What they need before phonics

By Marie Charlton, early years consultant for St Helens LEA and EYDCP Despite the proliferation of material on the phonics debate, there is a glaring omission of the relevance of practice prior to the magic age of five when systematic phonics work is expected to begin. Phonics work can only be meaningful for a child who has adequate language and sees the purpose of reading and writing. Children need pre-requisites before they are reading and phonic-ready, beyond a sense of rhythm and enjoying rhymes. They need to be healthy and emotionally secure. They need the skills to socialise with peers...