Any good phonics research articles out there?

[Jurassicmumof2]

DS's school are totally pro mixed methods in terms of teaching children to read. They see decoding as a good backup for when a child either does not know the word or cannot guess it from the pictures (this is printed in the reading record). They teach some phonics but only the basic letter sounds, digraphs are taught 1 per week in year1, none in reception. As I say, they believe they are unnecessary as words should be learnt or guessed using basic letter sound knowledge and picture clues. Unfortunately for DS, whole word learning doesn't seem to really work for him but he makes good progress with phonics when we dedicate time to it at home. We did this over the summer but his progress is being eroded again with the start of the school term. The teachers look at me blankly when I try to explain that you can decode words such as look, come, night etc given the right tools. Anyone know of any research I can show to them that illustrates the benefits of phonics? Or any other ideas? Thanks in advance.

That's incredibly outdated. To be honest, I wouldn't try to persuade the teachers - they might be put on the defensive, and if (after Letters and Sounds, the new National Curriculum and everything else that's come out) they are still using mixed methods then you'd probably be wasting your time.

Is your son in Year 1 now? The pace of phonics teaching sounds far too slow. I'd do some phonics work with him yourself. Ten minutes a day, 3 or 4 times a week should be enough to get him up to speed with where he needs to be.
Most schools teach phonics in Foundation and Year 1 for about 20 minutes every day, but you don't need that much if you are working one-to-one.

Try the Phonics Play website for fun games. It is a subscription site, but there are plenty of free games. Click on English Curriculum for the new English curriculum. Scroll down the side-bar on the left and click on "spelling - work for year 1" to find the phonics that should be taught in Year 1.

This is probably a good starter. It is a book chapter written by Prof. Morag Stuart. In it she describes a study she was involved in which tried to determine how easy it would be for a child to learn to read by the whole word method as opposed to phonics:

tinyurl.com/o4dvz2d

I would also suggest looking at the 'Superlinks' section of the Reading Reform Foundation message board, you may well find something there to help.

www.rrf.org.uk/messageforum/viewforum.php?f=12&sid=045cd55ce12b9580841f6dc1ed8b7ea1

There are lots of long research studies into the teaching of reading but most teachers don't seem to have the time or inclination to read them; I'd suggest looking for articles which are supported by research but are less complex than a research paper.

Common sense tells most people that guessing words from pictures and initial letter cues is not 'reading' but once teachers have been indoctrinated by being trained in this method, or being told that this is a valid method of learning to read, common sense seems to elude them.

Thank you both so much. Yes, DS is in Y1. I have checked the national curriculum and they don't appear to be following it. It is an independent school so their choice I suppose. Just a bit shocked that such a well regarded school would be so far behind. Now worried as they are labelling DS as behind as he struggles with the whole word stuff but was doing so well with phonics over the holidays. Encouraging to know I could do stuff with him and just 10 mins a day could make a difference. The research links will be so useful as going to have one last attempt to change their minds on it but at the moment my DD's will not to going there.

you are worrying too much. It really matters very little which scheme is used, it is actually nearly impossible to prevent a child learning to read, if they are exposed to writing.

It is also of no benefit to a child to concentrate on learning to read at the expense of other learning.

Yes, because reading is such an overrated skill, charis. There are no negative effects at all of leaving school as a struggling reader.

it is impossible to prevent a child earning to read, if they are capable of it, and almost all are, even those with severe learning difficulties.

So why are there so many adults with normal IQ functionally illiterate in the UK?

many are not illiterate, but claim to be. 3/4 "illiterate" adults I know fall into that category. It is a "disability" which is impossible to disprove, and there are many benefits.

many are culturally against reading; there are parents who actively discourage it in their children.

many have not attended school

some are incapable of learning to read. Some are, but don't want to.

Did you miss the word "functionally" or just choose to ignore it?

Did you miss the word "functionally" or just choose to ignore it?

no, I answered your question.

There are many reasons people don't learn to read, but if exposed to writing, it is pretty much impossible to prevent someone who is capable, from learning to read.

That includes children with down's syndrome, etc.

Reading isn't hard.

No you didn't you made assertions that aren't supported by facts

I'm telling you what I know, and what I have seen and experienced Mrz

o, one more, I forgot, cannabis smoking can lead to loss of literacy skills.

Of course you can link to evidence to back your claims

as I said, Mrz, I am telling you what I know, and what I have seen and experienced.

In that case let's go with actual data ... The NLT figure for 2010 was 5.3 million functionally illiterate adults and almost 2 million with literacy skills below those expected of 11 year olds.

mrz, I am telling you what I know, and what I have seen and experienced, what is your problem exactly?

You know all 5.3 million adults who are pretending they can't read or have used drugs so impairing their literacy?

How many do you think are exaggerating or inventing literacy difficulties for the benefits it brings, Mrz, what would be your estimate? How many have you come across?

How many do you think have damaged their literacy skills with cannabis? How many people do you know in this category?

Personally Ive not met a single adult who pretends they are illiterate, just the opposite in fact, many attempt to hide the fact because they feel ashamed.

What benefits does illiteracy attract?

Are we inhabiting the same universe as you, Charis3?

well, sit behind a few of my locals talking on buses around here, passing on information to each other, " just say you can't take that job cos you can't read.. no one can disprove it" etc etc. I have probably known a few hundred, either people I've met outside of work, or students I know can read perfectly well who have decided to say they can't when they leave school and sign on.

A few hundred compared to the genuine millions

I've known probably 30-40, maybe, who's literacy skills deteriorated once the started smoking cannabis,

I've known probably 30 completely verbal children who didn't learn to read, as in children who could speak normally, and had every encouragement, but couldn't do it, I have worked in special needs though, so that number is probably high for a teacher. It does happen though .I know two in my private life, brothers, but still young, hopefully will be reading before they are adult.

I've known far far more non verbal children who didn't learn to read, that is children with such severe learning difficulties that they could not use or understand speech

I've probably known another 20 or so who's parents objected to reading on cultural grounds, and actively discouraged it.

bu by far the biggest group of "illiterate" adults that I personally know are the ones who use it as an excuse not to work, and hide their literacy.

which is a shame, as i know some genuinely illiterate people, who have had their career dreams crushed by their disability. it is very hard to get work if you can't read.