Hua-Chen Wang writes in The Conversation (17.1.17) about the role of a phonics-based approach in teaching children to read, summarising some of the recent debate in Australia about this method’s effectiveness.
‘The efficacy of phonics as a method of teaching has been debated for several decades, and has recently come back to the forefront of public debate.
‘This time, the focus is on the phonics check – a screening tool designed to identify early readers who may be in need of intervention, and provide some indication of how successful current phonics teaching methods are. The UK has been using the Phonics Screening Check (PSC) since 2012, and now there is a push to implement a trial of the same check in Australia. This has raised some concerns.
‘So what’s the fuss about phonics?’
- Explainer: what is phonics and why is it important? »
- Why do we need a phonics test for six-year-olds? »
- Back to basics phonics test to be rolled out in Australian schools »
- New phonics test will do nothing to improve Australian children’s literacy »
- International study shows many Australian children are still struggling with reading »
- Why every child needs explicit phonics instruction to learn to read »
- Reading is more than sounding out words and decoding. That’s why we use the whole language approach to teaching it »
The recent phonics debate – and a TJRF response
The Conversation recently featured arguments from some proponents of the phonics instruction approach. In response, TJRF Research Associate, John Dungan, provided a rejoinder to sections of their claims.