Nursery World - Leading the way

Changing teaching methods will not stop the debate about phonics, but practitioners can still apply their own judgement There can be few early years practitioners who remain unaware of the ongoing debate about the teaching of reading and the role that phonics has to play. This debate is not a new one, nor is the suggestion that 'phonics is the answer'.

There can be few early years practitioners who remain unaware of the ongoing debate about the teaching of reading and the role that phonics has to play. This debate is not a new one, nor is the suggestion that 'phonics is the answer'.

The first phonics scheme to reach the UK was back in 1898, following developments in the US in the mid-19th century. Since then a wide variety of both methods and resources (the two are not the same!) have been used to teach children to read. You will no doubt remember some from your own childhood, or from the more recent experiences of your own children.

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