line . ( quaintly , very old fashioned but phonically accurate for beginners).
in contrast is 'Reading Intervention ' Open access Materials' 2023 by Jessica Toste of Texas University . Free and downloadable and excellent for remedial and those aged older than 7year
'Reading Elephant ' are just one set of free on line phonic reading books for beginners.
To get the correct phonic sounds refer to Yolanda Soryl.: 'How to make the Letter ( NZ) Sounds' .
Be a rebel and break the stranglehold ideologues have in education. Reach out and teach a child to read .Anyone with the right material can do it. There is no mystique about it.
I agree with Barend on reinstating something like "The Proficiency Exam.' Australia have senior Primary School exams .NZ Primary Schooling is a complete fiasco.
We were proficient in English by the time we arrived at secondary school in the 60s - an education that has lasted well - no need to learn a single word of te reo.
And no time wasted on kapa haka lessons, practices , of competitions.
Bloody obvious isn't it ?
I was schooled on Janet and John books and I can read quite well and am a good speller to boot. Not sure why Ganor does not approve of them
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