Literacy teaching to be reviewed
The Government is set to undertake a radical review of the way reading is taught in England’s primary schools.
It comes after a report by MPs described the number of 11-year-olds in England who failed reading tests as “unacceptably high” and called for a review of teaching methods.
The House of Commons Education and Skills Committee cited Government figures showing that around 20 per cent of 11-year-olds did not achieve the success in reading expected of their age.
The review will examine whether pupils should be taught to read using the controversial “synthetic phonics” method, which teaches children the sound of letters in the first instance before building up letter sounds to form words.
Education Secretary Ruth Kelly said the Government was listening to the advice of “leading experts” on what teaching methods to adopt.
“The debate now centres not on whether to teach phonics, but how. Synthetic phonics, properly taught, can and does play an important part in teaching reading skills,” she said.
Conservative Shadow Education Secretary David Cameron said raising reading standards was “vital”.
“If you can’t read, you can’t learn. We have been saying for some time that phonics should be at the heart of the National Literacy Strategy,” he said.
“We will do everything we can to help the Government achieve significantly higher standards in the teaching of reading. If this inquiry is backed by action we will support it.
He added: “The biggest problem facing education today is the fact that one in five eleven year olds leave primary schools unable to read properly. That group never recovers and their secondary education is blighted as a consequence. If we as a country can get the teaching of reading right it will have a huge impact on education standards and more generally, on behaviour.”
Liberal Democrat education spokesman, Ed Davey, added: “It is good to see the education select committee’s recommendation of an independent review being acted upon.
“It is time for a genuine review of teaching methods, but this announcement would be more convincing if the Minister was less complacent about the current standards of reading in some of our schools.”
Barry Sheerman, chairman of the education committee said when publishing its report: “The ability to read is the key to educational achievement.
“Poor literacy limits opportunities not only at school, but throughout life.”
The review will be lead by Ofsted’s former director of inspection, Jim Rose.
