tag:theconversation.com,2011:/africa/topics/literacy-976/articlesLiteracy – The Conversation2024-03-24T08:47:12Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2247542024-03-24T08:47:12Z2024-03-24T08:47:12ZWorried about how to support your child’s education? Here are four useful steps you can take<p>Parents play a crucial role in supporting their children’s learning. Their involvement lays the foundation for success both inside and outside the classroom. This makes a parent’s consistent support and nurturing important at every stage of formal schooling, and even before that.</p>
<p>The key lies in creating a supportive and encouraging environment at home. </p>
<p>In the school environment, teachers tend to be instructional leaders. This means they often focus on the classroom process of teaching and learning. Together, however, parents and teachers can help boost a child’s learning by sharing educational responsibilities at home and in school.</p>
<p>Teachers often favour <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sylvie-Barma/publication/281244508_Understanding_Complex_Relationships_Between_Teachers_and_Parents/links/57347edd08ae298602debb02/Understanding-Complex-Relationships-Between-Teachers-and-Parents.pdf">traditional modes of parental involvement</a>. This includes having parents supervise school outings or raise funds for school activities. </p>
<p>But it’s possible to find a <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780429494673/school-family-community-partnerships-joyce-epstein">middle ground</a> that harnesses the experiences of teachers and parents, and communicates expectations clearly. This would lead to <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/sbp/sbp/2018/00000046/00000011/art00003">three positive outcomes</a>: reduced misunderstandings, the development of mutual goals and establishing trust for the teacher-parent partnership.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-parents-and-teachers-can-make-school-a-happy-place-for-kids-53314">How parents and teachers can make school a happy place for kids</a>
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<p>For more than a decade, through the African Population and Health Research Center’s <a href="https://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Endline-Report.pdf">Advancing Learning Outcomes and Transformational Change (ALOT Change) programme</a>, I have studied how parents’ involvement in education can advance learning outcomes. This can be done by monitoring children’s progress in school and helping them complete their homework. Knowing where their children are and who their friends are, and being available to offer insights on issues related to puberty, are also crucial. </p>
<p>To support a child’s educational journey, parents across all socioeconomic groups need to do four main things. First, they need to meet their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0738059311000393">family obligations</a>, which include providing food, shelter and paying school fees. Second, they should provide a conducive environment for children to work on homework assignments. Third, parents need to motivate their children to <a href="https://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Endline-Report.pdf">stay focused on learning and avoid peer pressure</a>. Finally, should the need arise, parents should seek support to be educated and empowered on how to help their children succeed in school.</p>
<h2>What to do</h2>
<p>To begin with, parents should meet their <a href="https://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/GEC-Report.pdf">basic obligations</a> at home and collaborate at the community level. Ensuring children are fed and their fees are paid keeps them in school. Good nutrition <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8839299/#:%7E:text=The%20developing%20human%20brain%20requires,of%20exhibiting%20impaired%20cognitive%20skills.">improves cognitive function</a>, while paying fees <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1305014.pdf#page=12">boosts school attendance</a>, enhancing a child’s learning. Across all income groups, but particularly in low-income neighbourhoods, community collaboration enables parents to access the <a href="https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/training-technical-assistance/education-level/early-learning/family-school-community-partnerships">support and resources necessary for their children’s learning</a>. This could mean exchanging ideas with other parents, or getting access to career advisers and sports facilities. Collaboration at the community level provides <a href="https://cepsj.si/index.php/cepsj/article/view/89">social capital</a>. This creates opportunities for <a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/cdep.12165">bonding</a>, which promotes a child’s social adjustment. </p>
<p>Second, parents should provide their children with <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/9e3a9e802f80705150dceec414b8ed1c/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=41842">places to study, monitor their progress with homework and understand how they are progressing through various grades</a>. Spaces for study should be quiet and well-organised, but they don’t have to be at home. They can be <a href="https://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Endline-Report.pdf#page=10">safe spaces within communities</a>, such as churches. Parents can get involved in monitoring their children’s progress by actively communicating with teachers and <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/9e3a9e802f80705150dceec414b8ed1c/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=41842">volunteering in schools</a>, both private and public. This allows parents to get involved in the planning, development and decision-making process of school activities for the benefit of their children.</p>
<p>Third, parents need to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8057542/">provide young children with nurturing care</a> before they begin formal education. They should maintain this caring support throughout the basic education cycle. Parents play <a href="http://41.89.164.27/handle/123456789/1187">key roles as co-educators of their children</a>. This means going beyond just providing the resources needed for learning to supporting a child’s personal development. Parents can do this by encouraging their children to ask questions, which can be answered by their older peers or mentors. Children also need <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0033688219848770">sufficient playtime and sleep</a>. Parents should motivate their children to complete assigned school assignments by, for instance, shortening the time spent on domestic chores, especially for girls. They should also monitor and give guidance on homework where possible, and provide learning aids and materials for practical activities.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/education-in-kenyas-informal-settlements-can-work-better-if-parents-get-involved-heres-how-192149">Education in Kenya's informal settlements can work better if parents get involved -- here's how</a>
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<p>Fourth, I was part of a research team at the African Population and Health Research Centre that found that <a href="https://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Endline-Report.pdf#page=9">giving parents access to counsellors</a> to guide them on how to support their children’s schooling improved education performances in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. </p>
<p>Under this intervention, parents were taught what their role is as the first supporters of their children’s education. This role includes taking the time to understand their children, opening lines of communication, discussing sexual and reproductive health matters, and encouraging positive aspirations. The <a href="https://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Endline-Report.pdf#page=16">results</a> included an improvement in children’s literacy. </p>
<p>When we asked pupils to explain the relationship between parental support and achievements in literacy and numeracy, <a href="https://aphrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Endline-Report.pdf#page=29">they reported a better understanding of mathematical concepts, enhanced ability to interpret mathematical problem statements and improvements in understanding algebra and composition</a>. One of the reasons for this outcome was that both parents and pupils were more open with each other. They shared their opinions, needs and actions.</p>
<h2>Expected outcomes</h2>
<p>Parental involvement in education empowers children to reach their full potential. It improves their academic performance, enhances their social and emotional development, and increases their motivation and engagement. Parental involvement tends to lead to better school attendance, positive behaviour and higher aspirations for future success. When parents take an active role in their children’s learning, it fosters stronger parent-child relationships, creating a supportive environment for academic growth and personal development.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224754/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Benta A. Abuya, Research Scientist, APHRC receives funding from Wellsprings Philanthropic Fund. </span></em></p>Studies show that teaching parents how to support their children can lead to improvements in literacy.Benta A. Abuya, Research Scientist, African Population and Health Research CenterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2231802024-02-11T10:09:01Z2024-02-11T10:09:01ZIf we want more Australian students to learn to read, we need regular testing in the early primary years<p>When you send your child to school, you expect they will learn how to read. But according to 2023 NAPLAN results, about <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-23/one-in-three-students-not-meeting-naplan-standards/102756262">one-third</a> of Australian school students can’t read at their grade level.</p>
<p>For Indigenous students, students from disadvantaged families, and students in regional and rural areas, it’s more than half.</p>
<p>This is deeply troubling. When children do not learn to read fluently and efficiently in early primary school, it can <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/reading-guarantee/">undermine</a> their future learning across all subject areas, harm their self-esteem, and limit their life chances. </p>
<p>Our new Grattan Institute report, <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/reading-guarantee/">The Reading Guarantee</a>, outlines a strategy to ensure at least 90% of Australian school students are proficient readers.</p>
<p>This includes measures such as more support for lower-performing schools, coaching and building teachers’ expertise. On top of these, a key part of the strategy is that all schools regularly assess students’ reading progress and provide additional catch-up support – either in small groups or one-on-one – to those who are falling behind. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-do-kids-learn-to-read-how-do-you-know-if-your-child-is-falling-behind-214154">When do kids learn to read? How do you know if your child is falling behind?</a>
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<h2>Struggling students need early support</h2>
<p>As previous Grattan Institute <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Tackling-under-achievement-Grattan-report.pdf">research</a> shows, struggling students need early support so they do not fall even further behind.</p>
<p>Developing foundational reading skills, like decoding (the ability to sound out unfamiliar words on a page), are vital for students’ later reading success. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4134909/#:%7E:text=Although%20poor%20reading%20comprehension%20certainly,that%20are%20general%20to%20language">2014 study</a> of more than 400,000 students in Years 1, 2, and 3 found if a students’ decoding and vocabulary skills developed normally, fewer than 1% of students had problems with reading comprehension later on. </p>
<p>A focus on these early reading sub-skills is also more likely to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/desc.13325">instil a love of reading</a> in students.</p>
<p>If students don’t master reading in early primary school, they may struggle with the reading demands of subjects such as biology and history in high school.</p>
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<h2>Tests can help</h2>
<p>The earlier we assess students’ reading skills, the better, so struggling students can be supported to catch-up. For example, a 2017 <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-13234-001">US study</a> of nearly 200 students found Year 1 and Year 2 students receiving additional help to catch up on their word reading progressed twice as fast as students who didn’t receive this help until Year 3.</p>
<p>The choice of assessment matters too – they need to be quick to administer and give teachers useful information. They should tell teachers what specific areas of reading students are struggling in, so support can be well targeted. </p>
<p>One example of this is The University of Oregon-developed <a href="https://dibels.uoregon.edu">DIBELS</a> (the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills). This has six short assessments of about one minute each of different reading sub-skills, such as “phonemic awareness” (identifying speech sounds in spoken language) and “reading fluency” (how quickly and accurately a child reads with the right expression). It also has benchmarks for the beginning, middle and end of the year. </p>
<p>Most Australian state and territory education departments mandate some specific early reading assessment tools and make recommendations about other assessments to use. But our report argues they are not necessarily recommending effective tests and they do not always provide the information teachers need to monitor reading progress.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/some-kids-with-reading-difficulties-can-also-have-reading-anxiety-what-can-parents-do-215438">Some kids with reading difficulties can also have reading anxiety – what can parents do?</a>
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<h2>We need a national Year 1 Phonics Screening check</h2>
<p>There should be a nationally consistent <a href="https://www.literacyhub.edu.au/plan-teach-and-assess/year-1-phonics-check/">Year 1 Phonics Screening Check</a> to provide governments with a useful “health check” on early reading performance across states. The test was <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368290/phonics_2011_technical_report.pdf">developed</a> in the United Kingdom where it has been mandated for government schools since 2012. </p>
<p>It is also currently mandated in Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia. </p>
<p>Phonics is not the only important reading skill students should master in early primary school. But having a test focusing on phonics acknowledges how the ability to accurately decode words is a <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/646220f3427e41000cb43766/PIRLS_2021_-_national_report_for_England__May_2023.pdf">good predictor</a> of students’ future reading achievement. </p>
<p>This test assesses students’ decoding skills across 40 real and made-up words (such as “lig”) of increasing complexity. It takes about seven minutes to complete per student. By assessing 40 words, it can identify the letter-sound combinations a student is struggling with. </p>
<p>Parents would then get a report on their child’s results and aggregate results would also be published at the state and sector levels. </p>
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<h2>We should also be assessing students at other times</h2>
<p>The Year 1 Phonics Screening Check will tell governments how students are tracking on phonics. But schools should also be regularly tracking students’ progress on reading. </p>
<p>Governments should require all schools to assess students’ reading skills (using robust assessments such as DIBELS) at least twice a year from the first year of school to Year 2 and on entry into high school. This would identify students who may not have learnt necessary reading skills in primary school.</p>
<p>Governments should also provide clearer guidelines about which assessment tools are effective. And they should provide guidance on when assessments should be done and advice on what to do with the results. </p>
<p>The alternative is we keep going with a “wait-to-fail” approach, which lets too many students fall through the cracks.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223180/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The Grattan Institute began with contributions to its endowment of $15 million from each of the Federal and Victorian Governments, $4 million from BHP Billiton, and $1 million from NAB. In order to safeguard its independence, Grattan Institute’s board controls this endowment. The funds are invested and contribute to funding Grattan Institute's activities. Grattan Institute also receives funding from corporates, foundations, and individuals to support its general activities as disclosed on its website.</span></em></p>A new Grattan Institute report provides a plan to ensure at least 90% of Australian school students can read well.Anika Stobart, Senior Associate, Grattan InstituteLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2200452024-01-29T19:04:52Z2024-01-29T19:04:52Z60% of Australian English teachers think video games are a ‘legitimate’ text to study. But only 15% have used one<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568121/original/file-20240107-27-ot63a8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C38%2C5152%2C3368&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/closeup-of-white-sony-ps4-controller-HUBNTCzE-R8">Caspar Camille Rubin/ Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Are you worried about how much time your child spends playing video games? Do they “hibernate” for hours in their room, talking what seems like gibberish to their friends? </p>
<p>Fresh air and life away from gaming are undeniably important. But it may help to know <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0742051X23002664?via%3Dihub">our research</a> shows many English teachers are thinking seriously about how gaming applies in their classrooms – even if there are divided opinions about how to approach it. </p>
<h2>Video games and English education</h2>
<p>The global gaming industry <a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/ioc-president-thomas-bach-exploring-plans-to-create-olympic-esports-games">is huge</a> and continues to grow. It is tipped to be worth <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/07/gaming-pandemic-lockdowns-pwc-growth/">US$321 billion (A$477 billion) by 2026</a>. </p>
<p>While many gamers are over 18, we know video games are very important to young people’s <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439884.2021.1936017">culture and identity</a>. In 2023, Bond University <a href="https://igea.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IGEA_AP2023_FINAL_REPORT.pdf">surveyed</a> 1,219 Australian households on behalf of the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association. It found 93% of 5-14 year-olds and 91% of 15-24 year-olds surveyed in Australia play video games. </p>
<p>More than fifteen years of <a href="https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/61222/88437_1.pdf">research</a> has also shown video games can also have <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/education/school-program-and-resources/game-lessons/">educational benefits</a>. This includes developing problem solving and <a href="https://www.nzcer.org.nz/system/files/Critical%20literacy%20and%20games%20working%20paper.pdf">literacy skills</a>, creativity, team work and developing a critical understanding of their place in the world.</p>
<p>From an English teachers’ perspective, many video games have complex narrative scripts and plots and clear character development. They also typically require players to interpret cultural contexts and apply them. For example, games like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/games/2023/may/12/nintendo-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-kingdom-launches-critical-acclaim">The Legend of Zelda</a> (first released in 1986 with multiple spin-offs) contain back-stories and plot-lines that are ripe for analysis. </p>
<p>However, these sorts of games (or texts) are still not valued in English curricula. Greater value is placed on studying favourite classics such as Shakespeare, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway and other print-based literature. </p>
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<img alt="A young person holds a gaming controller." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568123/original/file-20240107-27-tf6kwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568123/original/file-20240107-27-tf6kwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568123/original/file-20240107-27-tf6kwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568123/original/file-20240107-27-tf6kwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568123/original/file-20240107-27-tf6kwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568123/original/file-20240107-27-tf6kwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568123/original/file-20240107-27-tf6kwm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Video games such as The Legend of Zelda contain complex plots and characters.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-black-game-controller-1563796/">Deeanna Arts/ Peels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-why-the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-is-big-news-even-among-those-who-dont-see-themselves-as-gamers-205229">Here's why The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is big news – even among those who don't see themselves as 'gamers'</a>
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<h2>Our research</h2>
<p>To better understand how teachers value digital games in their classrooms and how they use them, we surveyed 201 high school English teachers around Australia. They came from all school sectors. More than 60% of those surveyed had been teaching for at least ten years. </p>
<p>Our research found: </p>
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<li><p>58.6% of teachers surveyed believed digital games are a “legitimate text type”. This means they thought they can be taught in English programs alongside other texts such as plays, books and poetry. A further 27.4% were unsure and 14% of respondents said digital games were not legitimate texts </p></li>
<li><p>85% had not used digital games as a main or “focus” text for classroom study, with 74% having no plans to do so in the future</p></li>
<li><p>teachers with less experience were more likely to think they could use video games as a text for classroom study. For example, teachers who had used digital games with their students were 260% more likely to have 15 years or less experience </p></li>
<li><p>of those not using digital games as a focus or supplementary text, 23% reported limited knowledge of, and time to explore, how to use them in the classroom</p></li>
<li><p>80% of teachers had not received professional development on how to use digital games but 60% had independently read articles, books, or chapters about them.</p></li>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/video-gaming-can-bolster-classroom-learning-but-not-without-teacher-support-190483">Video gaming can bolster classroom learning, but not without teacher support</a>
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<h2>What does the curriculum say?</h2>
<p>The term “multimodal” appears more than 300 times in the Australian English curriculum. Multimodal means a text contains two or more modes, such as written or spoken text, video images and audio. </p>
<p>While digital games are indeed multimodal texts, the curriculum does not overtly name digital games (or video games) as an example of a multimodal text.</p>
<p>Perhaps unsurprisingly, only 30% of our respondents felt digital games were mentioned in the curriculum.</p>
<h2>Teachers in their own words</h2>
<p>In open-ended questions, teachers revealed strong and in some cases, polarised views about video games in their classrooms. Those who were positive, emphasised their ability to engage students. As one teacher told us: </p>
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<p>I think digital games are the future of education […] a medium all students are familiar with, engage in, and enjoy. Students do not read books ‘en masse’ anymore, yet we as English teachers insist on dragging them kicking and screaming through texts they detest, whilst penalising them for playing the digital games they love. </p>
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<p>Teachers also spoke of the rich, complex nature of some games. For example, they valued the way digital games have “multiple plot lines”, “connectivity between segments”, and “immerse students in worlds” as “active rather than passive” users of a text.</p>
<p>But some teachers also said video games hampered students’ creativity: </p>
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<p>I am so over this stupid fixation. Digital games stymie imaginative writing and actually ‘flatten’ affect in the student’s ‘voice’. It comes to define their idea of writing and they regurgitate silly game stories that lack any emotional or creative flair.</p>
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<p>They also expressed strong concerns they were were not good for students (echoing similar, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/31/1178977198/video-games-kids-good-limits">ongoing concerns</a> in news media), with one stating: </p>
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<p>I really hate video games and I do not think they are healthy for kids […].</p>
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<img alt="A closeup of a computer keyboard." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568122/original/file-20240107-17-jrz2iz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568122/original/file-20240107-17-jrz2iz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568122/original/file-20240107-17-jrz2iz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568122/original/file-20240107-17-jrz2iz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568122/original/file-20240107-17-jrz2iz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568122/original/file-20240107-17-jrz2iz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568122/original/file-20240107-17-jrz2iz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Teachers in the study variously described computer games as the ‘future’ and a ‘stupid fixation’.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/purple-and-black-computer-keyboard-74JeU2jfnfk">Syed Ali/ Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<h2>What does this mean?</h2>
<p>Our research shows digital games remain a contentious issue among English teachers. This suggests there needs to be clearer curriculum guidelines about their use in the classroom (rather than general references to “multimodal” texts). </p>
<p>It also suggests teachers need more professional development around video games, including their potential benefits as well as how to use them effectively and for critical understanding in their English programs. This will require practical resources and research-based examples. </p>
<p>We need students to be able to think critically when engaging with all types of texts. Especially those that feature so prominently in their lives. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/vacuuming-moving-house-unpacking-are-boring-in-real-life-so-why-is-doing-them-in-a-video-game-so-fun-214853">Vacuuming, moving house, unpacking are boring in real life – so why is doing them in a video game so fun?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220045/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laura Scholes has received funding from The Australian Research Council, Catholic Education, Qld, The Department of Education, Qld, and the Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amanda Gutierrez, Kathy Mills, and Luke Rowe do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many English teachers are thinking seriously about how gaming applies in their classrooms. But opinions are divided about how to approach it.Amanda Gutierrez, Associate Professor in Literacy and WIL partnerships, Australian Catholic UniversityKathy Mills, Professor of Literacies and Digital Cultures, Australian Catholic UniversityLaura Scholes, Associate Professor of Gender and Literacies, Australian Catholic UniversityLuke Rowe, Lecturer and Researcher (Science of Learning), Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2217872024-01-27T09:17:25Z2024-01-27T09:17:25ZMatric results: South Africa’s record school pass rates aren’t what they seem – what’s really happening in the education system<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571116/original/file-20240124-19-jpr4hb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">South Africa's minister of basic education, Angie Motshekga.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Luba Lesolle/Gallo Images via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>South Africa’s matric (grade 12) class of 2023, which wrote final school-leaving exams late last year, has been hailed by the country’s minister of basic education for achieving “<a href="https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/extraordinary-class-of-2023-records-best-pass-percentage-in-national-senior-certificate-history-20240119">extraordinary</a>” results. Of the 691,160 candidates who wrote the National Senior Certificate exams, 82.9% – that’s 572,983 – passed, up from 80.1% of the class of 2022. And more candidates than ever before obtained marks that allow them to study for a bachelor’s degree.</p>
<p>All of the country’s nine provinces managed to improve on their 2022 pass rates. This is despite the <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-learning-losses-what-south-africas-education-system-must-focus-on-to-recover-176622">after-effects of the COVID pandemic</a> in 2020 and 2021, when this class was in grade 9 and grade 10 respectively. The results also reflect a steady uptick in the overall national pass rate, <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/364476/south-africas-matric-pass-rate-2008-to-2019/">which has risen</a> from 60% in 2009 and stabilised over the past two years at above 80%.</p>
<p>As is clear from this summary, the release of the results focused a great deal on the numbers. As a former teacher, school principal, education circuit manager, academic expert in curriculum studies and current vice-dean of teaching and learning at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, I would caution against this approach. South Africans should not confuse quantity with quality.</p>
