'Worryingly' low literacy levels among youths
Effective ways of improving literacy levels among Maltese students formed the focal discussion point of a seminar organised this morning in the wake of a recently-published EU report underlining disconcertingly low literacy levels among European youths.
According to the EU High Level Group of Experts on Literacy report published in September, one in five European 15-year-olds have poor reading and writing skills.
A quarter of 15-year-olds claim that reading is a waste of time, while 34% do not read for pleasure.
Organised jointly by the Directorate for Quality and Standards Education (DQSE) and the Malta Union of Teachers, the seminar focused on determining effective and efficient ways of improving literacy attainment and of decreasing the percentage of low achievers.
According to DQSE literacy education officer Christine Firman, co-operative approaches are the way forward.
"Businesses, celebrities, NGOs, youth workers and the media can all contribute in an influential way in raising literacy levels.
"We need to create a culture of reading, to expose our children to the joy of reading.
"I also believe that teachers should also have excellent in-depth knowledge of reading and of literacy. This would allow the teacher more autonomy to determine the kind of material and methods used in class."
Education minister Dolores Cristina said that education does not only take place in the classroom but also in the workplace, organisations and most importantly, in the family.
"We therefore need to address families' and adults' needs. This is why the Foundation for Educational Services is organising a number of programmes to guide adults in helping their children."
The seminar also included a keynote speech by Professor Greg Brooks.
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41 Comments
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N. Montanaro
Nov 15th 2012, 21:59
Bed time reading ... what's that nowadays???
Children don't even have respect for their superiors at school, let alone the will to read!!! Like one great man said...
Give me a child and i'll shape him into anything. B F Skinner...
T Cassar
Nov 15th 2012, 20:53
Children and youths are not being led by example. How many parents read for pleasure and how many teachers have a good spoken command of the languages they teach in? How many homes does one enter where books, other than the compulsory school books, occupy the shelves. Recently we needed to buy another book case and were so disappointed by the lack of choice in showrooms. Does this reflect demand?
Steve Schembri
Nov 15th 2012, 19:57
I am always amazed when I meet someone, especially a teen, who cannot read and write. There are so many interesting and colourful books nowadays to attract attention. I think the blame (most of it) is of the parents. Kids imitate the grown ups. I want my daughter to read so I make it a point that she sees me reading. I filled her room with books and at 3 yrs she loves coming to the library.
Mr leo attard
Nov 15th 2012, 19:54
The love to read starts with the love for books, and this should start at home by parents before school-age. Parents should read to children and have them play with pre-kinder educational toys... as reading / writing levels become more and more advanced, then comes the need of self-discipline... give a non-disciplined student the choice between composition and hanging out with the boys / girls --?
Marisa Deguara
Nov 15th 2012, 18:55
if we want to improve the literacy skills in our country we should stop encouraging parents to get back to work soon after the child is born!!!! Literacy development starts from home with the parents!!! We should give incentives to parents staying at home not create child care centres!!!
C A Camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 19:45
What does this have to do with parents having to work? Your sentiments only prove that Malta lags behind 20 years when compared to European counterparts.
Mary Pace
Nov 16th 2012, 11:12
Mr. Camilleri why do we have to do whatever other Europeans do, and we seem to copy all the bad European's bad habits. I fully agree with Ms. Deguara the proof is in the podding look around you and analyze please/
Mrs diana cottis
Nov 15th 2012, 18:30
Stories and rhymes are fun and should be introduced long before children start school. Everyone should have access to good quality picture books either at home or at the library. If children already love books then teachers have the foundations to build on.
B Attard
Nov 15th 2012, 17:29
Speaking about my 15 year old teen, I must say that at the infant age they were being taught to spell the English alphabet in Maltese. I'm not a teacher but honestly I used to get terribly annoyed hearing the pronunciation of cat in Maltese.
Luciano Chetcuti
Nov 15th 2012, 16:50
Lit-tfal qed infissduhom wisq. Naghtuhom kull ma jridu. Nghidulhom xi drittijiet ghandhom, imma xi dmirijiet ghandhom inhalluhomlhom barra. Nuqqas ta' dixxiplina. Tahlit fl-iskejjel qed iharbathom... il-hazin jiddakkar u mhux it-tajjeb... U dan ma jistax jitranga fl-iskejjel biss, imma l-genituri ghandhom ikunu responsabbli ta' uliedhom u jaghmlu tajjeb ghall-hsara li uliedhom jaghmlu.
Doris Sarlo
Nov 15th 2012, 16:40
classes and continues in the primary. Children with difficulties should be identified and helped to overcome their problems in the early stages, before they become demotivated.
The system is failing these young students. The home and the school, helped by support from the education division, should work together in the interest of our young people.
Doris Sarlo
Nov 15th 2012, 16:37
It is a very complex problem with a variety of causes. Jay Oatmon, Charles Grixti, Christian Sciberras, A Galea all mentioned pertinent and important causes. Motivating students with all today's distractions is not easy. Some 'experts' in the education, who have been in a classroom, should spend more time in schools before they dictate solutions. The difficulty starts from the infant
Jay Oatmon
Nov 15th 2012, 16:06
One problem in education is entangled with political ideas such as the attempt to make all the kids equal - which they are not of course.
Doing better than others in school is often seen as elitist and undesirable - instead of excellence being praised, it is suppressed for the sake of the less gifted - this results in the 'dumbing down' of kids. Its not education but social engineering.
K Amato
Nov 15th 2012, 17:02
Well said Mr.Oatmon....gifted kids are being left out, less praised and getting less attention.
Charles Grixti
Nov 15th 2012, 15:46
We are raising children with built-in ADD. The mainstream media and social media are all contributing to this, whether by design or by default. The result is people who cannot follow an argument to its logical conclusion, cannot connect dots and are too distracted to pay real attention. Some quarters are pleased with this as this generation will be no threat to their hegemony.
Christian Sciberras
Nov 15th 2012, 15:19
LERNIN 2 READ AN RITE IZ WASTE OV TIEM
That's what latest figures from Internet research has concluded.
Yup, I can see a very bright future in the way we will casually communicate in a few years.
Long live social media/networks, our new mentors.
Jay Oatmon
Nov 15th 2012, 15:07
If a kid is doing well in school he/she is often teased and looked down upon by classmates, who see studying as a waste of time.
Kids seem to relate to mobile phones, TV, movies and discos and larking about - not studying.
They live for today not tomorrow, and of course later when they are forty and can't get a decent well paid job because they are unqualified - it's too late.
A Galea
Nov 15th 2012, 14:53
The figures quoted above are for Europe. I would love to know the corresponding literacy levels in Malta. I bet they are a lot lower than in Europe. And this is not simply a schooling problem, it is also a cultural problem. How many parents instill a love of books in their children from a young age? Not enough. How many others believe that a sound education is irrelevant? Too many.
j brincat
Nov 15th 2012, 14:38
@oseph E Briffa
"Again there you are. The number of well-read youngsters is low all over the world because of TV internet mobiles and other gadgets"
Oh! Come off it. This is just your OWN theory and not proved otherwise. Just a post to absolve your GonziPN and his predecessors (to be fair with al)!
(jb)
Jessica Debattista
Nov 15th 2012, 18:29
You might be surprised one day Mr. Brincat, and find that what Mr. Briffa is saying will be proved true! So I wouldn't brush it off so easily if I were you.
Mr Mike Farrugia
Nov 15th 2012, 14:28
While at it, why not make an assessment of the new secondary teaching system? Are we sure it was a step in the right direction? What about discipline in schools? Has anybody got the right to discipline uncontrollable children who do nothing but interrupt their peers (and teachers) who are more eager to learn? Slow learners are being bullied by violent peers during lessons.
K Amato
Nov 15th 2012, 14:24
Why should we be amazed ? In primary schools our kids are not streamed, so the teacher either has to go slow for all the kids to catch up or else simply leave the others behind. What is happening to the students who can do more...they are left staring and fidgeting around until the others finish their work. Mixed ability classes do not work. All the students need attention!!!
Joe Grech
Nov 15th 2012, 14:11
Booksellers, parents, teachers complain that most children no longer read. The literacy problem continues to get worse. Young people are leaving University early or not joining at all.
But our smiling Prime Minister boasts that his administration has succeeded fabulously in education! He's not facing the true facts or just wants to deceive - to get re-elected!
