Invited to join a discussion on an Australian blog

[debbie]

http://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=922#comment-156078

This is how Australian teachers are taught how to teach children to read: not just phonics

By Eileen Honan

There is a lot of misinformation out there, as well as ill informed commentary, about how we prepare teachers to teach reading and writing in Australian schools today

Of course you have heard the argument that teachers do not teach phonics any more and worse, that many early career teachers do not even know how to teach phonics.

So as a teacher of preservice teachers I will start by telling you for at least the past 15 years there has been overwhelming advice from probably hundreds of research projects and inquiries that a comprehensive approach to the teaching of reading should be taken. Rest assured this approach very emphatically includes the explicit teaching of phonics. However phonics are just part of the picture.

Comments no. 14 and 15 are mine - reflecting on the different attitude towards phonics by the Government in England - and the need for student-teachers to be able to evaluate and compare programmes regardless of whether they are 'commercial' or not.

[debbie]

In 'The Age', an Australian paper, Pyne announces subjects trimmed in the curriculum but changes listed include 'strengthening the use of phonics':

Subjects trimmed in primary school curriculum shake-up

6th March 2015


http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politi ... 3w9gs.html

ACARA will focus on:

*reducing the quantity of content in the curriculum
*combining history, geography, civics and citizenship and economics and business into one combined social sciences subject for primary schools
*giving more clarity on the use of three cross curriculum priorities (sustainability, Australia's engagement with Asia, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures)
*strengthening the use of phonics
*improving accessibility for students with disabilities