<p>The fanfare and hype around the results risks obscuring the big picture, which is that the actual pass rate – when dropouts are taken into account – is far lower and has been for many years. This points to huge problems within the education system.</p>
<h2>‘Real’ numbers</h2>
<p>This year, as has become the case annually, there’s been furious debate between politicians and education experts about the quality of the results. </p>
<p>Some experts <a href="https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/reports/why-matric-pass-rate-not-reliable-benchmark-education-quality">openly</a> say that government is striving for numbers instead of focusing on quality. For example, a matric class in a township (underdeveloped, generally urban areas largely inhabited by Black South Africans) will boast a pass rate of 80%. But only a few of those matriculants qualify to study at a university. </p>
<p>The essence of the debate revolves around what <a href="https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/education/matric/matric-pass-rate-da-claims-real-rate-is-55-3/">some call</a> the “real” pass rate, measured by the number of matriculants who passed as a fraction of the number who started school together 12 years earlier. </p>
<p>In 2012, 1,208,973 learners entered the first year of school, grade 1. Of these, only 928,050 were in grade 11 and only 740,566 enrolled for grade 12 (matric) in 2023. Thus, 468,407 pupils (almost 40%) <a href="https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/education/matric/matric-results-2023-dropout-real-pass-rate-atm-da/">disappeared into the system</a>. Given this attrition, some analysts and politicians argue that the actual pass rate is only <a href="https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/education-experts-pour-cold-water-over-das-553-real-matric-pass-rate-20240119">just over 55%</a>.</p>
<p>This issue of “real pass rates” also plays out in the unhealthy competition between provinces. There are nine provinces in South Africa. Eight are governed by the African National Congress (ANC), which also governs nationally. The Democratic Alliance (DA) governs one province, the Western Cape. Each year when the results are released, it becomes a competition to see which province’s matrics performed best. </p>
<p>The Free State province has achieved the <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/free-state-remains-first-for-the-fifth-year-running/ar-AA1ncb9E">best pass rate for the last five years</a>. However, it also has the <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/experts-welcome-matric-pass-rate-increase-but-note-450000-learners-dropped-out-along-the-way/ar-AA1nciwj">highest dropout rate</a> of all nine provinces, <a href="https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/education/matric/matric-results-2023-dropout-real-pass-rate-atm-da/">leading to allegations</a> by the DA and some analysts that authorities hold poorly performing pupils back to create a better matric pass rate. Some of those learners will later proceed to grade 12; others drop out entirely. For instance, almost half of the learners in the Free State who were in grade 10 in 2021 <a href="https://www.netwerk24.com/netwerk24/skole-studente/myskool/matrieks/vrystaat-se-top-prestasie-ruik-mos-na-kroekery-20240120">did not make it to matric in 2023</a>. </p>
<p>By contrast, the Western Cape only performed the 5th best but boasts a comparatively high throughput rate. </p>
<p>There is a strong feeling among educationists – and I completely agree – that a province’s “pass rate” should be published alongside its “dropout rate” to give a full perspective of the true situation. </p>
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<img alt="A graph showing the number of pupils who dropped out before reaching the matric class of 2023" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571605/original/file-20240126-19-oeximq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://charts.theoutlier.co.za/">The Outlier</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
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<h2>What’s gone wrong</h2>
<p>The ecstasy over the results also ignores the many challenges that the majority of pupils face on a daily basis.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/overcrowding-in-classrooms-a-challenge-facing-sa-teachers-sadtu/">Overcrowding</a> is one big problem, particularly at primary school level. The <a href="https://tdd.sun.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/E.-Wills-2023-Teacher-Shortages-class-sizes-LE-ratios.pdf">average class size</a> for grade 6 is 61 in Limpopo, 59 in Mpumalanga and 54 in KwaZulu-Natal. This <a href="https://www.mopse.co.zw/sites/default/files/public/downloads/2022%20Annual%20Education%20Statistics%20Report.pdf">compares poorly</a> with some neighbouring countries, such as Botswana and Zimbabwe.</p>
<p>Effective teaching, especially in the basic skills such as reading and writing, is impossible because no individual attention is possible. </p>
<p>Add to that the fact that many schools do not have libraries and it’s clear why <a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-10-year-olds-are-struggling-to-read-it-can-be-fixed-206008">only 1 out of 5 pupils in grade 4</a>, aged on average 9 or 10, can read with comprehension. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-10-year-olds-are-struggling-to-read-it-can-be-fixed-206008">South Africa's 10 year-olds are struggling to read -- it can be fixed</a>
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<p>A second problem is that most South African schools do not have the necessary physical resources to create an environment conducive to learning. The lack of libraries is one example. Another is that many schools in poor communities do not have science or computer laboratories. Yet pupils are strongly encouraged to take STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, because these are seen as giving young people the best opportunity of employment.</p>
<h2>A glimmer of hope</h2>
<p>It’s not all hopeless, however. There are certainly things to celebrate, including the achievements of <a href="https://briefly.co.za/education/178071-matric-results-2023-meet-melissa-muller-south-africas-top-achiever-future-mechatronics-engineer/">top-performing</a> individuals. Hardworking teachers also deserve thanks for the seldom-appreciated work they do, particularly in under-resourced rural areas.</p>
<p>One <a href="https://www.ewn.co.za/2024/01/19/khayelitsha-school-celebrates-99-matric-pass-rate">especially beautiful story</a> is that of the Khayelitsha Centre of Science and Technology. Situated in one of the Western Cape’s poorest residential areas, this school boasts a 2023 pass rate of 99% and 107 distinctions (a mark of 80% or higher), including 10 in mathematics. </p>
<p>Having carefully studied the results I am also delighted to see how many distinctions are emerging from schools in impoverished communities which charge no fees or very low fees. It is also heartening to see that pupils growing up in poverty are making a growing contribution to the pool of excellence.</p>
<p>These examples prove the value of good governance in schools, which creates an environment that is conducive for learning even in the absence of resources.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221787/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Le Cordeur does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The fanfare and hype around the results risks obscuring the big picture.Michael Le Cordeur, Professor and Vice- dean Teaching and Learning, Education Faculty, Stellenbosch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2211242024-01-24T13:29:05Z2024-01-24T13:29:05ZLearning to read in another language is tough: how Namibian teachers can help kids<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569258/original/file-20240115-27-so2q98.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wolfgang Kaehler/Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In a classroom in Namibia’s northern Oshikoto region, a teacher has written English vocabulary words on the chalkboard. She asks her learners to read them aloud. When they stumble with pronunciation, she corrects them. She also helps the youngsters to sound out words. At another school nearby, an English teacher is showing her class cartoon strips on her cellphone to help them create mental images while reading – an approach that’s proven to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0033688220943250">enhance comprehension</a>.</p>
<p>These teachers were part of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09500782.2023.2292597">a study</a> we conducted to understand the unique knowledge and skills that Namibian teachers have developed to teach English reading comprehension to grade 7s (who are on average 12 years old) in a diverse linguistic context. The learners’ home languages were primarily Oshiwambo, Oshindonga, Afrikaans and Otjiherero. </p>
<p>We aimed to shed light on what approaches the teachers used in their classrooms. We also wanted to explore the broader implications for Namibia’s education landscape.</p>
<p>We found that Namibian teachers had the skills to equip learners with the tools to become literate and fluent in English. In some situations the teachers tried to adapt their instruction to better reflect learners’ daily experiences and cultures. But this adaptation happened on the spur of the moment rather than being central to planned lessons.</p>
<p>We argue that using culturally appropriate, relevant examples should be a deliberate daily practice. For example, teachers could select a text or passage or story that incorporates traditions, folklore, or contemporary situations relevant to the students. </p>
<p>This would increase engagement. It would also allow students to connect more deeply with the material, fostering better comprehension by being familiar and relatable. It’s an approach has been <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19404476.2021.1959832">repeatedly proven</a> to <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1034914.pdf">boost</a> reading comprehension.</p>
<p>Recent studies <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/16073614.2023.2226175">show</a> that Namibian children have <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-26250-0_21">low proficiency</a> in English. Literacy is <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/literacy/need-know">a fundamental skill</a> for personal development and societal progress.</p>
<h2>Different cultural contexts</h2>
<p>The mismatch between imported educational approaches and the realities faced by English language learners in the global south has been <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-26250-0_19">identified</a> as contributing to the struggles encountered in reading comprehension. </p>
<p>In Namibia, English (although it is the country’s official language) is spoken by <a href="https://biodiversity.org.na/NamLanguages.php">only 3.4% of the population</a> as a first language or mother tongue. There are 13 <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/weng.12493">recognised languages in Namibia</a>; <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/weng.12493">Oshiwambo</a> is the most prevalent first language, including in the Oshikoto region. </p>
<p>Since 2009 the Namibian Ministry of Education has administered the National Standardised Achievement Test for grades 5 and 7. This covers English, mathematics, natural science and health education. It gauges learners’ English comprehension competency and overall performance in these subjects. The results are worrying. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1411036">In 2015 the results</a> showed that 87% of grade 7 learners scored below basic proficiency in English. The Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality also found that the country <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1411036">did not exhibit significant improvements</a> in reading and mathematical literacy between 2005 and 2010. Its reading proficiency score in 2010 was 496.9 compared to a mean score of 511.8 for all <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1411036">15 participating countries</a>. </p>
<h2>Our study</h2>
<p>The study involved five experienced grade 7 English teachers. All had taught the subject for five years or longer. The teachers were each affiliated with one of four combined schools in the northern Oshikoto region of Namibia, and one primary school in Windhoek, the capital city. </p>
<p>All are state schools and learners are not required to pay fees. </p>
<p>Through stimulated recall interviews and classroom observations, we gained an understanding of the teaching practices used. Stimulated recall interviews are a way of talking with people about their past experiences or actions. It’s like watching a replay of something you did, and then being asked questions about what you were thinking or feeling during that time. It helps to better understand why people make certain choices or decisions. </p>
<p>We also conducted classroom observations, quietly sitting in to watch what teachers and learners were doing. We examined the learners’ comprehension by observing how actively they participated in question and answer sessions, collaborative activities, and retelling and summary tasks.</p>
<p>The findings reveal that teachers continue to use teaching and learning practices acquired during their initial teacher education. These included previewing, reading aloud, fluency training and vocabulary development. </p>
<p>Previewing happens when teachers ask learners to take a quick look over the title, headings and pictures to get an idea of what the reading is about. It helps the learners understand what to expect and makes reading a lot easier because they already have some clues about what is coming up. </p>
<p>Reading aloud helps learners hear the words and understand them better. It is a fun way to enjoy a test or share something interesting with others. Fluency training involves practising reading smoothly and easily. And vocabulary development is learning to read words smoothly without stumbling or pausing too much. </p>
<p>The teachers’ practices were pedagogically sound. But that doesn’t guarantee improved reading comprehension for learners without sensitivity to the lived experiences and the imagined future of the learners. </p>
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<p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/learning-to-read-is-a-journey-a-study-identifies-where-south-african-kids-go-off-track-206242">Learning to read is a journey: a study identifies where South African kids go off track</a>
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<p>The teachers did not often adapt their practices to suit their specific cultural and linguistic contexts. Most of the reading material used didn’t contain examples learners could relate to from their own daily lives. In the few instances where there was link to a learner’s background, it was made on the spur of the moment, in response to the way a lesson was progressing or stalling. </p>
<h2>Teacher training</h2>
<p>We concluded that much more intentional use of relevant material is needed to integrate learners’ prior knowledge of the world into their reading comprehension.</p>
<p>For this to happen initial teacher education programmes need to be enhanced to ensure that teachers are equipped with skills to adapt pedagogical practices to diverse cultural and linguistic contexts. Many teacher education institutions prepare educators as if they will be teaching in well-resourced urban schools, assuming learners are eager to learn, and the school community supports enhanced reading. The reality is quite different: teachers deal with crowded classrooms and don’t get much support from schools to meet learning goals.</p>
<p>To enhance reading comprehension in primary schools within diverse cultural and linguistic contexts, teachers can begin by selecting reading material and resources that reflects the cultural diversity of their students, making the content more relatable.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221124/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The teachers did not often adapt their practices to suit their specific cultural and linguistic contexts.Marta Ndakalako Alumbungu, PhD student, Stellenbosch UniversityNhlanhla Mpofu, Chair- Curriculum Studies, Stellenbosch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2180422023-12-18T19:09:57Z2023-12-18T19:09:57ZIs it OK to let my kids watch the same show over and over again?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565945/original/file-20231215-19-kobok3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C74%2C6230%2C4035&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/siblings-watching-on-a-laptop-4783967/">Ivan Samkov/Pexels </a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><blockquote>
<p>Are you sure you want Frozen again? You’ve already seen it 20 times!</p>
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<p>Do you find your children asking to watch the same TV shows and movies, or play the same video games over and over (and over again)? Perhaps you also find yourself thinking it would be better if they had a more varied screen-time diet. </p>
<p>The good news is, it’s perfectly OK for children to watch and repeat. In fact, it can help them learn. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/screen-time-for-kids-is-an-outdated-concept-so-lets-ditch-it-and-focus-on-quality-instead-186462">'Screen time' for kids is an outdated concept, so let's ditch it and focus on quality instead</a>
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<h2>Children learn through repetition</h2>
<p>Children have a lot to learn about themselves and the world. A big part of the way they do this is through <a href="https://irisreading.com/9-benefits-of-repetition-for-learning/">repetition</a>. </p>
<p>This applies to learning to walk, talk and read. But it can also be said for TV shows, movies and <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-mono/10.4324/9781003137368-5/video-gaming-isan-important-digitalliteracy-practice-kathy-mills-len-unsworth-laura-scholes">video games</a> with a storyline such as <a href="https://blogs.uww.edu/stardewvalleyblog/2021/02/25/an-in-depth-look-on-stardew-valley-storyline-and-game-paths/">Stardew Valley</a>.</p>
<p>Children may start by learning about the plot. On subsequent viewings they may pick up more details about the characters, the songs, the context or even the subtle twists and turns of the plot.</p>
<p>So this offers children insights into different characters, stories and ideas. These different perspectives offer valuable opportunities for learning about people and the world. </p>
<p>Repeat watching also enables immersion into a make-believe world that provides comfort. Just like adults might enjoy catching up on old episodes of Seinfeld or Friends, or watching Love, Actually each Christmas. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A young boy sits on a couch with a TV remote." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565948/original/file-20231215-17-19tbbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565948/original/file-20231215-17-19tbbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565948/original/file-20231215-17-19tbbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565948/original/file-20231215-17-19tbbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565948/original/file-20231215-17-19tbbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565948/original/file-20231215-17-19tbbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565948/original/file-20231215-17-19tbbb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children learn through repetition, and this applies to TV as well.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-holding-the-remote-6481590/">Kampus Production/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A unique opportunity</h2>
<p>When a child watches something over and over, this also opens up unique learning opportunities because they get to know the story so well.</p>
<p>Once a child is very familiar with a storyline, they can have deep discussion to help them think critically about what they are watching, especially once they’ve reached primary-school age.</p>
<p>Together, you can share ideas and consider alternative viewpoints to those offered in the story. Together, you can also question the assumptions in the characters’ actions and the storyline.</p>
<p>This will help your child’s critical thinking and help them <a href="https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/how-teachers-can-help-young-people-evaluate-online-content-in-a-posttruth-world/28323">evaluate information</a> in the rest of their lives. It can also help them <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15248372.2012.725187">weigh up</a> positive and negative attributes of characters, plots and beliefs that form part of the storyline. </p>
<p>Ultimately, this can help your child learn to reason and make judgements about controversial issues, and hopefully learn to do this in a respectful way. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1716962443228787003"}"></div></p>
<h2>How can you talk to your kids about their favourite shows?</h2>
<p>If you want to have a thorough discussion with your child about their favourite program or game, set aside some time when you are not rushed. </p>
<p>Prepare by watching the program or movie, or playing the game before the discussion. Show excitement at the prospect of this time with your child and be prepared to listen carefully. </p>
<p>It is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104401">important</a> for the discussions to be a two-way exchange where you both listen to each other (and not just a parent telling the child what the story is about or alternatively nodding along while the child gives their version).</p>
<p>The trick is to ask questions that do not have one right answer. Many stories bring up issues of ethics, morals, conflict, relationships, social issues and offer insights into the life of others. You could ask your child:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>what they think the message in the story might be? Then ask them to justify their response with evidence from the story</p></li>
<li><p>about alternative perspectives. For example, maybe the movie was about the way someone’s actions affect others (rather than the power of magic or the triumph of goodies over baddies or the importance of family. Or maybe it was all of these things.) </p></li>
</ul>
<p>You could also ask:</p>
<ul>
<li>why they think character A did B? Then ask them if they agree with the actions or would have done something different themselves. Then ask them to justify their answer. </li>
</ul>
<p>The aim is to discuss alternative messages and justify the response with examples from the story. </p>
<p>In this way you are helping your child <a href="https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/berj.3909">make meaning</a> in their world – a vital skill as they grow up. </p>
<p>So, next time the same show or movie goes on again, relax. It may be annoying for you to hear the same songs or storyline for the 1,000th time, but there are benefits for your child. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/tv-can-be-educational-but-social-media-likely-harms-mental-health-what-70-years-of-research-tells-us-about-children-and-screens-216638">TV can be educational but social media likely harms mental health: what 70 years of research tells us about children and screens</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218042/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laura Scholes has received funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>The good news is, it’s perfectly OK for children to watch and repeat. In fact, it can help them learn.Laura Scholes, Associate Professor and ARC Principal Research Fellow, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2141542023-11-08T19:10:35Z2023-11-08T19:10:35ZWhen do kids learn to read? How do you know if your child is falling behind?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/558231/original/file-20231108-15-umy0hf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C44%2C5982%2C3943&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/positive-black-boy-reading-fairytale-with-bright-pictures-6437460/">Marta Wave/Pexels </a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Learning to read is one of the most important parts of early schooling. But there is ongoing and arguably increasing concern too many Australian children are falling behind in reading. </p>
<p>This year’s NAPLAN results alarmingly show almost <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/naplan-national-results">one in three</a> Australian children don’t meet the expected standard in Year 3.</p>
<p>What are the expectations around when children learn to read and how should their progress be monitored?</p>
<h2>When do children start to learn to read?</h2>
<p>In Australia, school is where formal reading instruction begins. So most children start to learn to read at age five or six.</p>
<p>In some countries children won’t begin to learn to read until seven because they start school later, while in other countries they might start at age four.</p>
<p>There is no optimal age to start to learn to read and beginning the process before a child reaches school age <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/reading-minds/201711/precocious-reading">does not necessarily give them an advantage</a>. </p>
<p>But once school begins, children should be taught about the sounds that letters typically make (for example, the letter t makes the “t” sound). After a few months of continuous instruction, they should be able to use the letter sounds they’ve been taught to read simple words that use these same letter sounds. </p>
<p>This doesn’t mean your child should be reading fluently by the end of their first year, but they should be able to remember and use what they have practised at school to read some simple words and text. </p>
<h2>What should I do before they start school?</h2>
<p>Parents can help prepare their child to learn to read before they reach school age.</p>
<p>One of the most reliable predictors of learning to read well is a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10573569.2012.702040">strong spoken vocabulary</a>, so explaining what words mean and discussing a range of topics with your child is an excellent start. </p>
<p>Reading <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10888438.2018.1435663">with your child</a> is another way to boost their vocabulary. Learning to read relies on a foundation of children learning the connections between letters and sounds. So when parents teach children to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01923/full">pay attention to letters and sounds in words</a>, it helps them to learn to break the code.</p>
<p>Having books available to children to explore on their own (and with your help) may also increase their interest in learning to read. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/10-ways-to-get-the-most-out-of-silent-reading-in-schools-123531">10 ways to get the most out of silent reading in schools</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Many kids take time to learn</h2>
<p>Even if you have lots of books at home and read together, there is natural variation in how quickly children learn to read. Some children learn the connections between letters and sounds quickly and form memories of written words after only a few attempts at reading them. </p>
<p>But many children take longer to learn and require more practise and support.</p>
<p>The reasons some children don’t learn to read as well as others are often complex. </p>
<p>For example, one child may need more practice making the connections between letters and sounds than others. Another may have limited spoken language skills and need additional support to improve their sensitivity to the sounds of language or develop their understanding of what words mean.</p>
<p>It is important for parents to know that having difficulty with learning to read does not say anything about their child’s intelligence. Reading difficulties can impact children with a <a href="https://psychology.org.au/for-members/publications/inpsych/2021/november-issue-4/specific-learning-disability">wide range</a> of intellectual abilities and intelligence is not a criterion for diagnosing a reading difficulty. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A mother and two young children sit together reading a book." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557647/original/file-20231106-25-pv2on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557647/original/file-20231106-25-pv2on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557647/original/file-20231106-25-pv2on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557647/original/file-20231106-25-pv2on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=406&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557647/original/file-20231106-25-pv2on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557647/original/file-20231106-25-pv2on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557647/original/file-20231106-25-pv2on.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=510&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Reading with your child can help boost their vocabulary.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/children-reading-a-book-with-their-mother-7105613/">Kinder Media/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>How do I know if my child needs more help?</h2>
<p>Schools and teachers should routinely monitor children’s reading progress. This is particularly important during the first three years of school but should continue throughout the primary school years. </p>
<p>There are <a href="https://www.motif.org.au">free and reliable tests</a> to <a href="https://dibels.uoregon.edu/materials/dibels-australasian">assess</a> reading skills. </p>
<p>If a consistent gap is identified within the first year at school, a child should be offered additional help and opportunities for practise both at school and at home. It’s important to note gaps in reading achievement should be filled <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4610292/">when the gap is small</a>, rather than taking a “wait and see” approach that allows the gap to widen and for the child to fall further behind.</p>
<p>If you are concerned your child is finding it difficult to learn to read even after several months of intensive additional support, an expert assessment by a reading clinician is an important step. </p>
