Lost for Words: Find Out More
More from 4 | Phonic Links | Sounds | Further Problems with Learning | Resources for Teachers | Books | Reports
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third party sites
MORE FROM 4
Dyslexia
/life/microsites/D/dyslexia/index.html
Our dyslexia-friendly pages for all the latest information.
Special Educational Needs
/health/microsites/F/family/proble
ms/sen.html
Getting help for your child.
Truancy
/health/microsites/F/family/pr
oblems/truancy.html
Tackling the problem of truancy.
How can I tell my parents I’m dyslexic?
/health/microsites/F/famil
y/problems/qa_dyslexia.html
I am dyslexic but afraid to tell my family…
School Daze
/life/microsites/S/skool_daze/index.htm
l
Finding your way through the education maze. This website also has a section about reading with your child.
Home Education
/health/microsites/F/family/pro
blems/homeed.html
Find out about the law regarding educating your child at home.
Learning Disability
/health/microsites/F/family/p
roblems/learning.html
Definitions, causes and support.
Exclusion from School
/health/microsites/F/family/
problems/exclusion.html
Avoidance, alternatives and advice for parents.
Learning to Talk
/health/microsites/F/family/pro
blems/speech.html
When learning to talk is not as easy as ABC.
The Unteachables
/life/microsites/U/unteachables/
How to get the most out of school and education.
Teen Life
/health/microsites/0-9/4healt
h/teenlife/index.html
Straight talking advice on the subjects that matter to teenagers.
Bookbox
www.channel4learning.com/bookbox
Puts you in touch with your favourite authors and their books.
A Way With Words
www.channel4learning.com/waywithwor
ds
Featuring the works and words of poet Benjamin Zephaniah.
Homework High
www.channel4learning.com/homeworkhi
gh
Help with homework for children aged 11-16.
PHONIC LINKS
Ruth Miskin's Read Write Inc
www.readwriteinc.com
Practise saying the pure sounds the Ruth Miskin way, as seen on Last Chance Kids
Synthetic Phonics
www.syntheticphonics.com
Resources, articles and products and a message board for seeking help and advice.
Reading Reform Foundation
www.rrf.org.uk/
Site promoting teaching through synthetic phonics which has an active message board for
parents and professionals.
National Literacy Trust
www.literacytrust.org.uk/Database/Primary
/phonicsresources.html
By far the largest database of phonics programmes, with a bit of explanation for each
and a direct link to sites, is the national literacy trust.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families
www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/phonics/programmes/
The Department for Children, Schools and Families has published guidance for schools on
how to choose an effective phonics programme.
The Standards Site – Publishers
www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/phonics/
programmes/publishers/
There is also a list of publishers who have completed self-assessment, matching their
own programmes against core criteria set out by the Rose review on the teaching of
reading.
Real Action
www.realaction.org.uk
Real Action is a community-led educational charity set up in 1996 to provide effective
educational solutions to some of our most challenging educational problems in North
Paddington, a neighbourhood designated as exceptionally disadvantaged. Real Action uses
the Butterfly Reading Programme of synthetic phonics devised by literacy expert Irina Tyk.
Your local library is a good source of information, and most libraries now have computers that will allow you to use the internet.
SOUNDS
All of the 'Synthetic Phonic' programmes have more or less the same set of sounds. There are a few small differences. Each programme has their own order for introducing the sounds, but as long as all the sounds are covered the order doesn't matter.
The Reading Reform Foundation
www.rrf.org.uk
The Reading Reform Foundation has a list of the sounds in English that can be
downloaded free of charge.
Jolly Learning
www.jollylearning.co.uk
Jolly Learning produces a free Parents leaflet which lists the sounds used in 'Jolly
Phonics', which can be obtained from The Early Learning Centre or from the Jolly
Learning website. The website also alows you to listen to any of the sounds you are
not sure about, just click on the button marked 'audio'.
FURTHER PROBLEMS WITH LEARNING
The Promethean Trust
www.prometheantrust.org/index.html
The Promethean Trust advise on teaching reading to children with severe learning
difficulties and have developed an inexpensive teaching aid for parents and schools
called Dancing Bears and Bear Necessities.
Dyslexics.org.uk
www.dyslexics.org.uk/
If you are worried that your child's reading difficulties may be more complex than at
first thought and you would like support and information about how your child can learn
this website can help.
Volunteer Reading Help
www.vrh.org.uk
Volunteer Reading Help (VRH) is a national charity that helps disadvantaged children
develop a love of reading and learning.
