1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,680 Speaker 1: More confirmation that absurd numbers of our children can't read 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: or do maths properly. Twenty four percent, listen to this. 3 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: Twenty four percent of year eight students meet the newly 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: implemented standards for writing twenty four. So that's seventy six 5 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: because I can do maths seventy six percent who don't. 6 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: So the Writing Action Plan has been launched along with 7 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:16,799 Speaker 1: all the other action plans to dig ourselves out of 8 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: this educational whole. Erica Stanford is the Education Minister back 9 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: with us. Good morning, Good morning, mate, explain this to me. 10 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: So writing when you start in year three, don't start 11 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: in year three. By year three, forty one percent of 12 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: people meet the standard thirty three by year six, twenty four, 13 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: by year eight. That looks like they go to school 14 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: and go backwards. 15 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, does look like that. The longer you stay at school, 16 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:38,239 Speaker 2: the wors the results. And that is the reason for 17 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 2: that is we've had a very bad curriculum which has 18 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 2: now been replaced this year. We've had teaching practices teaching 19 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 2: children to read that make them guess the word and 20 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 2: you know, read the whole sentence and then think about 21 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 2: the context and guess the word. I mean, this is 22 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,279 Speaker 2: basically the results of years and years and years of 23 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: decline and poor practice in a poor curriculum, and that's 24 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 2: changed from this year. But those baseline and results are 25 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 2: pretty grim. 26 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: Yes they are. You speak, and I watched you again 27 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: yesterday when you were doing a press conference at that school. 28 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 1: You speak of these programs like doctors speak of penicillin. 29 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: So in other words, if I give you penicillin, the 30 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,480 Speaker 1: cure is there. Do you know that what you're doing 31 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: is going to work or do you just hope, like 32 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: hell it does. 33 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 2: Every single thing we've implemented it has been evidence based 34 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 2: and already has results. So for example, when we implemented 35 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 2: structure literacy and mandated it across the entire system, that 36 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 2: wasn't just a finger in the one let's hope it works. 37 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 2: That was based on years and years and years, in fact, 38 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 2: decades of cognitive research, and a whole lot of schools 39 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 2: had already implemented it and we could see the enormous 40 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 2: accelerated effect of it. And the same will be with 41 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 2: this writing tool. There's a few things we really struggled 42 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 2: with handwriting in this country because essentially haven't been doing 43 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: it enough and we haven't been done it properly. So 44 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: the New Handwriting Guide will tell teachers exactly how to 45 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 2: teach handwriting, true new tool that we. 46 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: Will right tremendous responsibility on you, and we blame the 47 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: schools and all that. Where are the parents in all 48 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: of this? I mean maths, I get because maths is funny, 49 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 1: but reading isn't. Where are the parents? 50 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 2: Well, that is a good question, and I think there's 51 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 2: a couple of answers to that. Firstly, I feel like 52 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: there has been a little bit of a Chinese wall 53 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 2: between schools and parents, which is why we launched the 54 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 2: Parent Portal. Here is everything your child will be learning 55 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 2: in year one in English, so you can see, and 56 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 2: here a whole lot of resources you can help out 57 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,839 Speaker 2: at home. Now, parents didn't have access to that before. 58 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 2: They were flying a little bit blind. And they turn 59 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: up to a parent teacher interview and your kids sitting 60 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 2: right there beside you. It's no longer an an honest 61 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 2: conversation between you and the teacher. It's child lead. For 62 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 2: goodness sake, you know, we've got to give power back 63 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 2: to the parents and say you are demanding customers. You 64 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 2: also have a responsibility when things are falling behind. You 65 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 2: have to do something at home as well. And look, 66 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 2: but you're right, you know we're going to have something 67 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 2: more to say next next, in the next few weeks 68 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 2: about a plan for next year. In terms of engaging 69 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: parents in literacy and reading at home. The most important 70 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 2: thing you can do is speak and read to your child. 71 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:01,239 Speaker 1: Well, when you're doing that, we'll get you on again. 72 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: Appreciated Erica Stamford, who's the Education Ministry. For more from 73 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 1: the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news Talks at 74 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: B from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.