<p>Parents can find professional help for learning difficulties in Australia by visiting <a href="https://auspeld.org.au/about/">AUSPELD</a>, which supports children and adults with learning difficulties. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/some-kids-with-reading-difficulties-can-also-have-reading-anxiety-what-can-parents-do-215438">Some kids with reading difficulties can also have reading anxiety – what can parents do?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214154/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>NAPLAN results alarmingly show almost one in three Australian children don’t meet the expected standard in Year 3.Tina Daniel, Researcher and Lecturer, Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, Australian Catholic UniversitySigny Wegener, Lecturer, Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2147862023-11-02T14:21:41Z2023-11-02T14:21:41ZSouth Africa’s literacy crisis: our app could help young readers by using home language and English<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556320/original/file-20231027-21-itwn8q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Educational technology, while no silver bullet, can be a tool for learning.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wirestock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Literacy changes lives: in Unesco’s words, it “<a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/literacy/need-know#:%7E:text=Literacy%20empowers%20and%20liberates%20people,on%20health%20and%20sustainable%20development.">empowers and liberates people</a>, … reduces poverty, increases participation in the labour market and has positive effects on health and sustainable development”. </p>
<p>But in South Africa, <a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-10-year-olds-are-struggling-to-read-it-can-be-fixed-206008">8 out of 10 children</a> cannot read for meaning by the end of their third school year.</p>
<p>During the first three years of their education, South African children receive schooling in one of the 11 written official languages. Generally, this means being taught in their <a href="https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00X9JQ.pdf">home language</a>.</p>
<p>Then, at the beginning of grade 4 – when most learners are about 10 years old – English becomes the language of instruction. Learners are expected to be literate in both English and their home language by this time. In reality, they are not literate in any language. </p>
<p>The problem is partly caused by the fact that South Africa is, in many respects, a resource-scarce country, especially as it concerns indigenous languages. Even a language such as isiZulu, with <a href="https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/content/census-2022-statistical-release">15 million home language speakers</a>, has a dearth of language education resources. The situation is even worse for smaller languages, such as isiNdebele, with just over 1 million home language speakers.</p>
<p>In such an environment, where it’s not easy to acquire literacy, the innovative and creative use of technology offers new ways of tackling this strategic challenge. This is what our <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3571884.3604303">Ngiyaqonda! project</a> aims to do. “Ngiyaqonda” is an isiZulu word which means “I understand”. </p>
<p>The project centres on a mobile application to support literacy development. The app’s goal is to provide a rich digital environment, involving speech and text technology, in which learners build grammatically correct sentences based on audio prompts generated via synthetic voice technology – a first for isiZulu. </p>
<p>The initial focus is on the learner’s home language (it’s currently being piloted with grade 3 isiZulu-speaking learners at a school in Soweto, Johannesburg). English is introduced gradually as a target language. The language and speech technology has been developed to provide linguistic accuracy and is grounded in teaching principles. </p>
<h2>Large language models</h2>
<p>Technology, especially the employment of language technology in the education domain, is not a silver bullet. Its use must be carefully considered. This means having a clear idea of the expectations and limitations of possible solutions. In other words, what factors should be considered when using technology in support of literacy development for young children?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mobile-app-offers-new-learning-tools-for-anatomy-students-but-tech-isnt-a-silver-bullet-185919">Mobile app offers new learning tools for anatomy students. But tech isn't a silver bullet</a>
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</em>
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<hr>
<p>A multimodal approach is an obvious starting point: children can talk long before they can read and write. Employing speech technology along with text technology helps to bridge the gap from oral competency in a language to written competency. Grammatical correctness and the appropriate use of suitable vocabulary are essential, too. </p>
<p><a href="https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt">ChatGPT</a> has changed popular perceptions of what is possible in modelling languages using computers. The program uses large language models, which predict how words occur together in a language. This requires massive amounts of data. But there’s a problem when dealing with a resource-scarce language like isiZulu: there simply isn’t enough data available to train a model that is reliable enough to meet the requirements we’ve mentioned. And isiZulu’s linguistic characteristics, like the complex internal structure of its words, could severely affect the grammatical accuracy of such models if trained on insufficient data.</p>
<h2>Computational grammars</h2>
<p>That’s where <a href="https://www.grammaticalframework.org/">computational grammars</a> come in. These are structured sets of rules that describe how words occur in a language. Instead of making predictions based on previously seen data, computational grammars model the grammar of the language in a more direct way, allowing a larger degree of control over accuracy. </p>
<p>Our approach involves the use of such grammars for isiZulu and English and covers both languages’ major linguistic structures, as well as curriculum-based vocabulary. They have been designed to generate thousands of grammatically correct sentences that meet the teaching and learning requirements of repetition and novelty.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-reading-crisis-5-steps-to-address-childrens-literacy-struggles-205961">South Africa's reading crisis: 5 steps to address children's literacy struggles</a>
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<p>These sentences function as the language content of the speech-enabled mobile application. The application uses synthetic voice technology (also known as text-to-speech) to read aloud the automatically generated sentences in either isiZulu or English. The computational grammars act as a predictive text engine that allows users to recreate the prompt sentences word by word. An area of the screen is dedicated to displaying words as options for building the sentence. Users can select words by dragging them into the sentence itself; with each correct selection, new options are generated.</p>
<h2>Lessons</h2>
<p>In the earlier lessons, the application focuses on the task of decoding. This is a mental process and an essential component of reading in which sequences of letters must be associated with their corresponding sounds to form words. At this stage, lessons are monolingual.</p>
<p>For example, in the first lesson, a learner might encounter the sentence</p>
<blockquote>
<p>UVusi ufuna isikhindi ediloweni (Vusi searches for his pants in the drawer).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This would be read aloud by the text-to-speech in isiZulu. The learner must fit the words they see to the sounds they hear.</p>
<p>Later lessons are multilingual and focus at the same time on reading for meaning and learning a target language. For most learners, the target language is English. Learners listen to sentences in one language and must reproduce a translation textually. </p>
<p>The app currently includes nine lessons. We plan to significantly expand this soon.</p>
<h2>Pilot project</h2>
<p>The purpose of the pilot study is to establish whether the app makes a measurable difference in learners’ ability to read and compose sentences. It is used during scheduled reading periods and is meant to complement the educator’s existing teaching approach. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/learning-to-read-is-a-journey-a-study-identifies-where-south-african-kids-go-off-track-206242">Learning to read is a journey: a study identifies where South African kids go off track</a>
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<p>We are fortunate to be collaborating with a school and team of educators who have embraced innovation as an aid to improving their learners’ outcomes. The results of the study are expected towards the end of 2023 and will inform subsequent studies in 2024. </p>
<p>Preliminary results indicate that both the teachers and the learners are benefiting from using the app in the classroom. The teachers say they appreciate its multimodal aspect, which allows the children to learn independently; the children are excited to use it during their reading lessons.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214786/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laurette Marais works for the CSIR. This work has been funded by the South African Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laurette Pretorius consults to the CSIR. </span></em></p>The language and speech technology has been developed to provide linguistic accuracy and is grounded in teaching principles.Laurette Marais, Senior Researcher, Council for Scientific and Industrial ResearchLaurette Pretorius, Professor Extraordinarius, Stellenbosch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2154382023-10-19T19:03:21Z2023-10-19T19:03:21ZSome kids with reading difficulties can also have reading anxiety – what can parents do?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553614/original/file-20231013-15-phvzcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C17%2C5931%2C3924&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-books-on-book-shelves-1370295/">Element5 Digital/Pexels </a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australian children are facing some big challenges. NAPLAN <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/naplan-national-results">data shows</a> about one in three students in years 3 to 9 are behind in reading-related skills. It is also estimated about one in seven children have <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/children-mental-illness">poor mental health</a>. </p>
<p>Until recently, most people assumed these were separate problems. However, there is <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19404158.2022.2054834">growing evidence</a> difficulties with reading and mental health may be related in some children.</p>
<h2>What is reading anxiety?</h2>
<p>Recent studies suggest reading anxiety may be the mental health problem most closely related to reading difficulty.</p>
<p>Reading anxiety is an excessive fear of reading that interferes with everyday life. For example, a child may be so anxious about reading they refuse to go school.</p>
<p>Like <a href="https://theconversation.com/maths-anxiety-is-a-real-thing-here-are-3-ways-to-help-your-child-cope-200822">maths anxiety</a>, reading anxiety can affect both children and adults. In one of our very recent studies (not yet published), we discovered 50% of children with reading difficulties appeared to have reading anxiety. That equates to around one in ten children at primary school.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/maths-anxiety-is-a-real-thing-here-are-3-ways-to-help-your-child-cope-200822">'Maths anxiety' is a real thing. Here are 3 ways to help your child cope</a>
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<h2>How does reading anxiety happen?</h2>
<p>Why might a child who struggles with reading also develop reading anxiety? Current <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19404158.2022.2054834">evidence suggests</a> the following hypothesis: </p>
<p>When a child first starts school, many children in their class will not read well. However, after a few months of reading lessons, most will start to improve. A few will not. Many of those children will get negative feedback about their reading from others (such as their teachers, parents and other students) or even from themselves. </p>
<p>They will then start to believe they are poor readers. Researchers call this a “poor reading self-concept”. </p>
<p>If a child believes they are bad at reading, they may start to feel worried or scared about reading, particularly in front of other people. </p>
<p>This anxiety can make it hard for them to concentrate in reading classes. Or they find a way to avoid going to reading classes at all, such as playing up in class so they get kicked out of the room.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A young boy reads a book, using his finger as a guide." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553617/original/file-20231013-23-oqnb1s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553617/original/file-20231013-23-oqnb1s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553617/original/file-20231013-23-oqnb1s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553617/original/file-20231013-23-oqnb1s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553617/original/file-20231013-23-oqnb1s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553617/original/file-20231013-23-oqnb1s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553617/original/file-20231013-23-oqnb1s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children may become fearful of reading in front of other people.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/BPXSTl_HBhk">Michal Parzuchowski/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A negative cycle</h2>
<p>It is important to note these avoidance behaviours are an entirely reasonable response to reading anxiety. </p>
<p>Anxiety is a fight or flight response that evolved to keep humans alive. If you are facing a lion who wants to eat you (or you need to read in front of the class), the last thing you need to do is concentrate hard on learning how the lion’s growl sounds correspond to his paw movements (or how different letters correspond to different speech sounds). </p>
<p>What you really need to do is run away.</p>
<p>The trouble is, when it comes to reading, running away means not attending, or concentrating in, reading classes. This will make everything worse: your reading, your reading self-concept and your reading anxiety. This sets up a cycle of failure that gets stronger over time.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/anxiety-can-affect-academic-performance-here-are-10-things-parents-and-teachers-can-do-to-relieve-the-pressure-168837">Anxiety can affect academic performance. Here are 10 things parents and teachers can do to relieve the pressure</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Is it possible to break this cycle?</h2>
<p>A couple of recent studies suggest we can help reading anxiety. </p>
<p>In 2021, a <a href="https://peerj.com/articles/10987/">case intervention study</a> gave eight Australian primary-school children 12 weeks of very intensive and targeted reading and anxiety intervention. All children showed significant improvements in their targeted reading and anxiety symptoms.</p>
<p>A 2020 <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/bjep.12401?casa_token=9c_QW4h2r6IAAAAA:ZbqB7NmohqK7SNuDxErgLOrUtoIVZxH9S7XQ4i7HN8ewcYeDZAddxQggjmHZgsAWNg_hYlvY67EQ2zUA">Australian study</a> delivered reading self-concept training to 40 children with reading difficulties. As a group, these children showed significant reductions in their non-productive coping strategies (such as procrastination or avoidance).</p>
<p>These results suggest it is possible to improve the mental health of children with reading difficulties with intensive and targeted training. But many more studies are needed before we can be sure. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A young girl lies on a towel on the grass, reading a book." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553618/original/file-20231013-25-p8rb19.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553618/original/file-20231013-25-p8rb19.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553618/original/file-20231013-25-p8rb19.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553618/original/file-20231013-25-p8rb19.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=417&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553618/original/file-20231013-25-p8rb19.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=524&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553618/original/file-20231013-25-p8rb19.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=524&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553618/original/file-20231013-25-p8rb19.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=524&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Initial studies suggest it is possible to break the cycle between reading and anxiety.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/IViUPh1dpLE">Skylar Zilka/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What can parents do?</h2>
<p>What can parents do if they suspect their child has problems with reading anxiety? </p>
<p>First, it is important to know both the reading and mental health problems need to be treated by experts. It is not something parents can do alone at home. </p>
<p>However, a parent can help identify if a child needs help. As a starting point, they could ask their child’s teacher, or a reading clinician, to screen their child for problems with reading and reading anxiety. A good free screen for reading is the CC2 word <a href="https://www.motif.org.au/cc2">reading test</a>. A good free screen for reading anxiety is the <a href="https://www.motif.org.au/rat">Reading Anxiety Test or RAT</a>.</p>
<p>If the results suggest a child has problems with both reading and reading anxiety, then teachers and reading clinicians can help parents find people to help. Not many people are experts in both reading and anxiety. But good clinicians will happily work together to support the diverse needs of children.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215438/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Genevieve McArthur has received funding from various funding bodies including the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council. She works for the not-for-profit Dyslexia SPELD Foundation as well as the Australian Catholic University. </span></em></p>There is growing evidence suggesting difficulties with reading and mental health may be related in some children.Genevieve McArthur, Professor at the Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2153892023-10-19T13:18:25Z2023-10-19T13:18:25ZFootball and big money: what some professional players in Ghana told us about handling their finances<p>Footballers are among the best paid sportsmen in most parts of the world. </p>
<p>The unfortunate reality, however, is that the retirement <a href="https://www.theghanareport.com/top-5-players-who-went-broke-after-making-millions-in-football/">experiences</a> of many former professional footballers have been awful. Within the sports media landscape, there have been <a href="https://www.moneynest.co.uk/bankrupt-footballers/">reported cases</a> of once-wealthy footballers who have gone bankrupt soon upon retirement. Notable examples in Ghana are former Black Stars players Sammy Adjei, John Naawu, Joe Odoi, Prince Addu Poku and Amusa Gbadamoshie. </p>
<p>According to some <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?output=instlink&q=info:0Ha1K3SHR4kJ:scholar.google.com/&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5&scillfp=13443085754161180526&oi=lle">academics</a> this unfortunate situation stems in part from the fact that the danger of falling into a professional void is high. This is because, like most sports, football confers skills that are not easily transferable to non-sporting occupations. The availability of jobs in football is also very limited. So most footballers earn a very high income during their active career period and face a high degree of income uncertainty upon retirement.</p>
<p>The lifestyle of footballers (during the active playing period and upon retirement) has also been highlighted by several <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?output=instlink&q=info:cxNwMuOE4DsJ:scholar.google.com/&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5&scillfp=5439326496234156066&oi=lle">reports</a> as a key driver of the financial mess that some footballers have got themselves into. </p>
<p>Again, there have been reported cases of footballers engaging in irresponsible financial behaviour. Examples include gambling, spending on luxurious brands, lavish parties and generally maintaining an expensive and unsustainable lifestyle. A lack of financial knowledge has often been associated with this kind of financial behaviour.</p>
<p>I am a <a href="https://ugbs.ug.edu.gh/ugbsfaculty/profile-faculty_member/godfred-matthew-yaw">professor</a> of accounting who, with others, has conducted a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/23750472.2023.2248150">study</a> to investigate the level of financial literacy of professional footballers in Ghana and ascertain its impact on their financial behaviour and financial wellbeing. </p>
<p>We found low levels of financial literacy, and poor financial behaviour, among footballers. The results suggest that to promote responsible financial behaviour among footballers, enhancing their financial literacy is key. We found very strong support for the argument that responsible financial behaviour, proxied in this study by savings and investment behaviour, is key to attaining financial wellness in life.</p>
<h2>The study design</h2>
<p>Financial literacy has been described as the ability to use the needed knowledge and skills to manage one’s financial resources effectively to improve welfare in the future. </p>
<p>Financial behaviour, on the other hand, can be <a href="https://www.grin.com/document/934971">described</a> as the “ability to regulate planning, budgeting, checking, managing, controlling, searching and storing daily funds”. It covers spending and saving habits, borrowing patterns, budgeting and access to financial products. </p>
<p>Using questionnaires, we surveyed 300 footballers who competed in the 2020 Ghana Premier League.</p>
<p>The questionnaire had two sections: one on the demographic details of the respondents; the other on their financial literacy, financial behaviours and financial wellbeing.</p>
<p>Currently, the Ghana Premier League has 18 registered clubs. At the time of the study, these clubs employed 480 registered footballers. Compared with clubs in Europe, England, Asia and even many other parts of Africa, the net worth of Ghanaian clubs is very <a href="https://www.fifa.com/en/media-releases/fifa-publishes-global-transfer-report-2021">low</a>. Revenues from international transfers – an important funding source for most Ghanaian clubs – have been very low over the years. For instance, the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) in its 2021 report on international transfers <a href="https://www.fifa.com/en/media-releases/fifa-publishes-global-transfer-report-2021">recorded</a> that Ghanaian football clubs together made a net profit of only US$50 million in the last decade.</p>
<h2>Footballers’ finances</h2>
<p>Our study revealed that the population of footballers was largely youthful. Nearly 90% were 30 years old or below, which is similar to footballers in other countries. This is expected as footballers are mostly active in their prime years. About 86% had some form of education, mainly up to senior high school level. The majority of the respondents were married and close to 58% of them had three or more dependants aside from their nuclear family. Thus, most of the footballers were providers for families although 39% said they lived with their parents or friends. On average, these footballers earned GHS2,000 net monthly income (US$177 at the time of the study), which, compared to other professionals, is low. </p>
<p>Overall, we found that the footballers had a low level of financial literacy. They ranked setting of long-term goals high but their interest in seeking financial knowledge was very low. It was therefore not surprising that most of the footballers seemed uncertain about where their money was spent.</p>
<p>We found that the footballers, generally, did not exhibit responsible financial behaviour. Very few had any interest in products such as bonds, stocks, mutual funds and insurance policies. But they seemed diligent in comparing prices when purchasing a product or service in a shop.</p>
<p>Interestingly, footballers were optimistic about their financial wellbeing. Most of those surveyed were confident in their capacity to meet current financial needs, had a very positive outlook on their future financing needs and made choices to enjoy life. The average footballer is always hopeful of securing lucrative contracts in future. </p>
<h2>Better performance</h2>
<p>Efforts to enhance the financial wellbeing of footballers can begin with investing in training programmes to make them financially literate. Second, football clubs can engage financial coaches to provide practical guidance to players during their active playing days to help shape their financial behaviour. </p>
<p>Given that financial wellbeing is closely <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JHASS-05-2021-0101/full/pdf">associated</a> with psychological wellbeing, such initiatives could have a positive effect on the performance of players on the field.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215389/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Godfred Matthew Yaw Owusu does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Most Ghanaian footballers have poor levels of financial literacy and financial behaviour.Godfred Matthew Yaw Owusu, Professor of Accounting, University of GhanaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2141292023-10-10T22:22:37Z2023-10-10T22:22:37ZReading disabilities are a human rights issue — Saskatchewan joins calls to address barriers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551855/original/file-20231003-23-co45y4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C352%2C7249%2C4219&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Inquiries into how reading is taught across Canada join efforts in other countries to ensure educators are supporting students' rights to effective reading instruction. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/reading-disabilities-are-a-human-rights-issue-saskatchewan-joins-calls-to-address-barriers" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>As fall school routines settle down, for many families whose children struggle with reading, it could mean another year of stress and financial burden as they navigate school systems to advocate for support.</p>
<p>Findings in the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission’s (SHRC) <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/9977256/sask-human-rights-report-reading-disability-supports/">September 2023 report</a>, “<a href="https://saskatchewanhumanrights.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EQUITABLE-EDUCATION-for-Students-Reading-Disabilities-Report-2023.pdf">Equitable Education for Students With Reading Disabilities in Saskatchewan’s K to 12 Schools: A Systemic Investigation Report</a>” capture the social and financial challenges faced by individuals and caregivers affected by dyslexia, and also the effects on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.1531">mental health</a>. Families share difficulties they encounter in obtaining the necessary support and interventions in Saskatchewan school systems.</p>
<p>In 2020, the SHRC launched an investigation following a group complaint. Families of children diagnosed with <a href="https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-at-a-glance/">dyslexia</a> alleged their children were discriminated against based on disability and were not provided access to equitable education. </p>
<p>The report summarizes <a href="https://www.ldac-acta.ca/downloads/pdf/advocacy/Education%20Implications%20-%20Moore%20Decision.pdf">legal precedents</a> outlining <a href="https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/canada/employment-social-development/migration/documents/documents/English/Statutes/Statutes/E0-2.pdf">government and school division</a> responsibilities relating to the education of students with disabilities, and calls for changes in teacher and student education. </p>
<h2>Multiple provinces investigating reading</h2>
<p>Saskatchewan isn’t the first province to consider children’s human rights and reading instruction. The Ontario Human Rights Commission released its “<a href="https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/right-to-read-inquiry-report">Right to Read</a>” inquiry report in February 2022. An <a href="http://www.manitobahumanrights.ca/education/pdf/specialprojects/termsofreference.pdf">inquiry</a> in Manitoba is currently underway.</p>
<p>The Saskatchewan inquiry gained input from stakeholders including students, families, teachers, school administrators and other professionals via discussions, and also gathered input through surveys. One hundred and eighty-three people provided information through a parent/student survey and 293 people responded to a survey for educational and medical professionals. The inquiry also conducted a review of current research related to reading instruction.</p>
<p>The report identifies 17 recommendations for schools and school systems, the province’s education ministry and teacher education programs to consider, including issues related to classroom instruction, provincial curriculum and teacher preparation.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A school building." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551858/original/file-20231003-22-mj3a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551858/original/file-20231003-22-mj3a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551858/original/file-20231003-22-mj3a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551858/original/file-20231003-22-mj3a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551858/original/file-20231003-22-mj3a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551858/original/file-20231003-22-mj3a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551858/original/file-20231003-22-mj3a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Less than 70 per cent of Grade 3 students in Saskatchewan are reading at grade level.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Reading landscape in Saskatchewan</h2>
<p>It is estimated that <a href="http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/46482/1/13.Shane%20R.%20Jimerson.pdf#page=225">95 per cent of children</a> can develop word reading skills when provided with the right support. </p>
<p>Saskatchewan students consistently fall short. In the most <a href="https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/ministries/education#annual-reports">recent annual report from the</a> <a href="https://publications.saskatchewan.ca/api/v1/products/121656/formats/140952/download">Ministry of Education</a>, only 68 per cent of Grade 3 students are reading at grade level.
