New phonetics screening tests; testing the use of the method, not the skill of the 6yr old reader surely?

[yummymummyreally]

So why is the Department of Health so obsessed with testing young children's reading "method", rather than their ability to read... Or, or I don't know, maybe checking if they have an interest in stories, are engaged with the written word? But no. The new phonetics screening tests for 6yr olds check if they are specifically decoding words with phonetics, rather than using other methods like "context" for example.... Gggrrrr. I don't understand this!

What do you think? Is method that important?

'I would recommend Omega to every single person - 20% of our brain is made up of Omega EPA'
You can feed a child anything you like but if they can't read, they still won't be able to read if you give them Omega or snake oil.

SoundsWrite - that is really offensive. DD couldn't learn to read until her brain worked better, regardless of how she was taught.

If your neurons aren't firing fast enough because they're starved, then everything is hard to do. It wasn't just Reading DD couldn't do.

Omegas made a big difference to all my 3 - and there have been hundreds of studies proving it can b effective.

Please do some more research before you spread more dangerous propoganda. Without enough omega your brain just doesn't work very well.

I think when good teaching isn't working, as a parent you are more open to trying other complimentary ideas and sometimes end up finding something that helps. Of course no one is suggesting these are a substitute for good teaching simply that sometimes for whatever reading they make that good teaching (more) effective.

reading should say reason my apologies I've been up all night and really should go to bed

where could i find a phonics test for an older child, something that tests all the phonic knowledge that should be taught at Primary school? I think this would be useful for many parents who have any doubt at all that there child has mastered synthetic phonics

www.phonicsinternational.com/assessment.html

www.phonicsinternational.com/unit1_pdfs/class%20tracking%20register%20letter_sound%20correspondences_noncolour.pdf