A survey of 20 teacher-training providers found that all had alteredcentral parts of their courses since last September, when systematicphonics was added to the national curriculum.
The changes followed recommendations made in the Rose Review in 2006,which said children should be taught to read primarily with systematicsynthetic phonics by the age of five.
However, the report said some training courses did not give teachersenough information on how to assess children's phonics skills, whichcould prevent them from intervening before children fall behind.
Some courses were also failing to highlight the links between earlyreading and writing, and not all providers were arranging suitableopportunities for trainees to observe high-quality phonics teaching.
The survey respondents included higher education institutions,school-centred teacher training and employment-based graduateprogrammes. Thirteen providers were visited by Ofsted inspectors andseven completed a telephone survey.
Anne Robertson, Primary PGCE course leader at the Institute ofEducation, one of the providers visited by Ofsted, said, 'We didn't haveto change our course very much but we have added a specificphonics-related task for students that we evaluate. Every student alsohas to teach several phonics sessions, at least one of which is observedby a literacy specialist or a tutor and feedback given. The schools havebeen very impressed this year with students' knowledge and some evensaid that they have learned from the students.'
Ann Rawlings, principal lecturer in early years education at KingstonUniversity, added, 'Since the Rose Review came out we have looked at howwe plan for phonics. We give students training on the Letters and Soundsguidance and how to use it creatively and positively.'
Further information
'Teacher trainees and phonics' is available at www.ofsted.gov.uk.