The SHRC report notes “because of marginalization and structural inequality,
racialized students, Indigenous students, Métis students, multilingual students and students from low-income backgrounds are at increased risk for reading difficulties.” The report calls for improvements to support all equity-deserving groups and consultation with Indigenous community members in education and learning.</p>
<p>Previous attempts to increase reading scores have been addressed by <a href="https://saskschoolboards.ca/wp-content/uploads/provincial-CYCLE-2-ESSP-Level-1-Matrix-and-A3-for-Web.pdf">the province</a>, however, provincial reading data remains relatively stable. </p>
<p>Current <a href="https://publications.saskatchewan.ca/api/v1/products/120477/formats/139300/download">Saskatchewan provincial education plans</a> don’t include specific actions and goals related to early reading proficiency. </p>
<p>This is despite wide recognition that reading proficiency in the early years is strongly related to <a href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pubs/nrp/Documents/report.pdf">later achievement</a> and <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED518818.pdf">graduation rates,</a> and is a critical period for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/87565641.2003.9651913">early intervention</a> to prevent and address reading difficulties.</p>
<h2>Reading instruction</h2>
<p>The SHRC report outlines two perspectives on reading instruction. “<a href="http://pamelasnow.blogspot.com/2017/05/balanced-literacy-instructional.html">Balanced literacy</a>” is the type of instruction common to Saskatchewan classrooms, guided by the provincial curricula and <a href="https://saskatchewanreads.wordpress.com/acknowledgements/">companion documents</a>. </p>
<p>This approach influences the types of books students read, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2013.857970">assessments</a> used to monitor reading development and <a href="https://nicolejosephlaw.com/evidence-based-reading-instruction/">intervention programs</a>. </p>
<p>As the Saskatchewan report notes, the approach is about balancing “the importance of comprehending the meaning of written language … <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3314">with the acquisition of a range of skills and knowledges</a>.” These could include phonics lessons (how letters represent sounds). However, in practice, students are often taught that when they come to a word they don’t know they should guess, look at the picture, skip the word or think about what makes sense based on context.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A teacher seen with book and children." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551857/original/file-20231003-25-80kph1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551857/original/file-20231003-25-80kph1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551857/original/file-20231003-25-80kph1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551857/original/file-20231003-25-80kph1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551857/original/file-20231003-25-80kph1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551857/original/file-20231003-25-80kph1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551857/original/file-20231003-25-80kph1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Debates around best approaches to teaching reading have a long history.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>“<a href="https://dyslexialibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/file-manager/public/1/Spring%202019%20Final%20Moats%20p9-11.pdf">Structured literacy</a>” is an alternate approach. It <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0040059917750160">differs</a> from balanced literacy in that necessary skills for reading are taught explicitly. Students are introduced to these skills through a systematic progression from easier to more complex. </p>
<h2>Learning letter patterns</h2>
<p>This approach is recognized as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2014.906010">more effective</a> than balanced literacy, particularly for students who are struggling to develop reading skills. Students learn to read from texts that contain words made up of letter patterns they have been taught. Instead of guessing or skipping unknown words, they are encouraged to sound them out using their knowledge of the letter-sound connections.</p>
<p>The report says many educators surveyed “believed the implementation of a universal, province-wide, scientific approach to reading would be better for students as well as teachers.”</p>
<p>This refers to following the most recent <a href="https://www.thereadingleague.org/what-is-the-science-of-reading/">scientific evidence</a> guiding structured literacy approaches. As one educator quoted in the report notes, this approach <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/87565641.2003.9651913">limits the number of students</a> who will require additional support.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/reading-struggles-dont-wait-to-advocate-for-your-child-130986">Reading struggles? Don't wait to advocate for your child</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The call for Saskatchewan to embrace a structured literacy approach was one of the most common themes to emerge from the inquiry. </p>
<h2>Updating curricula</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100618772271">Debates</a> around reading instruction have a long history. Growing interest in how reading is taught has led to <a href="https://www.shankerinstitute.org/read">legislative changes</a> in some U.S. states. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.bushcenter.org/catalyst/how-to-improve-our-schools/how-mississippi-reformed-reading-instruction">Mississippi</a> passed the Literacy-Based Promotion Act in 2013. In the state, significant funding is used for teacher training on science-based reading instruction, literacy coaches, screening and early interventions and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/06/education/learning/mississippi-schools-literacy.html">results</a> show that reading scores in the state have improved significantly.</p>
<p>The Saskatchewan report suggests updating provincial curricula, echoing a recommendation in the OHRC Right to Read. </p>
<p>Ontario responded with a new <a href="https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/curriculum/elementary-language">language curriculum</a> and a <a href="https://onlit.org/">literacy hub</a> to support educators in adopting a new approach to reading instruction. </p>
<p><a href="https://curriculum.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/resource-files/Six%20Pillars%20of%20Effective%20Reading%20Instruction.pdf">Nova Scotia</a>, <a href="https://curriculum.learnalberta.ca/curriculum/en/s/laneng">Alberta</a>, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/dominic-cardy-literacy-reading-gene-ouellette-mount-allison-new-brunsiwck-1.6732875">New Brunswick</a> and the <a href="https://www.fnsb.ca/literacy">First Nation School Board</a> in Yukon are also embracing instructional practices to include explicit and systematic instruction of foundational skills.</p>
<h2>Teacher preparation</h2>
<p>The SHRC commits to engaging with stakeholders. These include the faculties of education at the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina. </p>
<p>Recently, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/raising-readers-writers-and-spellers/202309/elite-universities-call-for-change-in-reading#">two top universities for teacher education</a> respectively in the United States (Teachers College, Columbia University) and Australia (La Trobe University), moved away from decades of instruction based on the balanced literacy model to align programs with current research. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.dyslexiacanada.org/en/blog/dyslexia-canada-applauds-new-shrc-report-for-championing-equity-in-education">Advocates</a> support the recommendations proposed in the report and view them as an important step for students with dyslexia. </p>
<p>The SHRC suggests this is an initial stage in continued collaboration with stakeholders to further address issues related to the educational rights of children in Saskatchewan.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214129/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrea Fraser does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A report from the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission outlines government and school responsibilities for educating students with disabilities and calls for changes in reading instruction.Andrea Fraser, Assistant Professor Faculty of Education, Mount Saint Vincent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2145462023-10-05T12:33:30Z2023-10-05T12:33:30ZMillions of US children have mediocre reading skills, but engaged parents and a committed school curriculum can help<p><em>Reading ability among U.S. students <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cnb/reading-performance">remained low in 2022</a>, with 37% of fourth graders and 30% of eighth graders scoring below the basic proficiency levels for reading set by the <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/annualreports/overview">National Assessment of Educational Progress</a>.</em> </p>
<p><em>Although the COVID-19 school shutdowns are responsible for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/reading-third-grade-phonics-bd9a14dd348d88c2b11e2dce38829a8e">some of the learning loss</a>, the numbers weren’t particular good <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cnb/reading-performance">prior to the pandemic</a>, either – reading scores for U.S. students have been low for decades.</em> </p>
<p><em>SciLine interviewed <a href="https://ehe.osu.edu/directory?id=piasta.1">Dr. Shayne Piasta</a>, a professor of reading and literacy at The Ohio State University and a faculty associate at the <a href="https://crane.osu.edu/">Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy</a>. Piasta discussed the various methods of reading instruction and how to get kids to love it.</em> </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Dr. Shayne Piasta discusses ways to help schoolchildren learn to read.</span></figcaption>
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<p><em>Below are some highlights from the discussion. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.</em></p>
<p><strong>What is meant by the ‘science of reading’? And what are the misconceptions?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Shayne Piasta:</strong> The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=cnkJ6VvDr2M">science of reading</a> refers to the accumulated knowledge base we have from scientific research about the reading process, its components, how reading skills develop and how we can best support those who are learning to read. </p>
<p>One of the misconceptions I see is that the science of reading is equated with <a href="https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/phonics-and-decoding/articles/phonics-instruction">phonics instruction</a>. </p>
<p>But the science of reading is a knowledge base, not a specific approach. Phonics instruction is a specific approach, whereby one is explicitly and intentionally teaching children all of those important links between letters and sounds, both at an individual letter level – like learning the alphabet – and at higher skill levels, such as learning about some complex spelling conventions that we have in the English language. </p>
<p>Although phonics instruction is a necessary component in learning to read, phonics instruction alone, without attending to other key reading components, such as language, comprehension, and concept and background knowledge, is insufficient. </p>
<p><strong>What critical components are needed for a reading curriculum to be successful?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Shayne Piasta:</strong> First and foremost, I would expect a reading program <a href="https://irrc.education.uiowa.edu/blog/2023/03/scope-and-sequence-what-it-and-how-do-educators-use-it-guide-instruction">to have a scope and sequence</a>, meaning there is predetermined content of what’s going to be covered. And then that it’s in a particular order, often building from more simple skills or concepts to more complex ones. </p>
<p>This might apply to phonics instruction, where we’re going from simple letter sound correspondences and building up to more complex associations between letters, spelling patterns and how words are pronounced. </p>
<p>Any successful reading program <a href="https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/scope-and-sequence">should have a scope and sequence</a>. It should definitely have it for the phonics component, but it should have it for other components as well. </p>
<p><strong>What role does background knowledge play in learning to read?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Shayne Piasta:</strong> We’re learning more and more about how critical concept knowledge and background knowledge are for successful reading. </p>
<p>To understand the meaning being conveyed by text, which is the ultimate goal, children use the information they already know to make sense of text. A famous example involves a study in which children read a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.80.1.16">written passage about baseball</a>. Children who knew a lot about baseball best understood the passage, regardless of reading ability. </p>
<p>This highlights the role of concept and background knowledge as foundations for understanding text meaning, and thus, reading comprehension. </p>
<p>Any reading curriculum should have opportunities for children to build those skills – to learn about our world, to make connections with the world, to make connections across different sources and types of information. This is particularly important given the diversity of classrooms. Educators cannot assume that children share certain knowledge or backgrounds.</p>
<p>Teachers need to provide opportunities to discuss and learn about concepts that children will read about. This includes topics like baseball as well as academic concepts like photosynthesis. And then they bring that conceptual and background knowledge with them when they’re going to read a new piece about a certain topic so they can actually make sense of it. </p>
<p>Again, it’s not phonics only. It’s phonics and these opportunities to support knowledge building as well as language skills. </p>
<p><strong>Are any approaches especially effective for children from marginalized backgrounds?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Shayne Piasta:</strong> There are many evidence-based practices for building language for both children who speak English only and those who are English learners. This includes exposing children to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1044/2015_AJSLP-14-0105">more complex grammar during conversations</a> and <a href="https://www.texasldcenter.org/teachers-corner/five-research-based-ways-to-teach-vocabulary">using routines</a> to improve awareness of new vocabulary words. </p>
<p>The science of reading applies to all learners. Most practices that we would recommend are going to be helpful for students from a range of different backgrounds. That being said, it’s important to be able to identify the strengths and the <a href="https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/video-differentiating-instruction-its-not-as-hard-as-you-think/2018/09">learning needs of individual children</a>. </p>
<p><strong>How can parents support kids who are learning to read?</strong></p>
<p><strong>Shayne Piasta:</strong> For parents, I would recommend focusing on <a href="https://www.nwea.org/blog/2022/parent-strategies-for-improving-their-childs-reading-and-writing/">creating positive literacy environments at home</a>. That is, having children see you reading, having children see you writing, and being clear about how literacy plays a role in your everyday life – not just having storybook time together or reading together, but doing activities like making grocery lists together. </p>
<p>Or maybe you could point out, “Hey, I’m reading these instructions so I can put together this piece of Ikea furniture.” So you’re really highlighting all of the important roles that literacy plays in daily life. In doing so, you can help children build <a href="https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/make-reading-fun-these-3-easy-tips.html">positive connections with those reading opportunities</a> so that it’s fun, engaging and something they want to do.</p>
<p><em>Watch the <a href="https://www.sciline.org/social-sciences/science-of-reading/">full interview</a> to hear more.</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.sciline.org/">SciLine</a> is a free service based at the nonprofit American Association for the Advancement of Science that helps journalists include scientific evidence and experts in their news stories.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214546/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The author's work has been funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, National Institutes of Health, and Spencer Foundation. </span></em></p>Low levels of literacy cost the US more than $2 trillion every year.Shayne Piasta, Professor of Reading and Literacy, The Ohio State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2136642023-09-21T13:27:45Z2023-09-21T13:27:45ZHow well you do at school depends on how much your teachers know: insights from 14 French-speaking countries in Africa<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/548527/original/file-20230915-27043-8dgaeh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Almost half of all sixth-grade students in Niger struggle to read a simple sentence.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Olympia De Maismont/AFP</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Countries in sub-Saharan Africa have made remarkable progress towards reaching universal school enrolment in the past 25 years. Across the region, <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.TENR?locations=ZG">8 in 10 children</a> of primary school age are now enrolled in school, and in countries such as <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.TENR?locations=ZG-BJ">Benin</a> and <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.PRM.TENR?locations=ZG-MG">Madagascar</a> this figure stands at almost 10 in 10 children. </p>
<p>However, it is becoming increasingly clear that many children in the region are <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2018">learning very little in school</a>. This <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2017/09/26/world-bank-warns-of-learning-crisis-in-global-education">“learning crisis”</a> means that it will be difficult to reach the <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4">United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal</a> of quality education for all by 2030.</p>
<p>Importantly, the learning crisis does not affect all countries equally. For example, a <a href="https://pasecconfemen.lmc-dev.fr/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/08/RapportPasec2019_Rev2022_WebOK.pdf">recent study</a> found that whereas almost half of all sixth-grade students (who are on average about 13 years old) in Niger have difficulties reading a simple sentence, only one in 10 sixth-grade students in neighbouring Burkina Faso has such problems. This raises the question of what explains these international learning gaps.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775723000845">recent study</a>, my co-authors Natalie Irmert, Mohammad H. Sepahvand and I tried to answer this question. We hypothesised that differences in teacher quality between countries play a role. Using comparable data from 14 countries in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa, we found that differences in teachers’ subject knowledge – that is, teachers’ mastery of the material they are expected to teach in a given subject – explain more than a third of the international variation in student learning. </p>
<p>This implies that the very low levels of learning in some countries’ schools are to a large extent due to a lack of knowledgeable teachers.</p>
<h2>The research</h2>
<p>Our study was made possible by the recent release of data from the <a href="https://pasec.confemen.org/en/">PASEC 2019 assessment</a>. The assessment measured sixth-grade students’ reading and maths skills in 14 French-speaking African countries in a comparable way. Importantly for our purposes, it also measured the knowledge of these students’ teachers in the same two subjects. The assessment revealed very large differences in the average reading and maths skills of students between countries. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/collaboration-is-helping-teachers-in-rural-cameroon-fill-knowledge-gaps-101920">Collaboration is helping teachers in rural Cameroon fill knowledge gaps</a>
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<p>In our study, we examined whether these international differences in student skills were driven by gaps in teachers’ subject knowledge. We hypothesised that this might be the case based on <a href="https://economics.ucr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/4-15-22-Smith.pdf">previous research</a> from individual countries which shows that teacher quality is a key driver of learning.</p>
<p>Our results showed student skills and teachers’ subject knowledge were indeed positively correlated: better teacher knowledge tended to go hand in hand with better student skills. </p>
<p>However, this did not necessarily mean that teachers’ subject knowledge caused learning. For example, countries with more knowledgeable teachers might also invest more into school buildings. In this case, the positive correlation between teacher knowledge and student skills could simply reflect the better learning conditions due to improved school buildings.</p>
<h2>Explaining the differences</h2>
<p>To be sure that our correlation reflected a causal effect of teacher knowledge, we used a statistical trick: we compared each country’s student skills and teacher knowledge in reading to its student skills and teacher knowledge in maths. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/girls-thrive-with-women-teachers-a-study-in-francophone-africa-95297">Girls thrive with women teachers: a study in Francophone Africa</a>
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<p>This meant that we could keep all factors that did not differ between the two subjects, such as the quality of school buildings, constant. If better teachers’ knowledge in reading relative to maths tended to go hand in hand with better student skills in reading relative to maths, we could be certain that the effect of teacher knowledge was causal.</p>
<p>The figure below shows that this was indeed the case: for example, Burundi’s teachers scored relatively low on the reading test relative to the maths test, and consequently its students did worse in the reading assessment than in the maths assessment. In contrast, Gabon’s teachers were relatively more knowledgeable in reading, and therefore its students also performed better in the reading test. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/548809/original/file-20230918-27-uajxga.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/548809/original/file-20230918-27-uajxga.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/548809/original/file-20230918-27-uajxga.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/548809/original/file-20230918-27-uajxga.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/548809/original/file-20230918-27-uajxga.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/548809/original/file-20230918-27-uajxga.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=548&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/548809/original/file-20230918-27-uajxga.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=548&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/548809/original/file-20230918-27-uajxga.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=548&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Teachers’ subject knowledge boosts student skills.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775723000845">Authors supplied</a></span>
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<p>Overall, differences in teachers’ subject knowledge could explain a third of the differences in student learning between the 14 countries. Our data did not allow us to conclude which factors explain the remaining two thirds of these differences.</p>
<h2>Implications for policy</h2>
<p>Our results show that teacher quality, and especially teacher subject knowledge, is a crucial driver of cross-country differences in learning. This is an important insight for policymakers in sub-Saharan Africa who are trying to solve the “learning crisis”: it shows that there is a large payoff to recruiting more knowledgeable teachers.</p>
<p>Additionally, in-service training that improves the knowledge of already employed teachers could lead to large gains in student learning.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213664/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jan Bietenbeck receives funding from Jan Wallanders och Tom Hedelius stiftelse samt Tore Browaldhs stiftelse. </span></em></p>Overall, differences in teachers’ subject knowledge could explain a third of the differences in student learning between the 14 countries.Jan Bietenbeck, Associate Professor of Economics, Lund UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2132512023-09-18T02:07:26Z2023-09-18T02:07:26ZNational wants to change how NZ schools teach reading – but ‘structured literacy’ must be more than just a classroom checklist<p>If it wins the election, the National Party has vowed to shake up how children are taught to read and write. Part of this education overhaul includes a <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/09/election-2023-national-releases-education-policy-pledges-to-require-schools-to-teach-structured-literacy-if-elected.html">pledge</a> to require the teaching of “structured literacy” in all year 0-6 classrooms. </p>
<p>For many in education, the announcement is welcome. It signals a move to an explicit and systematic form of teaching reading that educators, researchers and parents <a href="https://theconversation.com/young-new-zealanders-are-turning-off-reading-in-record-numbers-we-need-a-new-approach-to-teaching-literacy-141527">have long been calling for</a>.</p>
<p>New Zealand certainly needs to <a href="https://theeducationhub.org.nz/the-state-of-literacy-how-bad-are-things-and-why-does-it-matter/">lift its literacy rates</a>. Only 60% of 15-year-olds are achieving above the most basic level of reading, meaning 40% are struggling to read and write. Focusing on what research shows works in literacy is vital for improvement. </p>
<p>Some schools have already implemented a variety of structured literacy programmes, <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/education/schools-footing-the-bill-to-teach-teachers-new-literacy-approach/3SMWSF3BSOCO5LJ76733SMBIOQ/">often at their own cost</a>. The Ministry of Education has also begun to provide resources for more explicit reading instruction, and has incorporated elements of structured literacy into its <a href="https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/changes-in-education/curriculum-and-assessment-changes/literacy-and-communication-and-maths-strategy/">education strategy</a>.</p>
<p>But here is where we need to tread carefully and work collaboratively. </p>
<p>There is a <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1286919.pdf">growing body of research</a> supporting the introduction of explicit reading instruction – what informs the label of structured literacy. But we don’t yet know exactly what it would look like and how it would be taught. </p>
<p>And, if we don’t remain adaptable, we could end up with a reading curriculum that fails the promise to lift literacy rates. </p>
<h2>How has reading been taught?</h2>
<p>For decades, New Zealand schools have followed the “<a href="https://readingpartners.org/blog/the-science-of-reading-and-balanced-literacy-part-one-history-and-context-of-the-reading-wars">balanced literacy approach</a>”. This places value on being immersed in literature, and on the development of oral language. Students are not explicitly taught to sound out words. </p>
