The full responses are here, but I do not know how long the 'forum' will be available:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/commi ... cs/?page=0
Please note that this thread is for information only. Please open a new thread if you wish to discuss any of the comments. Posts made on this thread which are not comments made in response to the Select Committee's call will be removed.
Response from Dr Marlynne Grant:
In addition to my real-world longitudinal studies focusing on the efficacy of teaching synthetic phonics in UK schools from the beginning in Reception to Year 3 and Year 6 (which I have reported elsewhere - http://www.rrf.org.uk/pdf/Grant%20Follo ... 202014.pdf and presented to the ResearchEd 14 conference in September 14), I should like to direct the Education Committee to the following independent reports. Marlynne Grant is the author of Sound Discovery® which has been recognised as one of the government approved systematic synthetic phonics programmes for first-time teaching and for intervention.
The following independent reports may be of interest to inform the discussion on the use of synthetic phonics for intervention in UK schools:
Reports A) and B) refer to the same trial conducted by the Cognition and Learning Team in Norfolk into the effectiveness and feasibility of using Sound Discovery® as a Wave 3 intervention in small rural schools. A) was published within a government report and B) was published by Norfolk County Council. Report C) was written following the successful Sound Discovery® trial in 2004. The purpose was for Advisory Support Teachers in Norfolk to gain experience with delivering the programme, thus deepening their understanding of its potential as a Wave 2/3 literacy intervention, to inform the development of a County-wide training programme for schools and to gather further evidence of the effectiveness of the programme with pupils across the key stages and those struggling with literacy skills, including those identified with special education needs.
A) (2005) House of Commons Education and Skills Committee "Teaching Children to Read" Evidence Pages 105 to 118; and 124 to 125.
A successful trial of Sound Discovery® was reported to the HoC Education and Skills Committee by Sarah Seymour, an Advisory Support Teacher for the Norfolk LEA. Her findings are contained in this HoC report. The Sound Discovery® synthetic phonics literacy programme was tested in 2004. The trial was carried out at North Elmham Primary School, Norfolk in consultation with the Cognition and Learning Team of the Norfolk Psychology Service. The programme was found to be effective, economical, motivating, user friendly and non - age specific.
Also in this HoC report, Jennifer Chew, OBE, a recognised authority in the teaching of literacy, discussed the advantages of adopting synthetic phonics and cited as evidence the Johnson and Watson study in Scotland and the Grant study in England, both of which followed children to the end of their primary education. She reported that both these studies produced better short- and long-term results than NLS methods.
The report is published by authority of the HoC and is available from The Stationery Office or can be downloaded from the following government web address:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 21/121.pdf
Evidence Pages 105 to 118 can be found at pages 151-164 of this pdf document. Evidence Pages 124 to 125 can be found at pages 170 and 175 of the pdf document of the same report.
B) (2004) Sound Discovery® Programme at North Elmham Primary School (Norfolk) - A report of the Trial Published by Norfolk LEA.
http://www.syntheticphonics.net/pdf/W3-03.pdf
The main aims of the trial were to evaluate the impact that Sound Discovery® has on reading, writing and motivation, and also the feasibility of its implementation within a small rural school. The "rule of thumb" advocated by the DfES, of a ratio gain of 'at least double the normal rate of progress' (DfES 2003) was satisfied in this trial. It was seen by North Elmham School as a cost effective intervention “cheap and easy to introduce, economical in terms of time, all combined in a multi-sensory, easy to use, hands on package.”
• From YR to Y6 (ages 4 to 11 years)
• 17 pupils, 1 school
• Vertical grouping
• 10 weeks
• Average Ratio Gains:
◦ Reading 3.8
◦ Spelling 2.7
C) (2005) A report of the Sound Discovery® trial, Cognition and Learning group, Spring and Summer term 2005, Norfolk County Council.
http://www.syntheticphonics.net/pdf/W3-05.pdf
This report is reproduced with the kind permission of Jacqui Worsley, Senior Advisory Support Teacher, Educational Psychology and Specialist Support, Children's Services.
