Many Scots children can’t spell basic words
The study revealed that a third of pupils did not know what a noun was. Photo: Getty
MORE than a third of Scottish children are unable to spell basic words and a quarter cannot add without a calculator by the time they leave primary school, a survey has found.
A study of children aged between ten and 12 found 24 per cent could not add £2.36 to £1.49 to get £3.85, while 36 per cent could not spell “secretaries”.
While the survey will once again raise questions about the teaching of basic literacy and numeracy in Scotland’s schools, its findings were rubbished by education professionals.
The study, by online tuition firm mytutor.co.uk, found that about a third of children could not do division, while more than a quarter struggled with basic algebra and a third did not know what a noun was.
The firm said many children were slipping behind their peers at an early age, but teachers’ leaders said the results were at odds with the experience on the ground.
Last week, a report handed to MSPs claimed 15-year-old children at the bottom of the class were so far behind they were performing “as if they were ten years old”.
David Cameron, an education consultant and former director of education at Stirling Council, said the findings of the latest survey contradicted work done by the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa).
He said: “The evidence we’ve got would suggest that another survey would not reflect the results of this one.
“Clearly, every time something like this comes along it’s important not to panic. There is significant evidence already available from Pisa testing and external assessments that shows the position is better than what is being reported here.
“My message would be that this is a relatively small survey and far from definitive. That said, we need to take account of all the evidence.”
The survey by mytutor.co.uk questioned 130 children and their parents across Scotland, and a total of 1,000 children across the UK as a whole.
It said most parents spent fewer than ten minutes a day helping their child learn and that many children struggle to do basic arithmetic without a calculator.
Ann Ballinger, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, said: “Nowadays we have spell-checks and calculators at our beck and call – it’s not necessarily true that young people would learn these [literacy and numeracy] skills because they don’t need to, but that doesn’t mean they’re not intelligent.
“We don’t learn by rote any more and I think that’s a good thing. Now children understand the process. It may take them slightly longer, but they still know how to do it.
“The situation in schools is nothing like what this report is suggesting, which makes me think there’s something badly wrong with the survey. Numeracy and literacy levels are improving and there’s absolutely no reason to think the situation is as bad as is being suggested.
“There’s absolutely wonderful work going on in primary schools.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Raising attainment across the board is a key priority and we are aware of the challenges.
“Curriculum for Excellence provides a base for raising attainment through the framework for the development of core skills, literacy and numeracy, effective approaches to learning and the achievement of qualifications.
“We have also commissioned a number of experienced headteachers to look at the most effective approaches, which shall develop key messages on raising attainment for all teachers to support and focus their improvement planning for the coming year.”
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Comments
There are 78 comments to this article
Page 1 of 6
BLOCKEM
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 08:59 AMAs expected, my comment of 77 removed - the gagging of those who would expose the dumbing-down of Scotland’s own children from working class families and areas to indulge the thousands of foreign child incomers who cannot speak, read or write in English. If the same was happening in their children’s schools, the gaggers would scream loudest.
BLOCKEM
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:26 PMComment removed by moderator
Taigh na Croiche
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 08:24 PMThough Pa Broon below is a good example of bad education!
Taigh na Croiche
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 08:23 PMMORE than a third of Scottish children are unable to spell basic words and a quarter cannot add without a calculator by the time they leave primary school, a survey has found. ----- And half of them go on to write for the Scotsman judging by some recent headlines. -- Otherwise, more scaremongering. Agree with #60, I don't think this website is a good judge of our kids. Why is it that every year - going back decades - sees yet more headlines complaining about young people?
AuldLochinvar
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 08:16 PMI have a very strong suspicion that the biggest problem is the ignorance of the Members of Parliament, and those other purveyors of information, the commercial TV channels. Here in the USA (I'm an expatriate Scot) the thing that alarms me most is the number of News reporters, even on the Public Broadcasting Service channels (where I get my BBC reruns) who persistently confuse "suspect" with "perpetrator" or "criminal". They seem to think that "suspect" is a euphemism. So, when it is reported that "the suspect fired and shot the victim in the head" -- even before an actual person has been suspected -- it follows that every suspect's rights as an accused person have already been compromised. It has been amply shown that accused persons are not always guilty, and that even convicted persons may have been innocent. But we are so obsessed with getting grades, instead of an education, that we load down the clever ones with homework, and turn them into Tories before they leave school, because they think the world now owes them a living. The thing that our bairns need to be taught is skepticism, and how to actually use arithmetic for something other than football and political scores.
SirJockland65™
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 08:08 PMThis is clearly the fault of the Union and Westminster
Faceless_bureaucrat
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 07:09 PMThis is a disgraceful comment from that union person . Ann Ballinger, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, said: “Nowadays we have spell-checks and calculators at our beck and call – it’s not necessarily true that young people would learn these [literacy and numeracy] skills because they don’t need to, but that doesn’t mean they’re not intelligent. #58 - The sample error is 8.6%
Faceless_bureaucrat
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 07:04 PM#57 - Totally agree. The "no child left behind policy " is another reason , and of course the poor quality of teachers is another. Study the picture and you will see yet another - foreigners who do not speak English.
Tartancult
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 07:02 PM#17 If you were to test Cockney children you would find the same result. The written symbols do not resemble the pronunciation of everyday Scots or these distinctive London city dwellers.Almost every language suffers from dialects,and the pernicious effects of provincial glorification.".........................Can you spell 'pompous'?
Pa broon
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 06:57 PMWhy should anyone be surprised by this. The current method of teaching doesn't work. We produce more illiterate children now than we did in the 40 years ago. We keep trying to reinvent the wheel when all we need to do is go back to teaching the we used to do it. And the executive answer "A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Raising attainment across the board is a key priority and we are aware of the challenges " It could be worse they normally blame everything that goes wrong on Westminster. Unfortunately this is now happening on their watch!
A Friend of Fernando Poo
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 05:00 PM#64: You have to pay for that after hours these days.
A Friend of Fernando Poo
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 04:56 PMIt's shocking. Half the population can't read; half can't write; and the other half can't count.
korky
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 04:37 PMWell educashin edushin educashin was the labore warcry..........so it wiz. 12 star for failure.
salad cream or mayo?
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 02:46 PMMost people can't do simple arithmetic, no matter their age. it is quite embarrassing.
baxterpark
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 02:24 PMMy teachers never looked like the babe in the phootie. No wonder the kids cant spell...where is the cane?
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