Holistic approach vital for language teaching
MELANIE Earley’s article re the decline in children’s oral language skills (ODT 27.8.24) raises a number of concerns about our education system, its funding, and assumptions about language learning.
Having more speech and language therapists is an ambulanceatthe bottomofcliff solution which ignores underpinning and historical issues. The early childhood and primary curriculum documents are based on core principles and values — reciprocal relationships between all involved with the child; valuing child and family culture; implementing a holistic approach to teaching for learning. Ensuring these are at the core of teaching and a child’s learning, and having learning and teaching environments where this can be fulfilled, must be the focus to addressing any concerns re children’s language skills, and in fact, all learning.
Great to read of the Early Childhood Council’s concern re the Ministry of Education’s response, funding another resource for early childhood, and also Brent Godfery’s concerns re the fasttracking of changes to curriculum (ODT 28.8.24). The ministry should, in the first instance, be directing funding to the lowering of group and class sizes and increasing classroom support staff.
Judy Layland North East Valley
Show some respect
I was disappointed that the ODT, our country's most trusted newspaper, applauded the delegates at the recent local body conference for publicly ridiculing the man and disrespecting his office because our Prime Minister saw fit to exhort local bodies to ‘‘rein in the fantasies’’ and to ‘‘cut the spending in nicetohaves’’(Editorial ODT 24.8.4). The editorial labelled Mr Luxon's address a ‘‘sermon’’ and tacitly supported the chorus from the delegates who knew, full well, that many ratepayers would be nodding vigorously in approval. The Dunedin example of seesaws in a playground costing $600,000 that frequently get more readily repaired than potholes in the streets springs to mind. The editorial went on to label the Prime Minister as ‘‘tone deaf’’ but then reversed the vitriol saying: ‘‘the Prime Minister certainly had a point about some councils pushing vanity projects which spendthrift see as good ideas.’’ The real cause of my disappointment was that an important newspaper and a national organisation failed to show basic respect to the office of Prime Minister.
They should respect the office if not the man, who in his official capacity is simply doing his job. Not to do so is a betrayal of the trust that they expect from us as citizens.
Brendan Murphy Fairfield
Facts and opinions
I would like to comment on the letter (24.8.24) from Hayden Williams, “Responsibility applies regarding free speech”.
Mr Williams was airing his leftwing views regarding the Hobson’s Choice advertisement which was rejected by
The New Zealand Herald newspaper because the discussion of Māori activism and the democratic process was not to his liking.
He informs us that the message contained in the advertisement was not factual and should be banned forthwith.
Perhaps Mr Williams could, instead of proffering his unsubstantiated opinion, write and inform us what the actual misrepresentations are so that we are not relying on his own biased assessment.
Dave Tackney
Fairfield
[A group of more than 170 legal academics and lawyers have said that Hobson’s Pledge’s first advertisement was likely to “mislead, deceive or confuse customers.” The Advertising Standards Authority is considering several complaints about that advertisement. — Editor]