Reading and literacy
Regarding your excellent probe into "why our kids can"t read" (NZ Herald, August 19). Of course, most of our children can read but there are many who cannot.
The difference between the ability to read words and literacy is actually the use that we put our reading skills
towards. The majority of young children do read when the teaching is enjoyable, and structured to target the concept being taught combined with much classroom reinforcement /immersion.
Phonics was widely used until around the 1980s when it became frowned upon.
Teachers were often reprimanded by senior staff for using this method "Look and Say" became the favoured method but as your article points out does not help to decipher new words later on.
With Tomorrow's Schools, we lost our consistent and nationally cohesive approach to teaching. with the greatest impact on reading and maths and we are now reaping the results.
Good luck to Jan Tinetti and her team, as it seems that some of the many excellent teaching practices of the past may be reinstated. Rosemary Baird, Devonport.
Two factors
There are two vital omissions from the plan to "cure" the problems with children's reading.
Certainly, informed and competent teachers are in the front line. But behind them there must be parents who read and who encourage and help their children to read.
The photo (Herald, August 19) says it all: a motivated dad sitting by shelves of books engaged in reading with his daughter.
Even 40 years ago, when I was teaching English, it was glaringly obvious that most students with poor reading skills had parents with the same disability, or - worse - who regarded reading as a pathetic activity.
The other vital factor is class sizes. Sufficient individual attention is impossible when the number of pupils severely limits the help each can receive.
Unless the plan includes a serious reduction in class sizes and a reach-out to parents, the problems will continue.
Norm Murray, Browns Bay.
Buying happiness
Regarding Matt Heath and happiness, travel writer Bill Bryson wrote about happiness in his book about his early years, The Life & Times of the Thunderbolt Kid.
Bryson says the happiest year in the USA was officially 1957, followed by a period of "joyous consumerism". With new wealth, middle-class people had "everything they'd ever dreamed of" and then bought "more and bigger versions".
Life became more complex; having more things meant more running costs, more things to look after, to clean, to break down. A spiral was created in which "people worked harder and harder to buy labour-saving devices that they wouldn't have needed if they hadn't been working so hard in the first place". Life became about "work and buy and have".
Interesting.
Anne Martin, Helensville.
Democracy denied
I am no conspiracy theorist, not a racist, not homophobic, nor a misogynist. What I am is a believer in fair and open to all democracy.
Increasingly, the hypocritical socialist and "green" elements of our society are endeavouring to alienate and restrict the influences of those who disagree with them.
Their definition of democracy is those that support and vote for us have rights; those that
don't, have none.
Thankfully, many are becoming aware of this travesty – lead recently by the voters in the
American states of Virginia, New Jersey and Wyoming.
May this awakening not be too late.
C W Gunson, Whangārei.
A decent economy
Kushlan Sugathapala's article (NZ Herald, August 19) "Return to Economic Decency long overdue" was very apt, very important and should be read by everyone including all politicians.
The rot has set in since the 1980s and capitalism has trodden all over workers. Mothers have to work to pay the rent; leaving their babies with other women - so they can pay the rent.
Apprenticeships and cadetships for young people leaving school rolled over to employer responsibility which resulted in their demise to all intents and purposes.
NZ should be manufacturing, building, constructing, making and growing its own goods and necessities of living. As Kushlan says, it's obvious that resources and materials are going to become harder to ship to NZ.
Employ Kiwis; raise wages; boost the economy; lift spirits; and reduce stress. Dump capitalism and establish a fairer economy before riots.
Maureen Dunn, Levin.
