Literacy and the New Generations: McCrindle Research

8/2/2019 Literacy and the New Generations: McCrindle Research

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Chapter 9

LiteracyFor as long as we can remember, there have been concerns

about supposed declining literacy standards. Some blame

teaching methods and, others, teachers.

More recently, the media have said technology is to blame, that

too much texting has caused young people to frgt hw 2 wrt prprly. Has


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students with grammar and composition areas that have traditionally

been the focus of primary education.119

Perhaps the problem lies in the changing status of tertiary educa-

tion. University has become the normative education pathway from

year 12 in recent years, and it is no longer only those who learn best

through the structured, auditory teaching style of academia who go on

to higher education. Indeed, nearly half of all year 12 graduates now

continue their education at university.

Despite dissatisfaction with current literacy standards, year 12

retention rates and tertiary participation have never been higher.

Since the late 60s, year 12 retention rates have increased from 20% to

around 80%,120 while 38% of those aged 25 to 34 years have tertiary

qualications, compared to 24% of those aged 55 to 64.121 On the

face of it, if people are spending longer at school without emerging

more literate and learned, then education must have deteriorated in

l i Th i b hi d h d li d


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The teaching of reading and writing:past and present comparisonsMethods of teaching English in schools have changed over the years,

but how exactly? Below, differences are identied between the English

curriculum of the 1950s and of today. We have referred to the NewSouth Wales Curriculum for Primary Schools, published in 1952, and theNew

South Wales K-6 English Syllabus, rst published in 1998.

1 Oral expression correct orms o speech v. context ospeech

Past: Children were taught correct sound formation (e.g. th

instead of f ) and expression (e.g. the use of has and have).

Present: Children are taught about different spoken texts (e.g.

i ) d


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3 Spelling and writing memory v. drawing on knowledgeo dierent strategies

Past: The look, cover, write and check method was taught. A

familiar word was written on the blackboard and the teacher would

pronounce it. The pupil then studied the word, following which it was

covered and the pupil asked to write it from memory.Present: Students spell words by drawing on knowledge of the

various blends, letter combinations, long vowel sounds, sight words,

letter/sound correspondences and other strategies. Students are taught

how texts differ according to their purpose, audience and subject

matter.

4 Grammar systematic v. practical instructionPast: Children in the earlier grades were taught the correct use of

capital letters and full stops, as well as the proper forms of speech. In


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Picturebooks

Potter, Beatrix, Peter Rabbit

Milne, A.A., Winnie the Pooh

Little Golden Books:

The Sleepy Little Lion

The Three Bears

The Little Red Hen

The Three Pigs

Present: Stories often deal with social issues such as gender (e.g.

stereotyping) and violence (e.g. bullying).

Fairytales/make-believe

Wild, M., My Dearest Dinosaur

Williams, J., The Prophecy


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The Reading Wars:Whole Language v. PhonicsTransition of teaching methods

Pre-1950s Phonics method

195080 Whole word method

1980late 90s Whole language method

Today Balanced method

From the 1950s until recently, Australian schools favoured the wholeword and whole language methods over the phonics-based system to

teach children how to read and write. The whole language method

minimises both decoding (phonics) and repetition (whole words).126

Children learn how to read and write through exposure rather than


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The successful teaching methods used at Belleld Primary are

supported by the ndings of a report released by the government in2005, titled Teaching Reading.129 The inquiry into literacy and subsequent

report were sparked by the alarming statistic that 20% of school leavers

are functionally illiterate.130 It concluded that the whole language

method was not in the best interests of students and that phonics

instruction was necessary for foundational reading prociency. Thereport noted that the whole language method especially disadvan-

tages children who start school without acquiring any literacy skills at

home an unfortunate possibility in low socio-economic areas such

as Belleld.131 The ndings of Teaching Reading were similar to those

of national surveys conducted in the USA and UK.132 The methods

implemented at Belleld also support a body of research which has

found that systematic phonics instruction is particularly benecial to

children who are experiencing reading difculties.


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Back to Basics:Reading, Writing and ArithmeticUntil 2005, the amount of time spent on each subject taught in New

South Wales primary schools was not xed. According to some this

meant that children were not getting enough of the basics, whilenon-essential studies such as recycling and road safety were taking

up valuable schools hours. Since then, the basics reading, writing

and arithmetic have been allocated 55% of the school week in New

South Wales classrooms.133 More recently, the Deputy Prime Minister

at the time, Julia Gillard, vowed to bring back phonics and grammar in

a national curriculum.134

The back to basics debate is reignited every now and then often

informing education policy. This is driven largely by concerns of the


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Public v. PrivateMany parents continue to pay for private coaching,136 with one infour children receiving extra tutoring during their schooling.137 Is this

because parents feel their children are not being adequately instructed

in the core subject areas?

