March 10, 1999
(Education)

Newfoundland and Labrador students score above Canadian average in reading and writing tests

The second Canada-wide report on student performance in reading and writing was released today by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC). In April 1998, more than 3,000 students from this province were among the 45,000 13- and 16-year-old students from across the country who wrote the reading and writing assessment as part of the School Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP).

"The 1998 SAIP results show that the students who participated from this province scored above the national average. As minister of Education, I am very pleased with the results and congratulate the students on their scores. We know that the future prosperity of our province is closely linked to the potential of our young people. The goal now, as educators, parents, administrators, and legislators should be to provide the support our children need so they not only score above the national average, but lead the country," said Judy Foote, Minster of Education.

The reading and writing assessment administered in the spring of 1998 was essentially the same as the one used in 1994, allowing for comparability of results. This will enable the provinces and territories to assess progress in reading and writing.

Results for both reading and writing are reported according to five levels of achievement. For reading, each level indicates the degree to which the student can read more difficult and sophisticated texts and respond to more subtle and complex questions. For writing, each level indicates the degree to which the student can write more clear, insightful, original and interesting compositions.

Major findings for Newfoundland and Labrador students include:

• Approximately 71 per cent of 16-year-olds and 42 per cent of 13-year-olds performed at level three or above in reading, demonstrating an ability to read complex texts and some sophisticated texts. (Comparable national figures were 69 per cent and 38 per cent respectively.)

• In 1994 reading tests, 74 per cent of 16-year-olds and 43 per cent of 13-year-olds performed at level three or above.

• Approximately 89 per cent of 16-year-olds and 71 per cent of 13-year-olds performed at level 3 or above in writing, showing a general control over developing ideas, syntax, and rules of language. (Comparable national figures were 86 and 73 per cent respectively.)

• The writing results show a higher percentage of students performing at level 3 or above than in 1994 (Compare 82 per cent of 16-year-olds and 65 per cent of 13-year-olds).

• Approximately one third of 16-year-olds (31 per cent in reading and 35 per cent in writing) performed at level four or above, showing that they were able to interpret and evaluate complex meanings in sophisticated texts and have an effective command of writing. Among 13-year-olds, approximately nine per cent in reading and 15 per cent in writing performed at level four.

Nationally, girls perform better than boys in both reading and writing.

Media contact: Nancy Healey, (709) 729-0048 or e-mail: nhealey@edu.gov.nf.ca

1999 03 10                                 2:55 p.m.