Synthetic Phonics - News

[Drisgirl]

Is this the same as Jolly Phonics which Scottish children have been taught from P1 for the past 4 years at least?

If so why are children in the UK differentiated in education as Jolly Phonics has been very successful.

Is this another case of testing on Scottish people first e.g poll tax?

[jno]

Scots as I recall have a separate education system (not the same with poll tax) so were free to do the right thing without waiting for the English to think about it. I learnt phonics decades ago, so it's not new.

[Drisgirl]

Thanks jno - I thought that.I wrongly assumed we were trialling it but obviously not.Just used the poll tax as an example since the phonics were highlighted as a new educational breakthrough on the news tonight.

[mimififi]

some schools in England do use Jolly phonics. The phonic programmes are not prescribed, schools are free to choose to some extent. ELC stock all the jolly phonic stuff for parents to help their kids with too. Most schools choose letterland, but not all. I actually know a school which uses a mixture and teaches the child individually, if one is not gelling with JF, then they switch to LL, and viceversa, they have even been known to use the Peter and Jane ladybird system too.

I don't know if this is relevent to your question, so sorry if it isn't!!!

[LazyGun]

Just shows how out of touch I am with the education system... I thought phonics was out of favour because it didnt address the issues of spelling etc? I remember a couple of kids in my class at school who had real problems with spelling, both of whom had been taught phonetically at primary school......

[libertie]

Yes it has been used sucessfully here in Scotland for some time now!

Oh, and Drisgirl if you are who I think you are then welcome back x

[mimififi]

spelling is addressed better in schools too. most schools do spelling tests and tables test weekly, and use a mixture of phonic and whole word reading encouraging decoding in teaching reading. phonics are still used alot aswell deue to the many bilingual children in school who may not have the same phonic structure the their language as english speaking children. Reception teachers have lots of different methods up their sleeves!

I'm not saying this because I am a school defendent I home educate my children! I just find all the programs really interesting. teaching reading is such a complex thing as reading itself is such an abstract concept.

mimiXX

[Drisgirl]

libertie x

[metagirl]

I was taught how to read using phonics - I remember loving the workbook excercises and the listening activities! I think its a shame its fallen out of favour as I thought it was pretty effective and I never had any problems with spelling.

[stevie_c2it]

Ck-a-nu I hu-a-ver-eh t-hu-ru-eh-eh su-tu-ah-ru-su, tu-o-o!

[Drisgirl]

Well metagirl its def back in and mimi well done for home teaching and learning all the different teaching methods yourself cos I am afraid I just packed mine of to school and hey presto they could read and write! I only became aware of Jolly Phonics when I worked at a primary for a few years.The kids loved it and thrived on it.

Now I didnt get Phonics so Stevie I give in - I have racked my brains.Just a wee skiffie (clue) to get me started please:)

[Drisgirl]

P.S I wasnt a teacher and didnt pay much attention (well it was P1 and I was more interested in getting my hands covered in paint) hence the reason I dont understand what Stevie is saying.

I dont want it all - cos I want to try to get it myself - just a wee start !

[stevie_c2it]

c-a-n...

[Drisgirl]

Well I got that doh!!!

I need more - up to halfway.

U know how frustrating it must be for me to almost give in to u.Its like you've just about won!!

[stevie_c2it]

Drisgirl, I always win! (just let you think you have sometimes otherwise you'd give in).

You've got to read the sounds they make

C-A-N I H-A-VE T-H-R-EE S-T-A-R-S T-O-O?

[mimififi]

one of the best phonic programs of all time IMO, is the "learn to read in 100 lessons" book, by some German bloke, I forget who and I can't be bothered to get off my butt and walk over to the bookshelf and look and I can't see it from here because Im not wearing my glasses.

But it deals with phonics in a special way. it teaches the phonics, and with each phonic sound there is a special way to write the letter. Thus when 'e' says it's name, not its sound, it is written with a line over the top of it. Same with 'a' etc. Then gradually through the program as more sight vocab is built up, then the signs on the letters are dropped and children automatically clock the rules, eg 'when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking' etc, butof course they dont' need to know that rule or remember it, the subconsciously know what an 'e' sounds like from the surrounding letters and decode accordingly.

Great stuff. Although my son still behaves like he has never seen the written word before, until that is, he picks up my Nat geo mag or his beano....Amazing that!

[stevie_c2it]

Thanks! Feel much better now :)

[Drisgirl]

Feeling worser now?

[stevie_c2it]

Four stars on one thread! What a result!

Although come to think of it.... It is somewhat patronising and judgemental!!! Especially when its coming from someone critical of others for doing it! Hmmmmmn makes you wonder�..cheeky!

[Drisgirl]

Stevie - I think you have got me mixed up with someone else cos I am never critical of others cos I am just new.I am a greenie:)

[stevie_c2it]

Hmmmnnn... 'not as green as you are cabbage looking' as my old grandma used to say!