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Phonics were being taught 350 years ago, one of world's oldest children's book reveals

Phonics were being taught 350 years ago and are not simply a modern craze, one of the world's oldest children's book has revealed.

The method of teaching that sees words broken down into their constituent parts has seen a surge in interest in recent years and is championed by the Government as key to raising literacy standards.

But despite phonics learning being introduced as a UK pilot in 18 local authorities in 2005, the system actually dates back to the 17th Century.

It is referenced in a book for youngsters that was published in 1667 and has now been uncovered in the archives at the University of Keele.

The book offers a fascinating insight into the education and reading of young people in the 17th century.

The battered leather pocket book for children includes a guide on phonics, which breaks down words into syllables and makes them easier to learn.

The book, called A Guide to the Childe and Youth, was published almost half a century before the next known surviving copy of British children's literature.