British Phonics Expert Asks for Conservative Party Clarification
The following is a copy of the letter, 22 July 2005, to David Cameron, Conservative MP for Witney, and Nick Gibb, Conservative MP for Bognor Regis, from Alan Davies, Chartered Educational Psychologist, Chester, asking for clarification of the Conservative Party’s directive on the implementation of Synthetic Phonics in British schools.
(PRWEB) July 28, 2005 -- Here is a copy of the letter, 22 July 2005, to David
Cameron, Conservative MP for Witney, and Nick Gibb, Conservative MP for Bognor
Regis, from Alan Davies, Chartered Educational Psychologist, Chester, asking for
clarification of the Conservative Party’s directive on the implementation of
Synthetic Phonics in British schools.
Synthetic Phonics: Artificial or
Natural Synthesis?
Both of you have stated, in writing and on national
television (BBC Newsnight), that synthetic phonics is the best way of teaching
children the basic building blocks of reading and writing – and the Government
should implement synthetic phonics in British primary schools from next
term.
However, there are two main approaches to synthetic phonics - one
starts by using Artificial Synthesis and the other starts by using Natural
Synthesis - and you do not state which of the two approaches should be
implemented. As a matter of interest, the recent report, overseen by Barry
Sheerman, Labour MP for Huddersfield, Teaching Children To Read (Education
Select Committee, House of Commons) uses the example: …synthetic phonics
involves segmenting words into the smallest unit of sound, then teaching
children to blend these sounds together to form words. So the word ‘street’ is
broken down into five components: ‘s-t-r-ee-t’. (p13). This is an excellent
explanation of the starting point of Natural Synthesis but not Artificial
Synthesis.
In early 1992, Gyles Brandreth, Conservative MP for Chester,
posted my THRASS synthetic phonics programme (which starts by using Natural
Synthesis) to Kenneth Clarke, Conservative MP for Rushcliffe, Secretary of State
for Education (as reported by the Chester Evening Leader, 3 February, attached).
A letter of reply stated: “The Department was interested to receive further
information about THRASS and its approach to the teaching of literacy, which
does not appear incompatible with the requirements of the National Curriculum.
However, as you are aware, it is for local education authorities and schools,
within the broad framework of the National Curriculum, to determine how children
are taught in schools and what textbooks and materials are used.”
Now,
well over a decade later, THRASS is used in thousands of schools worldwide,
including in Africa. Indeed, a South African university, University of the
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, has recently made THRASS training compulsory for
all foundation phase student teachers (130 student teacher evaluations and 15
video interviews are available for viewing on www.thrass.co.uk/nm.htm). Related to this, two senior teachers
from Bognor Regis (Mr Gibb’s constituency), recently completed the two days of
THRASS training in Hampshire (12 July) and wrote:
A very thorough
explanation of the concepts and materials. Pacey, interesting and well presented
with action and humour. AND Enthusiastic, hard hitting, relevant. Great
resources. Really made a difference to my understanding.
On behalf of the
thousands of schools that use THRASS worldwide (Australian school teachers
attended over 400 days of training last year), I would be grateful if you would
let me know if Gyles Brandreth was wasting his time, in sending my synthetic
phonics programme to Kenneth Clarke all those years ago, because the
Conservative Party now favours the artificial synthesis approach to synthetic
phonics? Or do you favour both approaches?
Copies: Andrew Miller, Labour
MP for Ellesmere Port & Neston; Barry Sheerman, Labour MP for Huddersfield;
Ruth Kelly, Labour MP for Bolton West, Secretary of State for Education
UK: Mike Meade, Media Director, THRASS UK 01829 741413 Mob: 07970 151
738 e-mail protected from spam bots
INTERNATIONAL: Chris Griffiths,
International Development, THRASS UK +30 266 203 1207 e-mail protected from spam
bots
WEBSITE: www.thrass.co.uk
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/7/prweb266420.htm