Learning & Development: Put phonics in its place
Anna Lucas
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Phonics is only one essential element in teaching children to read and write, says early years trainer and consultant Anna Lucas
As the sector waits, with some trepidation, for the new EYFS guidance to be released, it is worth reflecting on the role of phonics in teaching young children to read and their position within the revised early years curriculum.
Phonics has long polarised opinion and continue to attract controversy. Last year, some criticised Dame Clare Tickell for ‘downgrading’ phonics following her recommendation that ‘Linking sounds with letters’ be removed from the revised EYFS.
In reply, she said: ‘I have not recommended that phonics should be downgraded. Phonics is one of the most robust and recognised ways of helping children to learn to read and write. My report clearly highlights the importance of children starting school ready and able to learn, and I set out in the reading and writing goals the phonic development children should have reached by the age of five. The fact there is no longer a separate section labelled 'linking sounds and letters' does not mean I have deprioritised phonics - merging this section into 'reading' and 'writing' is one of the ways I have slimmed down and simplified the EYFS.’
Likewise the Government’s recent introduction of a phonics screening test has attracted criticism. Described as a ‘testing system for children at the age of six to identify whether they can "read",’ critics argue that it is only identifying whether children can use their phonic skills to read words and non-words.
Professor Greg Brooks from Sheffield University notes, ‘The research literature says synthetic phonics works best in a broad and rich literacy environment, and that the effect of this [test] will be that children will be able to jump through these decoding hoops but not make much progress in reading.’
What is also clear is that the test will not, and cannot, identify and measure a child’s passion about stories, how children can retell stories, a child’s understanding of the relationship between print and illustration or how much a child enjoys reading and rereading their favourite stories. Nor will it indicate how successful settings have been in creating a positive environment to:
* ignite children’s desire to read and write
* invite them into the world of a story
* offer opportunities to participate in pleasurable reading experience
* offer opportunities to participate in mark-making and writing for a purpose.
Yet, despite the inadequacies of the test, it’s important to acknowledge the importance of phonics in helping children to become confident readers.
EFFECTIVE AND RECOGNISED
I believe that systematic synthetic phonics is one of the most effective and recognised ways of teaching and supporting children in accessing the English alphabet. Although derived from a range of languages and dialects, a whopping 85 per cent of the English spelling system is predictable. The English alphabetic code comprises:
* 44 speech sounds
* 26 letters of the alphabet
* 1 sound can be represented by more than 1 letter (ll,ss,ai,ee,igh)
* 1 sound can have lots of different spellings (rain, day, eight, acorn)
* 1 spelling can be pronounced in different ways (chef, Christmas, chin)
No child will learn this by osmosis; they need to be taught this directly and systematically, from the simple to the complex. Systematic synthetic phonics teaches children the relationship between these various letters and sounds and how to blend sounds to read words and segment words into their individual sounds to write words. It is organised in such a way that it is simple and accessible for children to understand and for teachers to teach. However, it needs to be taught systematically, logically and in an incremental way if children are to acquire the various strategies to help them read and write (blending, segmenting, etc). Phonics also needs to be:
* simple to understand
* make logical human sense for children to make connections in their learning
* accessed through all the senses
* be fun and physical
* applied in a meaningful context.
If phonics is not taught, children will continually be unable to decode words on the page, which in turn affects their confidence and interest in reading.
RICH AND VARIED
However, I am with Barry Sheerman, former chair of the Commons Education Select Committee, when he says, ‘I'm in favour of phonics as part of the answer, but we should not put all our eggs in the phonics basket. It is a useful way of teaching children if you have trained staff, but it isn't a magic bullet.’
The discrete ‘dish’ of phonics that we serve daily to children must be placed carefully within a rich and varied curriculum, in which:
• there is a clear emphasis on a child’s personal, social and emotional development
• talk and conversation are an utmost priority, and
• the physical demands required for reading and writing are recognised.
Delivering such a curriculum requires:
• high-quality and skilful adult-child interactions
• an environment which is enhanced with wide-ranging, high-quality resources to support communication and language and literacy development
• playful direct teaching of specific skills that children need to be taught when children are observed to be developmentally ‘ready’
• many pleasurable reading experiences supported by caring and involved adults.
And to guide them on their practice, practitioners can reflect on:
1 What is the point in children being able to decode (read) text if they do not understand what they are reading?
2 Why ask children to form letters correctly if:
a) they have not been exposed to the purpose of writing in a context which is meaningful to them?
b) they have not yet developed the upper physical upper body strength to support their physical dexterity in picking up a writing implement with a pincer movement?
AND
3 If they ain’t got owt to talk about, they ain’t got ‘owt to read and write about!’
READINESS FOR PHONICS
Any discussion of the place of phonics cannot ignore problems surrounding children’s ‘readiness’ for phonics. In England, there is an expectation that children will begin a journey of systematic synthetic phonics in reception class. This seems to ignore the fact that children develop in different ways and at varying rates, so they may not be developmentally ready to start learning about phonics. Additionally, Child A entering reception on the 5 September and with their birthday is on 31 August is 48 months in age and entering the same cohort as Child B whose birthday is on the 1st September and is 60 months in age.
Children’s readiness to learn about phonics can be characterised by their ability to:
* maintain concentration and attention
* display positive dispositions and attitudes to learning
* form good relationships with peers and adults
* talk, explain, listen and respond
* enjoy stories
* enjoy rhyming and rhythmic activities
* show an awareness of alliteration
* orally blend and segment words into their individual sounds
* confidently ascribe meanings to marks they make and have sufficiently well-developed fine and gross motor control
Teaching systematic synthetic phonics to ‘unready’ children only risks discouraging them from embracing learning, and rising to the challenges that it can pose.
This early introduction to phonics also runs counter to the approach of our European neighbours where the formal teaching of reading and writing starts at six or even seven, and standards of reading and writing are often higher as children progress through school.
Overall, I believe the polarised views of phonics are unhelpful and succeed only in undermining teachers’ confidence in knowing what is best for children and how to support their learning and development. We need to take a sensible, level-headed approach to teaching young children to read and write one that recognises the value of phonics, is guided by the essential principles of EYFS practice and is supported by a rich learning environment and high-quality adult-child interactions.
Anna Lucas is director of LTCL Lucas Training and Consultancy, www.ltcl.co.uk an early years training and consultancy company, specialising in communication, language and literacy.
