Teachers need help with phonics
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Trainee teachers need more help to help young pupils to read, according to an Ofsted report.
Teacher trainees and phonics praised generic teacher training, but said specific training in phonics is insufficient.
The inspectorate found trainees need better preparation to assess individual pupils' phonic skills. The report suggested all trainee teachers should observe the teaching of early reading and be observed while teaching it themselves.
Ofsted said the Department for Children, Schools and Families should improve assessment materials for training providers, and the Training and Development Agency for Schools should clarify how much time should be spent training teachers on phonics. Training providers should also have to make sure trainees are fully aware of how teaching phonics significantly improves children's reading and writing.
The government made the teaching of phonics for early reading part of the National Curriculum in September 2007.
- www.cypnow.co.uk/doc.
