Blog 11: Few pupils can read properly
At a
teachers’ conference in Durban, South Africa, a local professor spoke about
basic education and improving literacy rates. This is in direct response to the
alarming results revealing that between 60% and 70% of students are not reading
at proper levels. Professor Fleisch believes that the problem stems from what
happens or doesn’t happen in the classroom. His theory is that the problems
begin early and have a hugely negative impact in high school and beyond. In
addition to the classroom, Professor Fleisch spoke of the problems many
children have at home, which include illness and parents’ inability to help
with homework. He urged the audience to make it a top priority and make the
necessary changes right away. Two suggestions that he had that could be utilized
now were to have the students do more written work and provide more usage of
phonetics. Another speaker on the subject suggested that South Africa start at
an earlier age to teach reading and writing skills. Dr. O’Carroll added that
studies have shown that children with professional parents will have heard four
times more words as more disadvantaged children when they enter school. She
spoke of how South African students in grade 0 (ages 4 to 5 years) were
typically 2 years behind expectations.
This report
adds fuel to the issue of lack of education at early ages. It has been shown
that children with a strong reading background when they enter school have an
advantage and are more successful at all stages of schooling. It is too
simplistic just to say ‘parents should read to their children’ when not only in
South Africa, but globally there are parents who struggle to provide just the basic
needs for their children. I wonder how many of us could manage to read a book
to our child if we didn’t know where the next meal is coming from. Children and
families in poverty could greatly benefit from a program that begins much
earlier than it does currently. A program that provides meals and opportunities
for reading and writing with a caring adult would be a good place to start.
South Africa has come a long way in the past 2 decades and like the rest of
world, focusing on the early education of children will show the benefits
tenfold.
Deborah
Faircloth
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