Every year South Africans spend twice as much on chocolate than they do on books
The average year nine Indigenous student in a very remote area scores about the same in NAPLAN reading as the average year three non-Indigenous city student, and significantly lower in writing.
Aap/Tracey Nearmy
Using equivalent year levels provides us with a clearer picture of the gap for Indigenous students, who can be up to an equivalent of 7.7 years behind their non-Indigenous counterparts in writing.
While improv comedy in the classroom might nurture your child’s stage talent, it’s also a highly effective way of teaching literacy. Pictured here, La Ligue d'Improvisation Montréalaise.
(Wikipedia Commons)
Amid concerns about Australia’s position in international literacy rankings, parents are an untapped resource for improving literacy.
The confidence to navigate the borders between cultures and languages is essential in the world today. Why not start the education this holiday, with adventure stories?
The confidence to navigate between cultures and languages is essential in the world today. Start the education this holiday, with adventure stories from Guam to the North Pole.
NAPLAN results should also be considered in relation to other standardised assessments, which do not always tell the same story.
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The results are in, and student achievement on NAPLAN has plateaued in literacy and numeracy, with some areas of improvement.
Despite improvements in the national average score, the 2016 PIRLS report confirms many Australian children continue to be left behind.
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The results of an international study into reading skills offer reason for optimism for Australian students. But tragically, too many children are still being left behind.
After 10 years of minimal breakthroughs, NAPLAN doesn’t seem to be going anywhere but online.
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NAPLAN is great at tracking changes over time and between demographics, but not so great at measuring what factors effect change, engagement or creativity.
Research in England has found that the proposed test was no more accurate than the teacher’s judgement in identifying children with reading difficulties.
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Education Minister Simon Birmingham is right to be concerned about the number of children struggling with literacy - but this test is not the solution.
It appears that whatever factors are constraining genetic potential among less well-off students in the US do not exert a similar influence in Australia.
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In the US, differences in school results among poorer children depend more on environment than genes. In Australia, the story is different.
School children read books at Palipis beach in Mandar, West Sulawesi.
The books were brought by library boat.
Pattingalloang, which was part of a network of moving libraries called Pustaka Bergerak.
Urwa/Pustaka Bergerak
Lukman Solihin, Indonesian Education Standard, Curriculum, and Assessment Agency (BSKAP Kemdikbudristek)
Indonesian politicians and public figures say Indonesians have a low interest in reading. But people in disadvantaged areas defy this perception; they always welcome new books with joy.
Though challenges like dyslexia can make learning difficult, these disabilities shouldn’t define who you are – or what you can do.
Tim Kwee
The story of a six-year-old boy with dyslexia who, with support from friends and teachers, became a successful professor. Now he teaches teachers how to help children like him.
Children benefit from previous understanding of spoken words before reading them.
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Supporting early childhood literacy is not just about reading to your child. Research has found there are many and varied ways to increase literacy in early learning.
Indigenous children can benefit greatly from learning in a language they understand.
Neda Vanovac/AAP
Because of the way our brains work, we can remember songs and rhymes much more easily than just words or letters. The ABC song teaches kids the basics of the English language.
In some Aboriginal communities, over 50% of adults say they do not have the literacy they need for everyday tasks.
Literacy for Life Foundation/Adam Sharman
The children who are least likely to attend school regularly – and do well – grow up in households where the adults themselves have very poor literacy skills.
Northern Territory has the highest proportion of Indigenous school students.
Neda Vanovac/AAP
Emoji provide a living language that is representative and inclusive in ways that words can’t always be. Just be careful if you use the eggplant or peach emoji.
Professor, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Child Development, Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary