Shalom College eNewsletter

From the Library

There have been numerous articles in the press media, like those recently in the Sydney Morning Herald that have highlighted the overall nationwide fall in NAPLAN results including grammar, reading, and writing.

Australian Catholic University professor and key contributor to the NSW Education Standards Authority review of writing in schools, Claire Wyatt-Smith has decried the reduced lack of emphasis on curating writing skills over reading skills in Australian schools.

“Writing is of at least equal need and greater urgency,” she said. “The teaching of writing is perhaps the biggest equity issue we face. We can use the word illiterate. They finish school and are unable to have the proficiency in writing they need for workplace engagement.”

The chief concern is of course the potential inability to navigate adult ‘life’ and all the red tape that it entails, though it must be remembered that though we speak differently to how we write, good writing skills are bolstered by good reading skills. Reading widely facilitates exposure to different styles and genres of writing, which in turn aids with a better sense of the possibilities of language.

It must be agreed that the basic tenets of grammar, punctuation, and spelling are seemingly not in the forefront these days, but I would argue that the level of sophistication of speech and language is higher than in my days at school. Some of these articles suggest that the younger person’s vocabulary is in decline, but it could be debated that exposure to so many avenues of discussion on so many platforms has enabled a positive influence in some cases. Social awareness is arguably greater than in the past as well leading to deeper research and discussion on global matters of importance.

Perhaps changes in the way we process information and evolution in the ways in which we communicate are reflected in the learning style and use of language by our young people. In any case the best way forward is to encourage engagement with language and the written word in any media to engender a familiarity with the conventions of grammar and the continued progress of vocabulary and that this should occur through continued dedication to reading and writing.