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Name:  English Teachers Association of Queensland (ETAQ) – membership is approximately 500, about half of which are school corporate members involving groups of English teachers

President: Garry Collins     gazco48@bigpond.net.au  Phone: 3359 5993

Postcode*  4053 but representing teachers all over Queensland

Check all that apply to you

 Parent

 Student

 General community

 State school

 Non-state school

ü Teachers

 Principal

 Other school staff

 University sector

 Training sector including TAFE

 Union

 Employer/industry

 Government agency

 Community organisation

Other (please specify) subject-based professional association for English teachers

Recommendation 1

That all aspiring primary teachers be required to demonstrate through test performances, as a condition of registration, that they meet threshold levels of knowledge about the teaching of literacy, numeracy and science and have sound levels of content knowledge in these areas.

1.       ETAQ is very much in favour of sensible measures to ensure that all teachers have high standards of literacy and the knowledge and skills to enable them to teach effectively. However, it is strongly opposed to this recommendation which seems to embody the simplistic notion that any and all perceived problems in education can be readily solved by yet another multiple choice or short response test.

2.       A cynical person might well observe that, since Professor Masters is CEO of an organization involved in test development, it is only to be expected that he would be in favour of a measure likely to drum up more business.

3.       If some people are currently entering teaching with inadequate personal literacy skills this should be rectified at the point of entry to teacher education courses and graduation from them. If any additional test of literacy skills is to be instituted it should be part of the requirements for graduation from teacher preparation courses rather than an additional hurdle to be negotiated after graduation. It will not be to the benefit of society to set up a regime in which a university certifies that a person is suitable for provisional registration as a teacher and then have some other organization say that the person is not suitable.

4.       Press reports do indicate that that the OP cut-off scores for some teacher preparation courses have been inappropriately low in recent years. Such OP cut-offs are dictated by the forces of supply and demand. That fact that OP cut-offs are sometimes low indicates that teaching is not perceived to be a sufficiently attractive occupation choice. This can only be remedied by significant improvements to teacher salaries and working conditions.

5.       A limited range of literacy skills (ie some content knowledge) could be measured by multiple choice and short response tests but to suggest that worthwhile knowledge and understanding about the teaching of literacy can be appropriately assessed in this way betrays a lack of understanding of what is properly involved in quality teacher preparation.

6.       If multiple choice and short response tests can indeed deliver the sort of high quality information implied by this recommendation it is difficult to see why the country continues to waste so much money on elections. ACER could be commissioned to develop a test designed to measure an individual’s capacity to serve the public good. Instead of the expensive and inconvenient business of voting, candidates could take the test with the one achieving the highest score being awarded the seat.

Recommendation 2

That the Queensland Government introduces a new structure and program of advanced professional learning in literacy, numeracy and science for primary school teachers.

1.       There needs to be more funding to provide more high quality professional learning for all teachers, including primary school teachers in the nominated areas of the curriculum.

2.       Arranging for PD to be credited towards appropriate post graduate qualifications is a good idea.

Recommendation 3

That additional funding be made available for the advanced training and employment of a number of ‘specialist’ literacy, numeracy and science teachers to work in schools (and/or district offices) most in need of support.

Additional specialist teachers to work in schools or to support teachers from a base in district offices would be welcomed.

Recommendation 4

That standard science tests be introduced at Years 4, 6, 8 and 10 for school use in identifying students who are not meeting year-level expectations and for monitoring student progress over time.

1.       This recommendation relates to science rather than to the subject area which is the focus of ETAQ. In spite of this, ETAQ wishes to express its opposition to the proliferation of external tests which have significant potential to narrow the curriculum and damage quality education.

2.       As with Recommendation 1, it is open to question how disinterested the CEO of ACER is in making this recommendation.

Recommendation 5

That the Queensland Government initiates an expert review of international best practice in school leadership development with a view to introducing a new structure and program of advanced professional learning for primary school leaders focused on effective strategies for driving improved school performances in literacy, numeracy and science.

1.       School principals should focus on supporting classroom teachers and ensuring that a minority of disruptive students are not allowed to interfere with conditions conducive to effective teaching and learning. Reference to “driving improved school performances” indicates a managerialist approach to school leadership that is not in the best interests of quality education.

2.       An improvement would be a return to a situation in which the school principal was genuinely the “head teacher” rather than the Chief Executive or Senior Manager of an educational business.

General Comments

1.       The action of the Queensland Government in commissioning the Masters Report indicates one of the undesirable unintended consequences of external testing regimes like NAPLAN. Education is unlikely to be well served by politicians wanting to be seen to be taking “strong action” and instituting quick fixes.

2.       NAPLAN provides only a point-in-time snapshot of a narrow range of educational outcomes and there should be no panic or knee-jerk responses to any of its results. It remains to be seen whether data from NAPLAN will in fact result in more funds for schools and students who genuinely need additional support.

3.       The money currently invested in NAPLAN would be better spent on direct support to schools. Sample testing could provide systems with general indications of standards and problem areas.