The South Australian Government has released a new literacy and numeracy discussion paper, saying it is an important step towards creating consistency in programs taught across the state’s schools.

 

State Education and Child Development Minister Grace Portolesi said the discussion paper will allow parents, teachers and students to share their views on how to better support learning in this ‘fundamentally important area’.

 

“If we want to see better results for our students there needs to be a strong and consistent strategy to improve these foundation skills,” Ms Portolesi said.

 

“We have asked 700 parents directly involved in our schools and preschools and they tell us they want to be more involved as partners in their child’s education.”

 

Ms Portolesi said the creation of the discussion paper was born out of a need to ensure that parents are increasingly involved in their child’s education progress.

 

“This strategy will help improve the way we communicate with parents and support them with practical advice on what they can do to help, right from the moment their child is born,” she said.

 

Some of the options suggested in the discussion paper include:

 

  • Establish playgroups in schools and preschools that help young children and parents with numeracy and literacy development
  • Introduce a common assessment across health and education services to identify problems early
  • Provide practical information and ideas for families to help children learn these skills at home
  • Have a ‘team around the child’ approach to bring experts across health, family and school services to support vulnerable children
  • Work with universities on making sure new teachers can demonstrate literacy and numeracy skills
  • Establish a Numeracy Secretariat alongside the existing Literacy Secretariat to provide support for teachers, parents and students
  • Give schools a menu of programs to choose from that are known to improve outcomes
  • Require every school and preschool to set, monitor and report on numeracy and literacy improvement targets.

 

 

Download a copy of the policy discussion paper Numeracy and Literacy Strategy – Birth to 18

 

from www.DECD.sa.gov.au

 

 

To have your say and contribute views, suggestions and ideas, please visit http://saplan.org.au/yoursay or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 30 November 2012.