In New Zealand, one of the world's most exciting education reforms is quietly getting underway. Erica Stanford, the country's new Minister of Education, is on a mission to reform the education system from top to bottom. In just a few short months, she has announced a set of reforms that promise to fundamentally reshape the way New Zealand's children are taught.
At the heart of Stanford's agenda is a return to knowledge-rich curricula and explicit instruction in foundational skills. It is a decisive break with the child-centered, competency-based approach that has dominated New Zealand classrooms for decades.
En Nueva Zelanda, una de las reformas educativas más interesantes del mundo se está poniendo en marcha silenciosamente. Erica Stanford, la nueva Ministra de Educación del país, tiene la misión de reformar el sistema educativo de arriba a abajo. En solo unos pocos meses, ha anunciado un conjunto de reformas que prometen remodelar fundamentalmente la forma en que se enseña a los niños de Nueva Zelanda.
Key points of the new system
- Primary schools will be required to devote an average of one hour per day to reading, writing and math.
- Cell phones will be banned during school hours to minimize distractions.
- Schools will assess student progress in core subjects twice a year and report the results to parents.
- All elementary schools will use a "structured literacy" approach to teaching reading. Structured literacy systematically and explicitly teaches children the key components of reading, including phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Yesterday and tomorrow
For years, the predominant approach has been based on the "whole language" theory, which assumes that children learn to read naturally through exposure to books. Phonics and other foundational skills have often taken a back seat. And the results have been disastrous. New Zealand's literacy rates have steadily declined over the past few decades. In international assessments such as PIRLS, the country now ranks well below other advanced nations.
Mind you, schools will receive extensive training and support to implement structured literacy in the classroom. Teachers will learn the science of reading and how to use direct instruction techniques.
Importance of knowledge
A wealth of research shows that knowledge is the key to reading comprehension, critical thinking, and academic success. Students need a broad base of prior knowledge to interact with complex texts and ideas.
The consequences are particularly severe for disadvantaged students, who are less likely to acquire academic knowledge or literacy skills at home.
Stanford's goal is to ensure that all students, regardless of background, have access to the key facts, ideas and concepts that underpin each subject.
Explicit instruction, regular practice, and a solid foundation of prior knowledge have consistently been shown to be essential to learning. Students do not acquire skills such as critical thinking in a vacuum; they need a rich base of knowledge, of content, to draw upon.