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05Jul2011
Early literacy interventions: the way forward

Posted by Jonathan Douglas

Immediately after last year’s election the National Literacy Trust identified that filling the gaps in the Coalition Government’s policy held massive potential for the development of approaches to raise literacy levels. These gaps included early years and family policy, curriculum reform and approaches to tackling child poverty. In all these areas the new government was yet to fully articulate its approach. We are currently seeing the publication of a range of independent reviews to government which begin to fill these gaps. The content of these are very positive.

Yesterday the latest of these, Labour MP Graham Allen’s second report to the Government on early interventions, was published. His first review established the case for early interventions and the evidence for considering their impact. The second review makes recommendations for a public policy framework which will effectively embed early interventions.

This is a massive challenge. The very nature of early interventions require sustained policy approaches, something which the democratic cycle itself can militate against: imminent elections tend to quick wins. Politicians as a result are on the look-out for the new and innovative. The innovations of their predecessors are too easily discredited.

We know that literacy approaches based on early interventions have the widest and strongest social benefit. They are the most efficient and frequently have the deepest impact. Sustaining these is vital if we are to effect change which gets to the root of the literacy challenge.

The National Literacy Trust’s work has constantly promoted early intervention as the basis of effective approaches to raising literacy: the foundation of our work in the past seven years has been “Talk To Your Baby”. Graham Allen’s new review endorses this approach by noting that:

“Vocabulary at age five has been found to be the best predictor (from a range of measures at age five and 10) of whether children who experienced social deprivation in childhood were able to ‘buck the trend’ and escape poverty in adult life.”

He goes on to note that Ministry of Justice statistics demonstrate 70% of offenders have communication difficulties. The impact of early interventions in literacy, language and communications cannot be overstated.

The proposals to fill the policy gaps are exciting. Allen’s second review now sits with his earlier report and with Frank Field’s and Dame Clare Tickell’s. Together they present a coherent and effective approach which would have a profound impact on literacy levels. This is an amazing opportunity. The National Literacy Trust waits to see how the Coalition will turn their recommendations into action.