Wave 3 Intervention using Sound Discovery®-Norfolk County Council Trial 2005
• From Y2-Y8 (ages 7 to 13 years)
• 47 pupils, 13 schools
• 12 weeks
• Average Ratio Gains:
◦ Reading 1.8 - 5.3
◦ 66% of pupils 2 - 8
◦ Spelling 1.4 – 3.2 **
◦ 56% of pupils 2 – 4.7
** 1.4 was the ratio gain deemed appropriate for a Wave 3 intervention to be considered ‘educationally significant’ (see p 30, What works for pupils with literacy difficulties, DCSF, 2007).
Reports C), D) and E) refer to trials undertaken by Wiltshire Learning Support Service with pupils.
C) (2008) A report of the Sound Discovery® trial Feb-July 2008, undertaken by Wiltshire Learning Support Service, published by Wiltshire County Council, Children and Education, Schools Branch.
http://www.syntheticphonics.net/pdf/W3-08.pdf
This report on the Sound Discovery® Trial is reproduced with the kind permission of Sarah Couzens, Senior Advisory Support Teacher, Wiltshire Learning Support Service. It reported, “positive findings for children’s reading and spelling (with 65% of 46 pupils making double the rate of expected progress)”.
Some additional point were noted:
• “all schools felt the Sound Discovery® resources were easy to follow and the Snappy Lesson® structure was helpful for those responsible for delivering the programme”
• “skills learned through this intervention are highly transferrable to the classroom setting and may be applied to any reading or writing activity”
• From Y3 – Y5 (ages 8 to 10 years)
• 46 pupils, 13 schools
• 3 to 4 months
• Average Ratio Gains:
◦ Reading 3.7
65% pupils 2 –10
◦ Spelling 1.9
50% pupils 1.4 – 7.3 **
60% pupils 2 or above
** 1.4 was the ratio gain deemed appropriate for a Wave 3 intervention to be considered ‘educationally significant’ (see p 30, What works for pupils with literacy difficulties, DCSF, 2007).
D) (2009) Sound Discovery® Wave 3 Project November 2008 – March 2009, undertaken by Wiltshire Learning Support Services, information provided by Wiltshire County Council, Children and Education, Schools Branch.
http://www.syntheticphonics.net/pdf/W3-09.pdf
This summary is reproduced with the kind permission of Sarah Couzens, Senior Advisory Support Teacher, Wiltshire Learning Support Service. It reported, “good impact for the Sound Discovery® programme”.
• From Y2 – Y3 (ages 7 to 8 years)
• 52 pupils, a minimum of 2 years behind peers in reading, 11 schools
• 9 – 12 weeks
• Average Ratio Gains:
◦ Reading 2.9
◦ Spelling 1.9
** 1.4 was the ratio gain deemed appropriate for a Wave 3 intervention to be considered ‘educationally significant’ (see p 30, What works for pupils with literacy difficulties, DCSF, 2007).
E) (2010) Wiltshire Sound Discovery® Wave 3 Project March 2009 to March 2010, information provided by Wiltshire County Council, Children and Education, Schools Branch.
http://www.syntheticphonics.net/pdf/W3-10.pdf
This summary is reproduced with the kind permission of Sarah Couzens, Senior Advisory Teacher, Wiltshire Learning Support Service. It reports “good impact for the Sound Discovery® programme from reported data” in Wiltshire in 2010.
• From Y2 – Y 3 (ages 7 to 8 years)
• 70 pupils, a minimum of 2 years behind peers in reading, 12 schools
• 9-12 weeks
• Average Ratio Gains:
◦ Reading 3.1
◦ Spelling 1.4**
** 1.4 was the ratio gain deemed appropriate for a Wave 3 intervention to be considered ‘educationally significant’ (see p 30, What works for pupils with literacy difficulties, DCSF, 2007).
Report F) is based on the work of the School Improvement Service and the Learning Support Team, Bath and North East Somerset, who trialled a Wave 3 literacy intervention programme with Year 3 children who were falling well below the expected levels in literacy. Report G) is the Ofsted evaluation of the teaching of reading in primary school which reported on a visit to a school using the Sound Discovery® programme from Reception.
F) (2004) A Report of the Wave 3 Literacy Intervention Trial in four Bath and North East Somerset schools 2004. Published by Bath and North East Somerset LEA
The group of children included a child for whom English was an additional language, a child with a cleft palette, a child with oral dyspraxia, a child on the autism spectrum and several children with dyslexic difficulties as well as children with moderate learning difficulties. Four of the children had Statements of SEN, two were on School Action Plus and the rest were on School Action of the Code of Practice.
