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Do read the whole piece!Why SA Schools Must Invest in Decodable Readers in 2018
Dyslexia SA would like to thank Education Minister, Susan Close for supporting the implementation of a phonics check at the end of year one. Likewise, Shadow Education Minister, John Gardner for developing the Literacy Guarantee Policy. It certainly is a step in the right direction in closing the research to practice gap in the acquisition of reading for all South Australian children.
However, to have a truly effective and evidence based literacy practice in systematic, synthetic phonics we need the right resources in our schools. The most effective resource which allows developing readers to practice their decoding skills is decodable readers (also referred to as phonics books).
Currently South Australian schools invest huge amounts of money in buying PM readers, like Fountas and Pinnell (most parents know these as the levelled ‘take home’ readers). Our strong view is that PM readers are an inadequate reading resource based on the discredited ‘whole language’ system of reading which relies heavily on looking at pictures, saying the first sound and making a guess on what word fits best and not sequential decoding skills required for the teaching of phonics. Schools invest in these pointless resources largely due to the mandated Running Records method of assessing reading progress. Our view on why Running Records should be abolished can be found here. Both the investment in decodable readers and abolishing Running Records goes hand in hand.