<p>By contrast, a structured approach focuses on teaching children to read words by following a progression from simple to more complex phonics – the practice of matching the sounds with individual letters or groups of letters.</p>
<p>A balanced literacy approach requires children to use a wide range of information to read, including illustrations and the context of the story. So children might look at the first letter of a word and then think what might fit in the sentence. </p>
<p>Structured approaches to reading use decodable books that are designed to <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-decodable-readers-and-do-they-work-106067">help children</a> practise a particular letter-sound pattern. </p>
<h2>Defining and trademarking reading instruction</h2>
<p>When we consider mandating a single approach to reading instruction, we need to develop a clear understanding of the terminology. </p>
<p>Structured literacy is one interpretation of the “<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/why-more-u-s-schools-are-embracing-a-new-science-of-reading">science of reading</a>” – a large body of research that pulls from disciplines such as education, special education, literacy, psychology, neurology and others. </p>
<p>The International Dyslexia Association (<a href="https://dyslexiaida.org/what-is-structured-literacy/">IDA</a>) trademarked the term structured literacy in 2014. Their definition requires the explicit teaching of foundation skills, including phonics for word reading, in a way that is systematic and cumulative.</p>
<p>But as one part of the broader and evolving body of science of reading research, educators need to be careful not to ascribe too much to one definition of structured literacy. The research base is strong, but it is not entirely clear how to translate this research in the classroom.</p>
<p>Key questions about the structured literacy approach continue to be debated – including how best to teach based on the science of reading, and specific issues such as how many spelling patterns need to be taught explicitly, and how long we need to use decodable texts.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/young-new-zealanders-are-turning-off-reading-in-record-numbers-we-need-a-new-approach-to-teaching-literacy-141527">Young New Zealanders are turning off reading in record numbers – we need a new approach to teaching literacy</a>
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<p>Policy makers also need to be wary of creating a structured literacy checklist for teachers to follow. Some programmes could end up meeting the formal criteria but have no evidence that they work in practice. Others might not meet the criteria but provide positive results for learners.</p>
<h2>Teachers and researchers need to work together</h2>
<p>Successful implementation of any new literacy approach is going to require teacher education to keep pace with the research. </p>
<p>The National Party has promised to introduce structured literacy as part of teacher training and ongoing professional development – but research to support the teachers will be key.</p>
<p>Teachers have the best knowledge about their classrooms, while researchers can examine and evaluate whether implementation of a new programme has worked or not.</p>
<p>Local research is taking place. Both <a href="https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/early-literacy-research-project">Massey University</a> and the <a href="https://www.betterstartapproach.com/">University of Canterbury</a> have research projects focused on understanding and improving New Zealand’s literacy education.</p>
<p>Connecting research to educational practice is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4020782/">notoriously difficult to achieve</a> but it is vital for ensuring classroom approaches are based on evidence. Research can provide the evidence of what works, which is vital in determining which literacy practices are successful, for whom, and how to implement them.</p>
<p>New Zealanders may want a simple solution to the country’s declining literacy, but teaching and learning are complex. </p>
<p>National’s proposal to introduce structured literacy is a step in the right direction. But it is essential that curriculum guidelines provide a clear framework for teachers, while allowing educators to adapt their teaching practices to ongoing research.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213251/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christine Braid consults as a literacy facilitator for Tātai Angitu, Massey University. She received funding from the Ministry of Education for a research project (2015-2017). James Chapman is quoted in this article and he was Christine's PhD supervisor and colleague in the research project.</span></em></p>For many educators, structured literacy is a step in the right direction to improving New Zealand’s falling literacy rates. But educators need to remain adaptable as the science of reading evolves.Christine Braid, Professional Learning and Development Facilitator in Literacy Education, Massey UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2121012023-08-23T05:44:30Z2023-08-23T05:44:30ZThe latest NAPLAN results don’t look great but we need to go beyond the headline figures<p>This year’s national NAPLAN <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/naplan-national-results">results are out</a>, with the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-23/one-in-three-students-not-meeting-naplan-standards/102756262">news only two-thirds</a> of Australian students met <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/results-and-reports/proficiency-level-descriptions">minimum achievement levels</a> in literacy and numeracy. </p>
<p>The headlines are everything we would expect them to be – full of panic. Most reporting is focused on the number of Australian students not meeting the new proficiency standards, with talk of “<a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/albanese-government-under-pressure-following-failed-naplan-expectations/video/121439875cd205797ed7a27122a1135b">failure</a>” and “<a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Fpolitics%2F662bn-debacle-one-in-three-kids-fails-naplan-literacy-numeracy%2Fnews-story%2Ffdb0cde16efe5262ffe08024d5a7bc2c&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-low-test-score&V21spcbehaviour=append">debacles</a>”. </p>
<p>The numbers certainly don’t look great, but should we be worried?</p>
<h2>Changes to NAPLAN</h2>
<p>NAPLAN was introduced in 2008 and is an annual test of all Australian students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It aims to see whether students are developing basic skills in literacy and numeracy.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, we saw the overall results released. Individual student reports will go home during term 3, via schools. </p>
<p>Earlier this year, NAPLAN <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-do-the-naplan-test-changes-mean-for-schools-and-students-199764">underwent significant changes</a>. These changes included a shift to online testing, moving the testing dates forward and new proficiency standards. </p>
<p>At the time of the announcement, many education experts <a href="https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/naplan-changes-aim-to-fix-the-underachievement-problem-20230210-p5cjhr">warned</a> that 2023 results might be lower than usual. </p>
<p>Many pointed to the shift from ten proficiency bands to four achievement levels (“needs additional support,” “developing,” “strong” and “exceeding”). This likely explains a lot of what we’re seeing today. It also means we cannot compare this year’s results with previous results.</p>
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<h2>The shift to online testing</h2>
<p>The shift to online testing may also have had a significant <a href="https://www.future-ed.org/paper-vs-online-testing-whats-the-impact-on-test-scores/">impact</a> on results. </p>
<p>Disparities in access to technology <a href="https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/even-pandemic-students-limited-technology-access-lagged-behind-their-peers">can impact</a> how students perform on the test. Students who regularly use computers and the internet at home are likely to feel more confident while taking an online test. Students without might struggle with basic computer skills. This can lead to more mistakes that have nothing to do with numeracy and literacy.</p>
<p>Changes to the testing window from May to March also means schools had less time to prepare students for NAPLAN in 2023. Theoretically, this might have a positive impact on education in the long run. Less time can be devoted to “test prep” or “teaching to the test”. This can free up time to spend on more authentic learning activities. But for this year, the change caught schools off guard, which may have impacted student performance.</p>
<p>We also shouldn’t forget about the impact of COVID. It is hard to estimate all the ways students have been affected by the pandemic. We can assume these effects will be felt for years to come, and we should continue to interpret NAPLAN results with this in mind.</p>
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<h2>Disparities and funding</h2>
<p>What we should be worried about is the clear disparity between Australia’s most vulnerable students and their peers. </p>
<p>Like every other year, NAPLAN results <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/23/australia-naplan-results-literacy-numeracy-nsw-qld-vic-sa-nt-tas-wa">show</a> significant gaps between Indigenous students and their peers. About one-third of Indigenous students “need additional support”, compared to one-tenth of students overall. Some 50% of students in the most remote regions of Australia also “need additional support”. </p>
<p>This is not a new concern, and one experts have been <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/an-inquisition-into-australia-s-great-school-funding-rort-20220913-p5bhtj">worried</a> about for many years. While politicians often blame schools and teachers, the real problem is with equitable funding. Public schools are responsible for teaching most students who require additional support, yet they are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/jul/17/gonski-review-government-funding-private-public-schools">not adequately funded</a> to do so. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fewer-than-1-in-5-students-who-are-behind-in-year-3-catch-up-and-stay-caught-up-211516">Fewer than 1 in 5 students who are behind in Year 3 catch up and stay caught up</a>
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<h2>Proceed with caution</h2>
<p>We must interpret this year’s NAPLAN results with caution. Our instinct might be to panic, but the reality is significant changes to the test have led to these results. It might take a few years before we can make any meaningful sense about overall progress and change.</p>
<p>We can also look to some experts’ <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/rebooted-naplan-may-be-the-wake-up-call-australia-needs-20230315-p5cs9w#:%7E:text=NAPLAN%20is%20a%20cornerstone%20of,ammunition%20to%20drive%20important%20improvements.&text=The%20annual%20tests%20of%20school,numeracy%20are%20in%20full%20swing.">optimism</a> about the changes. They say the new achievement levels and earlier testing dates will eventually lead to simpler and more useful results. They hope this means better communication between schools and families, as well as more time for schools to act.</p>
<p>Importantly, we should not interpret this year’s results as an indictment on schools. Rather, we should force governments to <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-report-proposes-full-public-funding-for-private-schools-but-theres-a-catch-203840">fully fund schools</a> to the level they have said is necessary. This year’s results leave no question about the urgency of equitable funding.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-type-of-school-does-matter-when-it-comes-to-a-childs-academic-performance-199886">The type of school does matter when it comes to a child's academic performance</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212101/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jessica Holloway receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>According to this year’s NAPLAN results, one third of Australian students do not meet minimum achievement levels in literacy and numeracy.Jessica Holloway, Senior Research DECRA Fellow, Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2118262023-08-21T03:14:31Z2023-08-21T03:14:31ZIt’s Book Week but your child is too anxious to take part. 5 expert tips to save the day<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543382/original/file-20230818-29-6ttzir.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1%2C1%2C997%2C664&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/search/harry-potter-costume">Brothers Art/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://cbca.org.au/cbca-book-week">Book Week</a> is here again. Around Australia, parents of primary school-aged children are coming up with costumes, so their kids can take part in parades. </p>
<p>Some kids are going to love wearing costumes and showing them off to classmates and teachers. </p>
<p>But, what if after all that effort, your child doesn’t want to wear their costume? Or, they get to school and nerves take over.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/book-week-its-not-the-costume-that-matters-but-falling-in-love-with-reading-188748">Book Week: it's not the costume that matters, but falling in love with reading</a>
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<h2>3 things not to do</h2>
<p><strong>1.</strong> Plan an extravagant costume without your child’s input. It can be helpful to <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/connecting-communicating/communicating/communicating-well-with-children">engage your a child</a> in decision-making and problem solving when they are calm. </p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> Keep your child home. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.032408.153628">Avoidance</a> can make anxiety worse. And, avoidance sends the message that the Book Week parade is definitely something to fear. </p>
<p><strong>3.</strong> Get angry and upset with your child. While you might feel annoyed or disappointed, kids <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-7358(96)00040-2">learn from our reactions</a>. And, we don’t want to teach them talking about feelings is a bad thing.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/kids-driving-you-crazy-try-these-science-backed-anger-management-tips-for-parents-194163">Kids driving you crazy? Try these science-backed anger management tips for parents</a>
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<h2>Why kids might not want to take part in the school parade</h2>
<p>It could be they are feeling anxious about looking silly in their costume. Maybe they are worried no one will know their Book Week character. Perhaps, they are concerned other kids will make fun of them. </p>
<p>About <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/children-mental-illness">6.9% of Australian children</a> and adolescents have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, with <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/11/the-mental-health-of-children-and-adolescents_0.pdf">past surveys</a> showing 2.3% experience social anxiety. Yet these figures only include those who qualify for a diagnosis. Many other children have difficulties with worries and fears that might not be interfering with their daily life. </p>
<p>Anxiety is a normal human emotion evoked when we think there is an imminent threat. But, it can be hard to know what to do to <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/mental-health/anxiety-in-children#how-to-support-children-with-anxiety-nav-title">support kids who are feeling anxious</a>.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/anxiety-can-look-different-in-children-heres-what-to-look-for-and-some-treatments-to-consider-189685">Anxiety can look different in children. Here's what to look for and some treatments to consider</a>
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<h2>5 ways to support your child</h2>
<p>So, what can parents or carers do? Here are some helpful tips. </p>
<h2>1. Get input from kids early and often</h2>
<p>Follow your child’s lead for a costume idea or give options so they can feel they have a choice in what they will wear. Even if it’s a simple choice like “do you want to wear the red shirt or the green shirt?” Choices help us to feel in control.</p>
<h2>2. Play ‘thought detective’ with your child</h2>
<p>Often, we can believe worried thoughts are true. But there are often more realistic ways to look at the situation. You can ask questions to help your child come up with alternative ways of thinking about the upcoming parade. Could the feelings be re-framed as excitement? Or freedom from uniforms or usual school clothes? You can also help your child understand what to expect. This might assist with worries they will be the only kid in a costume or that they won’t know what to do.</p>
<h2>3. Encourage your child to take small steps</h2>
<p>You want to encourage your child to be <a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/mental-health/anxiety-stepladder-approach">slightly out of their comfort zone</a>, but not completely overwhelmed. Maybe it’s wearing their normal clothes and holding a picture of a character from a book. Perhaps it’s a hat or mask? Perhaps they feel brave enough to wear a costume, but not do the parade. Of course, if they get to school and feel ready to do the parade, then encourage them to do so. By <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2021.103982">facing fears</a>, it gives children a chance to experience whether their worries come true or not. And, often, worries don’t come true.</p>
<h2>4. Use rewards to help motivation</h2>
<p><a href="https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/connecting-communicating/connecting/praise">Rewards</a> help motivate children to do things they might not otherwise want to do. Rewards could be stickers, food treats, a small toy, high fives or some special time together. Your child might be willing to do the parade if they know that they will get extra special time with you. This could be time playing a favourite game, going to the park with you, or time together reading a favourite book. </p>
<h2>5. Practise calming strategies</h2>
<p>When a child feels anxiety in their body, they will experience physical sensations. This may mean they feel like they want to run away from the situation, freeze or even have an emotional outburst. This might happen before going to school or at the time of the parade. Parents can help kids by using calming strategies, such as taking <a href="https://www.rch.org.au/uploadedFiles/Main/Content/rheumatology/Breathing_and_relaxation_strategies.pdf">big breaths</a> or counting. </p>
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<h2>Treatment for anxiety in kids</h2>
<p>If anxiety keeps interfering with your child’s life, there are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01351-6">treatments</a> that can help to reduce symptoms. It can be worth talking to a professional to get them early support. </p>
<p>You can get support from the school counsellor, your GP, a private psychologist or even an <a href="https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/au/free-parenting-courses/fear-less-triple-p-online/">online treatment program</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01309-0">Parents</a> and carers are important people in children’s lives. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-016-0180-6">How you react</a> to your child’s anxiety can really help them as they grow and develop. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/i-think-my-child-has-anxiety-what-are-the-treatment-options-199098">I think my child has anxiety. What are the treatment options?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211826/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Frances Doyle receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council's Medical Research Future Fund. </span></em></p>You stayed up all night to make a Book Week costume – but now your child won’t wear it. In fact they don’t want to go at all. Here are some ideas to try.Frances Doyle, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2115162023-08-20T20:03:56Z2023-08-20T20:03:56ZFewer than 1 in 5 students who are behind in Year 3 catch up and stay caught up<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543124/original/file-20230817-17-vud45n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C9%2C3258%2C2155&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>We want all students to finish school with the literacy and numeracy skills they need to take advantage of post-school opportunities and to <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/alice-springs-mparntwe-education-declaration">participate fully in society</a>. Currently, in Australia, <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/naplan-national-report">many students don’t</a>. </p>
<p>The problem of not meeting learning standards starts early, with some students behind in Year 3. An important question is whether these students eventually catch up to their peers. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/learning-outcomes-students-early-low-naplan-performance">new research</a>, published today by the Australian Education Research Organisation (AER0), indicates this is very difficult to do. </p>
<p>We found less than one in five students who are behind in Year 3 catch up and stay caught up. In fact, most students with early low performance are at risk of not meeting learning standards throughout their schooling with the support they currently get. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/naplan-results-inform-schools-parents-and-policy-but-too-many-kids-miss-the-tests-altogether-201371">NAPLAN results inform schools, parents and policy. But too many kids miss the tests altogether</a>
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<h2>It’s hard to catch up</h2>
<p>Our research looked at what happens to students who perform at or below the national minimum standards in literacy and numeracy in the Year 3 NAPLAN tests.</p>
<p>We chose “at or below the the national minimum standards” as a cut off point for not meeting learning standards because there is widespread agreement the standards for NAPLAN tests before 2023 were set <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/news/why-the-new-naplan-report-card-is-better-than-the-old/">too low</a>.</p>
<p>Using a <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/longitudinal-literacy-and-numeracy-australia-llania-dataset-technical-report">new longitudinal NAPLAN data set</a>, we tracked the performance of about 190,000 students who performed at or below the national minimum standards in Year 3 through to Year 9. These students were in Year 3 between 2009 and 2015. </p>
<p>The performance pathways these Year 3 students experience in NAPLAN reading tests is shown in the diagram below. The picture is similar for numeracy.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A diagram with coloured pathways showing the movement of students at/below NMS in reading in Year 3 as they progress through Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9 relative to whether they again perform at/below NMS or above NMS." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=265&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=265&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=265&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542979/original/file-20230816-27-bq1qrf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Our research shows the pathways for students who were at or below the national minimum standards for reading in Year 3 (2008–2015, excluding 2014).</span>
</figcaption>
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<p>As the diagram shows, we found a little over a third of the Year 3 students with low performance continued to perform below standards through to Year 9. Almost half of the group performed inconsistently through to Year 9. </p>
<p>This shows Year 3 students who perform below learning standards are at a high risk of continuing to perform at that level throughout their schooling. </p>
<p>We also found less than one fifth of students (17% in reading and 19% in numeracy) went on to perform consistently at expected levels. This means fewer than one in five students were supported to catch up to their peers. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/too-many-school-students-are-falling-behind-how-do-we-help-those-most-at-risk-210886">Too many school students are falling behind: how do we help those most at risk?</a>
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<h2>Many Year 3 kids need more support</h2>
<p>Our analysis also shows learning gains are hard to maintain. </p>
<p>When students with low Year 3 performance reached learning standards in Year 5, only half of that group continued to perform that well until Year 9. The other half fell below learning standards in secondary school.</p>
<p>This suggests students who perform below standards in Year 3 require more support to catch up to their peers than they currently receive.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543154/original/file-20230817-23-746mvg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">About 36% of students who are at or below the national minimum standards (NMS) in Year 3 perform above these standards in Year 5 in reading and numeracy. But only about half of this group remain above the standards consistently from Year 5 on.</span>
</figcaption>
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<h2>A golden opportunity early on</h2>
<p>These patterns highlight how important it is to assess student progress early. </p>
<p>By knowing exactly where students are versus where they are expected to be in their learning, we can intervene with teaching and learning programs.</p>
<p>Of the group of students with early low performance in Year 3, the best opportunity we saw for improvement was between Year 3 and Year 5. </p>
<p>This is because 36.1% of the initial group of students moved to performing above national minimum standards in reading between Years 3 and 5. </p>
<p>This is a much higher proportion than the 28.3% that made the same change between Years 5 and 7, and the 21.2% that made this move between Years 7 and 9. There is a similar pattern for numeracy.</p>
<p>This suggests the best time to intervene to catch students up is as soon as they have been identified as not meeting learning expectations.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Children in uniform sit on the ground." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/543125/original/file-20230817-25-gwy2p1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">We want all students to finish school with the literacy and numeracy skills they need.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/our-research-shows-australian-students-who-are-behind-in-primary-school-can-catch-up-by-high-school-208364">Our research shows Australian students who are behind in primary school can catch up by high school</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Small-group tutoring can help</h2>
<p>Students who perform below expectations are not likely to catch up without extra support. These students need the best teachers, schools and education systems can offer to help them to achieve learning standards. </p>
<p>There is strong evidence <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/tackling-under-achievement/">small-group tutoring</a> within a <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/our-work/current-projects/tiered-interventions">multi-tiered system of supports</a> can help students who have fallen behind. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-students-return-to-school-small-group-tutoring-can-help-those-who-are-falling-behind-198388">As students return to school, small-group tutoring can help those who are falling behind</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>This system involves assessment of student learning gaps and the delivery of frequent, small-group or one-on-one interventions within the school environment, led by trained school staff. </p>
