Recent policy announcements about primary education from the UK’s coalition government have focused on the teaching of reading. In its business plan, published on November 12th, the government included the target of promoting “systematic synthetic phonics in schools” to remedy low reading scores. The government is also planning to introduce “a simple reading test” for six-year-olds to help identify those who need extra help. This is likely to be a non-word reading test.
In this important booklet Henrietta Dombey and colleagues in the UKLA and the International Reading Association draw on abundant evidence from both sides of the Atlantic to show that what actually works in the classroom is a more comprehensive, integrated and flexible approach.
UKLA argues that phonics is not enough; both moves are unhelpful and Teaching Reading sets out a research-informed alternative approach.
In addition UKLA has published an accompanying statement which gives 5 clear reasons to show why a ‘non-word reading test’ would be unproductive.
The booklet will be sent free of charge to all members and will be available to members to download from our Resources section.
Non members can purchase the booklet for £5 here.
Published by UKLA
ISBN-13: 978 1 897638 57 6
Format: Paperback
Published in 2010
