Data show the structured literacy programme is working but more needs to be done – Editorial

New Zealand's literacy rates have been declining for the past two decades. Photo / Irina Velichkina

THE FACTS

• Early signs of improvement in children’s reading ability are encouraging after the structured literacy programme.
• Education Minister Erica Stanford reported 58% of students met or exceeded expectations in Term 3.
• The programme aims to address declining literacy rates, but long-term effectiveness remains uncertain.

Early signs of improvement in Kiwi children’s reading ability are encouraging after data released last week by the Ministry of Education.

Education Minister Erica Stanford claims an “incredible improvement” in less than half a year as a result of the Government’s structured literacy programme, although Labour also claims credit for introducing the new teaching system.

The data showed 58% of students were at or above expectations at their 20-week phonics check in Term 3, up from 36% in Term 1. In Term 3, 43% of students were classed as exceeding expectations – more than double the Term 1 rate.

The “back-to-basics” approach is an attempt to halt New Zealand’s declining literacy rates, highlighted in several studies, including the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. That study, done every five years, shows New Zealand’s results have been declining since 2006.

Yet decades ago, New Zealand was hailed as a world leader in teaching literacy. Educators visited our country to find out how we did it, and our teachers were invited overseas to share their methods.

Now, too many children are leaving school without the literary skills to tackle tertiary education or careers in which a certain degree of literacy is required. At the same time, our prisons are filled with people who either can’t read or write, or have only basic skills.

We need to make sure that all children, from the neurodiverse to those from homes in which books are scarce because of economic hardship, or English is a second language, are taught to read well and easily. And, with a bit of luck, they can learn that reading, rather than being a chore and a bore, can be an extremely enjoyable pastime, one that will help improve knowledge, vocabulary, memory, brain health and communications skills.

The jury is still out as to whether the new structured literacy programme will achieve required results long term. Sceptics in the educator sector say the use of phonics is not always the answer and worry that New Zealand’s reading methods have been dumbed down to a lowest common denominator.

Time will tell however, in the meantime, young people should be encouraged by the older generation to read, whether it’s an extra Hairy Maclary book before bed or, for older children, balancing 15 minutes of screen time with 30 minutes of reading. Library visits can be built into the weekly family schedule.

Studies show that the proportion of young people reading for pleasure has gradually decreased as technology increasingly eats up more of their time and attention.

A relative newcomer on the scene is artificial intelligence (AI) which, as students have discovered, can churn out summaries of lectures, books and articles, thus saving hours of reading. This AI shortcut is known as cognitive offloading. But researchers worry about our future ability to think for ourselves, and the ability to analyse and form our own ideas.

Like the Government’s structured literacy programme, it’s too early to tell the long-term effect of AI on our reading and thinking skills. But it is surely a development to watch closely so that future generations do not miss out on the enjoyment of a gripping novel – gradually understanding the plot, getting to know the characters, admiring the unique way an author puts words together, and the ability to make them laugh or feel an emotion.