Nursery World - Sound start

The phonics method of teaching children to read has found a new surge of support. Simon Vevers wades back into the debate The debate over the effectiveness of phonics in teaching children to read has rumbled on for decades. But three recent developments have pushed it to the forefront once more: an Ofsted report warning of 'a tail-end of underachievement' in reading, a robust examination of the issue before the Commons education and skills committee, and a study claiming that pupils taught 'synthetic phonics' are more than three years ahead of their peers in their reading age.

The debate over the effectiveness of phonics in teaching children to read has rumbled on for decades. But three recent developments have pushed it to the forefront once more: an Ofsted report warning of 'a tail-end of underachievement' in reading, a robust examination of the issue before the Commons education and skills committee, and a study claiming that pupils taught 'synthetic phonics' are more than three years ahead of their peers in their reading age.

Advocates of the synthetic phonics approach claim that the research, conducted by psychologists from the universities of Hull and St Andrews, demonstrates that it is particularly effective among boys and the 20 per cent who find reading hardest. They are demanding further changes to the national literacy strategy (NLS) to fully incorporate the use of synthetic phonics.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included