This topic of 'Putting children on the road to dyslexia' concerns 'what' type of reading instruction children receive for first-time teaching is directly related to another thread that I've started - again linked to problems in America and raised by Bruce Deitrick-Price - but relevant to development...

I've long since been raising this issue of the relationship between what is actually provided in our schools for 'first time' phonics teaching with intervention practice here: http://www.phonicsinternational.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=847 We have to ensure first-time reading instruction is fully evid...

Bruce Deitrick-Price writes: If Bill Gates really wants to help education…. Jan 5, 2016 Bill Gates is one of America’s greatest business geniuses. But when he turned to education, his magic touch vanished. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bill-gates-really-wants-help-education-bruce-deitrick-price?trk...

Bruce Deitrick-Price flags up the words of Sam Blumenfeld. This is a very important topic because 'dyslexia' can be caused, or exacerbated, by the way we teach children to 'look' at (perceive) printed words. We set them off on the wrong trajectory... http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/02/d...

Dianne Murphy writes about the state of play re literacy in her blog 'Thinking Reading' including an important quote from literacy advisor David Didau: Addicted to Denial? https://thinkingreadingwritings.wordpress.com/2016/02/06/addicted-to-denial/ When it comes to the reading problem there appear t...

Kerry Hempenstall provides 'visual' research information via the National Institute for Direct Instruction: KEEPING AN EYE ON READING: Is difficulty with reading a visual problem? http://www.nifdi.org/resources/news/hempenstall-blog/414-keeping-an-eye-on-reading-is-difficulty-with-reading-a-visual-p...

Part of my work involves visiting schools in the role of consultant/trainer and whilst I see a lot of very hard-working teachers, I don't see the children getting sufficient phonics application and practice or the right kind of practice. In light of my observations, I drew up this graphic to illustr...

More comments, this time by Mary Bousted, on the mathematical realites of teacher assessment for Key Stage Two this time: https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-views/a-horror-show-it-difficult-comprehend-governments-stupidity-over 'Like a horror show: It is difficult to comprehend the govern...

Hi Dick, I think you'll find that folk from England share the same sentiment as you. See this 'hot off the press' commentary here about developments re 'who will become the next Ofsted chief inspector?'..... http://schoolsimprovement.net/two-us-reformers-rule-themselves-out-of-running-to-become-next...

Here is a posting in response to the Key Stage One (Year Two) teacher assessments - I agree entirely with the worries described here and so have left a comment to that effect: https://pedfed.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/the-work-necessary-to-complete-teacher-assessment-in-june-is-laughably-unrealistic-a...