EXPECTING THE IMPOSSIBLE: THE DISASTROUS IMPACT OF UNREALISTIC GOALS

Why is it that some of the poorest, most marginalised and disadvantaged children in the world are expected to perform astonishing linguistic feats in the early years of school? This paper discusses why these expectations, which effectively deny access to literacy for many children, are largely unquestioned.

Why is it that some of the poorest, most marginalised and disadvantaged children in the world are expected to perform astonishing linguistic feats in the early years of school?
This paper examines how official mother tongue and multilingual policies in the Philippines unintentionally create largely insurmountable barriers to education for many children in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanoa (BARMM). Children, who may have little or no facility in the mother tongue initially used for school instruction, are expected to become literate within one year, and to then also learn and become literate in Filipino and English, neither of which may be spoken at home, by the end of Grade 3. Muslim students may also learn Arabic.
The key question raised is how did such serious misconceptions about the time, effort and input required to develop proficient early language and literacy skills become accepted and why are they largely unquestioned? Research evidence is misinterpreted. Flawed assumptions are made that effective practices in affluent Western contexts can be transferred to contexts that have almost nothing in common. The literacy curriculum, modelled on Western curricula, assumes children start school with an extensive repertoire of language and literacy skills that are rarely part of BARMM oral language cultures.
Faulty beliefs prevent effective progress as new ideas are bolted onto fundamental misconceptions, perpetuating flawed practices. Substantive improvements to policies, curricula and classroom practices will not occur until widespread misconceptions about early language and literacy development are challenged and refuted. This paper raises some key issues in the hope that others will join the debate and effective strategies will emerge to support realistic learning goals and effective teaching practices for early literacy learning in linguistically and culturally diverse contexts like the BARMM.

AUTHOR: Prue Anderson

Early grades’ literacy specialist:
• 20 years leading system-level literacy assessment development and data interpretation in the Philippines, Laos, Brunei, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Lesotho and Australia including workshops and presentations.
• Lead developer ACER Reading Progression
• PIRLS reading expert
• K-3 teacher and primary lecturer
• Currently lead curriculum and assessment advisor for Pathways BARMM reform project

Website: https://www.acer.org/au
Email: prue.anderson@acer.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/acereduau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/australian-council-for-educational-research/