There are regular international comparisons between countries in Maths and Science and English. Recently the TIMSS comparison of Maths and Science achievement at year 5 and 9 were published. The results raise real concerns, and the Ministry of Education have commissioned an investigation into what might be done. For each of the 4 categories, New Zealand is the lowest-scoring English-speaking country.  Having similar results to Kazakhstan is not a good look. We are close to the middle score across all countries. Most worrying is the downward trend over 25 years in year 9 Maths. Most New Ze ..read more

The government has released draft literacy and numeracy standards that will be implemented in NCEA from 2023. The draft level 1 literacy credits require the ability to read 4 items, including one that is at least 200 words long, and to write 2 items, one of which is at least 200 words long. To provide a comparison, this blog is 240 words. Full stops and capital letters will be needed. I look forward to this flowing through to posts on social media! Seriously though, for years the standards for numeracy and literacy in New Zealand have been falling compared to the rest of the world. In the last ..read more

Is font preference just a preference, or is there a science behind it? Are there some fonts for dyslexics that are easier to read? The local newspaper changed some fonts recently, updating the look and modernising it. Some fonts are easier to read than others and this is especially important for poor readers. So, is there a ‘best’ font to use or is it just personal preference? What are the easiest fonts for dyslexics to understand? There are three aspects to consider: the shape, the font, and the size. The shape influences reading: italics are more difficult to read, but there isn’t much ..read more

Depression is a problem that has a negative impact on children’s learning. If your child is going backwards in their learning, it is worth asking if they might be among the 2% of children or 10% of teenagers who are dealing with depression. The causes of depression are complex, and it doesn’t always appear as feeling sad. Some students will act out to cover up the feelings of sadness. Some students will skip school, be unable to focus on learning new information, or they may have a variety of other symptoms. Causes of depression in children Depression has genetic, psychological and enviro ..read more

I’ve been asked if anything can be done for adults that struggle with reading. The answer is simple: interventions that work for children work the same way in adults. The biggest difference is that adults don’t have as much time to invest in learning as children do. First, we test to find out if there are any specific undiagnosed adult learning difficulties. Testing can be incredibly helpful to the adult who has struggled their entire life and never found reading easy. The relief of realising that they are not ‘dumb’ as they have been told is enormous. Instead, they have good intelligence but ..read more

It wasn’t much more than 100 years since children were writing on slates at school. Changing from slate to paper transformed education…. Now that we are transitioning to learning on devices, what is the role of pen and paper? Is computer based learning the way of the future? How Do People Learn Best? As our lifestyles evolve, there is always ongoing research into how people learn best. Recent studies looked into how people learn on a device compared to on paper. The answer is, much to the technology manufacturer’s dismay, that people still learn best on paper. For young chi ..read more

The current schooling system in NZ makes it difficult to know if your child is reaching their full potential. If they are reported as being ‘at’ or ‘working towards’, how do you know – is your child achieving at school? Parents often express frustration with the current system. Their child is graded as being ‘at’ or ‘working towards’, and even with extra help and tutoring, find them sitting at the same standard. Even with visible improvements to their reading and maths, their grade stays the same. NZEI president Lynda Stuart said that “National Standards narrowed the curriculum, put undue ..read more

I am often asked, ‘How can I help my child with reading and maths?’ As a parent, you will be busy with many demands on your time. It’s hard to know how to help your child. Do you wonder if they are struggling, but aren’t sure? And if they are struggling, do you know what to do about it? In2Learning is a good place to help find the answers. The school holidays are a good opportunity to spend some time without the pressure of school and find out what’s really going on. If You Look After Your Child’s Physical Health, Why Not Their Educational Health? The first visit to In2Learning is a bit l ..read more

Too often, we hear students say that reading is boring. This includes many young people at polytech or university and even older adults. To a good reader, this is difficult to understand. Do You Think Reading is Boring? When we hear someone says that reading is boring, it almost always means that they feel like reading is hard. It takes them too much effort for anything they get out of it.  Many people do battle through something if it is really interesting to them, but so many people simply don’t read at all if they can avoid it. The sad thing is that adults who find reading boring often ..read more

Online learning is a new development in education. Twenty years ago, the internet and online learning did not exist. Now there are so many competing sites, all claiming they offer the best options and the best results. How do you choose? And do they actually help? In the year 2000, only 5% of people worldwide had internet access, however now it is over 50%. Also you may remember that in 2000, dial-up was the only speed option, with incredibly slow speeds and limited availability any time someone needed to use the phone. Online learning is a recent development, only viable with increased users ..read more