reading by six - emma hartnell-baker

Please note that supporters of the Reading By Six campaign are united to raise awareness about why it is important that children are given the best opportunity to learn to read early. All however have differing views and strategies, and so comments made may not necessarily reflect the 'general consensus'
Indeed, the very idea of this 'campaign' is to show that regardless of view points or preferences regarding the teaching of reading (writing and spelling) it is possible for us to unite for the sake of children across Australia. It is possible for us to have differing ideas and still work together. It is time to end the 'reading wars', for our children.

 

 

Reading by Six advisor
The Reading Whisperer
-Emma Hartnell-Baker
BEd Hons MA Special Educational Needs

Join me on Facebook !

Reading Whisperer - Understanding Reading and Spelling Through Sound Pics 


Hello to all interested in raising standards of reading and spelling across Australia. Note that I deliberately use those words and not 'early literacy'. We need to be very specific in the early years and consider 'reading' and 'spelling' to be vital elements, with specific teaching and targets in this regard.

I read two articles recently. One gave me this feeling..!
...and one made me sigh

(ok I reacted a little more strongly than that but let's keep this a PG rated article)

The first starts as follows:

DALLAS (AP) — Kenny Null, 34, reads a simple sentence in his literacy class downtown: "This morning we had waffles for breakfast." But his eyes see it differently.

Learning to read is a battle for Null because of his dyslexia, but it's getting easier now that he's taught himself to diagram words phonetically, making careful marks in his workbook.

"I wanted to learn to read so that I can read to my son," the former East Dallas gang member said. "I wanted to write and read my recipes and find out things I didn't know."


Read article here


Having worked with disengaged youths for several years, all of whom had poor literacy skills (we know the two are strongly correlated) I know of this scenario far too well. Children failed by the school system who then leave with poor reading and spelling skills and lacking in motivation (or belief that it would be possible) to change this. They are then faced with few opportunities to function in a law abiding manner as they do not have the skills to even apply for a job at Maccas. However I also know how motivations can change, powerfully, when children arrive. Even though we might accept certain things for ourselves we tend to view this differently when faced with our own children and their experiences. Adult illiteracy is more of a problem than most realise, with limited solutions offered. This is why I am adamant that a preventative approach be taken, enabling every child to succeed early, before they have chance to then fight to learn because of poor self-esteem. And many of these kids are so incredibly bright! Many however are not blessed with naturally good phonemic awareness, and/ or good teachers.

All of the educators I know, working with struggling readers, and children with challenges (also called special needs) use a direct, explicit and systematic approach to the teaching of phonics combined with phonemic awareness training to help them overcome these problems. We know that many children are lucky and seem to read using whatever methods we use. Which means they will ALSO learn to read using the strategies employed with those struggling. So it fascinates me why this isn't what we use at the heart of our early years teaching? Why isn't is a natural strategy to use, to prevent issues in the first place, and help ALL children learn to read and spell with confidence, not just the children who can learn without systematic phonics instruction? How can we consider ourselves to be using an inclusive approach if we are choosing to exclude so many, despite all government recommendations, and despite looking at what works in actual classrooms?
Isn't it logical? What am I missing?

However the article gave me hope...even at the age of 36 this man is learning to read!

And then I read the second....
Politics. Researchers (present company excepted of course). People who want to put teaching strategies in pigeon holes and give them labels, and create a 'divide' between educators. I put this article in amongst my pile of articles written by people who want to 'sell' a product and not take into account that children are individuals, or find out what actually 'works' for the majority. People who think the program is effective and not that the program is effective when taught by outstanding teachers who naturally 'get' their students.......ok the list could be much longer but let's get back to the article in question.


The article outlines 'ground breaking evidence' (roll of eyes) that
"Children taught through phonics read at a much slower speed than those taught through a more book-centred approach'
(Im still not really sure what 'phonics' means in the context of their research, or what a 'book centred approach' is defined as....here we go again though...even more hair pulling..)

I find it therapeutic to write when frustrated. And so I posted my response to this 'research' on my personal site here .

Educators need to know what works. Not what someone says should work, or shouldn't work, but what actually works. And this will be different in different classrooms and with different teachers! However the underlying principles will be the same if ALL children are to be reading by six. Phonics taught systematically, directly and explicitly combined with training to develop phonemic awareness- all within a fun, creative, stimulating, book rich learning environment that centres around the child. Each individual, unique, wonderful child. We can 'immerse' children in 'real books all we want, read and sing to them, and believe whole-heartedly in a 'child centred' approach to the teaching of reading, writing and spelling, however if this doesn't work for every child I urge you to allow yourself to expand on your views. This is not about what method has merit, it is about what educators can use in their classrooms to create positive learning outcomes for every child. THAT is an inclusive education.

