Synthetic Phonics
Synthetic Phonics for teachers and parents
| Schools to adopt 'phonics' style of teaching reading
The education secretary, Ruth Kelly, today announced an overhaul of the way children are taught to read with a return to a "back to basics" approach. A teaching style known "synthetic phonics", where children learn the letter sounds as the building blocks to words, was recommended in a review of the teaching of reading published today by the former schools inspector Jim Rose. Ms Kelly immediately adopted the main finding."Phonics should be central, it is central, but what we are doing is we are accepting Jim Rose's recommendation that it should be taught first and fast," Ms Kelly told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. She also denied accusations that she was adopting Conservative policy after the shadow education secretary, David Cameron, made the issue part of his election campaign. Phonics was already part of the national literacy strategy and today's announcement would only enhance that, she said. New learning materials to help teachers with the new system will be in place in schools by September, Ms Kelly said. Phonics went out of fashion in the 1960s when it was replaced by a system which relies of children learning whole words - and their meaning - in one go. The argument against phonics is that while it speeds up the rate that children can read words, it does not aid their comprehension of what the word means. The Rose review was triggered by a seven- year study of the teaching of phonics to 300 children in Clackmannanshire in Scotland. The research put the children up to three years ahead in reading, but did not show a significant improvement in comprehension of words. The report published today also recommended: · That teaching reading through phonics should be preceded by attention to developing children's speaking and listening skills; · Systematic, direct teaching of synthetic phonics should be the first strategy taught to all children learning to read, introduced by the age of five; · Some children will need more intensive intervention - they should get "catch-up" support lessons; and · Teaching of phonics should be monitored to maintain standards. Mr Rose said: "This review comes at a time when it is widely accepted by practitioners, teachers and researchers that phonic work is essential though not sufficient in learning to read and write. Despite this positive consensus about the importance of phonic work ... there are deeply divided professional views about how phonic work is best taught."The review is therefore centred on judging the best way forward from the standpoint of the learners, that is to say children who are beginner readers and writers." The shadow education minister Nick Gibb said: "Since the Conservative party were proposing a synthetic phonics policy during the general election, obviously we welcome Ruth Kelly's decision to adopt the recommendations of the Rose review." Edward Davey, the Liberal Democrat education spokesman, said: "Rose has struck a careful balance, that should give teachers enough leeway to consider each child's individual needs, after the unfortunate politicisation of this issue. "What should not go unnoticed is Rose's greater emphasis on the importance of quality teaching, irrespective of method." Polly
Curtis, education correspondent
With much gratitude to the brilliant 'Gardian Unlimited' website.
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