Jon Vercellono
Nov 15th 2012, 14:21
Didn't the smiling Prime Minister during the 1980's actively discourage University education for all but a few?
J Martinelli
Nov 15th 2012, 14:46
Joe, why politicize the 'illiteracy' problem? Do you expect the govt to make up for parents' lack of initiative? My two children, now adults, were reading newspapers when 4 yrs old and they can read, write, converse and comprehend without difficulty.
How more glum should previous PMs be especially ones who did everything to suppress education and prey on ignorance and brainwash the public?
A Galea
Nov 15th 2012, 15:02
The whole education system and the Maltese psyche needs an overhaul. Literacy problem aside, education in Malta means to pass a set number of exams. The holistic approach does not exist. Even in University, most graduates are grossly unprepared for work. Most simply study to pass exams without even bothering to understand the why and the how. Nothing political about it
Giov DeMartino
Nov 15th 2012, 15:22
Compare the no of university students today with the no of students in the past.
Joe Grech
Nov 15th 2012, 15:26
J. Martinelli - The facts are as stated. We ARE in a very bad literacy problem. Children no longer read....but our P.M. goes about boasting that we're doing well in Education as if the cash pumped into schools will on its own solve our education problems. There are no effective Education Leaders about....teachers are demotivated....Your last two lines are irrelevant.
J Martinelli
Nov 15th 2012, 21:13
@ Joe Grech
When my children were 4, there was no Internet and no mobiles. Today children all over the world spend more time texting abbreviated and newly coined words instead of reading good literature. Take a look at the average newspaper and witness how much goes past proof readers and editors! This is a world phenomenon, maybe a bit worse in Malta. Hard to discuss in 400 characters!
A Wood
Nov 15th 2012, 14:06
"Businesses, celebrities, NGOs, youth workers and the media can all contribute in an influential way in raising literacy levels.
No, i say parents and schools can contribute. That is what they are there for.
paul camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 13:56
reading for pleasure, what a lovely word pity kids do not understand this they are to busy getting high and or pregnant
Pia Zammit
Nov 15th 2012, 15:05
*too busy
Giov DeMartino
Nov 15th 2012, 15:29
Ezattament. Ara dawn x-jimpurthom mill-istudju. Hekk jew hekk jekk ikollhom tarbija jkunu sabu job tajjeb imhallas minna t-taxpayers. Araw x'jiktbu fuq il-facebook taghhom u taraw. U kif jiktbu! Il-Malti anqas jiftiehem
paul camilleri
Nov 15th 2012, 13:54
one cannot understand why there is so much people that cannot read or and write, Schools in Malta have been the foremost important item on every goverment agenda yes Mr Brincat even Labour Party. how can a pupil leave school not knowing how to is beyond common sense. is it the teachers fault for not insisting that the pupil should remain extra time at school to learn?
J Degabriele
Nov 15th 2012, 16:56
Could be the teachers' fault, seeing that you yourself need a refresher course!
M Cachia
Nov 15th 2012, 13:51
We need to focus on the importance of books over the dreaded television and the hours wasted aimlessly browsing the internet. Books promote culture, something I have found severely lacking in the Maltese educational system.
A Galea
Nov 15th 2012, 15:04
Couldn't agree more!!
j brincat
Nov 15th 2012, 13:35
AND GonziPN boosts about the investment he made in Education>
Not a good certificate to GonziPN, is it?
(jb)
Joseph E Briffa
Nov 15th 2012, 14:05
Again there you are. The number of well-read youngsters is low all over the world because of TV internet mobiles and other gadgets. Malta is no exception. Moreover, here,students are being taught by teachers who were themselves students 30 or 40 years ago when education was a in a big, big mess. It's hardly the fault of the students if a lot of their mentors are not up to scratch.
Kleaven Maniscalco
Nov 15th 2012, 14:25
I don't think that GonziPN controls what happens at home. PN took 1 important decision that in my opinion changed education from ground up....they gave the opportunity to everyone to study whatever they liked and how much they liked. I myself have a first degree, a masters degree, and I am now doing another masters degree - all subsidised. How is that for a certificate?
A Galea
Nov 15th 2012, 15:03
Gonzi, gonzi, gonzi, gonzi, I suggest you spend some time reading Mr. Brincat, might broaden your horizons, you never know!!
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