<p>Any student learning interventions, of course, must also be monitored and assessed to see if they’re effective.</p>
<p>Our findings offer an opportunity to investigate the impact of interventions on students’ literacy and numeracy performance. </p>
<p>This can help identify the best ways to improve outcomes for those least likely to finish school with the literacy and numeracy skills they need.</p>
<p><em>Our research also involved AERO’s Dr Lisa Williams, Dr Wai Yin Wan and Dr Eunro Lee.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211516/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Olivia Groves is a Principal Researcher for the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lucy Lu is the Senior Manager, Analytics and Strategic Projects for the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO).</span></em></p>Students who perform below standards in Year 3 require more support to catch up to their peers.Olivia Groves, Adjunct Research Fellow, Curtin UniversityLucy Lu, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2108862023-08-06T20:00:43Z2023-08-06T20:00:43ZToo many school students are falling behind: how do we help those most at risk?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540919/original/file-20230802-25888-om8m1c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=9%2C36%2C5988%2C3962&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Anastasia Shuraeva/Pexels</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is increasing concern about Australian students falling behind in numeracy and literacy.</p>
<p>NAPLAN <a href="https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia/naplan-national-report">results</a> show 16.2% of Year 3 students are at or below the national minimum standards in numeracy and 12.9% are at or below the minimum standards in reading. By Year 9, this climbs to 20.4% and 25.1% respectively. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/announcements/report-now-available-2021-australian-early-development-census">2021 early development census</a> also found 22% of Australian children were developmentally vulnerable in their first year of school. </p>
<p>Federal and state governments are currently working on the next <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/quality-schools-package/national-school-reform-agreement">National School Reform Agreement</a>, which ties funding to school reforms and starts in 2025. The <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system/consultations/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system-consultation">consultation paper</a> released last month notes with concern: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>too many students are starting school behind or are falling behind in minimum literacy and numeracy standards. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>It also asks, what can schools do to help those most at risk of falling behind? </p>
<h2>Why do students fall behind?</h2>
<p>Students can fall behind for a many reasons and these can be complex. </p>
<p>This may be due to a student’s abilities or perhaps they have a developmental issue or impairment. A student may have missed essential concepts through illness or changing schools. Or they may not have a home environment that helps them learn, such as as healthy food, access to books and adequate sleep. </p>
<p>As the <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system/announcements/national-school-reform-agreement-consultation-paper">consultation paper</a> notes, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students in regional, rural and remote locations, students with disability and students whose parents have low levels of educational attainment are three times more likely to fall below minimum standards.</p>
<p>The learning gap can also increase over time. Early difficulties with learning can <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/review-inform-better-and-fairer-education-system/resources/better-and-fairer-education-system-consultation-paper">quickly become compounded</a> if they are not addressed.</p>
<p>Students who are behind can lose motivation to learn because they have missed essential concepts and find lessons frustrating. They can also start to exhibit challenging behaviours. </p>
<p>However, learning gaps do not necessarily increase. <a href="https://theconversation.com/our-research-shows-australian-students-who-are-behind-in-primary-school-can-catch-up-by-high-school-208364">Australian research</a> published this year shows effective teaching can compensate for early learning difficulties.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1685655136243261441"}"></div></p>
<h2>How do schools identify students?</h2>
<p>Identifying students can happen informally and may occur at any age. At preschool a teacher may notice a student has indistinct speech and recommend hearing testing, language support or both. The assessment of cognitive skills – such as literacy and numeracy – will usually happen when students begin school. </p>
<p>At school teachers might observe children playing counting games and sharing out counters to identify which students have difficultly counting up to five. </p>
<p>More formal assessments might involve a young student reading a short list of real and made-up words. They can also include work samples or individual tests for older students. The results can be compared with others of their age or year level. </p>
<p>Teachers also look at students’ engagement in educational activities and school attendance. Pre-COVID figures from 2019 showed <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/research-evidence/spotlight/attendance-matters.pdf">at least 25%</a> of Australian students missed at least one month of school per year. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/school-attendance-rates-are-dropping-we-need-to-ask-students-why-200537">School attendance rates are dropping. We need to ask students why</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How can students catch up?</h2>
<p>How a student catches up will depend on a number of factors. For those with disability, an inclusion plan can make sure students have the right adjustments and supports to learn. This needs to be updated regularly. </p>
<p>For other students, the process of catching up might begin with meeting their basic needs through providing meals, uniforms and communication in home languages. </p>
<p>More generally, catching students up starts with the <a href="https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/national-policy-framework/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers.pdf">principle</a> “know students and how they learn”. Teachers aim for a strength-based approach, which values the knowledge and skills students bring to school. </p>
<p>This draws from home knowledge, interests, and learning preferences to make the curriculum more engaging. For example, if a student has a great interest in sport, maths problems can incorporate data from games. </p>
<p>Students will not learn effectively if they do not feel valued, comfortable and safe. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child writes in a workbook at a desk." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540920/original/file-20230802-15-s4kern.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some 16% of Australian Year 3 students are at or below the national minimum standards in maths, according to NAPLAN.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Katerina Holmes/Pexels</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Literacy and numeracy help</h2>
<p>Approximately <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/supporting-students-significantly-behind-literacy-and-numeracy">20% of students</a> require some additional teaching and support to acquire fundamental language, literacy and numeracy skills.</p>
<p>This may involve classroom, small group or individual support. It is easier and more effective to provide extra support early in students’ schooling, but older students can also benefit from intervention. </p>
<p>Due to teacher shortages, there has been an increase in teachers teaching <a href="https://www.acer.org/au/discover/article/report-highlights-need-for-more-data-to-tackle-out-of-field-teaching">out of their field</a> of specialisation. We don’t yet know what impact this has had on intervention programs. </p>
<h2>Most students can catch up</h2>
<p>A 2023 study by the Australian Education Research Organisation and Monash University found approximately <a href="https://www.edresearch.edu.au/resources/supporting-students-significantly-behind-literacy-and-numeracy">95% of students</a> should be able to meet academic benchmarks with quality classroom programs and research-supported interventions. But students with a history of learning difficulties should be carefully monitored as they may require additional support in the future. </p>
<p>About 5% students will need more nuanced interventions and different teaching approaches. For example, a student with a physical disability might be disadvantaged when asked to write by hand. Working on a laptop instead of persisting with hand writing can help. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-students-return-to-school-small-group-tutoring-can-help-those-who-are-falling-behind-198388">As students return to school, small-group tutoring can help those who are falling behind</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>We need a more consistent approach</h2>
<p>Australia has a national curriculum but there are differences between what is taught and how it is taught across the states and territories. There are also considerable differences between schools. </p>
<p>This means students who move schools can be disadvantaged. Figures from 2016 show in New South Wales, 7% of all school children <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/education/students-who-change-schools-do-worse-in-naplan-20160301-gn7kh8.html">changed school</a> at least once during a year. </p>
<p>We need a more nationally consistent approach to the national curriculum. Jurisdictions’ and schools’ have varied philosophies, priorities and needs. But core standards around appropriate teaching approaches and effective interventions are possible.</p>
<p>There is also a need for increased sharing of information with parents and between schools. National student numbers could be used to track enrolment and core national assessment data. </p>
<p>Some parents and schools may be opposed to this idea for reasons of student privacy. Parents may want their children to have a “fresh start” if they change schools.</p>
<p>We acknowledge these concerns, but sharing key assessment data would reduce time re-assessing students in their new school and support strong teaching from day one.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210886/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joanne Quick is a member of Learning Difficulties Australia and the Dyslexia Association Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Melissa Cain does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>School students can fall behind for many reasons. From missing school to learning difficulties and problems at home.Melissa Cain, Senior Lecturer in Inclusive Education and Arts Education, Australian Catholic UniversityJoanne Quick, Senior Lecturer in Literacy, Australian Catholic UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2105592023-08-01T20:13:12Z2023-08-01T20:13:12Z‘That is the language they understand’: why Indigenous students need bilingual teaching at school<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540340/original/file-20230801-17-f1kt9x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4487%2C2987&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Last month, the federal government released the <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/annual-data-report/report">annual Closing the Gap data</a>. </p>
<p>According to the report, 34.3% of Indigenous preschoolers were starting school <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/annual-data-report/report">developmentally on track</a>, compared to <a href="https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/early-childhood-data-and-reports/australian-early-development-census-aedc#:%7E:text=Results%20also%20show%20a%20slight,2018%20to%2022%25%20in%202021.">almost 55%</a> of non-Indigenous Australian students as of 2021. </p>
<p>About 68% of Indigenous people aged 20–24 years had <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/annual-data-report/report">attained Year 12</a> or equivalent as of 2021, with a <a href="https://www.niaa.gov.au/2023-commonwealth-closing-gap-implementation-plan/delivering-outcomes-and-targets/outcome-5-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-students-achieve-their-full-learning-potential">target of 96%</a> by 2031. </p>
<p>Speaking about the Closing the Gap report, Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney <a href="https://ministers.pmc.gov.au/burney/2023/gap-isnt-closing">noted</a> her disappointment about the results. </p>
<blockquote>
<p>The gap is not closing fast enough. I know many people are frustrated by the lack of progress.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But are these reports asking the right questions? Many Indigenous children who do not speak English at home struggle with English at school. This suggests some poor education outcomes may arise from cross-language difficulties. </p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-child-language/article/stop-contrast-acquisition-in-child-kriol-evidence-of-stable-transmission-of-phonology-post-creole-formation/413131F42E54BCF632C5747144E31C3C">new study</a> investigated children speaking Kriol.</p>
<p>This is the <a href="https://meigimkriolstrongbala.org.au/en_au/2021-census-kriol-a-growing-language/#:%7E:text=Kriol%20speakers%20are%20young.,4%20%E2%80%93%20are%20aged%20under%2020.">largest Indigenous language after English</a> in Australia. Kriol-speaking children make up the largest group of Indigenous kids with English as a second language. </p>
<h2>What is Kriol?</h2>
<p>Kriol is the result of contact in the 19th century between speakers of Indigenous languages and English, and many Kriol words come from English. </p>
<p>Kriol has been called “broken English”. But Kriol is neither “broken”, nor English. It is a separate language with its own grammar and vocabulary. </p>
<p>Recognition of the language barrier experienced by Kriol-speaking children has been delayed by two unfortunate assumptions. One is that Kriol is a <a href="https://humanities.org.au/power-of-the-humanities/kriol-yumplatok-and-aboriginal-english-australias-contact-languages/">dialect</a> of Australian English or Aboriginal English, not a separate language. </p>
<p>The other assumption is Kriol is “highly variable” and speakers use many versions of Kriol – including some that are very similar to English. As a consequence, it has been assumed Kriol-speaking children won’t struggle to learn in English when they get to school.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-the-largest-language-spoken-exclusively-in-australia-kriol-56286">Explainer: the largest language spoken exclusively in Australia – Kriol</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Our research</h2>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="A young girl participates in the Kriol study." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540036/original/file-20230730-139970-n34t6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540036/original/file-20230730-139970-n34t6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540036/original/file-20230730-139970-n34t6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540036/original/file-20230730-139970-n34t6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540036/original/file-20230730-139970-n34t6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540036/original/file-20230730-139970-n34t6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540036/original/file-20230730-139970-n34t6e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A child participates in the Kriol study.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rikke Bundgaard-Nielsen</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-child-language/article/stop-contrast-acquisition-in-child-kriol-evidence-of-stable-transmission-of-phonology-post-creole-formation/413131F42E54BCF632C5747144E31C3C">research</a> investigated children’s use of Kriol for the first time. </p>
<p>We spoke to 13 children between four and seven. The children were all students at Wugularr School (also called Beswick) in the Northern Territory. The community language in Wugularr is Kriol, but a range of traditional languages are also spoken. </p>
<p>Less than 1% of the <a href="https://abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/ILOC70500307">population in Wugularr</a> only speak English at home. Children first learn English when they start preschool.</p>
<h2>Our findings</h2>
<p>We used two game-like activities to test children’s knowledge of Kriol words and sounds. </p>
<p>In one activity we showed the children a picture of a familiar object (such as a door or an apple) accompanied by a recording in Kriol asking, “what’s this?”. The kids then spoke the word. </p>
<p>In the other “game”, we played recordings of Kriol words - some produced the right way, and some produced with an error. For example, “diger” for “tiger” and “abble” for “apple”. We then used a recorded Kriol prompt asking if the lady in the recording said the word the right or wrong way. (The students found this really hilarious – an adult making so many mistakes!)</p>
<p>These activities showed students had a good knowledge of the sounds of Kriol and the correct shape of words in Kriol, which are important pre-literacy skills. This showed they are ready to learn to read, just not in English.</p>
<p>This also demonstrated very substantial linguistic differences between English and Kriol. This means Kriol-speaking children are not speakers of English, and that they do not effortlessly “slide” into a version of Kriol that is “close enough” to pass for English as a consequence of formal schooling in English. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1673443517035851777"}"></div></p>
<h2>The need for bilingual education</h2>
<p>Our research shows Kriol-speaking children face similar difficulties when they start school as children from other non-English speaking backgrounds. </p>
<p>In an ideal setting, students would be given a bilingual education. This means Indigenous children would be able to use their First Language knowledge and cultural knowledge as a foundation for learning. </p>
<p>Teaching assistant and linguist Hilda Ngalmi is a Wubuy/Nunggubuyu woman from Numbulwar, where Kriol is widely spoken. She collaborated with us on the research. As she explains: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>When I teach kids, I have to explain to them in Kriol first. Because that is the language they understand.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The need for bilingual education for children who speak traditional Indigenous languages has been <a href="https://www.fobl.net.au/index.php/au-TI/history/71-government-support-for-nt-bilingual-education-after-1950-a-longer-timeline">debated for decades</a> in Australia. Support has waxed and waned and today only a small number schools offer a genuine bilingual education.</p>
<p>However, where it does happen, it is having positive results. </p>
<p>For example, Yirrkala School in Northeastern Arnhem Land teaches students “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-11/nt-bilingual-school-arhem-land-aboriginal-learning/100272960">both ways</a>” in local language Yolngu Matha and English. In 2020, eight students became the first in their community to graduate Year 12, with university entry-level scores. </p>
<p>Not making the most of children’s First Language competence creates additional learning barriers for Indigenous children. If we really want to “close the gap”, our education system needs to support students to learn in a bilingual environment. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-more-schools-need-to-teach-bilingual-education-to-indigenous-children-79435">Why more schools need to teach bilingual education to Indigenous children</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210559/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rikke Louise Bundgaard-Nielsen receives funding from the Australian Research Council (Discovery Project DP130102624 'Learning to talk whitefella way').</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brett Baker receives funding from the Australian Research Council (Discovery Project DP130102624 'Learning to talk whitefella way'). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hilda Ngalmi receives funding from the Australian Research Council (Discovery Project DP130102624 'Learning to talk whitefella way'). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Yizhou Wang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A new study investigated children’s use of Kriol language at the Wugularr School in the Northern Territory.Rikke Louise Bundgaard-Nielsen, Teaching Associate, The University of MelbourneBrett Baker, Associate Professor in Linguistics, The University of MelbourneHilda Ngalmi, Indigenous Teacher and Linguist, Indigenous KnowledgeYizhou Wang, Teaching Associate, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2093262023-07-20T02:28:56Z2023-07-20T02:28:56ZCurriculum changes must tackle the lifelong consequences of NZ’s alarming literacy and numeracy declines<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538176/original/file-20230719-21-rrwrbn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=37%2C61%2C8206%2C5425&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Literacy and numeracy are under the spotlight as Aotearoa New Zealand grapples with how to improve student performance in these basic skills. </p>
<p>At the beginning of 2023, the government rolled out its <a href="https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/nz-schools-move-away-from-goodies-and-baddies-history">new history curriculum</a>. But further <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2023/04/education-government-makes-changes-to-new-ncea-curriculum-timeline-as-jan-tinetti-puts-focus-on-maths-literacy.html">changes to the curriculum</a> were deferred to put the focus on maths and literacy.</p>
<p>This decision followed a <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2022/03/damning-new-report-finds-two-in-five-new-zealand-children-failing-or-only-just-meeting-literacy-standards.html">damning report</a> revealed that by the age of 15, two out of five children are either only just meeting or failing to meet literacy standards. </p>
<p>It is clear the warning bells are ringing over student learning – maybe just not loud or urgently enough.</p>
<p><a href="https://workresearch.aut.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/689938/PISA-trajectories-Nov-2022.pdf">Our research</a> shows just how essential it is that education policy addresses these basic skills now. If we don’t, struggling students – particularly in already disadvantaged groups – face lifelong consequences that reach well beyond educational success.</p>
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<h2>The state of New Zealand education</h2>
<p>There is a growing sense something is wrong with New Zealand’s education system. </p>
<p>Level 1 National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) results have been <a href="https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/news/ncea-and-ue-2022-attainment-data-now-available/">steadily decreasing since 2017</a>. A 2022 trial of new NCEA literacy and numeracy tests – due to become compulsory in 2024 – produced abysmal results and caused <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/474261/low-pass-rates-in-trial-of-ncea-literacy-and-numeracy-tests-alarm-principals">alarm for a number of principals</a>.</p>
<p>Against international benchmarks, New Zealand’s trends in literacy and numeracy paint a gloomy picture.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/i-always-have-trouble-with-forms-homeless-people-on-how-poor-literacy-affects-them-and-what-would-help-180784">'I always have trouble with forms': homeless people on how poor literacy affects them – and what would help</a>
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<p>A <a href="https://www.oecd.org/education/pisa-2018-results-volume-i-5f07c754-en.htm">global study</a> found a sharp decline in New Zealand students’ proficiency in reading and mathematics. </p>
<p>In 2009, 14% of students fell below the baseline threshold for literacy proficiency and 15% fell below in maths. In 2018, those falling below the baseline climbed to 19% and 22% respectively. </p>
<p>The OECD considers the baseline level to be one that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264091450-en">enables students</a> “to participate effectively and productively in life”. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/196629/PISA-2018-NZ-Summary-Report.pdf">For Māori students</a>, the decline in basic literacy and numeracy is even more significant. In 2009, 24% of Māori students fell below the literacy baseline. This increased to 30% in 2018. Over the decade, the number of Māori students who fell below the baseline in maths went from 27% to 37%. </p>
<p>The decline was smaller for Pacific students, although their starting point was less favourable. More than a third fell below the literacy baseline in 2009, with this share increasing only slightly to 36% in 2018. For maths, 40% of Pacific students fell below the baseline in 2009, increasing to 44% in 2018.</p>
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<h2>Why literacy and numeracy matter</h2>
<p><a href="https://workresearch.aut.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/689938/PISA-trajectories-Nov-2022.pdf">Our research</a> found literacy and numeracy skills correlate to the wellbeing of individuals. As such, they significantly influence life choices and outcomes. </p>
<p>Our ten-year study followed a cohort of rangatahi (young people) who were 15 years old in 2009. We found those with low reading and maths skills have poorer outcomes across a range of wellbeing measures including education, employment, income, and health and justice.</p>
<p>That those with low literacy and numeracy skills have poorer educational outcomes, particularly in attaining bachelor’s degrees and tertiary qualifications, is unsurprising. They are also less likely to be employed and have lower earnings. The difference is particularly stark among women.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-lift-literacy-levels-among-indigenous-children-their-parents-literacy-skills-must-be-improved-first-78827">To lift literacy levels among Indigenous children, their parents' literacy skills must be improved first</a>
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<p>But the impact of these low skills goes beyond education and employment – it also affects wider areas of wellbeing such as health and justice. </p>
<p>For example, those with lower literacy and numeracy skills have higher hospitalisation rates – 59% had at least one hospitalisation between the ages of 15 and 25, compared to 46% of those with higher core competencies. </p>
<p>They were also more likely to engage in criminal activity: just over a quarter of this group had a conviction by time they were 25, compared to just 8% of the group with above-baseline skills.</p>
<p>Importantly, while life outcomes are influenced by literacy and numeracy skills, we also found that higher core skills alone do not necessarily lead to positive wellbeing outcomes. </p>
<p>Ethnicity also plays a powerful role. For example, we found that at age 25, Māori with above-baseline literacy and numeracy skills have about the same average earnings as Pākehā with low skill levels.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537572/original/file-20230715-26-gzw5vq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537572/original/file-20230715-26-gzw5vq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537572/original/file-20230715-26-gzw5vq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537572/original/file-20230715-26-gzw5vq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=392&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537572/original/file-20230715-26-gzw5vq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537572/original/file-20230715-26-gzw5vq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537572/original/file-20230715-26-gzw5vq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Average annual earnings at age 25.</span>
