There are some excellent Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) programmes for beginner readers. Each one includes meticulous sequencing, an emphasis on both blending (synthesising) for reading, and encoding for spelling in conjunction with instruction on letter-formation. Indeed, the success of the Phonics Check for the majority of children indicates that blending, in tandem with encoding, leads to significant improvement in children’s ability to understand ‘how reading works’. And yet, by the end of primary education up to 20% of Year 6 pupils still lack adequate reading skills. The causes can be broken down as follows:
Insufficient time spent on decoding practice
Insufficient awareness of the advantages of a transfer to early readers after just 60-80 Correspondences have been covered
Lack of provision for Tier 2 struggling readers starting in Reception Term 1
Poor comprehension
The usual outcome is angry/frightened/passively detached children, lacking the wherewithal and motivation to tackle sustained reading. Who would be keen on reading when it is such a struggle?
In the years following the Phonics Check, the equivalent of the US ‘fourth-grade slump’ appears to be an intractable problem. The Reading League in America states that the foundational curriculum ‘often consists of an extensive array of materials. A common concern noted by our review teams is insufficient time within the school day to cover all included content … publishers inflate their programs with supplementary materials, add-ons, and extension activities. This makes it challenging and time-consuming to locate necessary or recommended materials for a given lesson across manuals, texts, and digital platforms’, exactly mirroring the situation in the UK. It is time for a rethink.
A case might be made for delaying some elements of foundational writing skills and formal practice in Reception and Year 1 – with rigorous training in writing posture, pen-grip and letter formation delayed until Year 2. This would free up more time to introduce children to both picture books and story books, with added attention to essential speech and communication skills. In Year 2, along with writing basics, creative teaching such as Pie Corbett’s ‘Talk for Writing’, (https://www.talk4writing.com/about/does-talk-for-writing-work/) can then be prioritised.
Importantly, this re-timetabling would also free up time for sustained reading of high-quality fiction and non-fiction and for a rigorous development of blending practice and increasing code knowledge. The most important function of Reception is surely to ensure firm foundations for all children. Mary Myatt in her Newsletter (April 2024) succinctly sums up the situation: ‘The amount of content to be taught in the foundation subjects in primary can feel daunting… I’m a great believer in fewer things in greater depth.’
Christopher Such in his exemplary work, The Art & Science of Teaching Primary Reading, observes that ‘reading aloud authentic stories and quality non-fiction texts should be sacrosanct. I have lost count of the number of times that having read a book to the class, reluctant readers have approached me and asked for a copy. Re-reading a book where the plot is understood and the characters have already been brought to life by a teacher can be a great first step into independent reading for reluctant readers. In addition, adding extra reading time as a treat sends a powerful message about the enjoyment that can be derived from books.’ Additional help through the timely introduction of Tier 2 – normally in the first term of Reception – also helps to close the gap. It goes without saying that the school’s Literary Lead needs to possess an excellent understanding of Systematic Synthetic Phonics in order to ensure teaching consistency throughout the primary years.
Excellent decodable readers include extensively trialled decodable stories such as BRI: Beginning Reading Instruction that teach children an effective way to understand how reading works through alphabetic code exposure and practice within stories. Here it is the stories themselves that draw children into an imaginary world of endearing animals, encouraging both curiosity and the development of conversational skills at the same time as expanding basic grammar and syntax and encouraging prosody.
A rejigging of the timetable could make all the difference, allowing the habit of reading to ‘take hold’.
For more information, visit Piper Books at https://www.piperbooks.co.uk/.
Also see our blog, ‘What Distinguishes BRI-ARI as a Reading Programme’ at https://www.piperbooks.co.uk/post/what-distinguishes-bri-ari-as-a-reading-programme
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