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literacy - PHONICS
Early birds
catch the words
Ruth Miskin looks at what schools need to do to ensure
children both learn to read and keep reading
J
essica’s parents talk a lot, both
particular favourites that she demands
to each other and to her. They
again and again. Her grandfather
think out loud about everything
makes up daring and exciting stories all
they read, see and hear. They
about Jessica.
At three, Jessica is 24
million words, 1,675 story
hours and three years of
praise ahead of John
debate, describe, consult and argue.
There is an alphabet frieze by her
Jessica chatters too, always asking
bed: mmmm mountain, a-a-a-apple,
questions. Her parents answer every
d-d-dinosaur. She’s learnt to say the
question thoughtfully and deliberately.
sounds of the letters as easily as she
heard nine million words, of a limited
They keep up a commentary about
learnt to say “chair” or “dog”. She makes
range and many of which are negative.
everything she does and praise
words on the fridge and her lists and
There is no alphabet around his bed and
her constantly.
labels are displayed around the house.
there are no magnets on the fridge. He
By the time she starts school she
has had 25 hours of stories (Hart and
can read.
Risely, 1995).
By three, Jessica has heard over
33 million words with a wide range of
synonyms and syntax, has had 1700
John’s parents don’t talk a lot, to
At school, Jessica has lots to say
hours of story times, knows most
each other or to John (nor did theirs to
and lots to write about. Her syntax and
nursery rhymes and fairy stories and has
them). By the time John is three, he has
vocabulary is impressive. No one can
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literacy - PHONICS
view of reading – she has good language
processes and good word recognition
processes – both necessary to being a
good reader. John is in the bottom left
with poor language processes and poor
word recognition.
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John needs teachers who
will engage him in high
quality discussion and
dialogue in every lesson
It is very unlikely that John will catch
up with Jessica, unless we do something
his understanding minute by minute.
radical. In a nutshell, John needs lots
He needs teachers who show him what
of stories, lots of high quality dialogue
it looks like to reason in order to learn
in very small groups, and someone to
something, think out loud to show their
teach him to read – quickly.
thought processes, draw conclusions
We can’t emulate the hours of
one-to-one talk that Jessica has had,
and solve problems – just as Jessica’s
parents do.
but if we use our time very carefully,
We must not wait to teach John
we can condense some of Jessica’s
to read. He doesn’t need to become
experiences in that artificial environment
“phonologically aware” to learn to read
which we call “school”. The numbers of
(he’ll become phonologically aware once
stop her reading. She talks all the time
children, and shortage of time, means
he can). We should teach him to read
and always has an idea to share and
that in school we must plan strategically.
“m” with the same enthusiasm and
a thought to discuss. She joins in with
To start with, John needs deliberately
energy as reading a good story; he must
the stories (most of which she knows
planned talk in small groups, using
practise the sounds again and again until
already) and, when given a choice,
specific vocabulary about specific
he can read them effortlessly.
spends her time in the reading corner,
things (including local visits to streets,
writing letters in the “office” and taking
markets, parks and people), building
sound out words, read books with
the lead parts in the role-play area. It’s
up sentences in the same way that
words he can sound out and rehearse
home from home for her.
Children need to be shown how to
sound out words.
John needs to be shown how to
Jessica’s Mum did: “bus” to “big red
reading them until he can read with a
John likes the bikes best, and making
bus” to “those long bendy buses are
storyteller voice. We have to get him
towers with bricks. He’s got a friend
really dangerous”. Everyday stories need
to take the same book home to read
called Lee. They do stuff together but
to be woven around John and his friends
to himself or to his mum – even if she
don’t speak much. At three, Jessica is
– “When John fell off his bike” or “The
can’t read it, he can. However long it
24 million words, 1675 story hours and
day Michelle first ate peas” – and we
takes, we must stick in there until he can
three years of praise ahead of John.
need to rehearse the talk that we want
read. We should never give him a label
By nine, she has read nine million
John to use, before he plays in the sand
(slow reader, special needs, learning
more words than John. Her vocabulary
or in the home corner, exaggerating
disability, “Poor John – what can you
expands day-by-day. On just one page
words and actions. He needs to be
expect…”). Labels only serve to make
in a Michael Morpurgo story she reads
engaged in stories – learning some by
it John’s problem and not ours.
the words “relentlessly”, “scornful”,
heart, acting them out, saying nursery
Once he starts reading, we must keep
“diminutive”, “interminable”, “referred”,
rhymes, chanting silly rhymes and
him reading, and keep reading to him
“vowed”, “invariably” and “pursuit”.
repeating refrains – again and again.
again and again, choosing books we
Even Jessica’s parents don’t use all
these words when they talk to her.
