Nursery World - Child-led approach to learning to read is blamed for illiteracy

Primary schools are 'breeding illiteracy' in children by allowing a 'child-led' approach to learning and because they are failing to use synthetic phonics repeatedly, according to the right-wing think-tank Centre for Policy Studies.

The report So why can't they read?, commissioned by Mayor of London Boris Johnson, to examine why 25 per cent of children in the capital leave primary school with difficulties in reading and writing, discusses the pro-phonics and anti-phonics arguments.

Author Miriam Gross says that while 'the dispute may never be resolved ... there is plenty of evidence which proves beyond reasonable doubt that phonics, "first and fast", is the most effective way for beginners to learn to read.'

She concludes, 'synthetic phonics is the simplest, the most effective and by far the cheapest way of teaching and learning the basic skill of reading'.

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