I am often told that the 'whole language approach' supporters predominantly believe in child centred learning. Me too! We can't have it both ways though. If we want to meet the needs of all children then we can't assume (or hope) that children are inherently active, self-regulating learners who construct knowledge for themselves, with teachers needing to give little or no explicit decoding instruction. Not every child can do that. So let us not hope they will and then help them, let's teach in ways that meet the needs of all, from the beginning. Isn't that what we all really want anyway? Is 20 minutes a day of explicit teaching within the environment we all want not something we could compromise on if it could mean that those children who would struggle without quality phonics and phonemic awareness training don't have to struggle or to be isolated from the children who may not? I am sure that if we put children first, we can work together and find solutions for all children.


But reading articles about a 'method' (despite the fact that this 'method' is only as good as those using it) and condemning it will not help children. These supposed 'findings' from Associate Professor Claire Fletcher-Finn and Dr Thompson will not help children. So I shall go back to the article about how someone was helped, feel optimistic again, and try to help as many children as I can so that they do not need to be attending adult literacy classes when almost 40. For example this gorgeous little chap I worked with recently and was of the successes of the group not because he's now developing reading and spelling skills but because he is now confident, loving books, and his parents know what to do with him at home as the school he is due to attend does not 'teach phonics'. This would have been yet another child slipping through the cracks , and THAT is why I do what I do.

To help those children. They are the ones I am predominantly speaking out for ....passionately!

Every child needs the chance to grow and to reach his potential ... let's not fertilise some and unintentionally spray weed killer on others...

This is why this campaign is so important. I hope you will support us.

Emma

 

 

Emma Hartnell-Baker has taught full time within UK primary schools, been Head Teacher/ Director of two successful Nursery Schools / Kindergartens in the UK (managing a staff team of 35+) and was later appointed by the UK Government as an OFSTED Inspector of Childcare and Early Years Education.

As The Child Listener she has worked in a range of setting developing and delivering programs such as 'New Life Strategies' and has worked with many disengaged youths in care, developing positive behaviour management plans and training adults working with teenagers in care.
Her two main areas of interest are social and emotional intelligence, and the teaching of reading and spelling. The two are very interlinked!

Emma has a BEd Hons (Early Years) and a Masters Degree in Special Educational Needs (Electives- Behaviour Management, PSED, Counselling and Dyslexia) She plans to embark on a PHd in order to study the effects on an early intervention program she is currently developing through Read Australia™.
This consists of a 4 weeks intensive program within Kindy settings during which the specialist teacher works in small groups for 20 minutes per day over a 4 week period. Children due to start school within 3 months are given the opportunity to develop phonemic and phonological awareness while learning phonics systematically and directly. The aim is to instill important underlying skills and concepts and to identify those at risk of failure due to poor phonemic awareness. The teacher will then write reports on every child outlining learning needs, which will be shared with their Prep teacher. If children enter school with a report this will give the teacher specific information about the approach needed for that child. The report also outlines information relating to curiosity and motivation and how easy it has been for that teacher to develop a partnership with the parent/s.

Within a recent small scale study (undertaken along the same lines as outlined above) she worked with 11 children for 4 weeks for no more than 20 minutes three times a week. This clip shows the progress of one of the children and indicates the level most children achieved. However she identified 2 children with poor phonemic awareness and predicts that one of the two children will not be reading at grade level by year 3. Both children are due to start Prep in January at a school that is not currently promoting the teaching of phonics in Prep and Year 1, but as a 'remedial approach'.
The other child (child 2) who also has poor phonemic awareness is now using a home program developed by Emma based on his own learning style, interests and needs. The latter child has a motivated parent and is much more 'curious' about learning to read and spell. His progress will be shown on the Read Australia™ youtube channel after Christmas. Despite starting slowly (see his assessment regarding phoneme recognition, phoneme awareness and blending after 4 weeks) and not 'picking it up' as quickly as the majority he will still be reading to at least the expected level by the end of grade 3, and will show a huge difference in ability compared to child 1. More importantly, he will be able to use these skills across the rest of the curriculum. He is already showing increased confidence and motivation even after the 4 week program. This is why Emma is so keen to promote early intervention and to make reading and spelling a top priority within the early years - ages 4 - 7.

Full Bio and Blog Here Shortly

 


Web sites:
http://www.the-child-listener.com
http://www.readaustralia.com
http://www.readingwhisperer.com.au
http://www.facebook.com/readaustralia
http://www.facebook.com/readingwhisperer
http://www.EarlyReadingCentre.com.au (Early Reading Screening, Student Reading & Spelling Assessments- Queensland and other Australia States)