10260 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister of Education

10260 (2024). Hon Jan Tinetti to the Minister of Education: Does the Minister believe all Structured Literacy forms of reading instruction are the same; if not how will she ensure a consistent approach to teaching of literacy in New Zealand?

Hon Erica Stanford: I take a pragmatic approach to the use of the term structured literacy. My primary concern is that students are taught to read using structured, explicit, and systematic evidence-based approaches that align with the science of learning and the science of reading. The Ministry of Education has worked with experts in structured literacy approaches to develop criteria so that all professional learning and development (PLD) provision is quality assured and meets nationally consistent standards, underpinned by science of learning. Approved providers of structured literacy approaches will have the flexibility to offer PLD for their version of structured literacy approaches, as long as it meets these criteria. Providers will also be required to measure, and report on, the impact of their PLD. The national curricula are also being updated to reflect my expectation that all state schools and kura will use structured literacy and te reo matatini approaches. This is also my response to written parliamentary question 10261 (2024).