Peter Warner was at one time a regular contributor to the RRF message forum. We're really sorry to hear of his loss. Susan Godsland alerted us to a heartwarming testimonial written about Peter Warner and his work and Peter's supportive effect on others: Remembering Peter Warner https://ltprofessiona...

Warmest greetings to everyone who reads this message. These are frightening and heartbreaking times as the world goes into various forms of lockdown in fear of the coronavirus Covid 19. One way or another, our societies are disrupted and many people are losing loved relatives and friends and/or thei...

Here is a thread at the International Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction featuring the responses to Lucy Calkin's approach to reading instruction:

https://iferi.org/iferi_forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1334

I'm linking this thread to another which features Jenny Chew's critique of the work of Margaret Clark and associates which, at the time of posting this message, has over 8,000 views so is clearly of great interest:

https://rrf.org.uk/messageforum/viewtop ... f=1&t=6392

Some critics of phonics and/or the phonics check are so vociferous, but so dangerously misleading, inaccurate and/or disingenuous, that I feel it is important to respond to their work in great detail - leaving no stone unturned. Then, if other people wish to promote the phonics check - for example i...

Thank you for flagging up the article in Nursery World, Jenny. I think it is very important that we keep addressing the criticisms of the phonics check and phonics - and this includes putting the record straight more often than not. I have taken some of your comments to add to the responses to the s...

Professor Pamela Snow has written an outstanding post via The Snow Report blog with reference to the Phonics Debate - it is really worth reading in full: It’s time for a Reading Renaissance This article has been reproduced with permission from The Professional Educator , October 2018, special editio...

Many thanks, Jenny.

The link below to the International Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction includes some responses to the latest phonics check and other relevant issues including some worrying comments from teachers' union leaders:

https://iferi.org/iferi_forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1117

Somewhat linked to this topic is Maryanne Wolf's worries about the effects of 'screen reading' on 'deep reading' (and thoughtfulness).

You can read an article about this similar topic here:

http://www.iferi.org/iferi_forum/viewto ... f=2&t=1074

It certainly was a tour de force, Jenny. Thank you for flagging it up. I started a thread featuring the debate and have included links to some good blog responses to the debate here: http://www.iferi.org/iferi_forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1044 For anyone with an interest in this topic, I think it is wo...

I'd like to contribute from my experience and thoughts about this issue of the difference between developmental stages and taught information: Many years ago when I was teaching a Reception class and using Jolly Phonics for the first time (discovered from its use in a neighbouring school), the staff...

There continues to be a significant number of phonics detractors - particularly with regard to the use of nonsense words in England's statutory end of Year One phonics screening check. I am personally very pleased that we have this phonics check - I think it is invaluable for professional developmen...

I'd like to pick up on something that Maizie quoted and then questioned because the statement is based on 'opinion' as opposed to 'evidence': However, the "ideal" phonics program would probably incorporate features from implicit phonics as well This rationale is one I agree with - it really means 's...

Thanks, Jenny, for raising these further questions about the various studies and references to them. The Devil is in the Detail and it is looking likely that some phonics detractors are not careful, or knowledgeable, enough when it comes to understanding the detail. I attended the DfES 2003 phonics ...

Thanks, Sue, for your comments. Below is a link to a thread via that International Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction featuring Ofsted's 'Bold Beginnings' report. I have included responses to the report - both positive and negative! I am sure that the author/s of the report knew full well ...