Experts challenge back-to-basics view

Press, 24 June 1978, Page 5

Experts challenge back-to-basics view

The recent spate of criticism and .nnuendo about the quality of education was predictable, but was disturbing for several important reasons, said the principal of Christchurch Teachers’ College (Dr J. F. Mann) and the deputy principal (Mr 1. D. Stewart), in a statement. The criticism was disturbing because of its negativism and its superficiality. “Weil-validated and I objective research by such overseas organisations as U.N.E.S.C.O. has clearly shown that New Zealand children compare more ( than favourably in reading with children from similar countries overseas. That the critics should set aside such findings in favour of : mere opinion or of minor, unsourced investigations t must surely raise serious doubt,” said Dr Mann ' and Mr Stewart. Informed critics would know that more time was I given to reading, math- ; ematics, and language in I primary teachers’ colleges j than to other subjects, i “There programmes are as good as we can make them within the provision ' available to the colleges, and comparable in quality with those offered elsewhere. Further exploration would reveal that the teachers’ colleges have before the Government proposals for a range of ‘post-basic’ programmes in such fields as reading by which teachers could develop the competencies needed to help disadvantaged children raise their levels of performance.” “Careful and unbiased scrutiny of the work of a representative sample of our schools from preschool through primary to secondary would show that the basics are being emphasised there, too. Indeed if there were to be a complaint, it could be that so much emphasis is being placed on the three Rs than other subject areas, thought to be important, are receiving less attention than they deserve, they said. What had not been mentioned by the critics was the array of social, economic, and cultural factors which hindered children from taking full advantage of the learning opportunities available. No-one in education would seriously argue that

there were no problems in schools. But many of the problems were symptoms, of something much more fundamental, — “something which lies at the very heart of our way of life.” “The development of reading and mathematics, and indeed all the communication skills, are very complex neurological processes which can be disturbed and inhibited in many ways,” they said. Interference could be caused by: (1) Lack of continuity in schooling — New Zealand had a highly mobile population. A high proportion of “failing” children came from homes that required them to make frequent changes of schools. (2) Frequent absence from school at criticial times. (3) Emotional disturbance stemming from family upsets, inadequate parental care, neglect, hunger, and poverty. (4) An increasing number of marriage problems, the number of solo parents, the effects of the misuse of alcohol, and violence in the home. (5) Fatigue caused by lack of sleep, much of it resulting from long and unsupervised television watching. 6) The negative and disturbing effects of other children who, because of their negative attitudes to. education and to teachers, or because of lack of parental control, disrupted normal classroom procedures and denied others the chance to learn; and (7) Difficulties associated with providing adequately for the personal and educational needs of children from a diversity of cultural and socio-econ-

omic backgrounds. New Zealand had a substantial minority of children for whom English was not a first language and for whom special provision must be made. “There are many other problems associated with the teaching of language, reading, and mathematics. Some of them can be seen to relate to the teaching process, but there are many others which are beyond the control and responsibility of the school and reflect on the social and economic standards and practices of our time,” said Dr Mann and Mr Stewart. “The naive assumption

that failure to achieve in reading is of itself an indicator of failure on the part of either the child or his teacher, needs to be examined. It cannot be assumed that even in a perfect education system all children of a given age would be able to read as well as any other of their peers. What our teachers are seeking to do is to help all children learn to read at their optimum level of ability. To continue to assert that the education system is failing because some of our children read at a below average level is about as sensible as it would be to argue that New Zealand has a dietary or health problem because more than a quarter of the population is below average height.” It would be a tragedy if the back-to-basic„ movement were to become a political football, diverting the public from the political and economic uncertainties facing the country. Attacks on education were not new, said Dr Mann and Mr Stewart. “The remarkable thing is that the back-to-basics syndrome should take so long to reach New Zea- ; land. The process had its ( origins in the impotent ( anger of the United States I in losing the space race ( with Russia. “One might have ex- ; pected that it would have j become an issue here be- ! fore now. It is surprising I that the questions asked of the universities in the mid 1960 s were not directed at other sectors of the educational system at that time.”