Springboard for Children
www.springboard.org.uk
Springboard for Children provides a literacy lifeline for children with learning
difficulties in inner city primary schools. A team of specialist teachers and trained
volunteers offers one-to-one literacy teaching, to help children realise their full
potential.
RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS
National Literacy Trust
www.literacytrust.org.uk\literacynews\index.html
National Literacy Trust's daily round-up of literacy news.
Department of Children Families and Schools
www.dfes.gov.uk/
A vast site covering a large area of information, including school results and
educational attainment.
The Standards Site
www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/search/
Standards Site with information relating to all things educational, including the
Primary National Strategy. Primarily of interest to teachers and other
professionals.
nferNelson
www.nfer-nelson.co.uk/
UK' s leading independent provider of school reading tests and assessments.
The CEM Centre
www.cemcentre.org/
The Curriculum, Evaluation and Management Centre, Durham University. Provider of
indicator systems to schools and colleges as well as testing and assessments.
PIPS
www.pipsproject.org/
PIPS– Performance Indicators in Primary Schools, an information system that
tracks a number of aspects of schooling as pupils move through the primary sector.
Also provided by the CEM (above).
Equity in Education
www.equityineducation.org/
An organisation committed to improving educational and social outcomes for children and
young people, particularly those with additional support needs.
The Times
www.tes.co.uk/resources/Home.aspx
Resources for teachers.
BOOKS
For grown-ups
How To Teach Synthetic Phonics
by Rhona Johnston and Joyce Watson
www.learningmatters.co.uk/education/
title.asp?myBid=494
Written for both in-service and trainee teachers, this is a practical, up-to-date guide
on how to teach children to read using synthetic phonics.
Literacy and Social Inclusion: The Handbook
produced by the National Literacy Trust
www.literacytrust.org.uk/socialinclusion/handbook.html
For people involved in planning and developing local services, including education. It
shows how different organisations, including local authorities, can work together to
develop community literacy strategies to support schools and contribute to shared
priorities for literacy.
Breaking Through Barriers to Boys Achievement
by Gary Wilson
www.garywilsonraisingboysachievement.co.uk/index.htm
Gary Wilson is an educational consultant and author, who specialises in boys
achievement. In this ground-breaking book Gary Wilson presents the full picture as to
why boys underachieve at school and what can be done about it. The emphasis is not so
simply increasing academic achievement but developing a 'caring masculinity.' It
delivers proven breakthrough strategies for many issues.
Step by Step Reading published by Galore Park
by Mona NcNee, originally published in 1990, republished in a new edition in 2007
www.galorepark.co.uk/
It is aimed at children and adults and intended for use in home or school. Cost:
£13.49.
For Grown-Ups and Competent Readers
Who Next?
www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/dils/lisu/pages/
publications/whonext.ht
ml
Loughborough University's tool to help parents, teachers and librarians in schools and
public libraries to guide children who have already enjoyed stories by one writer to
find other authors they will enjoy reading.
Lovereading4
www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/ and www.lovereading4schools.co.uk/
A new, free website designed to help schools and parents encourage a love of reading in
their children. It has selected reading lists for schools years 1-9, with reviews from
professionals and the young readers and audio extracts online.
The Reading Tree
www.reading-tree.co.uk
The Reading Tree is designed to help parents get involved and encourage their children
to develop a life-long love of reading. The site operates on a subscription basis
helping parents to select reading material according to their children's abilities.
Reviews and testing also available.
Wordpool
www.wordpool.co.uk/au/aucontents.htm
An online resource created to increase the profile of UK children's books on the
Internet. Also reviews books for reluctant readers.
Booktrust
www.booktrust.org.uk/
Designed to encourage UK readers and writers. Administers several book prizes –
national and international. Has catalogues of books graded to interest age and reading
age.
It also runs:
Bookstart campaign encouraging reading with under 5s and giving away
free books to babies and toddlers, go to www.bookstart.co.uk/.
Booktime, in partnership with publishers Pearson.com which promotes
reading for pleasure by giving the gift of a book pack to children across the UK
shortly after they first start school, go to www.booktime.pearson.com/.
Booked Up aims to have a free book in the hands of every child in
England by Christmas, go to www.bookedup.org.uk.
Guardian Books Unlimited www.books.guardian.co.uk/ Run by the Guardian.
For Readers Who May Need Help
These are what's called high interest low frequency books for children struggling with learning how to read. The plots are good and suited to their age but there are less words so the child remains interested in the book whilst gaining in confidence in decoding and eventually understanding more about the text.
