Diane McGuinness · Early Reading Instruction · linguistic phonics · visual phonics

Graphemes and phonemes, or how NOT to teach reading and spelling

Although I’ve written about the differences between linguistic and traditional (graphemic) phonics a number of times to date, I’m often being asked for further clarification. This I am more than happy to give because it’s in the detail of what we do at Sounds-Write that makes it so effective. So, how do the two orientations differ from… Continue reading Graphemes and phonemes, or how NOT to teach reading and spelling

Phonics screening check

Phonics across the curriculum

Three weeks ago, the government released the threshold mark for the Phonics Screening Check. The check was implemented by the government because it provides a quick and cost effective way of determining whether teachers are teaching phonics effectively. This is because top quality phonics instruction, taught to young children from the moment they enter school,… Continue reading Phonics across the curriculum

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‘Tying thine ear to no tongue but thine own’ (Henry IV, Pt I)

A subject I keep coming back to is the ‘nature’ of the English writing system. I keep doing this because lack of understanding of how the sounds of the English language relate to the spelling system causes so many, (particularly) academics, to arrive at the most absurd and reactionary conclusions about how to teach it.… Continue reading ‘Tying thine ear to no tongue but thine own’ (Henry IV, Pt I)

Bozeat CPS · Cockfoelds PS · Greenbank PS · Sounds-Write · St George's CEPS · St Michael's CEPS · St Thomas Aquinas RCPS · The Woodlands PS

Phonics Screening Check – results from seven Sounds-Write schools

Sounds-Write would like to pay tribute to all the schools, wherever they are, who managed to achieve over 90% of children passing the Phonics Screening Check threshold of 32/40. I am particularly proud of the following Sounds-Write schools that have sent their results to us to make public. Well done to: St George’s Church of… Continue reading Phonics Screening Check – results from seven Sounds-Write schools

'sight words' · Macquarie University · Professor Anne Castles

Castles in the air

This morning, I’m posting a reply I made to this post on Read Oxford. It’s by Anne Castles, a professor at Macquarie University in Australia and it’s yet another egregious example of how professors responsible for teaching teachers how to teach literacy come unstuck: they are so rooted in graphemic phonics approaches, they can’t see that… Continue reading Castles in the air