Navigating the “Reading Wars”: Ensuring Your Child’s Success in Reading

       The “Reading Wars” have been the subject of long-standing debate across English speaking countries, and argue whether phonics, sight-reading, or “whole-language” instruction is better for teaching children to read. In England, phonics, or the study of sounds as they relate to letters, has been the reigning method of teaching since being backed by former Secretary of Education Michael Gove in 2014. England specifically uses a system referred to as “synthetic phonics,” which prioritises dedicated phonics lessons outside of reading, and teaches grapheme-phoneme (letter-sound) relationships before exposing children to any form of text. The idea here is that children will acquire a foundation to recognise letters before they are introduced to reading, and consequently be more confident in decoding (sounding-out) words. 

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     Conversely, the “whole language” method of teaching takes a less systematic approach and instead focuses on the idea that children will naturally learn to read when exposed to texts. The belief here is that children will be more interested in learning to read when exposed to a whole book, rather than individual words. Additionally, there is a reliance on students picking up “sight words,” words that they recognise immediately, after being exposed to them repeatedly.  

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     With the method of teaching reading not being uniform across English speaking countries, and as in the case in America, not being uniform from state to state, it has been difficult to gauge which method is truly the most beneficial for students. Recent UCL research has found that the best approach appears to be a middle ground between the two – a method referred to as “balanced instruction.” Here, elements from synthetic phonics and whole language approaches are used in the classroom. Students are provided with a foundation in phonics, however this is delivered in part through exposure to books rather than being an isolated phonics lesson. By integrating phonics into lessons, students are given more context to the grapheme-phoneme relationship, which appears to be more effective in creating lasting word recognition as well as improved attitudes towards reading. 

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     However, literacy is not just a child’s ability to read words, it is also their ability to comprehend and engage with what they are reading. While phonemic heavy instruction does yield better reading abilities, and is crucial to building a solid foundation, for some students, the lack of text-driven lessons doesn’t help grow their understanding of texts. With a balanced learning approach, students are able to understand phonics within the framework of reading whole books – hence why it is referred to as balanced, or “blended” instruction. 

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     At the end of the day, we are all “whole language” readers – that is the end goal of learning to read. The question is, what is the best way to lead students to that point? If we go based off of UCL’s research, we can see that a blended approach offers the best results when measuring literacy rates at 15 years of age through PISA examination. However, education isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia find a synthetic phonics approach to be the best fit, as it gives clear instruction and builds confidence to move towards independent reading. This is why it is important for teachers to have the flexibility to ensure students are able to learn to read in a way that is the best for them. 

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     It is important for parents to understand the way their children are being taught in school to help catch any issues before they become cracks in their reading foundation.  By knowing how their children are being taught to read, and the benchmarks they are expected to reach, parents can encourage similar reading at home at an appropriate level based on the phonics their children are currently studying. Home is also a good place to practice blended learning, and using at-home reading as an opportunity to help children decode words in books they are reading, and to build an interest in reading. 

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     We should note that there is not one teaching style that is universally best when it comes to reading. However, for those learning English as a second language, a focus on phonics can be particularly helpful. As we no longer need to worry about building a strong foundation in a desire to read (particularly in adult learners), or literacy in the broader sense, focusing strictly on phonics helps English learners become more confident in their reading by being able to independently sound-out words. Similarly, a strong understanding of phonics yields better pronunciation and spelling abilities. 

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     Reading is a crucial skill in a child’s academic development. Without strong literacy skills, children risk facing difficulties in many areas of education, and will be forced to attempt to catch up whilst focusing on the current curriculum. Tutoring can provide students with the extra support they need, and help bridge any gaps that cannot be addressed in a classroom setting. If your child could benefit from independent tuition, reach out to us here for more information. 

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Hobbs, Greg. “Why Some Parents Are Eager for Changes to Ontario’s Early Reading Curriculum.” CBC, 13 Mar. 2022, https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/right-to-read-inquiry-report-literacy-ontario-1.6378408.

United States, Congress, Johnston, Rhona, and Joyce Watson. The Effects of Synthetic Phonics Teaching on Reading and Spelling Attainment: A Seven Year Longitudinal Stud. ResearchGate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301477015_The_effects_of_synthetic_phonics_teaching

_on_reading_and_spelling_attainment_a_seven_year_longitudinal_study.

Weale, Sally. “Focus on Phonics to Teach Reading Is ‘Failing Children’, Says Landmark Study.” The Guardian, 19 Jan. 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/education/2022/jan/19/focus-on-phonics-to-teach-reading-is-failing-children-says-landmark-study.

Wyse, Dominic, and Alice Bradbury. “Reading wars or reading reconciliation? A critical examination of robust research evidence, curriculum policy and teachers’ practices for teaching phonics and reading.” Review of Education, vol. 10, no. 1, 18 Jan. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3314. 

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