Comments on: Who gains from the kiss of the phonics fairy?

By: davo

davo — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Mem’s real attitude towards kids can be seen in her public hanging on ‘Enough Rope’, where she came across as stubborn, egotistical, closeminded, insecure and a control freak, with few positive attitudes. It’s only that the proponents of Phonics tend to be worse. The comments below about them being complementary, or at least appropriate to different kids at different times seem to be right.

By: Chris Golis

Chris Golis — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I am confused. You learn to read at ages 6-8. Bush has been in power for less than 8 years and did not implement the phonics policy until several years into his administration. If there has been a serious decline in literacy standards (and I agree there has) it because of the previous method of whole language did not work despite at the time being supported by substantial ‘research’ no doubt funded by organisations who wanted to benefit from changing the teaching method. Phonics was the method used prior to the whole language method when literacy standards were high. I have two daughters aged 29 & 30, and when they were learning to read I discovered they were to be taught using whole language method. I then spent the next two years teaching them using the Hay-Wingo system. I think the total cost for the teacher’s guide and two sets of three workbooks was around $200. It was the best investment I ever made and both my daughters read very well. Congratulations Julia Gillard.

By: garyb

garyb — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

phonics aside, education federally has adopted operational matters which they are not responsible for…the states are!

national curriculum is another dog’s breakfast waiting to happen.

NSW syllabus is a basket case, 15 years ‘behind’ Victoria/QLD/SA/Tasmania

but all advice to federal appears to come out of the basket of NSW…pity the rest of us with an opinion and care daily on the ground and in the classrooms..
then again, brendan nelson had little no impact as eduxation minister, julie bishop even less..
Julia? we shall wait and see.

By: Greg Angelo

Greg Angelo — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I am neither a teacher or an educator but having lived with a competent teacher for over 35 years I believe that this whole debate is ridiculous. Neither approach, either phonics or whole word is universally correct. Phonics provides an essential component of the capacity to interpret word content and to differentiate the various sound components in a word represented by syllables. My understanding of brain development is that you use it or lose it, and that children’s brain development in relation to language acquisition is most active at an early age. Having learned phonics 55 years ago it has stood me well in my ability to understand more complex language, especially where words are strange or new. My understanding is that a variety of approaches is necessary in teaching reading, as not all children learn the same way. My understanding is that there is a place for both methodologies, and that they are essentially complementary and should be used in parallel.

By: Lynda Hopgood

Lynda Hopgood — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Incidentally, when children (or adults, for that matter) need remedial reading, they aren’t taught using whole language, they are taught using phonics. The whole language proponents might like to explain why that is…