Literacy levels

Press, 23 July 1986, Page 18

Literacy levels

Sir,—lt is not the literacy level of the teachers as Jeanette Forbes (July 19) fears and Dr Colin Knight suggests (July 11), but the gap between English speech sounds and their graphic signs or letters that causes us all to look for spelling in dictionaries. For example: an Italian or Russian child learns that the name of every vowel is the same as its pronounciation. Conformity between spoken and written words is paramount: words are pronounced as written. The very few exceptions are covered by the firm orthographic rules. Why not in English? The reason is the absence of orthographic reforms to close this gap between spoken and written language, as suggested by Bernard Shaw, who offered to donate his £3 million estate for this purpose.—Yours, etc.,

E. P. STECIURENKO. July 19, 1986.

Sir, — Ronald J. Stevens (July 21) claims that a number of “prospective English teachers,” whilst visiting Hornby High School, found third and fourth form remedial vocabulary exercises beyond them. Happy indeed would be the school in which such exercises, if suited to the needs of its students, were genuinely beyond the competence of English graduates. — Yours, etc., ARTHUR CRICK. July 21, 1986.

Sir, —It will come as no surprise to many parents of school-age children that the literacy levels of some teacher trainees at Christchurch Teachers’ Training College have been commented on. The comments of Mr Steve May, vicepresident of the Trainee Association, may indicate why standards of written and spoken English are so sloppy. Mr May argues that tests indicating levels of literacy are invalid. What nonsense. He further argues that past literacy tests and evaluation procedures remain controversial. He adds that literary deficiencies revealed by the college English Department are suspect as his association questions theirfevalu-

ation procedure. Nor does the Trainee Association like relying on the judgment of lecturers. And the fact that members do not know, and cannot explain, language rules involved, does not mean they do not know them “unconsciously.” Good grief.— Yours, etc.,

A. J. BROOKE. Nelson, July 20, 1986.