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Homework for primary schoolchildren 'is complete waste of time', claims study
Last updated at 23:22pm on 19.04.08
Pointless: Homework does not help children achieve academic goals
Homework does not help primary school pupils get better grades, says a study.
Researchers struggled to find a link between how well the children do in national tests and the amount of extra tasks they are set.
It is thought that young pupils tire too quickly, do not have the skills to study effectively, and are too easily distracted.
This is in contrast to secondary school students, who perform better academically if they regularly do homework.
The findings by a team at Duke University, North Carolina, come from a review of 16 years of academic studies on homework.
They believe that the effectiveness of homework also depends on what, and how much, is set.
Many primary teachers set homework to try to improve time management and organisational skills, rather than grades.
Margaret Morrissey, of the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, said she was not surprised by the results.
She said: "Children get extremely tired mentally and physically at school. Then they have to come home and do more work on top of that. It's counterproductive.
"While we're making six, seven and eight-year-olds do extra work, in some countries they wouldn't even have started formal schooling."
But David Fann, head of Sherwood and Broughton primaries in Preston, insists that homework does improve achievement.
He told the Times Educational Supplement: "Reading books at home, or doing half a dozen spellings, is an essential part of primary education.
"Without that process, a lot of children wouldn't have acquired confidence in their literacy and numeracy skills."
At present, the Government recommends that a Year Five pupil (ages nine and ten), should spend an hour a week on homework.
However, it is not uncommon for pupils in Year Five and Year Six (ages ten and 11) to be set two or three hours a week.
Last month, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers called for homework to be scrapped at primary school because it puts children under too much stress.
Reader views (3)
Childhood is swept away from so many children today with Kindergarten requiring reading, writing, and maths skills instead of children acquiring appropriate and necessary socialization and play methods. This important developmental stage is being overlooked when young children are not ready for academics. Also, due to the number of children who must stay in childcare for long hours daily while parents work before and after school, there is little quality family time remaining, especially when much of it is spent stressing over homework with younger children. Time spent with Grandparents, visiting the sick, and church activities is extremely important. I believe that parents need to set aside time to read with their children; however, much of what children learn, they need to learn at school. Family projects for school are fine because they strengthen the family's enjoyment of learning and working together. Children need to release pent-up energy and frustration when they are at home by playing and enjoying themselves outdoors. They should be physically active, not watching TV or sitting in front of a computer. They need to be interacting with other children in expressive and creative play, not fretting about doing homework. Children also need to be given chores at home to do after school to teach them responsibility. There is plenty of time for homework as they get older when it will reinforce or expand what they are learning in the classroom.
- Susan K Brown, Statesville, NC
If they look harder, they'll probably find a reverse correlation. Less formally marked and tested homework means less stress on young children, more time to socialize and play and relax, less chance of being convinced they are failures before they've even started. All good things, except in the eyes of a bureaucrat.
Yes, it's also good if children spend time reading at home. But they should choose books they enjoy, and need parents who'll turn the TV off and spend time helping them.
- Nigel, London
Childhood has been so eroded in the past decade. When I was in primary school homework was unheard of. Parents, of course, read books with their children at home but nothing was set by teachers. My daughter starts school in September and any homework will be returned incomplete. At the age of 5 she has far more important things to do outside of school such as being a child.
- Steph, Ilford
