Gender, ethnicity and literacy acquisition by age six

Results of a study of literacy achievement data covering 1194 children turning six between January and August 2000, from 54 schools in the lower part of the North Island, show gender and ethnicity differences in all the areas tested by the schools. While the range for all ethnic groups was very wide, and the 13% of girls and 9% of boys reading material graded above age 7 included children from all ethnic groups, the low medians for Maori and Samoan boys, in particular, are of major concern.