The trial reported that the intervention programme satisfied the DfES stipulation that double the normal rate of progress should be achieved, as far as reading was concerned. There was also some evidence that it is possible to achieve double the normal rate of progress for spelling as well. At the end of the twenty-week intervention programme, schools asked for on-going support, not only to continue to improve the literacy skills of the original group of children, but also to train additional staff to deliver the intervention to other children.
http://www.syntheticphonics.net/pdf/W3-04.pdf
This report is reproduced with the kind permission of Mary Adams, Senior Support Teacher for Bath and North East Somerset.
The following successes were reported: -
• Average ratio gain for reading of 3.1
• Individual ratio gains for spelling
• Improvement in National Curriculum writing levels
• Increased skills, enthusiasm, motivation, independence and self-esteem of children
• Removal of barriers to learning for children with a wide range of SEN
• School staff reported increased confidence in meeting the needs of children
• Year 3 (ages 7 to 8 years)
• 18 pupils, 4 schools
• Vertical grouping
• 20 weeks
• Average Ratio Gains:
◦ Reading 3.1
◦ Spelling 0.9:
G) (2004) Ofsted. "Reading for purpose and pleasure" December 2004. An evaluation of the teaching of reading in primary schools.
This Ofsted survey was undertaken:
• "to identify reasons for the wide range of attainment in reading among primary-aged pupils.
• to disseminate schools’ effective practice in reducing underachievement and developing pupils’ positive attitude to reading.
• to describe key features of the successful teaching of reading."
The report includes a case study of early intervention based on the Snappy Lesson® from the Sound Discovery® programme:
“The SEN Co-ordinator took the key role in the teaching of phonics and in providing related training for all staff. The lessons lasted for around 20 minutes in Year R (Reception) and 25 minutes in Year 1. They were held mostly during registration periods twice or three times a week. Intervention was used in Years 3 and 4 to teach more advanced spelling strategies.” The case study concludes that, ”the SEN Co-ordinator’s work had a positive impact on the standards achieved at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. The proportion of pupils on the SEN register had fallen each year since 1998, even though the percentages of pupils eligible for FSM remained fairly constant. In 2003, the test results for reading at Key Stage 1 showed, for the first time in several years, virtually no difference between the attainments of boys and girls. This was also reflected in attainment in reading at Key Stage 2.”
The survey report is published by the Ofsted Publications Centre (document reference number HMI 2393).
Email: freepublications@ofsted.gov.uk
Website: http://www.offsted.gov.uk
Report G) provides information on the most effective intervention schemes for children who struggle with reading and writing, both for children who can be considered ‘mainstream’ and for those with specific educational needs including dyslexia/specific learning difficulties. Report F) presents data on 20 Year 7 pupils entering Secondary school with no measurable reading or spelling skills. Systematic synthetic phonics teaching to the 20 pupils, taught as a whole class for the intervention for 28 weeks during three of their English lessons per week, was effective in raising the literacy levels of this disaffected group, allowing them improved access to the curriculum.
G) (2013) Greg Brooks (2013) in What works for children and young people with literacy difficulties? The effectiveness of intervention schemes. 4th Edition
Greg Brooks reported that Sound Discovery® was used in South Gloucestershire as a Wave 1 programme and therefore was not analysed in his report. He acknowledged that extensive data had been gathered there over ten years. He also reported on the use of Sound Discovery® as a catch-up programme in Norfolk and in a large middle school in Bedfordshire in 2005-2007. The Norfolk study found substantial gain for comprehension and the Bedfordshire study found useful progress in spelling with Year 5 and Year 6 pupils. Sound Discovery® was one of the top 20 most effective literacy interventions, according to this report.
The report can be downloaded at the following web address:
http://www.interventionsforliteracy.org ... rth_ed.pdf
F) Secondary Wave 3 Intervention using Sound Discovery® with Year 7 pupils
The school conducted and reported these findings independently. This secondary Wave 3 intervention with 20 Year 7 pupils raised reading and spelling levels from no measurable score at the beginning of Year 7 to post-test scores in the 8:05 to 10:05 years range for reading and above that for spelling, in 28 weeks. Ratio gains were in the range 5.9 to 9.3 for reading and greater than this for spelling. View table of results at:
http://www.syntheticphonics.net/pdf/W3-Table.pdf