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Eliminating Reading Failure in BC
Chilliwack, BC trustee Heather Maahs has taken some flack from the local union and reported here for this presentation to her board about her trip to the UK (paid for by herself) to observe an effective reading program.
SQE has written quite a bit on the Clackmannanshire (more here) and West Dunbartonshire experiences (and more here). Toe by Toe is based on the results of the landmark Johnson and Watson longitudinal study (read it here) that changed the way beginning reading is taught in the UK—for the better.
It is based on direct instruction of systematic, explicit phonics, termed synthetic phonics in the UK. What got Heather into hot water with the BCTF was that she suggested teachers wouldn’t necessarily be needed to teach the program. Speaking on behalf of the thousands of parents who have signed up to use our own similar Stairway to Reading, we concur with Trustee Maahs.
We just wish that more education ministries, faculties of education, and school boards would pay closer attention to the research and start developing and using effective instructional programs.