10. Hon BILL ENGLISH (National—Clutha-Southland) Link to this
to the Minister of Education
Does he agree with New Zealand Qualifications Authority deputy chief executive Bali Haque that credit should be given to an answer in text speak if it “clearly shows the required understanding”?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
I agree with Bali Haque’s explanation, as given on Radio New Zealand this morning. There has been no change in the approach to the use of abbreviations. Students are actively discouraged from using abbreviations in exam answers. Where students do use abbreviations, then the examiners look for students to demonstrate their understanding of a question—i.e., if students can show an understanding and express this clearly, then they will get credit, if appropriate. If the examiner cannot understand what a student has written, or it is inappropriate use, the student will not get credit.
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
What it means is that abbreviations are usually allowed in examinations, if they are appropriate, but text language would, of course, be inappropriate. Therefore, it would be of no use to the student.
When the Minister launched the new draft curriculum on 31 July does he recall saying: “There is a continued emphasis on excellence in literacy and numeracy.” and “Our education system must ensure that all students reach very high standards.”; and does he believe that his statement—that text language will be allowed—is consistent with those standards?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Yes, I recall making the statement about standards, and I understand that everybody in this House who has sat an exam will have used an abbreviation at some time when sitting those examinations. To use text language would clearly be inappropriate for a student during the course of an examination, but on this side of the House I think we would have used abbreviations such as i.e. and e.g., perhaps. Young students today may find that something that was in such popular use might be appropriate to use in an exam, but to use it throughout the exam, of course, would be inappropriate.
Ann HartleyIs there an example of a statement from a person with a high level of qualifications that contains incorrect spelling but demonstrates that the person understands what he or she is talking about, and for which credit should be given?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Yes. The following statement is just one example: “This kind of pigeon English is fine for young people organising their social lives, …”. This is an example of a press statement put out today by Mr Bill English. The statement is understandable, despite “pidgin” being spelt “p-i-g-e-o-n”, as in a bird from the dove family, rather than “p-i-d-g-i-n”, as in simplified language used between persons of a different nationality. But we will give him credit.
Does the Minister agree that such use of language in an exam should not get credit, nor should ridiculous abbreviations of text language; and why does he not just stop trying to be cool, and tell students that text language in exams is unacceptable?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I will explain to the member again that he would use in an exam, I am sure, abbreviations such as etc., e.g., and i.e. If a young person is explaining something to an examiner and using an abbreviation that communicates it well, then that may well be appropriate. But text speak, clearly, would be inappropriate, and that is why it is discouraged. As for the question of “cool”, I am not sure whether that member would know it if he saw it.
Now that the Minister has introduced a distinction between text abbreviations and text language, can he explain to the students of New Zealand just which versions of text language will be acceptable, and which ones will be regarded as wrong?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I will abbreviate my initial answer, because I had it in there for the member. There have been no changes to the approaches taken to abbreviations. Students using abbreviations have been trying to explain to an examiner what they are saying about a question. If they can show an understanding of it and can express the answer clearly, and if the use of language is appropriate, they will get credit. If the examiner cannot understand the answer, or if it is not appropriate, they will not get credit. That has always been the position.
Now that students have the impression that text language will be acceptable, because that is what the New Zealand Qualifications Authority has stated, how are students supposed to know what is “appropriate”, as the Minister has described it, and what is inappropriate—why does he not just clear up all that confusion by telling New Zealand students that using text language is unacceptable in National Certificate of Educational Achievement exams?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
On behalf of the students of the country, I say to the member that students are used to sitting examinations through internal assessment all year, and the rules are just the same. Abbreviations, where appropriate, have always been accepted—even when the member sat whatever exam he sat at university. I seek leave to table from the web the definitions of “pigeon” as a bird and “pidgin” as not a technical use of English.
Madam SPEAKER