Dr Dominic Wyse is a Cambridge University Senior Lecturer in Primary and Early Years Education with main research interests in the primary and early years curriculum with a particular emphasis on the teaching of English, language and literacy...

It appears that in England we have found the magic bullet. The answer to all our problems with children’s reading is... synthetic phonics. In fact when you listen to the more evangelical arguments in favour of synthetic phonics it appears that the magic bullet is even going to reduce the crime rate!

The reason that the teaching of reading attracts passionate debate is because the issues really are serious. If people can’t read then their opportunities in life are significantly reduced. The debate is passionate because frequently we are thinking about the impact on our own children, or grandchildren, or children we know, or if we are teachers, those children that we teach.

The government has made radical changes to the way that children are taught to read in England. The most significant change is the use of synthetic phonics. Synthetic phonics is an approach to the teaching of reading that heavily emphasises teaching the sounds of the English language and the links with letters. It emphasises this ‘first, fast’ and some say ‘furiously’.

The changes to teaching in England include the following:

• The approach to phonics used in the National Literacy Strategy since 1998 has been abandoned
• All children from age 5 to age 7 (although there is encouragement to do this with 4-year-olds) are advised to be taught by the prescribed synthetic phonics method.
• Children will receive at least 20 to 30 minutes of synthetic phonics instruction per day for at least two years.
• Synthetic phonics will be enforced through the inspection system; though the system of literacy consultants in every local authority in the country; and through a plethora of guidance documents and official government web pages.

You would expect that government decisions of such importance be taken after full examination of evidence, particularly research evidence. We cannot have a situation where vociferous advocates of particular methods are enabled to unduly influence government policy. Unfortunately there does not seem to have been a careful look at the research evidence.

In fact the research evidence does not support the changes to reading teaching that have taken place in England. England is alone in its imposition of synthetic phonics. Let’s take two other English-speaking countries to show this. America carried out the most intensive investigation into research that shows what works in the teaching of reading ever carried out. The National Reading Panel concluded that:

It is important to emphasize that systematic phonics instruction should be integrated with other reading instruction to create a balanced reading program... Phonics should not become the dominant component in a reading program, neither in the amount of time devoted to it nor in the significance attached.”

“Programs that focus too much on the teaching of letter-sounds relations and not enough on putting them to use are unlikely to be very effective.”

Synthetic phonics in England clearly focuses too much on letter-sound relations and not enough on application in real reading during the phonics lesson. The American report is spot-on when it says that:

“It is important to evaluate children’s reading competence in many ways, not only by their phonics skills but also by their interest in books and their ability to understand information that is read to them. By emphasizing all of the processes that contribute to growth in reading, teachers will have the best chance of making every child a reader.” (Chapter 2, page 97)

One more example from another country, this time Australia. Australia’s government report on the teaching of reading says:

“While the evidence indicates that some teaching strategies are more effective than others, no one approach of itself can address the complex nature of reading difficulties. An integrated approach requires that teachers have a thorough understanding of a range of effective strategies, as well as knowing when and why to apply them.” (p. 14)

So, the reading programmes that are going to have the best effect for all our children:

• motivate children to read
• involve a range of strategies for helping reading (including comprehension) instead of a limited focus on one part of the reading process
• recognise that children learn to read in different ways

It is difficult to understand why England’s approach is so different to other countries, including those on our doorstep: Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.

If the approach in England is not informed by research how have we ended up with government imposition of synthetic phonics? The story is a lengthy one but arguably it is more about politics than rigorous evidence about the teaching methods that work:

1. Over a number of years, groups such as the Reading Reform Foundation devoted themselves to ensuring that synthetic phonics is the preferred method.

2. A synthetic phonics approach in Clackmannanshire in Scotland received unprecedented press coverage.

3. In 2005 the House of Commons education select committee report on the teaching of reading recommended the need for research.

4. Instead of research, government commissioned ex inspector and consultant Jim Rose to carry out an enquiry.

5. The Rose Report recommended synthetic phonics.

6. The government synthetic phonics method called ‘Letters and Sounds’ was published. At least one of its writers is strongly linked with the Reading Reform Foundation.

7. Government sends packs of 4 DVDs to people who train teachers. The DVDs feature the work of Ruth Miskin. The DVDs also feature Morag Stuart who (with Rhona Stainthorp) wrote the academic rationale for changes to reading policy in the Rose Report (appendix to the report).

The Channel 4 ‘Lost for Words’ series of programmes is a continuing part of the politics of the debate. While Channel 4 should be credited with giving attention to such important issues it is vital that these are presented in a considered and unbiased way. The school featured in the Channel 4 series was chosen because of its goal to erradicate reading problems. However, in view of the fact that the school had chosen Ruth Miskin’s scheme, by default her approach was featured prominently while other approaches, even other synthetic phonics schemes, were not.

While the Richard and Judy children’s books initiative is valuable I want to take issue with some of the advice that is offered, particularly for parents. The section on this site called “How to make reading fun” initially looked promising but unfortunately one of the first pieces of advice is:

“For a younger child:If a child struggles with pronunciation, help sound the word out phonetically and then encourage them to blend it to find the word.”

That is not how to make reading fun. Nor is it the single best way to help reading.

In my book ‘How to help your child read and write’ I recommend the best ways to help your child (from birth to age 11) with reading. Let’s take a child of age three to four:

• Start with wonderful texts to read (the book gives suggestions about how to choose texts)
• Share/read books with your child every day
• Talk about pictures in the books as well as words
• Talk about print in the everyday environment, such as signs and labels
• Help your child learn to read and write their name
• Play word games
• Do all sorts of activities to help your child understand about words
• Celebrate your child’s development and enjoy their learning

It is only from about five onwards that systematic (which is not necessarily synthetic phonics) teaching about sounds should be carried out, and this should be somewhat different to the synthetic phonics that is being advocated. For example even the government’s synthetic phonics programme ‘Letters and Sounds’ includes the sensible first stage that focuses on children’s general discrimination of sounds.

I disagree with Ruth Miskin when she says elsewhere on this site…

“How to talk to your child’s teacher: There may be people at your school who do not support teaching through synthetic phonics. Insist that the government line is that synthetic phonics is used and that is what you want for your child.”

This is more likely to antagonise a teacher than result in something positive for your child. In my other book for parents ‘How to help your child succeed at school’ I offer a huge range of advice covering the early years through to sixth form including how to handle meetings with teachers, such as parents’ evenings (including suggestions of questions that parents might ask). The best opportunities for children are created when parents work in partnership with teachers. This means give and take on both sides. If a child has problems with reading then the majority of schools and teachers will want to contact parents early on. But if a parent is concerned about their child’s reading and the school hasn’t contacted them then they should ask for advice about what they can do to help. This is a much better first step than going into school ready to tell teachers what method of reading they should be using.

Author: Dr Dominic Wyse

America’s National Reading Panel Reports are available at: http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org

The books 'How to help your child read and write' and 'How to help your child succeed at school' are published by Pearson Education Limited.

For those who are interested in the research and The Rose Report, try the following research paper: Wyse, D., & Styles, M. (2007). Synthetic phonics and the teaching of reading: The debate surrounding England’s ‘Rose Report’. Literacy, 47(1), 35-42.

Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third party sites

What Is Synthetic Phonics? | The Clackmannanshire Experiment | The West Dunbartonshire Project | A Guide for Head Teachers | Phonics Can Be Fun | Synthetic Phonics Is Not Enough | Why Synthetic Phonics Is Wrong For Our Children | Enthusiasm Is The Key | Phonics Help & Advice

Top