Badger Publishing
www.badger-publishing.co.uk
Books for reluctant readers.
Barrington Stoke
www.barringtonstoke.co.uk/
Award winning collection of books for reluctant, dyslexic, disenchanted and
under-confident readers.
Pelican Hi-Lo Readers
www.pelicanforschools.co.uk/philos.htm
Aimed at boys mainly.
LDA's
www.ldalearning.com/scripts/secondprod.php?subject=2&subsection=110
Lightening Reads and 5 minute thrillers sets.
For Parents Who May Need Help
Learndirect
www.learndirect.co.uk
Learndirect can help parents improve their reading skills so that they are in a better
situation to help with the development of their children. Find your nearest learndirect
centre on the website or by calling freephone number 0800 101 901
REPORTS
Tackling low educational achievement
by Prof. Robert Cassen and Geeta Kingdon
The Rowntree Foundation. June 2007
www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/details.asp?pubID=901
Education and Child Poverty: A Literature Review
by Stephen Machin and Sandra McNally
The Rowntree Foundation
www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/details.asp?pubID=797
Early labour-market experiences of graduates from disadvantaged
families
The Rowntree Foundation, October 2005
www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy
/0505.asp
Every which way we can – a Literacy and Social Inclusion Position
Paper
Downloadable at the National Literacy Trust:
www.literacytrust.org.uk/socialinclusion/
policychallenge.html#Every
Closing the Gap: Literacy for All
by the United Kingdom Literacy Association, July 2005
www.literacytrust.org.uk/socialinclusion/
policychallenge.html
Leitch Review of Skills: Prosperity for all in the global economy –
world class skills
December 2006
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/leitch_
review/review_lei
tch_index.cfm
Independent Review of the teaching of early reading. Final Report. Jim Rose, March 2006 www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/rosereview/report
Breakthrough Britain: Social Justice Policy Group policy document for the
Conservative Party. Published 10th July 2007.
http://standupspeakup.conservatives.com/Reports/
BreakthroughBritain
.pdf
Equity in Education: Mapping the Territory. University of Manchester
2006
www.education.manchester.ac.uk/research/centres/
cee/publications/Fi
leuploadmax10Mb,84135,en.pdf
Fade or Flourish: How primary schools can build on children's early
progress. Claudia Wood and Julie Caulier-Grice. Social Marketing Foundation. June
2006.
www.smf.co.uk/fade-or-flourish-how-primary-schools
-can-build-on-chi
ldrens-early-progress.html
Gender and Student Achievement in English Schools. Stephen Machin and
Sandra McNally. Centre for the Economics of Education. February 2006.
http://cee.lse.ac.uk/cee dps/ceedp58.pdf
The Effects of Synthetic Phonics Teaching on Reading and Spelling
Attainment: A seven year longitudinal study. Rhona Johnston, Department of
Psychology, University of Hull and Joyce Watson, University of St. Andrews. The
Scottish Executive, February 2005.
www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/sptrs-00.asp
Green Paper 'Reducing Reoffending Through Skills and Employment'.
Department for Education and Skills. December 2005.
www.dfes.gov.uk/offenderlearning/uploads/documents
/green_paper_redu
cing_re-offending_through_skills_
%20and_employment_final_version.pdf
Tymms, P Are standards rising in English primary schools? British Educational Researcher Journal, 30, 4, 479-493. 2004.
21st Century Skills: Realising our Potential. Individuals, Employers,
Nation. Department Education and Skills 2003.
www.dfes.gov.uk/skillsstrategy/uploads/documents/
21st%20Century%20S
kills.pdf
Basic Skills and social exclusion: Findings of a stuffy of adults born in
1970. Samantha Parsons and John Bynner, Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of
Education for the BSA, March 2002.
www.cesi.org.uk/kbdocs/bssocex.pdf
Basic Skills and Crime: A longitudinal study. Samantha Parsons and John
Bynner, Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Institute of Education for the Basic Skills
Agency, March 2002.
www.basic-skills.co.uk/researchandpolicy/adult/
detail.php?ResearchI
D=1385041161
Functional Literacy, Educational Attainment and Earnings: Evidence from the
International Adult Literacy Survey. Kevin Denny, Colm Harmon, Sandra Redmond.
Institute of Fiscal Studies. 2000.
www.ifs.org.uk/wps/wp0009.pdf
The Moser Report 1999 A Fresh Start – improving literacy and numeracy
(DfEE 1999, ref: CMBS 1)
www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/mosergroup/
