Media Release

14th August 2001

Phonics In All Classrooms Claim Unsupported By Evidence

"The claim made by NZEI President, Amanda Coulston, that most teachers use a mix of phonics and whole language methods could not be supported by the evidence," said New Zealand First Education Spokesperson, Hon Brian Donnelly MP.

While Amanda Coulston might know that that is what should be happening in classrooms, the evidence suggests no grounds for such confidence and it is that confidence that needs to be shaken by the Select Committee Report into the Teaching of Reading.

When on two occasions, different sub-committees from the same institution gave diametrically opposed views on the realities of classroom programmes, one has to have doubt.

What the select committee is recommending is that we ensure the Amanda Coulston's view of classroom practice is a reality.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>