Guest sibon Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I think I'll get by. I left school before the mediocrity set in. I doubt the same can be said for you. http://www.teachingtimes.com/articles/school-leavers-functionally-illiterate.htm The study found teenagers' average reading scores had risen between 1948 and 1960 and remained "remarkably constant" between 1960 and 1988. Between 1997 and 2004, scores had "gently" risen and then plateaued. But they discovered little improvement in teenagers' writing between 1979 and 2004. So, presumably, you left school before 1960. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puisseguin Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share Posted November 23, 2012 So, presumably, you left school before 1960. Perhaps your reading isn't up to the mark. "The study found teenagers' average reading scores had risen between 1948 and 1960 and remained "remarkably constant" between 1960 and 1988. Between 1997 and 2004, scores had "gently" risen and then plateaued. But they discovered little improvement in teenagers' writing between 1979 and 2004." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puisseguin Posted November 23, 2012 Author Share Posted November 23, 2012 Another sad indictment http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bt-chairman-sir-michael-rake-231900 BT chairman Sir Michael Rake slams education standards A business leader has slammed education standards after his company received thousands of applications from 'illiterate' school-leavers. Sir Michael Rake, chairman of BT, said they had received 26,000 applications for 170 apprenticeships - but 6,000 were not worthy of consideration. He said: "They were unable to complete a form because they could not spell, put it together or read properly - completely illiterate. It's a disgrace. The politicians have a huge amount to answer for over the past 50 to 60 years." Sir Michael, also chairman of easyJet, added: "We have some of the best schools in the world and some of the worst." He is the latest industry boss to attack education. Tesco chief Sir Terry Leahy claimed standards are "still woefully low in too many schools and firms were often left to pick up the pieces". Marks and Spencer boss Sir Stuart Rose said too many school-leavers "cannot do reading...cannot do arithmetic...cannot do writing". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I think I'll get by. I left school before the mediocrity set in. I doubt the same can be said for you. I was simply reusing your words. But you seem to want to be rude, has challenging your blind acceptance of what this report has told you upset you in some way. Are you worried that you've been left looking like you lack critical thought? http://www.teachingtimes.com/articles/school-leavers-functionally-illiterate.htm Teaching Times 17% of school leavers 'functionally illiterate' Despite teacher and student effort over recent years, a new study from Sheffield University has found that a shocking 17% of teenagers are leaving school functionally illiterate and unable to cope with the challenges of everyday life. Although literacy in primary schools is a key focus, the emphasis can be lost in secondary schools, according to the study, which revealed that nearly one-fifth of 16 to 19-year-olds have a reading age at or below 11. This means their maths skills are limited to little more than basic arithmetic - putting the UK at a higher rate of innumeracy than many other industrialised countries. In addition, 17% of 16- to 19-year-olds are functionallly illiterate, meaning they cannot handle much more than straightforward questions and would not understand allusion or irony. So one 5th (that's 20%) have a reading age at or below 11, whilst in addition 17% are functionally illiterate. Greg Brookes, professor of education at Sheffield and one of the study's authors, said school-leavers in these categories lacked the skills to deal confidently with many of the mathematical challenges of contemporary life and had a lower standard of literacy than is needed to partake fully in employment, family life, citizenship and to enjoy reading for its own sake. Maggie Snowling, professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of York, said: “Since the direct teaching of reading is not part of secondary education, it is all too easy to assume older students are sufficiently literate to access the curriculum. "However, a significant proportion of students will have difficulties in subjects that draw on higher-level reading skills, including the ability to make inferences and the use of figurative language. Given this, it is perhaps not surprising that GCSE success strongly correlates with reading skill in school leavers. "When reading ability is properly assessed in secondary schools, direct intervention can be provided to raise a child’s achievement and enhance their future career prospects.” The National Union of Teachers (NUT) said the study was proof of a "long tail in underachievement". John Bangs, the NUT's head of education, said: "There are no magic solutions, but one-to-one tuition, support for parents, family learning and a quality professional development strategy for teachers all help. The message to government is that they deconstruct what is already there at their peril." The study found teenagers' average reading scores had risen between 1948 and 1960 and remained "remarkably constant" between 1960 and 1988. Between 1997 and 2004, scores had "gently" risen and then plateaued. But they discovered little improvement in teenagers' writing between 1979 and 2004. So they've been improving pretty much constantly since the 1960's... But despite that the standards are now dire. It doesn't quite stack up does it... It does fail to mention what happened between 1988 and 1997 for reading. And writing ability has been constant since 1979... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiteowl Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I was pretty shocked to hear that reading standards are so poor in UK. A recent survey of 29000 students of GCSE age found the average reading ability was that expected of pupils 5 years younger. Many students had such limited reading ability that they struggled to read the GCSE exam papers. I fear for where the education system is heading. Students spend so little time in contact with books that they struggle to read even at age 15/16. Although literacy in primary schools is a key focus, the emphasis can be lost in secondary schools, according to the study, which revealed that nearly one-fifth of 16 to 19-year-olds have a reading age at or below 11. I'm a bit lost - which of the surveys you're talking about would you like us to comment on ? As they seem to have conflicting data. Or is this now a discussion on how you can get statistics to prove anything you like ? Especially if you're trying to sell some educational software. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Perhaps your reading isn't up to the mark. "The study found teenagers' average reading scores had risen between 1948 and 1960 and remained "remarkably constant" between 1960 and 1988. Between 1997 and 2004, scores had "gently" risen and then plateaued. But they discovered little improvement in teenagers' writing between 1979 and 2004." What point are you trying to make here? If you're claiming to be older than me (or just assuming that) then it stands to reason that if we were both average (which I doubt) then I'd have left school with a better reading/writing age than you. I must admit that I've never had my reading or writing age assessed, but I have done psychometric verbal reasoning assessments and these place me in the top 1%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 I was pretty shocked to hear that reading standards are so poor in UK. A recent survey of 29000 students of GCSE age found the average reading ability was that expected of pupils 5 years younger. Many students had such limited reading ability that they struggled to read the GCSE exam papers. I fear for where the education system is heading. Students spend so little time in contact with books that they struggle to read even at age 15/16. I think this has been thoroughly disproven now hasn't it? The average across the entire school leaving population is not 5 years below where it should be. That was across a non representative sample. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sibon Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 The problem with all of this is lazy journalism. Here is the original article, for those who haven't read it yet. In my opinion, the journalist should have done much more to point out the source of the data, the skewing of the data set and the commercial motives that lie beneath it all. Then, perhaps, we wouldn't have hysterical bandwagon jumping by people who clearly can't critically analyse a piece of writing, or look for flaws in research. The data presented in the BBC report proves one thing only, some kids can't read very well. There aren't any more now than at any time in the last fifty years. Any other interpretation is simply a lazy rehash of lazy journalism. Maybe I'll start a thread later about standards of basic numeracy and critical thinking, amongst Sheffield Forum posters. In the meantime, if anyone wants to read some proper research about children's reading, they could start here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Ah, but is SF a representative cross section of the population You might have to add on something about the level of understanding of basic statistics as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sibon Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Ah, but is SF a representative cross section of the population . Let's hope not eh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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