A Rigorous Approach to the Teaching of Reading? Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Initial Teacher Education
This paper argues that no single method of teaching children to read is superior to any other. Although research suggests that a systematic approach to phonics produces gains in word reading and spelling, there is no clear evidence that synthetic phonics is the most effective approach for supporting...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-09-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feduc.2020.587155/full |
| _version_ | 1818872825582190592 |
|---|---|
| author | Jonathan Glazzard Samuel Stones |
| author_facet | Jonathan Glazzard Samuel Stones |
| author_sort | Jonathan Glazzard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper argues that no single method of teaching children to read is superior to any other. Although research suggests that a systematic approach to phonics produces gains in word reading and spelling, there is no clear evidence that synthetic phonics is the most effective approach for supporting reading development. We highlight the current policy allegiance to synthetic phonics in England. This approach is mandated in the teachers’ standards and the inspection framework for initial teacher education in England. This attempt to regulate the way new teachers are prepared to support children’s reading development is extremely concerning, given the body of research which demonstrates that no single approach is necessarily more effective than another. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:44:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ba412499d83d4392abe0b3cf90f0fa1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T12:44:58Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-ba412499d83d4392abe0b3cf90f0fa1b2022-12-21T20:20:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2020-09-01510.3389/feduc.2020.587155587155A Rigorous Approach to the Teaching of Reading? Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Initial Teacher EducationJonathan GlazzardSamuel StonesThis paper argues that no single method of teaching children to read is superior to any other. Although research suggests that a systematic approach to phonics produces gains in word reading and spelling, there is no clear evidence that synthetic phonics is the most effective approach for supporting reading development. We highlight the current policy allegiance to synthetic phonics in England. This approach is mandated in the teachers’ standards and the inspection framework for initial teacher education in England. This attempt to regulate the way new teachers are prepared to support children’s reading development is extremely concerning, given the body of research which demonstrates that no single approach is necessarily more effective than another.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feduc.2020.587155/fullphonicssynthetic phonicsinitial teacher educationreadingliteracy |
| spellingShingle | Jonathan Glazzard Samuel Stones A Rigorous Approach to the Teaching of Reading? Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Initial Teacher Education Frontiers in Education phonics synthetic phonics initial teacher education reading literacy |
| title | A Rigorous Approach to the Teaching of Reading? Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Initial Teacher Education |
| title_full | A Rigorous Approach to the Teaching of Reading? Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Initial Teacher Education |
| title_fullStr | A Rigorous Approach to the Teaching of Reading? Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Initial Teacher Education |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Rigorous Approach to the Teaching of Reading? Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Initial Teacher Education |
| title_short | A Rigorous Approach to the Teaching of Reading? Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Initial Teacher Education |
| title_sort | rigorous approach to the teaching of reading systematic synthetic phonics in initial teacher education |
| topic | phonics synthetic phonics initial teacher education reading literacy |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/feduc.2020.587155/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jonathanglazzard arigorousapproachtotheteachingofreadingsystematicsyntheticphonicsininitialteachereducation AT samuelstones arigorousapproachtotheteachingofreadingsystematicsyntheticphonicsininitialteachereducation AT jonathanglazzard rigorousapproachtotheteachingofreadingsystematicsyntheticphonicsininitialteachereducation AT samuelstones rigorousapproachtotheteachingofreadingsystematicsyntheticphonicsininitialteachereducation |