London - The increasing use of technology in cellphones and music players is having a detrimental effect on teenagers' language and maths skills.
School managers claim the increasing use of mobile phone texting, for example, is eroding standards of spelling and punctuation. In addition, the widespread availability of electronic calculators in phones, watches, music players and computers is eroding students' abilities in basic arithmetic.
“Television and other technology-based entertainment are shortening everyone's attention span,” the Joint Managerial Body (JMB), which represents 400 secondary schools, said.
In a submission to the Department of Education the JMB said the technology-driven culture of young people is serious challenge to teachers and is cited as one reason for the decline in reading and maths standards reported in an OECD study last year.
The department has plans to improve literacy and numeracy, but the managers criticised the impression given that they were to address an 'underperforming' workforce.
“If this perception is not actively and immediately refuted by the Minister, the Chief Inspector and government in general, failure to achieve even the most fundamental reform is guaranteed,” it warned.
The managers called for well- stocked and attractive libraries in all schools and greater emphasis on the use of information and communications technologies to improve literacy and numeracy.
Their submission pointed out that cuts were taking place at a time when more investment was needed.
English as an additional language provision had been reduced, special needs assistant numbers had been capped and the recruitment of educational psychologists had been halted. - Irish Independent