Not necessarily. It says more about parents expectations than educa-

tion standards. There are a lot of options for todays parents to choose

from and they want to be sure their children have the best education

available. Gen X-er parents are more able to provide this for their chil-

dren (thanks in part to the education their Boomer parents provided),

being on average older and more nancially stable than their own

parents were at the same stage in their lives. Enrolments in government

schools have dropped from 73.5% in 1986 to 67% today137 as more

parents choose non-Government schools.136 According to our education


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2. In half of the teaching courses, less than 5% of course time was

spent preparing teacher students to teach reading.3. Fewer than a third of senior teaching staff believe teacher gradu-

ates are adequately prepared to teach reading.131

Because younger primary teachers were taught the whole language

method of reading and writing, some may have difculty implementing

a phonics centred English curriculum.

It does need to be said, however, that todays teachers face greater

challenges in teaching their young pupils, and should be credited for

this. Support from parents is generally less, while parents are more

demanding than ever; class sizes have increased; teachers are con-

stantly under the scrutiny of superiors, the media and parents, and they

often have to deal with disruptive and troubled pupils, while modes of

discipline are fewer than in the past. Its important to keep in mind that

improving literacy standards is not just the job of the teacher. Parents,


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Type of text 1967 Today

Poetry 1. Francis Beaumont, English(15841616)2. Siegried Sassoon, English(18861967)3. Georey Chaucer, English(13431400)4. Alexander Pope, English

(16881744)5. Samuel Coleridge, English(17721834)6. John Keats, English(17951821)7. Kenneth Slessor, Australian(19011971)

1. Bruce Dawe, Australian(1930)2. Samuel Wagan Watson,Australian (1972)3. Deb Westbury, Australian(1963)4. Wilred Owen, English

(18931918)5. Komninos Zervos, Australian(1950)6. Steven Herrick, Australian(1958)

Drama 1. Hamletby William Shakespeare, English(15641616)2. Romeo and Julietby William Shakespeare, English(15641616)

1. Stolenby Jane Harrison, Australian(1960)2. The Clubby David Williamson, Australian(1942)


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Non-Fiction 1. An excerpt rom Lincolns

Gettysburg address2. Excerpt rom Shaws preace toThe Apple Cart

1. Maybe Tomorrowby Boori

(Monty) Pryor, Australian (1950)2. Into the Wildby Jon Krakauer,American (1954)3. One Mans Warby Stan Arneil,Australian (19181992)

The differences in the two reading lists are indicative of the changesthat have taken place over the 40 years between them. Australia has

become a multicultural society embracing the people and customs

from countries all over the globe, and increasingly less inuenced by

British culture. We have also taken more pride in home grown talent

shaking off cultural cringe and nding our own voice. And while

classic literature may inculcate a more formal approach to the English

language, modes of expression have changed since then people

appreciate the genuine over the proper.


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There is one area that technology is certainly inuencing. While

young people may be able to type 50 plus words a minute, their hand-writing leaves much to be desired. This is mainly because computers

have replaced the handwritten school assignment. Also, the foundation

style of handwriting has replaced the cursive handwriting style of the

recent past. The foundation style is much more plain and requires

less time and skill to master. While many are saddened that the art ofbeautiful handwriting is dying, it must be understood that there are

now fewer occasions where we are required to write by hand.

Manildra Public is one example of schools increasingly doing away

with pen and paper as classrooms turn digital. At this rural school in

New South Wales, students use the internet, word processing, desktop

publishing and photo software to complete tasks, while in creative

writing classes students can voice narration into a microphone. The

principal, Steve Wilkinson, says now he never has to battle to get

[students] interested [in their studies].139


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themes present in Dr Faustus (using examples) in a job interview? Or

even the correct usage of a coordinating conjunction in a sentence?

Technological skills are developing earlier, with a new generation

becoming immersed in technology younger then ever. If society is

going to attach more importance to technological ability than language

ability, then we have only ourselves to blame for the shortcomings of

younger generations.I watch with fascination my own three-year-old son Brighton inter-

act with the touch screens in his world. He is very adept at picking up

the iPhone and navigating his way to his favourite game, Angry Birds

(which is an interest he shares with Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who

rates this game as her favourite too). He is so capable of icking through

these touch screens, Ive seen him try to change the channels on the TV

by making the same nger swipe. In fact, these touch screen natives

expect all glass to come to life at the swipe action (Im waiting for the


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conclusIon

ConclusionEnglish is our common code, its the communication medium that

binds our community together. Bridging the diversity of age, ethnic

background, gender and socio-economics, English is a link to the pastand a bridge to the future, so it is important that it is maintained.

But the English language is a dynamic one. Its strength is in the

ability of its structure to ex to meet the needs of changing technology

and changing times.

Its a resilient language which works across different countries, back-

grounds and generations. English is also an inclusive and innovative

language. Critical to the DNA of English is its ability to accommodate

new words,and words from other languages, and to t existing words

to new situations. English is not owned by a particular class, age, era or

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Literacy and the New Generations: McCrindle Research