The Government is overhauling how children learn to read and write with a move to teaching "structured literacy". 1News looks at how the new system will work and why the shift is being made.
New Zealand has a literacy problem.
A review by the Education Hub two years ago found just 60% of the country's 15-year-olds were achieving above the most basic levels of reading and writing. That, of course, means 40% of 15-year-olds struggle with reading and writing.
Those declining literacy rates have been a concern for parents, academics, and politicians for some time, given literacy is the cornerstone for achieving in other subjects.
This week, the coalition government revealed details of its plan to lift those rates — making schools teach structured literacy.
What *is* structured literacy?
Structured literacy is one of two main approaches to teaching reading and writing.
It breaks down language skills into smaller parts, like sounds, phonics (the relationship between sounds and letters), letters, syntax (sentence structure), and the meanings of words.
These different components are taught in a specific order, building on each skill, and making sure a student understands each step before going on to the next one.
The structured literacy approach is seen as especially helpful for those who might struggle with reading, such as students with dyslexia, but supporters say it can benefit all learners.
This is why Education Minister Erica Stanford wants schools to switch to structured literacy.
"Domestic and international evidence shows this method is the most effective way of equipping children with strong reading skills that are critical for their futures," she said.
"Structured literacy is about getting back to basics and teaching children to read by using sounds and phonics to understand words.
"This Government has set an ambitious target of getting 80% of Year 8 students to curriculum level by 2030, and teaching structured literacy is a critical part of how we plan to get there."
All state schools will need to teach structured literacy from Term 1 next year.
The Government will be spending $67 million before then to train teachers, distribute books and resources to schools, and introduce phonics checks for students.
What are schools doing right now?
Some schools have already moved to a structured literacy approach, but many other schools teach what's known as "balanced literacy".
Balanced literacy uses a mix of different ways of teaching reading and writing. These strategies can include reading aloud, small group reading, independent reading, and word study like phonics and spelling.
Supporters of this approach say it recognises all learners are different and helps children by giving them a variety of ways to learn.
What do teachers think of the Govt's move?
NZEI Te Riu Roa, the union for primary school teachers, said structured literacy has its uses, but it's concerned about the Government mandating just one approach to teaching kids how to read.
"There is recent evidence for structured literacy working for many children, but the research also shows that personalising and differentiating learning to meet the diversity of children we have in our classrooms is the key art teachers bring to their work," NZEI Te Riu Roa president Mark Potter said.
"Teaching is an art and a craft, not just a science. A teacher knows what teaching approach will work best for the variety of learners in their classroom. Mandating a one-size-fits-all to curriculum does not work.
"We don't expect politicians to tell doctors exactly what to prescribe for every patient, and politicians reaching into every classroom and telling every teacher how to teach every child undermines the professionalism of teachers."
The New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF) agrees, saying education is not a one size fits all situation.
"Mandating a single literacy approach for all schools would be a mistake and would not on its own get the increased achievement rates that we all strive for," NZPF President Leanne Otene said.
Otene said while principals welcomed an injection of curriculum funding and having another funded literacy option to consider for schools, they were also concerned about the pace of change being forced on education “without critical consultation”.
“The abrupt shift in priorities and expectations is disruptive and undermines the ability of educators to provide quality teaching and support to our students," she said.
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