Here is a really clear table showing which approaches of teaching reading are supported by research. Thank you IFERI for flagging this table by Laura Stewart. stewart-research_summary_table_1
Read MoreLearning to Read
Should we teach tricky words as ‘sight words’?
The new year has started and children are sent home to learn to read and spell tricky words by sight, that is by the shape of the word. Does this make sense if they are learning to read with Synthetic Phonics? Read this thoughtful post on the Phonics Blog. http://www.phonicsblog.co.uk/#/blog/4565770755/Common-Exception-Words-and-the-Muddle-over-Tricky-Words/7631625
Read MoreReading strategies – what not to do
Here is a list of strategies that do not help children become fluent, independent readers and spellers. http://www.dyslexics.org.uk/what_not_to_do.htm Thanks Susan Godsland of www.dyslecix.org.uk for this post.
Read MoreDo book bands help launch children into reading?
Ruth Miskin, author of the Read Write Inc phonics programme claims the confused criteria of banding books follows the discredited searchlight model of teaching reading. So why are schools using it? http://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/news/2016/09/15/ruths-blog-why-book-bands-block-childrens-reading-progress/
Read MoreHow to get children to read for pleasure
Making time to read to children makes a difference… (this is of course assuming that the children are fluent readers)
Read MoreOn the frustration of seeing children struggle with reading
I read this excellent blog post just now and wanted to add some of my thoughts as a primary school teacher (UKS2) on something that I consider a big problem in schools and society in general: lack … Source: On the frustration of seeing children struggle with reading
Read MoreLanguage and literacy policies
For those you who have time over half term I recommend this excellent article by Pamela Snow. It gives one a very good overview about the politicisation of the teaching of literacy in English speaking countries around the world. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/17549507.2015.1112837
Read MoreDecodable books – why they are important
What are decodable books? For people who can read – all books are decodable. For children who are learning to read – decodable books are controlled texts that they can decode at each level as they acquire literacy (by sounding out the letters on the page and blending them into words). Decodable books are reading exercises […]
Read MoreWhy whole language doesn’t work
Read this blog post on the Literacy Blog explaining why the whole language approach to reading doesn’t work. http://literacyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/what-are-problems-with-whole-language.html?spref=tw
Read MoreHow to correct phonic pronunciation
A fun activity for learning phonic sounds
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