tictac

Top Ten:

S. Korea
Finland
Hong Kong
Canada
New Zealand
Ireland
Australia
Liechtenstein
Poland
Sweden

Noticeable absentees: Spain, France, Germany, USA,................................UK :embaressed_smile:

i Isnt verry suprized by dis list, innit. LOLZ

Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/7115692.stm

why

where is blighty then?

NikiL

Judging by my stepkids standards, probably nowhere

Mairead

Jeez cant believe Ireland is in the top seven. That must have been my brilliant skills bringing the mark up!!!

fraser

Australia above the UK I find that very hard to believe, there are always stories here about how bad illiteracy is and the schools here aren't as good as those in the UK.

tictac

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) performance tables, I suggest, is a more reliable indicator than generalisms spouted around town.

Even the CBI's director-general, Richard Lambert, said the report was "disturbing reading".

moneypenny20

Judging by my girls' experiences in the UK, writing is not high up on the curriculum in 'some' UK schools. And as for teaching grammar - don't get me started

tictac

But the UK is Number 1 when it comes to txt spk

NikiL

Wasn't aware they still taught that at all!

fraser

Strange then that every parent I've spoken to says their kids literacy skills have gone backwards since going to school here.

Hence I suggest those tables are a crock of shit, but hey if you need reasons to justify being here

Wendy

Strange that everyone I've spoken to that say things like that are the ones that aren't all that settled.

But hey if they need to justify why they want to go back 'home'

The Woodcutter

Spot on Wendy!!

Big Galah

Yep, it was a survey like this that inspired The Sun's "We're Thicker Than The Paddys" headline a few years back. The kind of attitude that was still very prevalent when I moved to London in the late 80s.

Anyway, looking at the countries in the top ten, they all have relatively small populations, so it may have something to do with economies of scale - it's easier to (logistically) manage an education system for a smaller number of students.

Hullfcfans

I find it amusing to hear of South Korea having a relatively small population....and they are number 1 in the list.

bridie

Probably more likely to have less kids per class then and more one on one teaching?