Phonics

Allowing whole generations of children to become lifetime struggling readers is a crime. It's a crime that's been around since our school systems bought into whole-word, sight-reading methods of reading instruction. Sight reading leaves big gaps in reading education because it leaves the decoding process at the mercy of a child's guesswork.

I am the author of The Candy 4WAY Phonics Program, an American 4WAY Phonics program updated specifically for today's parents and based upon a 4WAY Phonics method that's been around since the 1950's. Believe me when I say that just like a little girl named Candy, who lived in a small town in Iowa back in the 1950's, children who are given the chance to read using a correct systematic, intensive 4WAY Phonics program CAN learn to read.

You can read the TRUE STORY of Candy, a little girl who couldn't read, and then, just six months later, she COULD read at: www.candy4wayphonics.com

Parents, if your child is struggling with reading, please try systematic phonics before you allow your levels of frustration to peak! Just like little Candy, who left her look/say reading group as the POOREST reader in the class to attend systematic phonics lessons in a little white cottage behind the school, and then returned to her regular classroom as the BEST reader in her reading group, your child can learn to read, too, by using a proper systematic phonics program. Parents, really, you have nothing to lose, but your child has everything to gain!

Submitted by Phil Morris on 12 November, 2006 - 18:48.

Reflection:

From this programme, it appears that once again , Politicians, have hung there hat on another, (some would say any other peg, provided it's not the same peg as before) rather than, permit an incremental improvement, which properlay trained profesionals who take CPD seriouly would do naterally.

Step changes work best when things are not working, but with 82% sucess, a step change may end up with another 82% or less, perhaps failing some of the children we currently sucesed with, what we want is all children thats 100% to be able read and write at a resonable level.

Unfortunately with discusions as balanced as this, you do not get a workable conseus, the respective minority veiw points are framed in context wheras the middle groud majority, are left to appear indisisive with no message to highlight, (unfortunatley this is politics/debate UK style).

One suggestion would be to have more of a "question time approach", where the experts would have to defend thier proposal from a much wider spread of queations.

From my veiwing I was not told sufficently about the true benits, the pitfalls were completely ignored (if there were any). likewise I was not made aware of the poor practices which on balance should be put to oneside, to make room.

On a historical note I was one othe early Phonics childern in my year 5 and 6, but I got the impresion that this was a blind experiment were under trained practiciners were expected to work mircals or prove it would or would not work, Ironically I think I was just staring to improve when I moved to the secondary school, where phonic or any other form of support stragey were completly absent from the creiculem.

As a "so called Dyslexic" to quote one of your experts I was abandoned from end of the first year in secondary, and only started reading again after I left school, but thats another story.

What I have learnt is Synthetic Phonics is the new cure-all, but I feel sad that a very good stragety, will be fousted onto a relctant workforce, and the very children who would have benfited will be left out in the cold.

Such baisc skill's need taught in a balanced way, by enthosatic staff, who somtimes, despit the system, have to fully master all the tools in thier tool box, and select the approprate ones to get all thier children reading.

If any one wish to comment on this, I am willing to hear your point of view, because if something works I am willing to try it even at age 50, because life would be so much easier if I could read and write with ease.

Phil(dyslexia rules KO) Morris

Chair of Governors

I'm sure Ruth Miskin is providing adequate training to most schools allowing them to feel and assuring the teachers that phonics is the step ladder building to reading as an enjoyment for all children.