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<h2>Using education to address systematic inequalities</h2>
<p>There are myriad reasons why New Zealand needs a curriculum that ensures our future generations are equipped with the skills necessary to succeed and thrive in our fast-changing global economy. </p>
<p>Future generations need and deserve tools that will help them navigate the complexities of life within and beyond our shores. Failure to deliver on the government’s literacy and numeracy goals for the new curriculum will merely perpetuate the existing inequities.</p>
<p>Most of all, failure will undermine the yet-to-be-realised potential in our individual rangatahi and across our collective communities of Aotearoa.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209326/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This research was funded by a Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment Endeavour grant.</span></em></p>The effect of NZ’s abysmal literacy and numeracy rates can be seen in employment, health and justice outcomes. Education policy must address improving in these basic skills.Gail Pacheco, Professor of Economics, Director of the NZ Work Research Institute, Auckland University of TechnologyLisa Meehan, Associate Director (Economics & Research), NZ Work Research Institute, Auckland University of TechnologyThomas Schober, Senior Research Fellow, NZ Work Research Institute, Auckland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2093152023-07-18T20:14:31Z2023-07-18T20:14:31Z7 everyday ways to foster children’s math and literacy skills to avoid ‘summer slide’ learning loss<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537788/original/file-20230717-218013-hcw7k8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=316%2C514%2C6288%2C3871&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Before going out, instead of doing the planning yourself, ask your child to help plan or map out the route, read a map, decide what to pack and check and prepare for the weather. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels/RDNE Stock project)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/7-everyday-ways-to-foster-childrens-math-and-literacy-skills-to-avoid-summer-slide-learning-loss" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>The summer is a great time for children to play, relax and socialize with friends. It can also be a time when children lose some of what they learned during the school year. </p>
<p>Some psychologists and educators refer to the “summer slide” as the <a href="https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543066003227">loss of learning that can happen over the summer months</a>, when children are out of school. This loss in learning mostly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2021.101746">affects math and literacy skills</a>. Some studies suggest that children can lose up to a month of academic learning over the two months of the summer. </p>
<p>This learning loss is similar to what you would expect with any other skill that requires practice. Imagine, for example, that a violinist stops practising for two months. Their performance is likely to “slide” without constant practice, and the same applies to many academic skills, including math and reading.</p>
<p>The good news is that parents or caregivers can implement many different strategies to help prevent the summer slide. Many of these strategies are centered around free play, which is actually <a href="https://www.child-encyclopedia.com/play/according-experts/why-play-learning">foundational for learning</a>.</p>
<p>Importantly, preventing summer learning loss doesn’t need to involve formal teaching. We encourage parents and caregivers to find opportunities to augment play by making small additions that promote skills children have developed during the school year. </p>
<h2>Strategies to enhance everyday learning</h2>
<p><strong>1. Integrate counting in daily activities.</strong> Although we sometimes don’t realize it, there’s math everywhere around us! When shopping at the grocery store, you can get children to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02568543.2019.1704318">gather a certain number of apples or bananas to encourage counting</a>. </p>
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<img alt="A parent and child in the fruit section of grocery store." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537778/original/file-20230717-184356-rpfbuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537778/original/file-20230717-184356-rpfbuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537778/original/file-20230717-184356-rpfbuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537778/original/file-20230717-184356-rpfbuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537778/original/file-20230717-184356-rpfbuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537778/original/file-20230717-184356-rpfbuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537778/original/file-20230717-184356-rpfbuf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Opportunities to involve children in math are everywhere around us.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>When playing sports, you can integrate numbers, for example, by counting the number of passes with a soccer ball or baseball. When children are on the trampoline, parents can ask them to count their jumps out loud, or give them a multiplication (like three times four) and ask children to solve it and jump that many times. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/homeschooling-math-lessons-think-dice-games-cooking-fractions-and-ratios-with-chocolate-milk-134738">Homeschooling math lessons: Think dice games, cooking fractions and ratios with chocolate milk</a>
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<p><strong>2. Engage children in reflection, remembering and recounting activities to promote language skills.</strong> On a simple activity like a bike ride, for example, you could ask children to try to remember five things they saw on the bike ride and when you get home, have them describe them to you. Having children share stories and talking with adults helps <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-4276">support their language learning</a>. Such details could also be included in a letter children write to family or friends as part of intentional and meaningful sharing. </p>
<p><strong>3. Engage <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-help-children-learn-how-to-read-in-the-pandemic-encourage-writing-messages-as-part-of-play-153171">children in fun writing tasks</a>.</strong> </p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="A child seen outdoors with a notebook." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537803/original/file-20230717-226567-9lw7hj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537803/original/file-20230717-226567-9lw7hj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537803/original/file-20230717-226567-9lw7hj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537803/original/file-20230717-226567-9lw7hj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537803/original/file-20230717-226567-9lw7hj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537803/original/file-20230717-226567-9lw7hj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537803/original/file-20230717-226567-9lw7hj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Family members could share ideas about the kinds of details they recount in a journal.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>Ask children to journal about their day, or write letters and mail them to their friends, grandparents or cousins. Writing postcards can also be a fun way to engage in writing.</p>
<p><strong>4. Involve children in activity planning to sharpen their thinking skills.</strong> If you go out for a walk or a hike, get your child to help plan or map out the route, read a map, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00221325.2020.1753646">decide what to pack</a> and check and <a href="https://www.theottoolbox.com/executive-function-activities-at-the-beach/">prepare for the weather</a>. All these activities can help to sharpen children’s thinking and problem-solving skills.</p>
<p><strong>5. Share stories and read books together in <a href="https://theconversation.com/parents-play-a-key-role-in-fostering-childrens-love-of-reading-121089">a variety of age-and developmentally appropriate ways</a>.</strong> You can also try listening to audiobooks when your child has quiet time or when travelling to keep kids engaged in literacy and storytelling. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A child seen with an adult reading a book." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537802/original/file-20230717-248134-ztapl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537802/original/file-20230717-248134-ztapl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537802/original/file-20230717-248134-ztapl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537802/original/file-20230717-248134-ztapl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537802/original/file-20230717-248134-ztapl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537802/original/file-20230717-248134-ztapl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537802/original/file-20230717-248134-ztapl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Sharing stories together fosters a love of stories and reading.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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</figure>
<p>If you have a family movie time, you could consider choosing children’s films based on books and first plan to read the book. You can discuss the similarities and differences between the two, what the child preferred from each, and so on. </p>
<p><strong>6. Team up with neighbouring families</strong> and capitalize on each other’s strengths. For example, one day, one parent goes to the park for a play session. On a different day, a parent from another family co-ordinates a library visit at a time where there is scheduled shared reading time with the librarian. Libraries often organize free learning activities that can take some burden off of parents and caregivers.</p>
<p><strong>7. Keep children’s minds moving by going to museums or local exhibits.</strong><br>
Some of these activities may take more time and may have a cost, but <a href="https://ingeniumcanada.org/scitech/visit#">many museums have</a> <a href="https://humanrights.ca/free-friday-night-museum#">free weekly entry</a> periods. Going to museums, the zoo or a science centre is a great way to engage in fun learning. When you are there, engage children’s critical thinking and observation skills by asking questions and participating in learning activities with them. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2009.00119.x">Asking open-ended questions and engaging in meaningful conversations</a> fosters children’s learning.</p>
<p>So, while it’s important for children’s well-being to ensure they play freely this summer, it’s also helpful to find time and space to insert some learning skills as part of play and nurturing relationships. Any activity that you and your child enjoy can be educational, sometimes with just small tweaks!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209315/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Audrey-Ann Deneault receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Consortium national de formation en santé.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sheri Madigan receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation, an anonymous donor, and the Canada Research Chairs program.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marissa Nivison does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Any activity that you and your child enjoy can be educational, sometimes with just small tweaks.Audrey-Ann Deneault, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Psychology, University of CalgaryMarissa Nivison, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Department of Psychology, University of CalgarySheri Madigan, Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of CalgaryLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2069392023-06-06T20:14:33Z2023-06-06T20:14:33Z5 reasons kids still need to learn handwriting (no, AI has not made it redundant)<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530219/original/file-20230606-21-2nzyjt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C5%2C3504%2C2323&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The world of writing is changing. </p>
<p>Things have moved very quickly from keyboards and predictive text.
The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) means <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-an-ai-world-we-need-to-teach-students-how-to-work-with-robot-writers-157508">bots can now write human-quality text</a> without having hands at all. </p>
<p>Recent improvements in speech-to-text software mean even human “writers” do not need to touch a keyboard, let alone a pen. And with help from AI, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/may/01/ai-makes-non-invasive-mind-reading-possible-by-turning-thoughts-into-text">text can even be generated by decoders</a> that read brain activity through non-invasive scanning.</p>
<p>Writers of the future will be talkers and thinkers, without having to lift a finger. The word “writer” may come to mean something very different, as people compose text in multiple ways in an increasingly digital world. So do humans still need to learn to write by hand? </p>
<h2>Handwriting is still part of the curriculum</h2>
<p>The pandemic shifted a lot of schooling online and some major tests, <a href="https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/understanding-online-assessment">such as NAPLAN</a> are now done on computers. There are also <a href="https://theconversation.com/teaching-cursive-handwriting-is-an-outdated-waste-of-time-35368">calls</a> for cursive handwriting to be phased out in high school.</p>
<p>However, learning to handwrite is still a key component of the literacy curriculum in primary school. </p>
<p>Parents may be wondering whether the time-consuming and challenging process of learning to handwrite is worth the trouble. Perhaps the effort spent learning to form letters would be better spent on coding? </p>
<p>Many students with disability, after all, already learn to write with <a href="https://www.understood.org/en/articles/assistive-technology-for-writing">assistive technologies</a>.</p>
<p>But there are are a number of important reasons why handwriting will still be taught – and still needs to be taught – in schools. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child writes in an exercise book." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530220/original/file-20230606-17-7sme40.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530220/original/file-20230606-17-7sme40.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530220/original/file-20230606-17-7sme40.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530220/original/file-20230606-17-7sme40.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530220/original/file-20230606-17-7sme40.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530220/original/file-20230606-17-7sme40.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530220/original/file-20230606-17-7sme40.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Technology changes mean we can ‘write’ without lifting a pen.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>1. Fine motor skills</h2>
<p>Handwriting develops critical fine motor skills and the coordination needed to control precise movements. These movements are required <a href="https://www.understood.org/en/articles/all-about-fine-motor-skills">to conduct everyday</a> school and work-related activities. </p>
<p>The refinement of these motor skills also leads to handwriting becoming increasingly legible and fluent.</p>
<p>We don’t know where technology will take us, but it may take us back to the past. </p>
<p>Handwriting may be more important than ever if <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jan/10/universities-to-return-to-pen-and-paper-exams-after-students-caught-using-ai-to-write-essays">tests and exams return to being handwritten</a> to stop students using generative AI to cheat.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-cursive-handwriting-needs-to-make-a-school-comeback-121645">Why cursive handwriting needs to make a school
comeback</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>2. It helps you remember</h2>
<p>Handwriting has important cognitive benefits, <a href="https://www.kidsnews.com.au/technology/experts-say-pens-and-pencils-rather-than-keyboards-rule-at-school/news-story/abb4607b612c0c4f79b214c54590ca92">including for memory</a>. </p>
<p>Research suggests traditional pen-and-paper notes are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/154193120905302218?journalCode=proe">remembered better</a>, due to the greater complexity of the handwriting process. </p>
<p>And learning to read and handwrite are <a href="https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=5296">intimately linked</a>. Students become better readers though practising writing.</p>
<h2>3. It’s good for wellbeing</h2>
<p>Handwriting, and related activities such as drawing, are tactile, creative and reflective sources of pleasure and <a href="https://theconversation.com/writing-can-improve-mental-health-heres-how-162205">wellness</a> for writers of all ages.</p>
<p>This is seen in the popularity of practices such as print <a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1">journalling</a> and calligraphy. There are many online communities where writers share gorgeous examples of handwriting.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A book with a calligraphy alphabet." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530253/original/file-20230606-29-eb7vk3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530253/original/file-20230606-29-eb7vk3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530253/original/file-20230606-29-eb7vk3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530253/original/file-20230606-29-eb7vk3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530253/original/file-20230606-29-eb7vk3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530253/original/file-20230606-29-eb7vk3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530253/original/file-20230606-29-eb7vk3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Caligraphers focus on making beautiful, design-oriented writing.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Samir Bouaked/Unsplash</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>4. It’s very accessible</h2>
<p>Handwriting does not need electricity, devices, batteries, software, subscriptions, a fast internet connection, a keyboard, charging time or the many other things on which digital writing depends. </p>
<p>It only needs pen and paper. And can be done anywhere. </p>
<p>Sometimes handwriting is the easiest and best option. For example, when writing a birthday card, filling in printed forms, or writing a quick note.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-does-handwriting-matter-36108">How much does handwriting matter?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>5. It’s about thinking</h2>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="A woman writes in a journal." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530246/original/file-20230606-29-9jyp0w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530246/original/file-20230606-29-9jyp0w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530246/original/file-20230606-29-9jyp0w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530246/original/file-20230606-29-9jyp0w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530246/original/file-20230606-29-9jyp0w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530246/original/file-20230606-29-9jyp0w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530246/original/file-20230606-29-9jyp0w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Handwriting can be done anywhere. You don’t ever need to plug it in.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Marcos Paulo Prado/Unsplash</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Most importantly, learning to write and learning to think are intimately connected.<br>
Ideas are <a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ces/research/teachingandlearning/resactivities/subjects/literacy/handwriting/outputs/cambridge_article.pdf">formed as students write</a>. They are developed and organised as they are composed. Thinking is too important to be outsourced to bots!</p>
<p>Teaching writing is about giving students a toolkit of multiple writing strategies to empower them to fulfil their potential as thoughtful, creative and capable communicators. </p>
<p>Handwriting will remain an important component of this toolkit for the foreseeable future, despite the astonishing advances made with generative AI.</p>
<p>Writing perfect cursive may become less important in the future. But students will still need to be able to write legibly and fluently in their education and in their broader lives.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206939/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lucinda McKnight receives funding from the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English and the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maria Nicholas receives funding from The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child </span></em></p>Handwriting is not just about forming letters. It also develops fine motor skills, helps with memory and even wellbeing.Lucinda McKnight, Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy and Curriculum, Deakin UniversityMaria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2062422023-06-06T14:41:59Z2023-06-06T14:41:59ZLearning to read is a journey: a study identifies where South African kids go off track<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528565/original/file-20230526-27-lw7lyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There are several cognitive processes involved in learning to read.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Monkey Business Images/Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Any parent who has watched a child learning to read knows that it is a journey. Various skills and processes must come together and build “brick by brick” before a child can read a text and answer questions about it. </p>
<p>A child needs at least two kinds of skills before they can comprehend what they’re reading. These are oral language skills (listening, speaking and knowing how spoken words sound) and decoding skills (knowledge of letter-sound relationships to turn a written word into a spoken word).</p>
<p>When decoding is a slow, laboured process this places <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1974-29172-001">demands</a> on cognitive processes like working memory. By increasing speed and accuracy in reading, cognitive resources are freed and the child can begin to comprehend what they are reading. </p>
<p>Reading fluency and expanding vocabulary act as the bridge from decoding to comprehension. Weaknesses in any of these building blocks will limit a child’s ability to read for meaning. </p>
<p>There has been a great deal of concern in South Africa about how the country’s grade 4 pupils fared in the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS): <a href="https://www.iea.nl/publications/study-reports/international-reports-iea-studies/pirls-2021-international-results">81% did not</a> reach the study’s <a href="https://timssandpirls.bc.edu/pirls2016/international-results/pirls/performance-at-international-benchmarks/low-international-benchmark/index.html">low international benchmark</a>. This suggests they cannot read for meaning. The country placed last out of 57 participating countries.</p>
<p>The study’s findings are a global wake-up call to the <a href="https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/37400">effects of pandemic disruptions</a> on children’s reading comprehension. In South Africa they are also a transparent metric of the education system’s overall performance. The study is conducted every five years and previous results have been useful for <a href="https://www.econ3x3.org/article/education-improving-message-hard-convey">identifying learning improvements</a>.</p>
<p>But PIRLS cannot detect where children are falling behind in their reading. It only assesses written comprehension, which is the final stage in a reading journey. Without knowing which building blocks are not being properly established along the way, the government cannot know where to intervene so that children do not fall further behind.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.academia.edu/101855664/Foundational_skills_in_home_language_reading_in_South_Africa_Empirical_evidence_from_2015_2021">recent study</a>, we’ve shed light on where the reading wheels fall off. We found that far too many children were entering school with weak oral language skills and were acquiring alphabetic knowledge and fluency far too slowly. This limited their reading comprehension and academic progress through school.</p>
<p>Based on our findings, we advocate strongly for systematic phonics instruction in early grades and a national remediation programme to address reading gaps in later primary school years. </p>
<h2>Key findings</h2>
<p>For the study, we compiled reading assessments for over 40,000 South African learners from six studies conducted between 2015 and 2021. While these data are not nationally representative, they are drawn from over 1,000 no-fee-charging schools across six of the country’s nine provinces. They tell us about reading outcomes in typical South African classrooms. In almost all these schools, children are instructed in their home language from grade 1 to grade 3 before a switch to English instruction happens in grade 4.</p>
<p>Children are struggling to master the most basic reading skills in their home language in the foundation phase (grades 1-3). By the end of grade 1, children should know all their letters, and be able to read words and short sentences. Pre-COVID, only 39%-48% of grade 1s assessed in these samples could recognise and sound out at least 26 letters at the end of the year. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-10-year-olds-are-struggling-to-read-it-can-be-fixed-206008">South Africa's 10 year-olds are struggling to read -- it can be fixed</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>More than 55% of these grade 1s could not read a single word correctly from a grade-level text by the end of the school year. This <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059321001334">worsened</a> during the pandemic. Across two samples assessed at the end of grade 1 in 2021, the majority (62% in one study and 78% in the other) could not read one word correctly from a passage of text.</p>
<p>With serious backlogs in basic decoding skills, large percentages of children do not reach minimum grade 3 African language fluency benchmarks. These benchmarks signal a minimum reading speed and accuracy level that must be reached before children can start making sense of what they are reading. </p>
<p>Pre-COVID, just 11%-48% of samples tested at the end of grade 3 (or start of grade 4) were meeting minimum fluency benchmarks in the <a href="https://www.education.gov.za/Portals/0/Documents/Reports/Nguni%20Languages%20Summary%20Report%20V06.pdf?ver=2020-10-28-141736-203">Nguni</a> or <a href="https://www.education.gov.za/Portals/0/Documents/Reports/ReadingBenchmarks22/7.%20Sesotho-Setswana%20Language%20Group%20Benchmarks%20Report.pdf?ver=2022-11-08-150510-457">Sesotho-Setswana</a> language groups. By grade 6, large percentages (35%-46%) of study samples still did not reach the minimum fluency levels set for grade 3.</p>
<h2>Reading success happens from the starting block</h2>
<p>There are some positive findings. </p>
