New Zealand Switches to Science of Reading Instruction

by Alarice McPark, age 13

New Zealand has mandated a new approach to literacy education to combat years of plummeting reading scores. The approach is called “structured literacy,” and it could provide a model for the U.S. and other countries dealing with similarly low reading scores.

Researchers and professors say New Zealand’s reading crisis stems from relying on the more visual and guess-based whole language approach and not including instruction in phonics or phonemic awareness through structured literacy. Both methods have been used to teach children how to read in English-speaking countries, but have major differences.

The whole language approach was a reading instruction method invented by Dame Marie Clay in New Zealand in the 1970s, and it gained popularity in other countries by the late ‘90s. In this approach, children were taught to use contextual cues, such as the idea of the story, or use pictures to figure out the meaning of a word they didn’t recognize.

However, structured literacy focuses on phonics (how letters sound together) and the pronunciation of the word. This approach has been proven to be successful in many school settings worldwide, especially for students with dyslexia or low-income students. Until recently though, structured literacy was only available for children in New Zealand in certain private schools or in private tutoring.

Since 2009, educational performance has declined in New Zealand. A 2022 assessment called the Programme for International Student Assessment found that many students’ reading levels were worryingly low; 21% of the country’s 15 year olds were at the lowest level of literacy, meaning that they could do simple reading tasks, but nothing else.

Universities and professors have expressed disappointment in the education system for failing to prepare students for higher education. Even among college students, reading levels were so low that professors had to adjust their syllabi and many students had to relearn basic reading skills.

“We’ve got a whole generation of kids whom the education system let them down,” said Jennie Watts, a senior lecturer at Auckland University of Technology and a member of Lifting Literacy

In response to this literacy crisis, the New Zealand Ministry of Education announced a new plan in May 2024. Starting at the beginning of Term 1 in 2025, which started in late January, structured literacy is now mandatory for all schools under a new curriculum, “Te Mātaiaho” or “The New Zealand English Curriculum Years 0-6.”

New Zealand’s Ministry of Education, which is similar to the U.S. Department of Education, set aside $67 million to help school districts change to the new curriculum. The Ministry’s goal is for 80% of 8th Year students to be proficient in reading by 2030.

Erica Stanford, New Zealand’s Minister of Education, said, “A number of schools in New Zealand are already teaching structured literacy and have experienced significant improvements in student achievement. I want all children to have this opportunity.”

The changes are not universally accepted. The New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) is criticizing the Ministry’s methods. One member of NZEI stated in Radio New Zealand that, “Politicians should stay out of the classroom when it comes to pedagogy and leave the teaching profession to use their expertise and best evidence to tailor their teaching to meet the individual needs of the children in front of them.”

Regardless, the Ministry of Education distributed funds for schools and educators from May 6th to May 30th of 2024, along with resources and professional development for educators. It seems like New Zealand has it all figured out, but the biggest question is: How does it affect the U.S. and other countries?

The reading crisis is not only in New Zealand—it’s in many countries around the world to varying degrees. Technology and social media have diverted attention from traditional methods of reading, making it more difficult for students to focus.

The U.S. has a similar problem to New Zealand. In the 2024 National Assessment for Educational Progress, fourth and eighth graders achieved lower test scores compared to years before COVID-19 hit. Along with growing distractions, absence rates have grown almost 10% since the pandemic.

According to some researchers, these setbacks are why reading levels have dropped in the U.S. Additionally, researchers in the U.S. have pointed to the long trend of whole language curricula in American schools as a major culprit in the U.S. literacy crisis. Individual states are aiming to solve low reading achievement and align with the “science of reading,” but there are not any federal laws passed to improve the situation.

Reading is a significant part of education and daily life. As New Zealand continues to implement this change to a structured literacy curriculum, other English-speaking countries and states in the U.S. can observe how New Zealand reading scores are affected in the coming months and years.

Dr. Bronwyn Wood, an associate education professor at Victoria University, states, “Literacy appropriate to levels of education and employment is key. If we have many people lacking the required literacy, then we are failing them as a nation. Education, from preschool onwards is crucial for our economic, political, social, and cultural success.”

[Sources: EducationHQ; Forbes; Radio New Zealand; Stuff; The New York Times; The Post; University of Canterbury; USA Today]