Phonics in Australian schools

Phonics has made a resurgence across Australian formal primary (elementary) schooling, but still receives bad press in that some consider it a learning experience from the past.  It is one of a number of strategies to enable students to learn to recognise words for reading and writing (spelling).

I am glad to see this resurgence as long as it does not become the dominant way for students to achieve word recognition.  There is a list of sight words that phonics does not assist in recognising so sight recognition is also vital.  Students also pick up on recognising words from the context in which they appear.

If I were back as a school principal of primary (elementary) students I would encourage the professional judgement of my junior school teachers to know how to best employ phonics, but I would require that it be part of the word recognition bag of strategies.

Effective writing generally relies on accurate spelling unless an author is trying something different (....being cute if you will).  Reliance on spell check is okay but I've got to confess I feel concerned at an over reliance on this technological assistance.


May the Force be with all professional educators.


GD