Literacy Crisis In Tasmania

[icyfroth]

At least half of Tasmania's population can't read or write properly and test results are showing a growing gap between Tasmanian teenagers and those on the mainland.

The latest global report card on 15-year-olds found that 47 per cent of Tasmanian teenagers failed the minimum standard of English, compared to 36 per cent nationally.

Tasmania's disturbing figures are not dissimilar to other parts of rural and regional Australia, but there is growing concern that the spending of more than a billion dollars a year is doing little to tackle the problem.

As Suzanne Smith reports, some experts say there will be no improvement without deep cultural change.

Entire Article Here

I was listening to the discussion about this on Hack the other night.

Apparently the schooling system has a lot to do with it. School finishes for most in year 10. To go on to year 12, students have to move to the city to complete their education at one of only 2 colleges.

[gleee58]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

I think one of the problems is that so much time is given over to encouraging children to understand  the messages in what they read and far too little to teaching them exactly how those messages are created; i.e the basic tools of writing -  grammar and syntax.

A couple of years ago I was asked to edit some pieces of writing to be included in an anthology of youth writing. These kids had all been hand picked to take part in a series of master classes for young writers; they were keen, intelligent, brimming over with the most amazing ideas, but they simply didn't have the basic tools to express those ideas in sentences and paragraphs.  I could more or less understand what they were trying to say, I  could see - it was  there on the paper in front of me -  the linguistic contortions they were going through trying to say it, and I could imagine their frustration as they struggled marshal their words into meaningful sentences.  It nearly broke my heart.

I really think the only answer is to bite the bullet and go back to the basics of teaching English. When I was in high school I found the regular lessons in English grammar the most boring part of the whole curriculum. I have an 'ear' for language, in the way some people have an ear for music - I knew instinctively what sounded right and what didn't, but I didnt know or feel I needed to know why. Years later, when I started writing my first novel, I realised for the first time, that instinctive knowledge is not enough - it's like playing an instrument by ear without ever learning to read music or practising scales. At that point I suddenly realised how grateful I was to those nuns who persevered in the face of determined boredom and recalscitrence  to drill into me all those boring grammar rules.

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Thanks she-ele.

Yes, I agree with your sentiment to a large degree, perhaps not on the means of getting there.

I would not go back to the days of drilling kids down over grammar and sentence structure but I do believe that more discussion and in class exercises should be used to overcome the lack of fine grammar skills which are so obviously lacking.    

I also think that a lot of those skills are lost through lack of use and people need to brush up at various stages in their lives as that becomes apparent.  For example, as you talked about the ear for language I think that discussion and group exercises is often a more effective way to imprint the message than the rote learning fo the past.   

[lloydslights]

My god, that was my science teacher at High School.   And the aged waiting-for-retirement-Headmaster **bleep** teacher of 3 classes to a room situation in Primary.........if only.   ***sigh***

DEB

[lloydslights]

What????****c u m ***

[lloydslights]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

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@tasfleur wrote:

As a musician (classical and jazz), I feel compelled to say that learning an instrument by ear before learning to read music or play scales is something to be applauded and encouraged from my experience as a performer and music teacher (as well as in other disciplines).

When the ear is 'tuned' naturally, and children particularly thrive on doing that as well as adults, the practical side tends to 'kick in' extremely quickly without the theory and paper getting in the way to start with, then they catch up with the rest speedily.

It's interesting to watch this happen both academically and theoretically in terms of music education.

Reading and writing, expression and comprehension is something quite different, albeit music education has shown to really help student numeracy in particular as after all, music is essentially grounded in maths.

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I'm not a musician, but I'm sure you are right. I was scribbling little stories long before I knew anything about "GRAMMAR" When I was formaly introduced to it I grasped it very quickly, because it explained what I already knew instinctively - that's probably why I became bored and hated the lessons so much. I imagine maths would be much the same. Some people have an instinctive aptitude for it, but for an adult it would be a real PITA to have to resort to a calculator every time you needed make a simple multipliction,simply because no-one had made you learn your tables when you were a child.

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An "ear" for music and grammar (and behaviour), I believe, matches our surroundings from infancy (and before?).  An early introduction to the marvel of beautiful sounds and correct speech.  

Having the opportunity though is not always possible.  

That is where I believe a Kindergarten teacher is the most vital person, education wise, in a child's life.  To encourage (or further nurture) a child in his/her listening skills.

Admiration for teachers of the hearing impaired.

And as a side note, a sign-language fellow beside the new Qland premier in regard to the cyclone preparedness; his facial  expressions were a "must see" for enthusiasm in teaching/informing.  

DEB

[gleee58]

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@creative*crisis wrote:

While there is probably no single reason why the standards have dropped so far I feel that more parental involvement would substantially help.
Parents need to be alert to what their children are lacking in and take steps themselves to seek remedies.

It's all too easy to blame a poor system but if it really matters you'll do something about it yourself

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Have standards really dropped so far or did we just not measure the ones of low standard in the past?

I remember when I was at school there was a group who were not measured and included in the averages. They were regularly told they would amount to nothing and get nowhere because they were stupid.  They were those who did not learn literacy as the same rate or by the same method as the rest therefore they went in the too hard basket, whereas now, it's more likely that they'll be given extra support rather then the too hard basket.

I don't blame the system.  I think much of the problem is caused by cultural antagonism to education and the educated.

Those that value education do seek the best for their children and do do something about it when they sense a problem.

[***super_nova***]

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icyfroth wrote

Apparently the schooling system has a lot to do with it. School finishes for most in year 10. To go on to year 12, students have to move to the city to complete their education at one of only 2 colleges.

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I always thought that literacy and numeracy is something that i acquired in the first few years of primary school.  I would say that people who are illiterate should not be able to go past year 6.

The problem needs to be recognised in the early years, and if kids are falling behind, they need to be given help in the early years, not when they are in year 10 or later. 

[icyfroth]

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@***super_nova*** wrote:

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icyfroth wrote

Apparently the schooling system has a lot to do with it. School finishes for most in year 10. To go on to year 12, students have to move to the city to complete their education at one of only 2 colleges.

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I always thought that literacy and numeracy is something that i acquired in the first few years of primary school.  I would say that people who are illiterate should not be able to go past year 6.

The problem needs to be recognised in the early years, and if kids are falling behind, they need to be given help in the early years, not when they are in year 10 or later. 

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I think part of the problem is that kids get passed even if they don't pass the necessary tests. To save them them the embarrassment of having to sit the same class again.

While I'm happy we don't have the cane and other cruels punishments in schools anymore, I think we are too focussed on keeping the child happy than giving them a good cross-section of education and  life's experience.

[lloydslights]

Even though I have teachers in the family, we don't talk "shop" that much at our gatherings.  So I'm not up to date with things.

But do kids do weekly "tests.?  Or is it when Naplan comes around that problems are picked up?

DEB

[poddster]

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@gleee58 wrote:

 I'm a firm believer of teaching a child to think for themselves and teaching them a critical thinking process but based on what I read, hear and see I'm sure many prefer the indoctrination principle.

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What a pity that you do not apply your "firm belief" coupled with a modicum of logic in most of your posts.

[icyfroth]

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@tasfleur wrote:

Yes, I get that situation too, it's staggering how clever tertiary students are, but can't express it.

Last year was the worst I had ever seen when assessing final year student papers.

I must go, bye everyone xx

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Tas, in the Hack program, quite a few case histories came up.

One case (from memory) was where a young man kept falling behind in school and decided to teach himself by reading comics. His preference was science fiction.

He's now an engineer.

So a lot depends on the individual, I think, and their own motives.