Sound and fury

The singular, structured approach to the teaching of reading and the speed at which it is being introduced alarms early years experts. Simon Vevers reports New guidance from the Government is creating alarm among early years specialists and practitioners as it maps out a time-limited, headlong rush into the implementation of synthetic phonics as an exclusive method of improving child literacy. They fear that Letters and Sounds, which replaces the previous guidance Playing with Sounds, is over-prescriptive, is likely to put young children off reading and is undermining a key emphasis in the Early Years Foundation Stage on the need...