There are hundreds of programmes available for teaching phonics. If you are responsible for choosing one, take time to look carefully at the content, reputation and cost of several programmes before making a decision. First, of course, you should choose
Why are some schools in England in such a muddle about allocating reading books? by Carl Pattison
Decodable reading books are part of our toolkit when supporting our children to become proficient readers. Recently, there has been extensive funding available to enable schools to implement them in schools, as part of their approach to systematic synthetic phonics.
Phonics – Why they matter past KS1 by Sara Wernham
In many schools, phonics is something that is ‘done’ in Reception and KS1, with little thought given to it in KS2. There seems to be an opinion that KS2 children need to ‘move on’ and use different strategies. However, as
What phonological skills are needed for reading? by Sue Lloyd
The only phonological skill required for children taught to read with Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) is hearing the word after the letter sounds have been spoken, such as /c-a-t/ cat, /sh-ee-p/ sheep . Skilled readers do this whenever they come
Balanced Literacy Bingo by Professor Pamela Snow
Aka One Size Fits Some I did a media interview on ABC Radio National’s Life Matters this week, alongside an education academic who is a balanced literacy advocate, and also Sue Knight, a Victorian school principal whose school has adopted a structured and explicit approach
‘Systematic Synthetic Phonics’ and ‘Balanced Literacy’: What’s The Difference?
Elizabeth Nonweiler, November 2022 INTRODUCTION In spite of numerous studies over decades, the controversy about how best to teach children the foundations of literacy continues. In England, nearly all schools teach ‘systematic synthetic phonics’, at least to some extent, but
Decodables
Teaching Reading / By Monique Nowers You can also listen to this article as a podcast: Decodables are books designed to facilitate the development of decoding skills in the early stages of learning to read. Many educators are talking about decodables, but
Response to the BDA campaign to reverse government policy on SSP teaching
The BDA with Usha Goswami is campaigning to get the DfE to dilute and undermine the teaching advocated in systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) programmes and in the DfE policy paper, the Reading Framework (July 2021). “We are launching a petition
Dyslexia: Prevention and Intervention
An Educational Psychologist colleague has just shared what she puts in her reports when asked for diagnoses of dyslexia: “While there is not a finite/discrete diagnosable condition of dyslexia, the following descriptors are outlined by the BPS (British Psychological Society)
A Letter to the First Minister of Wales
May 10th, 2021 Dear First Minister, Congratulations to you and Welsh Labour on your successful Senedd election campaign and winning another five years in government. No doubt you are already considering who your next cabinet members will be, and with