English 11 - Illiteracy - Unit 5: Illiteracy

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ENGLISH 11 
ILLITERACY 
UNIT 5: ILLITERACY 
 In an informal survey carried out in Perth (1), western of Australia, students were asked to give their 
views on what makes an effective school. 80 per cent of the students felt that mutual respect in the 
classroom was essential for effective learning to take place. This implied that students should be 
treated as individuals with both their strengths and their weaknesses. 60 per cent of the students felt 
they should be encouraged to set realistic goals for their own learning, and to have positive attitudes 
towards themselves and others. 
 About 55 per cent of the students expected their teachers to be motivated and interested in what 
they were doing; this would then reflect in their performance of the students. Nearly all the students 
believed that learning should be centered on important life skills such as communication, building 
self-respect and self-confidence, the ability to learn from failure, and time management, suited to the 
maturity of the students concerned. 
 One hundred per cent of the students felt that the social side of school was as important as 
academic activities. The older students felt that they should be allowed to give some input into school 
decision making which has a direct effect on students. 
Notes: 
(1) Perth 
 Perth (Australia), city in southwestern Australia, capital of Western Australia, on the Swan River. It 
is an important railroad hub and, with nearby communities, forms the principal commercial, 
manufacturing, and cultural center of the state. Major products of the area include metal and metal 
items, refined petroleum, processed food, rubber goods, building supplies, and printed materials. 
 Perth has a moderate climate, with warm to hot summers and cool winters. King's Park, near 
downtown Perth, features a large area of natural Australian vegetation known as bushland. From 
September to November, during the Australian spring, the bushland blooms with thousands of species 
of wildflowers. Other attractions in Perth are the Art Gallery of Western Australia, containing a 
collection of European and Australian art; the Western Australian Museum, featuring natural science 
and historical exhibits; and Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals. Institutions of higher education 
in the Perth metropolitan area include the University of Western Australia (1911); Murdoch University 
(1973); Curtin University of Technology (1987); and Edith Cowan University (1991). 
 Perth was established in the late 1820s and chartered as a city in 1856. It is named for Perthshire, 
Scotland. The discovery in 1890 of gold around Kalgoorlie in the interior of Western Australia, the 
construction of port facilities at nearby Fremantle about 1900, and the completion of a 
transcontinental railroad in 1917 aided the growth and prosperity of the city. Population (2006) 
1,445,078. 
Panorama of the Perth foreshore from Kings Park during the afternoon.