Much of the enthusiasm for intensive synthetic phonics in the UK is
based on the results of the Clackmannanshire study. A careful reading
of this study shows that children taught with synthetic phonics were
not “three years ahead of their peers in reading,” as is claimed
in "Phonics: Lost in Translation" (Jan. 19). They were three years
ahead only on a test that asked them to pronounce words presented in a
list.
On a test of reading comprehension, which required understanding the
text, they were only three months ahead of national norms when tested
six years after their phonics experience. This is an insignificant
advantage.
In fact, the Clackmannanshire study confirms that learning to
pronounce words through phonics instruction does not contribute much
to the ability to actually read with understanding, consistent with a
number of other studies published in the professional literature.
Kirsty Scott <http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/kirstyscott>
The Guardian <http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian>
, Tuesday 19 January 2010
It took only a matter of weeks for Lesley Robertson to realise that
the gamble had paid off. The learning development officer for
Clackmannanshire council had been instrumental in setting up a project
to introduce synthetic phonics into local schools
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/schools>
in 1997 in a bid to boost literacy
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/literacy>
levels.
"I didn't expect the results we got," says Robertson. "It wasn't long
before teachers were phoning us up and saying, 'You must come out and
see what my children can do'. Children were reading sentences which
before they would not have been expected to. It was amazing to
witness." A landmark study would later confirm Robertson's first
impressions of synthetic phonics where children learn to sound out
the single and combined sounds of letters. By the end of primary
school, the Clackmannanshire children were three-and-a-half years
ahead of their peers in reading and almost two years ahead in
spelling.
(rest at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jan/19/phonics-child-literacy)
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A Review of a Review of The Roots of Phonics, third edition.
Stephen Krashen
Feb 1, 2010
(pdf version at: http://sites.google.com/site/sdkrashen/home/letters)
Education Review just published a review of the third edition of M.
Balmuth's The Roots of Phonics: A Historical Introduction at
http://edrev.asu.edu/brief/feb10.html#2. The reviewer points out that
this revision appeared while educators were showing an "increased
interest" in phonics because of NCLB.