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.

[the_great_she_elephant]

Speaking of literacy, what is one supposed to make of this headline from the Herald Sun?

MAN SHOT BY POLICE WIELDING KNIFE: WITNESS.

No wonder the kids are confused

[poddster]

That headline would make perfect sense to them.

[i-need-a-martini]

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@vicr3000 wrote:
Curmu

They are all 'numpty's' to quote a word used by am3.

Suits them.

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You make disgusting comments about Tasmanians which any sensible person would know would not be acceptable. Made even less acceptable on this forum given that we have many long standing members on this board from Tasmania.

And yet everyone ELSE is a "numpty"?

Go figure...

[vicr3000]

Disgusting LOL . That's not disgusting.

I am sure everyone of you has used a nickname for someone from another country or state at some point in your life.

[azureline**]

Not like that...... Most posters are not that crass.

[***super_nova***]

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@poddster wrote:

Can anyone imagine a scene like this in in our education system?

These kids are here in their own time and they are obviously having fun.

The occasion was Valentines day

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Sorry, i do not quite understand how is kids having fun in a party in any way relevant to problems with Australian education.   Is it in another country?  If this was a scene from our educational system then I would indeed worry.

[poddster]

I guess you missed this Nova.

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@poddster wrote:

By the way the education level of these kids is by far superior to education level of kids here of their age. All of them have a second language and some of them a third.

The older kids, from about 14 on have a far better English vocabulary than a lot of adults here.

If we are striving to be the Clever Country we have an Everest to climb because the majority of our kids are as "dumb as dirt" to coin a phrase.

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I guess you also missed the lack of tattoos, piercings, outlandish hair colouring and hair style.

This fun day was organised by some of their teachers and involved the kids as well it was not compulsory and the organisers and participants gave up their time to make it happen.

i ask again can you imagine a scene like this in our education system? 

[gleee58]

I'm a bit confused as to why you think it's not normal for our schools to organise fun events, after hours events, school socials and dances or what ever the point behind the photos is.

Why should schools celebrate Valentine's Day?

Most schools in Australia wouldn't do anything for Valentine's Day, regardless of their views about it because they don't have much time at the beginning of the year to organize for such an event in the first 2 weeks of the school year.

What's the point about tattoos, piercings and wild hair colours?  Most young teens don't have any of those either.

[poddster]

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@gleee58 wrote:

I'm a bit confused as to why you think it's not normal for our schools to organise fun events, after hours events, school socials and dances or what ever the point behind the photos is.

Why should schools celebrate Valentine's Day?

Most schools in Australia wouldn't do anything for Valentine's Day, regardless of their views about it because they don't have much time at the beginning of the year to organize for such an event in the first 2 weeks of the school year.

What's the point about tattoos, piercings and wild hair colours?  Most young teens don't have any of those either.

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What makes you think that schools in other parts of the world have more time than here, in fact I would venture ti say that they have much less free time than schools have here.The difference is that schools in other countries make time to educate the kids, not only in formal education (of a by far higher standard then here) but also in social interaction with their peers and others around them. 

The point is that when kids needs are catered for they do not feel the need to express themselves with tattoos, piercings, and the like.

Kids here are bored out of their brain and have to resort to having their fingers stuck to iPhones, tablets and their nosed glued to computer screens causing mayhem in virtual reality and "social media" much to the detriment of their intelligence potential.

Kids here are following in the footsteps of American youth and they too will end up as cannon fodder in years to come.

[vicr3000]

What ever happened to sport in this country ?

Hardly see any sport being played, kids at state school go for a run, "cross country" LOL and a swimming carnival that he avoids.

the elder year 11 nothing.

I know their is an aversion to stay away from contact sports but they do nothing and then as said above,

stuck to a computer.