[NIFL-LD:4684] Re: Synthetic phonics a silver bullet?

From: Susan Jones (SUJones@parkland.edu)
Date: Tue Apr 12 2005 - 10:16:58 EDT


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From: "Susan Jones" <SUJones@parkland.edu>
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Subject: [NIFL-LD:4684] Re: Synthetic phonics a silver bullet?
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I think most of us are rather wary of any silver bullets.   I've been
shot by a few of 'em myself.  
 
 

Susan Jones
Academic Development Specialist
Academic Development Center
Parkland College
Champaign, IL  61821
sujones@parkland.edu
Webmastress,
http://www.resourceroom.net

>>> jn@cloudworld.co.uk 4/12/2005 4:29:33 AM >>>

Hi all,

Please excuse the cross posting.

A remarkable study in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, showed that 300
children,
taught synthetic phonics from the start, were over three years ahead
of
their peers by age 11.  The boys were as advanced with their reading as
the
girls.  The Commons Select Committee on Education and Skills reported
on the
study on Wednesday, April 6, and the report was mentioned on BBC news
and in
The Times (on the front page and in the Leader) the following day. 
This
report said that the government should review the National Literacy
Strategy
in the light of the Clackmannanshire study, since currently around 17%
of
pupils cannot not read by age 11 and this was a national disgrace.

The Leader in the Times said that synthetic phonics was unlikely to be
a
silver bullet; however the synthetic phonics method had everybody
reading
within a short time, which is a silver bullet by my book.

A few weeks ago, having read about the Clackmannanshire study which
prompted
the report, I wrote about the implications for dyslexia, and how
technology
can help, see:
http://www.cloudworld.co.uk/synthetic-phonics.htm.
Now, in the light of the committee report, I've just posted some notes
on
our web site, see:
http://www.cloudworld.co.uk/teaching-synthetic-phonics.htm.

Cheers from Chiswick,

John Nissen,
director, Cloudworld Ltd


Cloudworld Ltd - http://www.cloudworld.co.uk 
maker of the assistive reader, WordAloud.
Tel: +44 208 742 3170  Fax: +44 208 742 0202
Email: info@cloudworld.co.uk 



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