Phonics have been around for years and are successful, BUT they don’t work for all pupils, and they aren’t the only way to teach reading.

Only 75% of children leave KS1 able to read well enough to access KS2 effectively (91% passed the phonic screen by Y2) *

The ultimate goal is for children to have a bank of words in their long-term memory that they can read fluently when they see them, and phonics is a part of that journey. If you don’t ‘get phonics’ by the end of year one the chances of phonics supporting reading attainment by the end of KS1, no matter how much quality Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) is provided, is slim.  

Charlie Pitt Miller joins Dale for today’s podcast to discuss ‘Reading, Phonics and the Dyslexic Profile’. Charlie takes us through the characteristics of persistent literacy difficulties and how they are a barrier to applying phonic knowledge.

Listen to this episode to support your pupils with additional needs to become successful readers.

*gov.uk Phonics screening check and key stage 1 assessments in England 2019

About Charlie Miller

From the start of Charlie Miller's career in 1991, SEN has been foremost; she trained for a BEd in Sheffield 87-91, and was a SENCO from 2002-2012. She is currently a specialist assessor and advisory teacher - mainly advising on identification of needs and next steps for learning for children with SEN – including dyslexia / dyscalculia.

She constantly questions the impact of phonics and how it jars against the characteristics of dyslexia, and often checks in on data linked to phonics and reading attainment.

Her 2015 MA professional enquiry and research led to the development of the Top Triangle Reading Intervention for children who have not responded well to phonics and have disengaged from learning to read.

Contact Charlie Pitt Miller

Email - [email protected]

Useful Links

2019 Reading / Phonics end KS1 data 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/851296/Phonics_screening_check_and_key_stage_1_assessments_in_England_2019.pdf

2019 Reading / Phonics end KS2 data 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/830285/KS2_Provisional_publication_text_2019.pdf

The Reading Framework (2021) 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-reading-framework-teaching-the-foundations-of-literacy

Reading Wars or Reading Reconciliation – Alison Bradbury; Dominic Wyse (2022)  

https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/rev3.3314

Top Triangle Reading Intervention- not a published intervention - being edited to stand alone … and piloted – not yet available except in Leicestershire schools. Happy to share when final edit available.