Helj Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Today’s report which says that the current generation will be the first to be less literate or numerate than their grandparents comes at a time when this government is allowing local authorities to close almost all their local libraries. http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/oct/08/england-young-people-league-table-basic-skills-oecd This is despite the fact that previous OECD studies have shown that: "The influence of reading for pleasure was greater than that for having a parent with a degree." The total effect on children's progress of reading often - reading newspapers at age 16 and being a regular library user - was four times greater than the advantage of having a university-educated parent, the study suggested. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24046971 All governments and opposition parties are always talking about improving literacy and numeracy and yet when in power none of them support actually encouraging young people to develop reading skills. Libraries are a legal requirement in prisons, but not in schools. Many schools now don’t have libraries so how can children without easy access to books develop reading as a leisure activity. Local public libraries used to be a haven for many young people to study in and have a space to do homework, as well as choosing books. The space has now gone. The law says that local government must provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient library service’ but the Government doesn’t allow then to raise enough money in council tax to pay for them-or even greater essentials such as social care. I applaud people who volunteer to keep libraries open but on what basis? They will have no training or funding for the selection and purchasing of new books and can’t assist people in using online resources-the library is not just about fiction, Isn’t it short-sighted to abolish libraries, and to not even have them in every school, when standards of literacy are going down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shogun Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Its very true that, my Dad was brilliant at maths and he could spell any word he made me feel like I was a thicko,he knew most things about mathematics and percentages he could add up columns of figures in his head,I asked him once how come he was so clever he said they educated us parrot fashion in school when I was a lad and beat you if you didn't keep up,he said you had to learn, the regime was so strict if you got in trouble at school you would get a whipping when you got home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happ Hazzard Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Doesn't surprise me at all with today's leftie teachers more interesting in promoting diversity and multiculturalism than they are in teaching "old-fashioned" things such as being able to read, write, speak and add up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Electerrific Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Doesn't surprise me at all with today's leftie teachers more interesting in promoting diversity and multiculturalism than they are in teaching "old-fashioned" things such as being able to read, write, speak and add up. It's not solely that at all, but nevertheless, a deeply worrying and embarrassing decay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeX Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Today’s report which says that the current generation will be the first to be less literate or numerate than their grandparents comes at a time when this government is allowing local authorities to close almost all their local libraries. http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/oct/08/england-young-people-league-table-basic-skills-oecd This is despite the fact that previous OECD studies have shown that: "The influence of reading for pleasure was greater than that for having a parent with a degree." The total effect on children's progress of reading often - reading newspapers at age 16 and being a regular library user - was four times greater than the advantage of having a university-educated parent, the study suggested. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24046971 All governments and opposition parties are always talking about improving literacy and numeracy and yet when in power none of them support actually encouraging young people to develop reading skills. Libraries are a legal requirement in prisons, but not in schools. Many schools now don’t have libraries so how can children without easy access to books develop reading as a leisure activity. Local public libraries used to be a haven for many young people to study in and have a space to do homework, as well as choosing books. The space has now gone. The law says that local government must provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient library service’ but the Government doesn’t allow then to raise enough money in council tax to pay for them-or even greater essentials such as social care. I applaud people who volunteer to keep libraries open but on what basis? They will have no training or funding for the selection and purchasing of new books and can’t assist people in using online resources-the library is not just about fiction, Isn’t it short-sighted to abolish libraries, and to not even have them in every school, when standards of literacy are going down? 16- to 24-year-olds are hardly children. But the majority spent their formative years in school at the time of the last Labour government. just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUFFEMS Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Doesn't surprise me at all with today's leftie teachers more interesting in promoting diversity and multiculturalism than they are in teaching "old-fashioned" things such as being able to read, write, speak and add up. Very true, I agree wholeheartedly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halibut Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Doesn't surprise me at all with today's leftie teachers more interesting in promoting diversity and multiculturalism than they are in teaching "old-fashioned" things such as being able to read, write, speak and add up. What a load of tripe. You know naff all about modern education. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUFFEMS Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 What a load of tripe. You know naff all about modern education. What makes you think that you know more than anyone else on any topic mentioned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Doesn't surprise me at all with today's leftie teachers more interesting in promoting diversity and multiculturalism than they are in teaching "old-fashioned" things such as being able to read, write, speak and add up. Maybe if your govt chums stopped closing libraries and cutting funding to bookstart schemes there would be more access to books for children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happ Hazzard Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Bookstart schemes are a waste of money. Books are not expensive, but these schemes are. Libraries that are barely used should be closed. They don't help youth literacy if the youth don't use them, the only youths I ever see in my local library are using the free PCs to play games and use facebook. It is a parents job to raise their child to be able to read and be literate. If they are not doing this, it is tantamount to child abuse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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