You might have heard the news that Queensland’s NAPLAN results are showing concerning declines. With shortening attention spans, earlier access to personal devices, and inadequate education funding, the numbers might not come as a surprise, but they are sobering nonetheless. The good news is, Storyfest is here to combat declining literacy rates!
As Queensland faces a decline in literacy as evidenced by the latest NAPLAN results, Storyfest is stepping up to address this growing concern through its dedicated children's literature programmes. The latest data reveals worrying trends: Queensland students, particularly in Year 3, are showing significant declines in essential literacy skills such as reading, spelling, and writing. Amidst these challenges, Storyfest’s initiatives offer a promising strategy to counteract these deficits and foster a love of reading and writing from an early age.
According to The Chronicle, “new data from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority shows the state’s Year 3 cohort went backwards in every key metric including spelling, reading, writing, grammar and numeracy.”
Not only that, but numbers show that more than 50% of students across the state are below the standard they should be for their year level, and that Queensland received the second worst reading score in the country behind Northern Territory.
The percentage of students needing additional assistance in writing and reading has also increased, indicating that traditional methods alone may not be sufficient to address these issues. This decline is compounded by broader educational concerns, including underfunding and diverse student needs, as noted by various educational leaders.
The effect of declining literacy rates in Queensland
This news is concerning for a variety of reasons. When literacy is such an important foundational block in a child’s life, not possessing the basic skills to understand the world around them and make themselves understood by the world is a serious challenge for children across the country, but especially in more regional areas.
Access to books via school or local libraries, the socio-economic background of a child’s family, and the communal attitude towards reading, writing, and learning in general all play an influential part in students’ literacy skills. In regional Queensland, none of the above is a given.
In recent decades, extensive research has examined educational levels and literary comprehension in rural compared to metropolitan Australia. Although there have been gradual improvements over the years, a significant gap remains between the reading and writing skills of children in regional areas and those in urban centres.
There is unequivocally a positive correlation between the size and type of a community and the reading performance shown by its school children – with villages showing the lowest reading performance on average, and large cities showing the highest. Not only does this have a detrimental effect on the potential career opportunities of people growing up rurally, but more importantly, low literacy levels often result in poor health outcomes long-term, including higher rates of hospitalisation and more frequent medical visits.
A lack of robust literary programmes in these rural areas can leave children unequipped both in their education and their health.
Storyfest steps up
It has always been Storyfest’s mission to create enriching literary opportunities for as many children as possible. On top of its annual writers’ festival and a calendar of programmes, workshops, and events, Storyfest extended its reach (all the way to Longreach) in 2022. Since then, we have experienced first-hand the lasting impact that we can have in regional areas. By hosting workshops, interactive author events, and selling books of course, we hope to not only spark a new interest, but to provide a means for a sustained, beneficial practice in literature for rural children.
Storyfest’s venture out west was so successful that two more regional locations have been added to the roster in 2024: on top of the flagship Gold Coast festival and the now annual Longreach festival, students in St George and Emerald also get to experience the power of storytelling.
The feedback has been a good reminder that these regional programmes are necessary to make a difference.
Melanie Mills, Storyfest South West Ambassador said: “Being able to introduce the children of rural and remote areas to events that their city counterparts may take for granted, can be life changing.”
Similarly, Outback Pioneer CEO and Storyfest Partner Richard Kinnon expressed just how important it is “for the bush kids to have the same opportunities as the city kids.”
Finally, the first to experience Storyfest’s regional venture, Storyfest Out West Ambassadors Rachelle Moore and Peta Bates said: “For organisations like Storyfest, it is vital that they bring such ventures out west so that our students can achieve excellence through experiences that enrich their education and learning regardless of where they live.”
Where to next?
By focusing on making literature accessible and enjoyable across the state, Storyfest is not only addressing current literacy deficits but also laying the groundwork for future educational success.
While the decline in literacy levels in Queensland presents a significant challenge, Storyfest’s proactive and engaging approach to children’s literature offers a hopeful path forward. Through its various programs and initiatives, Storyfest is working to inspire young readers and writers, ultimately aiming to turn the tide on declining literacy results and cultivate a generation that values and excels in literacy.
We do this through expanding our calendar of events – be that festivals (times four!), regional partnerships, or other literary opportunities – not just for the benefit of the Gold Coast, but for the benefit of the whole of Queensland.
