I, too, think Mem Fox in Australia has much to answer for as she protests long, loud and hard about phonics teaching.
Miranda Devine continues to say it as it is over in Australia.
What upsets me over and again is that DESPITE official national enquiries in the USA, Australia and in the UK, it is taking years and years for many schools to get the message that they need to teach phonics systematically and well - and to provide books which are decodable for learners when they are being asked to read 'independently'.
The clock ticks for our young beginners and it will be too late for so many of them if ALL schools don't get the message and 'get on with it'.
I think of it like this: It is EXTRAORDINARY that teachers would think it is acceptable NOT to teach the alphabetic code and blending skills - the very basis of our English writing/reading system.
