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Phonics International
an International Online Synthetic Phonics Programme
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debbie
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 787
Location: UK
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 Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:31 pm Post subject: Feedback via email and the message forum |
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It is really important that people give feedback about products - and educational programmes are no different from other products in this respect.
Quality control and evidence of 'effectiveness', where effectiveness is claimed as part of any programme's features, are essential.
Phonics International has been designed on the basis of existing international research on reading instruction and leading classroom practice and programmes in the UK. It also includes features and ideas direct from my own parenting, teaching, headteaching and teacher-training experience.
A Phonics International whole primary school study is underway, and we welcome approaches from anyone who would like to undertake an independent study of the PI programme in any context with learners of any age-range - for example, as the basis of research projects of university students.
We have set up this informal feedback forum to provide an easy way of describing users' findings. I have a number of responses since the launch of the Phonics International programme which I have received via email. I shall be adding some of these to this thread and hope that users will then update their findings and others will add to these findings over time.
One thing which has disappointed me since the launch of Phonics International is the reluctance of users (or visitors to the website) to use this message forum to write their queries and comments. I know, however, that many people read the messages.
I really hope, however, that others will make the effort to share their findings by both describing these and by providing us with actual reading and spelling results and, to this end, I shall just keep on encouraging people to join with me in posting on the message board! 
_________________
Debbie Hepplewhite |
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debbie
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 787
Location: UK
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:27 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Hi Debbie,
I happen to have some statistics. Every year, in........we have to do the good old Marie Clay "obs survey".
Here is what happened with my Preps (reception) from 2005 to when I
changed to Phonics halfway through 2008:remember that our students
always start from a very low base-no one can read at the beginning and
many have limited English speaking skills.
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Text: level 5+ 76% 58% 81% 78% 94%
level 8+ 69% 41% 54% 57% 76%
level 15+ 7% 16% 18% 21% 47%
Burt 20+words 46% 33% 36% 64% 88%
(this is
very significant
because it's the
only standardised
test on the
surveys)
dictation
30+/37 76% 41% 54% 85% 88%
writing
words
20+ 76% 41% 54% 64% 94%
2005 intake were a pretty good bunch, but you can't get past the Burt
score difference or the higher text level 15+, just the same.
In 2009, I was pretty much still the only person concentrating on teaching phonics explicitly and the comparisons are as follows:
my Prep grade other Prep grade my Grade 1's
GR.1L GR1 H Gr1 N(this grade had some phonics, but changed teachers)
Text level 5+ 94% 63%
level 20+ 88% 28% 66% 100%
Burt 20+ 88% 68%
40+words 67% 14% 33% 62%
In 2010, other teachers came on board, teaching phonics more
explicitly, and compared to like schools and all schools, the results
for text levels from 2008 to 2010 were:
2008, Preps our school like schools all schools
text 5+ 72% 68% 80%
Gr.1 15+ 58% 75% 84%
2010 (everyone on board)
Preps 91% 71% 80%
Gr.1 89% 78% 85%
I hope this is clear enough and I hope you find it helpful! I think it speaks volumes! |
I always encourage teachers to test regularly and to look at their results year on year. This teacher is not talking about using Phonics International specifically but she is referring to the change of teaching approach to include phonics teaching for herself and, eventually, for her colleagues.
Further, the teacher included the following information:
| Quote: | | It should be noted that I always had a Prep/1 composite so I always got most of the grade 1 children who were low academically and those with special needs-whereas the 1/2 composites had the vast majority of the capable children who started at a higher base. So that makes the results even more impressive. |
And this....!
| Quote: | | The tests would never pass scientific scrutiny-the books are all over the place but the Burt test is the one worth taking notice of because that is a properly standardised test not some airy fairy thing Marie Clay dreamed up in her office. |
We are still needing to persuade many teachers that rigorous, systematic synthetic phonics is the best way forwards. Please send your results to me informally so that we can build a bigger and clearer picture showing that whoever the children are, they'll improve with synthetic phonics teaching. 
Please note that I had the statistics laid out in a clearer way but they defaulted to where they are now! I hope anyone who is interested can still make sense of them. 
_________________
Debbie Hepplewhite |
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debbie
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 787
Location: UK
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| Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 8:32 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Hi Debbie,
Had a wonderful lesson with a Year 4/5 class yesterday! A nine year old little friend of mine, who usually detests Literacy, looked up at the end of a quick spelling test on the Sound Activity Sheet and said with a big grin, 'that was the best spelling test - EVER!'
That's what it's all about ... and I will keep on spreading the message - seeing children light up is SO special! |
Lovely to open my email this morning!
Interestingly, the spelling-with-editing routine which takes place on the folded-up part of the Sounds Book Activity Sheets is a 'supported spelling' routine - but, periodically, and as learners get used to the routines, the spellings can also be given without support to see what the learners can do independently.
Teachers also need periodic 'tests' in the sense of 'without support' for their formal, record keeping.
We find, however, that with the Sounds Book Activity Sheets routine and the way that spelling is approached through Phonics International, that learners are fearless about doing their spelling activities.
The ethos I promote, in any event, is one where the adults are very explicit that spelling in the English language IN PARTICULAR is very challenging. Even some adults need help or have to refer to the dictionary, or spellchecker, routinely.
This means that when learners do spell words incorrectly, it is not about them 'failing' as learners, but about the complex English alphabetic code (spelling system) and therefore we are careful not to make learners feel this is about an inadequacy or failure related to them personally.
In training, I actually encourage teachers to celebrate the occasional adult who DOES have difficulty with spelling accurately, and even to 'fake it' in terms of needing support with spelling as a constant.
We are raising awareness for the learners that they need to be very vigilant about 'which words are spelt which way' whilst they are reading and writing. The focus on teaching the alphabetic code for reading and for spelling will increase vigilance and observation skills for the 'code details' when reading and writing.
We need ALPHABETIC CODE CHARTS in ALL learning environments where literacy is involved.
We need ALL teachers trained in alphabetic code knowledge and how to support learners, no matter what the age of the learners, in spelling - and we need to make it very explicit that phonics for spelling and phonics for reading is not 'baby stuff', it's ADULT STUFF.
Lifelong stuff!
Don't forget that I keep adding very helpful FREE posters on the FREE RESOURCES webpage. This one is particularly helpful for supporting learners with spelling as it gives you some simple wording to help with spelling any word at any time:
http://www.phonicsinternational.com/Let_me_help_you_to_spell_that.pdf
http://www.phonicsinternational.com/Let_me_help_you_to_spell_that.pdf
_________________
Debbie Hepplewhite |
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