'Encourage early literacy, learning disability screening'

Source: The Star

PETALING JAYA: Examine how schoolchildren achieve literacy and take the necessary measures to ensure they are not left behind, say educationists and parent groups.

Ramesh Nair, an associate professor at the Academy of Language Studies, Universiti Teknologi Mara, said the focus should be on examining how schoolchildren hit the literacy and numeracy checkpoints set by the Education Ministry.

"Early literacy skills and nurturing love for reading is the root. Once pupils enjoy reading, other skills will take care of themselves," he said when contacted.

On secondary school pupils struggling to master the basic 3M skills - reading, writing and counting - Ramesh said it raised questions on what happened during their six years of primary education.

"For example, a student in Year One is supposed to hit checkpoints in basic literacy. Once they can achieve these, they move on to Year Two and pick up where they left off.

"However, if there are pupils who are struggling and have not achieved expectations, the teacher who receives these students in the following year has to give them supplementary work and bring them to where they need to be," he said.

Ramesh, who is the Malaysian English Language Teaching Association immediate past president, added that failure to do so would see the matter snowball.

"Then, you will have such pupils being passed from one year to the next and end up having cases of them struggling to read or write at the secondary level.

"That should not happen unless, of course, in extreme cases where the student has learning disabilities. This, too, has to be identified early with support provided," he said.

Ramesh said parents also play a critical role in helping young children develop literacy and numeracy skills.

"Some parents may need more support in this respect ... This is where parent-teacher associations and non-governmental organisations may help," he said.

Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said a major reason students have learning problems is that they are not assessed from the onset for learning disabilities.This includes dyslexia, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, among others, she said."If they are diagnosed, then the prescription (for education) will differ," she said, adding that it is not right to think that a "one size fits all" approach would work.

Noor Azimah said the onus is on the Education Ministry to ensure all students can read, write and count."The saying of 'no one left behind' should not (simply) be rhetorical. Transparency is needed on the immediate steps taken to address the issue," she said.

She added that the closure of schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic should no longer be an excuse as the whole world had been affected by it.

"By all measures of assessment, it is clear for anyone with an unbiased view that we are falling behind and serious leadership is needed to boost (our education) to top-tier world standards," she said.

Melaka Action Group for Parents in Education chairman Mak Chee Kin suggested that classes have a maximum of 30 students, saying that this would enable effective assessment and intervention.

"The school management as well as the respective education departments should have a mechanism to constantly check if there are students who warrant additional attention," he said.

However, Mak said the onus is still on parents to ensure their children have the basic skills.