Without talk there is little thought.
think he will love. He has to see that we
However well-meaning the play
love the story too. John and his friends
activities, displays and experiences
should be taken to the library regularly
Can John catch up
with Jessica?
are, without deliberately planned talk
and shown where the books are that
to provide the context, the activity will
he already knows and can borrow
Keith Stanovitch’s Matthew effect
lack real meaning and purpose.
whenever he likes. John’s mum should
(1986) is in full operation here: the rich
All through John’s time at school, he
be encouraged to come too, if she can
get richer; the poor get poorer. Jessica
needs teachers who will engage him in
or wants to – but we mustn’t blame her
is right up there in the top right hand
high quality discussion and dialogue in
if she doesn’t.
quadrant of Gough and Tunmer’s simple
every lesson, helping him to articulate
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literacy - PHONICS
Taking the lead in
teaching reading
It takes a whole-school approach
and good leadership to make sure
that John can read, does read and
talks a lot. Here are just a few of the
questions that school leaders might ask
themselves about their school. Indeed,
Children should read at their word
level every day.
It is quicker and cheaper
to train teachers
thoroughly than to
provide a lot of children
with additional support
Ofsted are, finally, asking many of these
questions too.
Who is in charge of ensuring every
child learns to read at the school?
with the same reading programme, to
about the books they choose to take
ensure they make rapid progress; don’t
home – encourage John to take home
wait for them to fail further.
picture books he can already retell in
Keep a list of all the poorest readers
his own words.
Make teaching every child to read your
as a top priority. Ask the reading leader
Help children develop a deep
avowed core purpose. Appoint an
about their progress every week. Listen
familiarity with a core of fairy stories,
enthusiastic and knowledgeable reading
to them read (Ofsted will) and check
tales, myths and legends right through
leader who can work closely with you.
that their teachers are doing a good job.
the school. John will then have his own
well of stories that he can draw upon
How are children taught to read in
Do your children read at their
when he is writing and talking about
your school?
decoding level every day?
new stories.
Decide upon one consistent programme
Children need to practise word-reading
across the whole school for teaching
(first sounding out and then without
Have your teachers been trained
children how to read. Make sure that
overt blending) and read books matched
in how to get all children to talk in
you can articulate confidently how the
to their word-level every day.
every lesson?
Consider using homogeneous vertical
In schools where children are expected
grouping. Teaching can be carefully
to raise their hands to answer questions,
Have all your staff been trained,
focused when the teacher doesn’t have
John’s is unlikely to go up. All teachers
coached and supported thoroughly
to worry about challenging Jessica at
would benefit from training in how to get
to teach reading?
the same time as teaching John how
children to use high quality dialogue to
If not, John could be failing because the
to read.
articulate their understanding throughout
programme is implemented.
teacher needs support. It is quicker and
Make sure that children borrow
every lesson every day of their school
cheaper to train teachers thoroughly
the books they have read during their
life. The use of “hands up” to answer
than to provide a lot of children with
reading lesson so they can build fluency
questions has to go.
additional support.
and speed. John’s Mum doesn’t often
Only when John can read will he
Give your reading leader time to
hear him read so he can practise on his
read a lot. Only when we ensure that
coach and support other teachers and
own. Avoid random book selection by
John talks in every lesson will he have
assistants while the reading classes are
children from banded boxes. John might
the confidence to articulate what he
in operation
choose a book he can’t read or doesn’t
knows and understands. Only then will
care about, in which case he won’t try
John have a chance of catching up
or may fail when he gets home.
with Jessica.
Do you have clear, simple and
consistent procedures and
recording systems to track pupils’
Have your teachers been trained to
progress in reading?
make the most of story times?
Use the same assessment system across
Plan special story/poetry times every
the whole school so you can compare
day (small groups for John in Reception).
like with like – for example, so you can
These sessions must be inspiring and
see that Curtis in Year 4 is reading at
repeat readings are key. Organise fun
the same level as John in Reception –
book corners making each book very
and do something about it. Give them
special. Encourage children to borrow
additional support immediately, staying
the books you read to them. Enthuse
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Further information
Ruth Miskin has 35 years
experience as a teacher,
headteacher, teacher trainer
and consultant. Her literacy
programme, Read Write Inc., is
published by Oxford University
Press. For further information:
www.ruthmiskinliteracy.com
www.readwriteinc.com
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