to think that primary school teachers should be made to sit the year 1 nonsense words test

[ReallyTired]

It would be really interesting to see what proportion of existing qualified teachers can pass the year 1 phonics word test. Those who fail it should be sent on an intensive phonics course and then resit the test. Those who pass should be given a bonus. (It make make those teachers who have suffered a pay freeze for the last 3 years a little happier!)

It is Gove and Wilshaw who should be made to sit the phonics check - publically!

What do you mean by 20% of children leaving primary unable to read? Do you mean 20% don't get level 4? Not the same thing!

Do you really think there are teachers who are unable to read new words?

What about an example of the test, please?

Gove and his minions could pass the test reading upside down standing on their heads. Seriously. This test is for 5 year olds. It's not hard for an adult.

It's a waste of time but the children that I have done it with have enjoyed the 1:1 time with me and haven't cared less about it other that a read with a teacher as per a normal week.

How do you think that teachers teach phonics if they can't actually read? What a weird thread!

Words such as:

Tox
Bim
Vapp
Phone
Quemp
Shin
Terg

Not a teacher, but I would fail it and I would guess quite a lot of fluent readers would make errors before correcting them.

We're accustomed to reading words based on the shape, not by sounding them out - we see 'real' words because we expect to.

That's not quite the same for a child learning to read, I think. And it also doesn't mean someone can't understand phonics. It could just mean they're beyond the test.

LRD - seriously, you wouldn't be able to read "Vapp"?

well, I'm a year 6 teacher and can teach phonics in addition to antonyms, affixes, adverbial phrases and a range of other grammatical features too!
Year 6 teachers do use phonics , you know

I refuse to believe that any person who can type on a forum would fail it.

I had a level 3 reader in my year 1 class. She completed the whole test in less than a minute. In fact, not one of my top readers even faltered on a word. They knew there were nonsense words and allowed for that. You know, because they can read.

A child might read a couple incorrectly but would still pass.

This is a test for 5 year olds.

The idea that any adult would say they would probably fail it because they'd look at the shape of the words and see a real word is bizarre

You know you're looking at new words, why would you just look at the shape instead of the letters/sounds?

TheScience - it's fairly normal. People 'correct' to see a real word. I had to look at the list ohno posted to see it didn't have the word 'shrimp' in it ('Quemp' plus 'Shin'), and I've C&P'd 'Phone' because I'm looking at it and still can't see what's wrong with it.

I'd imagine most people, once they have looked and thought about it - and because they know how the test works - will be able to override their tendency to see the real word they expect and not the nonsense word. But do you really think teachers wouldn't make split-second errors?

The fact that someone is able to read usernames on Mumsnet, many of which are made up or unfamiliar words, kind of suggests they could pass this test.

They're even put a little picture of an alien next to the made up words for context.

www.amazon.co.uk/Everything-I-know-about-teaching/dp/1492912417/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396553839&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=michel+gove+book

Would Gove pass it, really?

thescience - cross post. Sorry. Basically, research suggests fluent readers see the word as a shape, not a combination of letters. So at a glance, people would make errors.

It's quite hard to override habit, is all. Most people can, which is why I didn't say teachers would fail, but I do think they would be as likely as anyone else to make errors initially which they would need to correct by reminding themselves of the purpose of the test.

How can any adult who can read fail it? I really don't understand what you are talking about and don't think you do either!

Yes I honestly think that a teacher wouldn't make split second errors. It's for 5 year olds and it's not a race. Children are allowed to take their time with no pressure. Also, the words aren't in a list. They are in a booklet with not many words on the page in huge font.

LRD - why would anyone make a split second error? I don't understand at all. You know you're reading made-up words, would you really say "shrimp" instead of "quemp"?

Is your argument that even fluent adult readers might make mistakes if they glance at new words without looking carefully

I don't think know any teacher who would fail it. Nor any TAsm nor any of the adults I actually know.

Good job really as it is generally Y1 teachers who have to administer it - which means they must be able to read it.

I can't imagine any adult who can read would fail it!