Literacy problem

Press, 14 November 1981, Page 14

Literacy problem

Sir,—The two letters (November 11) confirm my opinion of the education system and the plight of the poor reader at school. From experience with the W.E.A. adult literacy programme and contact with parents of children at local schools, I am convinced that there is a great need for tuition in reading for children outside school hours. Some primary schools have remedial reading programmes involving mothers, but this takes the children away from other lessons and requires a quiet room away from distractions, which is not always available. I have met several women extremely concerned about’ the number of slow and poor readers leaving school, who would be very keen to take a short course in remedial reading so that they could be recommended by schools to parents needing help for their children. This would assist the student and provide a great interest and source of satisfaction to women unable or unwilling to take an outside job. — Yours, etc.,

JUNE HAWES. November 12, 1981.

Sir,—Mrs Rose Marriott's claim that Christchurch Polytechnic’s literacy survey is the first such study in a New Zealand tertiary institution is not correct. In 1971 and 1972 a survey was made of the reading attainment of students entering Christchurch Teachers’ College Secondary Division. We found, at one end, a large group of highly skilled readers. At the other end were 23 graduates and diploma holders with serious reading difficulties. Probably. fewer than five in each thousand New Zealanders are totally illiterate. But one child in five still has sufficient difficulty learning to read to warrant big changes in our educational priorities. Lecturers at Christchurch Teachers’ College have been concerned with reading standards for some time. My courses which train teachers to help adolescents with reading difficulties are paralleled by several other similar college programmes in reading and mathematics. It is sad that much, of the expertise and resources at Christchurch Teachers’ College may be lost in the coming staffing cuts. — Yours, etc., C. A. WRIGHT, Tutor in charge. Teaching Children with Special Needs Course. November 12. 1981.