Literacy levels

Press, 30 July 1986, Page 20

Literacy levels

Sir, —Congratulations to “The Press” on a trenchant and welltimed leading article on literacy and teachers (“When teecha carnt spell,” July 22) and to the Christchurch Teachers’ College on being willing to confront the problem. But while this gallant dragon-slayer does battle in the foreground, a frightening cloud appears over the horizon. If “The Press” is correct, the Canterbury Education Board is being asked to dispense with an English test in its selection procedures for trainee teachers. May we have further facts on this, please? — Yours, etc., ANN SHEARER.

July 22, 1986. [Mr Keith McNeil, general manager, Canterbury Education Board, replies: “It has been the practice of this board’s selection panels to require some candidates for Teachers’ College to undergo a brief English or mathematics test, in the event that a doubt exists as to their ability in these subjects, while other aspects are satisfactory. The tests could not be described as exacting, but are sufficient to give the selection panel an appreciation of the candidate’s proficiency in these areas. The suggestion has been made that this may be unfair to some candidates as not all are asked to undertake the tests. Currently, the practice is being reviewed and it is possible that the mathematics test may be discontinued while the test in English may be extended to all applicants.”]

Sir, —-I do not know how Japanese or Chinese children cope with their spelling problems, but I know that English children are heavily burdened to the detriment of other subjects in their school curriculum. Furthermore, I can assure Mr Tuffley (July 25) that I do not advocate a phonetic sound-letter system. The main European languages are not phonetic. Like in English, they have voiced and voiceless consonants and reduction of unstressed vowels without an alteration of the spelling of the words so affected. The discrepancies are covered by some

clearcut phonetic and orthographic rules. There is always a gap between the live, everchanging spoken language and its graphic representations. The spelling reform narrows that gap to the manageable size without affecting the dialects. The prophetic attempts of Bernard Shaw, a century ago, to implement such reform were frustrated by the fox-hunting nobility of his time. Is there anybody to help now? New Zealand will, once again, lead in a vital endeavour.—Yours, etc., E. P. STECIURENKO. July 27, 1986.

Sir,—-If a significant percentage of teacher trainees are deficient in literacy skills, then a good deal of the blame must be laid on excessive hedonism. If something is good to do, no matter what, then the young people want to do it to the neglect of their studies and the detriment of future society. Their parents have, in many cases, never encouraged them in disciplined study, sans radio, sans hi fi, sans television, and, most important, sans interruption from family bickering and boozy squabbles. Such indulgent, permissive, slack parents must be told that today’s young generation looks after tomorrow’s old and vulnerable generation, and if it does not have the education (acquired through reading and writing) and the self-discipline needed in modern society, then aged people’s welfare suffers eventually. I bet even slack parents do not want that. — Yours, etc., TED HICKS. July 28, 1986.