Boost Grade 4 Learning! OK, but How?
Premier Campbell vows all Grade 4 students will achieve at their age level in five years. Educators disagree about where to start.
By Katie Hyslop
TheTyee.ca
Nov 17, 2010

http://thetyee.ca/News/2010/11/17/BoostGrade4/

Comments:

Additional thoughts on boosting children's literacy

I am surprised that commentaries on the government's plan to boost literacy in young children have not considered the levels of developmental vulnerability that were identified for kindergarten children 5 years ago. At that time, the provincial Early Development Inventories (EDI) scores for children indicated that 25% of BC's children entering kindergarten were developmentally vulnerable. If, 5 years later and in Grade IV, only 20% of them are now showing vulnerabilities, that would mean that the school system is doing a good job! They should be congratulated! Rather our policy makers need to look at why young children are beginning school with development that is not what would be expected. Our system of early childhood supports and services is failing our children and their families. The most recent EDI scores indicate that nearly 30% of this provinces kindergarten children arrive at school with developmental vulnerabilities. We should not be focussing our efforts on remediation. Rather every child should be given the opportunities they need to thrive, from the day of their birth! A universal system of quality child care, family resource programs that support parenting, and early identification and intervention are all part of a system that is needed. Early literacy programs alone will not achieve our goals for BC's children.