Fed: New teachers less literate than 20 years ago: study

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2006
Fed: New teachers less literate than 20 years ago: study

CANBERRA, Aug 27 AAP - New teachers have lower standards of literacy and numeracy than
those who entered teaching 20 years ago, a new study has found.

The Australian National University research combined six surveys measuring the literacy
and numeracy of 14-year-old school students.

The surveys then followed the same people into their mid and late 20s as they went
on to further study or started careers.

Researchers Andrew Leigh and Chris Ryan found that in 1983, students entering teaching
degrees tended to be in the 74th percentile - meaning they had better literacy and numeracy
standards than 74 per cent of their age group.

By 2003, the average rank of new student teachers was 61 per cent.

Over the same period, the average rank of new teachers fell from 70 to 62.

Drs Leigh and Ryan blamed declining pay and rising inequality with other professions
for much of the drop in standards.

Compared to non-teachers with a degree, average teacher pay fell by more than 10 per
cent over the period 1983 to 2003, Dr Leigh said.

And there was little to attract talented individuals, who could earn much more in other
professions.

They said performance pay for good teachers could be the most cost-effective way of
raising the quality of the teaching profession.

AAP mfh/it/jlw

KEYWORD: TEACHERS

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