Literacy And Numeracy Pilot Results Show Need For Sharper Focus

The release of the first pilot of new literacy and numeracy standards shows the urgent need for a pause on the overhaul of NCEA to enable teachers and students to focus more on literacy and numeracy, says PPTA Te Wehengarua national executive member Louise Ryan.

“The results released today of the first assessment event show we need more time to embed the new Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy and 
Hei Raukura Mō Te Mokopuna to increase students’ readiness to complete the assessments. Teachers have been telling us this, our annual conference called for this 
earlier this month and we have asked the Ministers of Education for more time.

“Teachers are committed to the changes to NCEA going ahead, however the results of the pilot show there needs to be the opportunity for teachers and students 
to get their heads around the changes to teaching and learning that lead into the literacy and numeracy assessments, before other new NCEA changes are introduced.

“It’s important that after three years of COVID disruption we give students the opportunity to get on top of the new requirement, and do not set them up to fail.”

The changes to the secondary school qualification NCEA involves seven key shifts. The introduction of literacy and numeracy standards is one of them.

“We are currently going through the biggest changes to NCEA since the qualification was introduced,” says Louise Ryan.

“Teachers want the focus of the NCEA Review for the next few years to be on Mana ōrite mō te mātauranga Māori, cultural responsiveness, literacy and numeracy and localised curriculum.”

“The review of achievement standards - the building blocks of subjects in the qualification -needs to be paused while this other work is done.”

“Teachers also must be supported to implement the changes by being provided with nationally coordinated Teacher Only Days in 2023 for this purpose,” said Louise Ryan.

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