<p>We found strong evidence that reading success is possible when learners master the basics of reading in the first year or two of school. Learners who knew all their letters at the end of grade 1 were on track with their reading by the time they reached grade 4. Learners with very limited letter-sound knowledge at the end of grade 1 were three years behind, only reaching grade 4 reading fluency levels in grade 7. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-reading-crisis-5-steps-to-address-childrens-literacy-struggles-205961">South Africa's reading crisis: 5 steps to address children's literacy struggles</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Learners who met minimum <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059321000869">fluency benchmarks</a> in their home languages by the end of grade 3 or 4 were in a much better position to comprehend what they were reading by the end of primary school than their peers who did not meet these benchmarks.</p>
<h2>Addressing the gaps</h2>
<p>Reading comprehension is one of the skills that South Africa needs most. It will be in short supply until basic reading skills are taught correctly.</p>
<p>Beyond grade 3, the teaching of basic reading skills in the home language is not included in the school curriculum. Children with weak foundational reading skills by the end of grade 3 will struggle to catch up. </p>
<p>What should be done about this? As the adage goes, “prevention is better than cure”. We need to understand what prevents basic reading skills from being acquired in grade 1 and 2 classrooms. A systemic programme to improve what teachers are taught at university is needed. In classrooms, diagnostic assessment of early grade reading skills can also help to detect where children are falling behind.</p>
<p>Remediation programmes could also help bridge some gaps in later grades. Additional time and support is especially needed to recover lost ground for cohorts that missed out on foundational grade 1-3 teaching time during the pandemic. </p>
<p><em>Lesang Sebaeng, Assistant Director: Research, Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation with the Department of Basic Education, co-authored this article and the research it is based on. The findings and conclusions here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect positions held by the department.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206242/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gabrielle acknowledges funding for the research study from the Economic and Social Research Council (grant ES/T007583/1) and Allan and Gill Gray South Africa Philanthropy. The findings and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the funders. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cally Ardington acknowledges funding for the research study from the Economic and Social Research Council (grant ES/T007583/1) and Allan and Gill Gray South Africa Philanthropy. </span></em></p>Reading fluency and expanding vocabulary are the bridge from decoding to comprehension. Weaknesses in any of these building blocks will limit a child’s ability to read for meaning.Gabrielle Wills, Senior researcher at Research on Socio-Economic Policy, Stellenbosch UniversityCally Ardington, Professor at Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape TownLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2051692023-05-24T18:42:43Z2023-05-24T18:42:43ZAs governments shirk their responsibilities, non-profits are more important than ever<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526608/original/file-20230516-25-53n9ix.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=49%2C65%2C5414%2C3481&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">In a neoliberal era, where profitability is prioritized over social duty, all orders of government in Canada are increasingly shirking responsibility for providing social services onto non-profits.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>You’ve likely walked past that non-profit youth centre or literacy program in your neighborhood countless times. You’ve probably never needed to make use of it and never given it a second thought. </p>
<p>But on your next stroll, take a moment to consider the work that organization does, the challenges it faces and the vast benefits it brings to your community.</p>
<p>In an age of <a href="https://thepointer.com/article/2023-02-26/150-nonprofits-want-government-budgets-that-equitably-and-effectively-prevent-mounting-social-problems/">proliferating social troubles and government retreat</a>, Canadians must be aware of the critical role played by the non-profit sector. </p>
<p>Recent decades have seen <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/neoliberalism.asp">the welfare state withdraw in favour of free-market principles</a>. In a neoliberal era, where <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336700342_Neoliberalism_and_poverty_An_unbreakable_relationship">profitability is prioritized over social duty</a>, all orders of government in Canada have <a href="https://www.mqup.ca/liberating-temporariness--products-9780773543829.php">shirked much of the responsibility</a> for providing social services onto non-profits. </p>
<h2>Importance of social connections</h2>
<p>As non-profits have become saddled with more obligations, they are <a href="https://doi.org/10.4000/eccs.3562">handcuffed by limited funding</a>. Long-term funding arrangements between governments and non-profits have been replaced by provisional and competitive funding. While non-profits are expected to do significantly more, they are relegated to coping with <a href="http://www.justlabour.yorku.ca/volume22/pdfs/06_baines_et_al_press.pdf">far fewer resources</a>. </p>
<p>This has serious implications for the long-term well-being of communities, especially those already marginalized and under-served. </p>
<p>Not only are non-profits now providing critical services and social supports for which the state previously took responsibility, they are also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2020.101817">settings where vital forms of social capital are produced</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Bowling_Alone/rd2ibodep7UC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=bowling+alone&printsec=frontcover">Social capital</a> refers to networks of trust, belonging and support developed among people within a given community (bonding social capital), and between people who identify with different communities or social groups (bridging social capital). Social capital enables people to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0226012883/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0226012883&linkCode=as2&tag=thplofyo07-20&linkId=4QCXIF457L26NDJI">work together toward mutual well-being and goal attainment</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526578/original/file-20230516-11525-g5d19v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman with short hair wearing a mask carries a box of fresh fruit." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526578/original/file-20230516-11525-g5d19v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526578/original/file-20230516-11525-g5d19v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526578/original/file-20230516-11525-g5d19v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526578/original/file-20230516-11525-g5d19v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526578/original/file-20230516-11525-g5d19v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526578/original/file-20230516-11525-g5d19v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526578/original/file-20230516-11525-g5d19v.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Charities and non-profits do vital work to support communities, often with limited funding.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Social capital doesn’t just happen</h2>
<p>Communities must find ways to create worthwhile forms of social capital. And that’s where non-profit organizations can fill a gap. However, constantly scrambling for money leaves these organizations little time, resources and capacity to provide programming that fosters social capital. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs42413-022-00186-2">Our research</a> on community literacy organizations illuminated the role of non-profit organizations in helping people cultivate social capital. We conducted interviews and focus groups with program leads, staff and service users at eight non-profit organizations in southern Ontario to learn how they support literacy in their communities.</p>
<p>We found that producing social capital enabled them to serve communities in ways that transcended their primary mandates. </p>
<p>It is unrealistic to expect people to build social capital on their own, devoid of enabling social infrastructure. The challenge of creating meaningful social connections is daunting. Especially as society becomes increasingly individualistic. <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-secular-life/201911/is-canada-losing-its-religion">Religion</a> — once a stalwart source of community — continues to decline and <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-rise-in-self-service-technologies-may-cause-a-decline-in-our-sense-of-community-201339">technology</a> is rapidly displacing face-to-face human interaction. Urban planners and community stakeholders need to provide the settings and opportunities for people to come together, connect and collaborate. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/toronto-needs-more-beauty-in-its-waterfront-designs-100871">Toronto needs more beauty in its waterfront designs</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We found that non-profit community programs serve as settings where people from marginalized backgrounds can build beneficial forms of social capital. Such local initiatives provided individuals with recurrent and predictable channels to interact, share lived experiences and work together. </p>
<p>For example, mothers of children with disabilities participated in self-help groups where they shared their experiences, exchanged information and generally supported one another. Civic projects, such as a community garden started at one organization, brought together residents, young and old. </p>
<p>Non-profit programs provide people with opportunities to interact with different community members and forge meaningful interactions with people outside their social group that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10632921.2012.761167">mitigate prejudice and foster trust and understanding</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526580/original/file-20230516-21-4ordb9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman standing in front of people seated in a classroom." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526580/original/file-20230516-21-4ordb9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526580/original/file-20230516-21-4ordb9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526580/original/file-20230516-21-4ordb9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526580/original/file-20230516-21-4ordb9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526580/original/file-20230516-21-4ordb9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526580/original/file-20230516-21-4ordb9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526580/original/file-20230516-21-4ordb9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Social programs, like those improving literacy, provide vital space for people to build meaningful social connections.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Over the course of our research, we saw what started as bridging social capital strengthen into bonding ties between program participants, and in many cases between program users, staff and volunteers. The significance of these bonds was powerfully conveyed by one participant who took part in our study: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>… what I take away from this group [is] that there are good people still left in a world that’s so scary, and people that are there to support. And whether I’m here or not, they’re always willing to help somebody else that’s in need. And… knowing that the option of … being there and the people that come together for this group–it’s really incredible to know that you have somebody.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The programs we studied connected individuals to new people, organizations, supports and resources and provided ongoing opportunities to build bridging social capital.</p>
<p>While the primary purpose of the non-profit organizations was to improve literacy, these programs accomplished much more. By providing a judgement-free safe space where participants had opportunities to share and collaborate, these organizations fostered social capital within communities. </p>
<p>The community organizations we studied had recently lost their primary funding provided by a regional anti-poverty program. Program leads and staff remained committed to supporting service users but struggled to do so given the need to devote more time and resources to addressing funding insecurities. </p>
<h2>Benefits of social capital</h2>
<p>When social capital is actively fostered, social trust is elevated. Research has demonstrated that <a href="https://static.prisonpolicy.org/scans/Community-and-the-Crime-Decline-The-Causal-Effect-of-Local-Nonprofits-on-Violent-Crime.pdf">the more non-profit organizations there are in a community, the lower the crime rate</a>. Non-profit organizations help to lessen crime by enhancing levels of social capital and trust and expanding opportunities and hope. </p>
<p>Strengthening people’s social and organizational ties broadens their horizons and improves their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230287624_5">well-being</a>. Non-profits play a crucial role in fostering and sustaining such social capital. </p>
<p>If governments expect communities to be viable and fend for themselves amid diminishing public support, local non-profits cannot be relegated to financial precarity. By starving the non-profit sector, governments are ironically undermining the capacity of communities to live up to the neoliberal ideals of self-reliance and local resourcefulness.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205169/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kevin Gosine served as a third-party evaluator and accessed research funding provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation by way of the Local Poverty Reduction Fund of the Province of Ontario. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Darlene Ciuffetelli Parker served as a third-party evaluator and accessed research funding provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation by way of the Local Poverty Reduction Fund of the Province of Ontario. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tiffany L. Gallagher served as a third-party evaluator and accessed research funding provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation by way of the Local Poverty Reduction Fund of the Province of Ontario. </span></em></p>Non-profits provide critical services and social support for communities. They also provide settings where vital forms of social capital are produced.Kevin Gosine, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Brock UniversityDarlene Ciuffetelli Parker, Professor, Department of Educational Studies; Director, Teacher Education, Brock UniversityTiffany L. Gallagher, Professor, Department of Educational Studies and Director, Brock Learning Lab, Brock UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2059972023-05-23T20:10:53Z2023-05-23T20:10:53Z10 ways to help the boys in your life read for enjoyment (not just for school)<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527450/original/file-20230522-29-6xbo0e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=10%2C0%2C6689%2C4426&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Karolina Grabowska/Pexels</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Reading is a critical skill for school and life beyond it.
Young people need strong reading skills to <a href="https://www.hbe.com.au/hb6449.html">learn and demonstrate their learning</a>. Reading skills are not just about performing well in subjects such as English. They are related to performance in subjects like <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09500693.2021.2007552">science</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0883035519327636">maths</a>. </p>
<p>When it comes to reading, girls typically do better than boys.
This was highlighted by the results of a <a href="https://www.acer.org/au/pirls/key-findings">major international test</a> on reading skills, released last week.</p>
<p>The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) test, <a href="https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=pirl">found</a> Australian girls in Year 4 scored on average 17 points higher than Australian boys in the same year. </p>
<p>There was also a gap in terms of attitudes to reading. While more than a third of Australian girls “<a href="https://pirls2021.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/files/PIRLS-2021-International-Results-in-Reading.pdf">very much like reading</a>” according to the PIRLS study, less than a quarter of boys feel the same. </p>
<h2>Attitudes toward reading matter</h2>
<p>Research consistently <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11145-018-9907-9">makes a link between</a> students’ reading skills and their attitudes toward reading. If students <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-023-09719-3">are more motivated</a> to read, they read more often and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s35834-022-00376-0">build</a> their reading comprehension skills and vocabulary. </p>
<p>According to Australian Bureau of Statistics data released last month, girls (aged five to 14 years) are also <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/cultural-and-creative-activities/2021-22">more likely than boys</a> to read for pleasure (77% compared with 68%). </p>
<p>To close the gender performance gap and enhance the performance of boys, we need to get more boys reading for fun. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1658600236615442433"}"></div></p>
<h2>Why is there an attitude gap?</h2>
<p>One reason is boys and girls are brought up differently when it comes to reading. </p>
<p>A 2016 study of Canadian, US and UK parents found they spend more time reading with pre-school <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/688899">daughters than sons</a>. So, while we teach young girls to see themselves as lifelong readers, many boys miss out. </p>
<p>Then as children move into primary school, even though boys read less often, they also receive <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01930826.2018.1514841">less parental encouragement to read</a> than girls.</p>
<p>Some boys think that reading is <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004944118779615?journalCode=aeda">no longer important</a> for them once they know how to do it.</p>
<h2>What can we do?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.abc-clio.com/products/a5940p/">Parents, guardians and relatives</a> can play an important role in helping boys see themselves as readers, but once boys can read on their own, this role can be unclear. </p>
<p>Like any skill, sustained reading experiences are needed for reading skills to be both maintained and developed. </p>
<p>We cannot assume boys have opportunities for sustained reading for pleasure at school, as even when <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/INFORMIT.702325343670795">silent reading</a> is timetabled in the school day.</p>
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Read more:
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<h2>Ten tips to encourage reading</h2>
<p>Here are some steps you can take to encourage the boys in your life to read, and improve their attitudes toward reading. </p>
<p><strong>1. Take your boys to the local library</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11145-022-10389-w">Joint library visits</a> can encourage children to read more often, and as children move through the years of schooling, boys are less likely than girls to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01930826.2017.1340774?journalCode=wjla20">visit the library</a> in their free time. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A mother looks at library books with her young son and daughter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527455/original/file-20230522-15-lhcxkb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527455/original/file-20230522-15-lhcxkb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527455/original/file-20230522-15-lhcxkb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527455/original/file-20230522-15-lhcxkb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527455/original/file-20230522-15-lhcxkb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527455/original/file-20230522-15-lhcxkb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527455/original/file-20230522-15-lhcxkb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Going to the library with your son can help motivate them to read.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rachel Claire/Pexels</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>2. Encourage reading, even after they learn to read</strong></p>
<p>Make sure your child knows reading is still important <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004944118779615?journalCode=aeda">even after</a> they can do it by themselves. Keep up the encouragement, and encourage boys as well as girls.</p>
<p><strong>3. Keep reading together</strong></p>
<p>Don’t stop <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0004944117727749?journalCode=aeda">reading aloud</a> just because he can read by himself. Opportunities to read with parents can lead boys to have a positive attitude toward reading, and value shared time spent reading together. </p>
<p><strong>4. Talk about books and share book recommendations</strong></p>
<p>Keeping reading for pleasure in focus rather than reading for testing. Some children begin to see reading is something purely <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1111/17548845.2016.11912584">done for testing</a>, making reading seem like a chore.</p>
<p><strong>5. Show them you read for fun</strong></p>
<p>The PIRLS report also found a positive link between parents <a href="https://pirls2021.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/files/PIRLS-2021-International-Results-in-Reading.pdf">liking books</a> and their child’s reading achievement. So, show your children you read and read for fun. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="An adult holds a book with one hand and pats a cat with the other." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527463/original/file-20230522-21-by2qo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527463/original/file-20230522-21-by2qo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527463/original/file-20230522-21-by2qo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527463/original/file-20230522-21-by2qo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527463/original/file-20230522-21-by2qo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527463/original/file-20230522-21-by2qo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527463/original/file-20230522-21-by2qo7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Parents can model positive reading behaviour around their children.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Sam Lion/Pexels</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>6. Encourage holiday reading</strong></p>
<p>Encourage boys to read during <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02702711.2010.505165">the school holidays</a>. During these times, children’s reading skills may decline as they are not being sustained and developed.</p>
<p><strong>7. Go to the experts</strong></p>
<p>Not sure what your child might like to read? Ask the teacher librarians at your school. They are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04250494.2018.1558030">experts</a> at connecting struggling and disengaged readers with books that meet their interest and ability levels. </p>
<p><strong>8. Fiction and non-fiction are both great</strong></p>
<p>The stereotype that all boys prefer to read non-fiction is <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/aeipt.215021">not true</a>. <a href="https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/berj.3498">Fiction books</a> offer literacy benefits as well as building social skills such as <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/COMM.2009.025/html">empathy</a>.
That being said, non-fiction is great, too. Reading <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11145-023-10446-y">non-fiction books</a> for pleasure was also recently linked with “high reading performance, especially among the male students”.</p>
<p><strong>9. Dads especially need to read</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/trtr.1703">Fathers and male influences</a> need to play a greater role in encouraging boys to read. While 49% of teens felt their mother encouraged them to read, <a href="https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jaal.273">only 25% of fathers</a> were playing this role. </p>
<p><strong>10. Have lots of books around the house</strong></p>
<p>Having a <a href="https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=pirls">home with many books</a> (more than 200) is related to reading achievement, and access to books in the home is linked to improved attitudes toward and frequency of reading, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1111/17548845.2015.11912542">particularly in boys</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A lounge chair next to bookshelves." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527456/original/file-20230522-27-lbshhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527456/original/file-20230522-27-lbshhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527456/original/file-20230522-27-lbshhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527456/original/file-20230522-27-lbshhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527456/original/file-20230522-27-lbshhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527456/original/file-20230522-27-lbshhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527456/original/file-20230522-27-lbshhv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Having lots of books in the home is linked to children reading more.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>It’s not ‘just boys’</h2>
<p>Finally, it’s important to note while the gender gap in performance and attitudes exists, there are also many girls who are disengaged from reading. <a href="https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=pirls">More than one in five</a> Australian girls do not like reading. There are also <a href="https://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1006&context=pirls">other concerning gaps</a> that deserve our attention related to First Nations background, geographic location and socioeconomic status. </p>
<p>We should encourage <em>all</em> children to regularly read for pleasure so that they can build the strong literacy skills needed to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01930826.2023.2177923">understand and critically evaluate</a> the large volumes of written material they will encounter in their lives today and in the future.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205997/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Margaret Kristin Merga has received past funding from the BUPA Health Foundation, the Ian Potter Foundation, the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund, Edith Cowan University and the Collier Foundation. She is the Patron of the Australian School Library Association and the Western Australian School Library Association. She also runs Merga Consulting, working with schools, Departments and professional associations to deliver parent seminars, staff professional development and planning advisory support.</span></em></p>Girls don’t just outperform boys when it comes to reading skills. They also say they like reading more than their male counterparts.Margaret Kristin Merga, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Education, University of NewcastleLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.