Synthetic Phonics

Intensive Phonics Course for the UK National Literacy Strategy

A new intensive phonics course has been developed by the UK National Literacy Strategy in the hope of significantly accelerating the rate at which young children learn to read.

It is to be introduced by state primary/elementary schools in England by summer 2000.

Early indications from schools already using the material with four and five-year olds in reception classes and six-year olds in year 1 suggest the 15-minutes-a-day of phonics produces a spurt of between three and six months in learning to read.

Teachers of infants will be expected to adopt the schemes of work in phonics which require them to work with the whole class in activities that develop children's grasp of letters sounds.

For the very youngest, teachers will concentrate on ensuring they can recognise different sounds and recognise rhymes.

Local education authorities will get extra finance to allow them to pay literacy consultants to train teachers in its use.

(TES, 1 October 1999)

(With many thanks to the excellent Times Educational Supplement.)