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This page covers the latest literacy news in the last
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The Times has reported that ministers have been accused of ‘blatant propaganda’, in publishing leaflets that skirt around strict new targets set for nursery education. The leaflets present the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework to parents. The framework, coming into force this September, stipulates 69 literacy, numeracy and problem-solving targets for all under-5s in private, voluntary or state childcare. However, no mention of these is made in the leaflets, aside from the claim that children will "learn through play" and "develop at their own pace". While the booklet states: "It's not about introducing a curriculum for young children. Or making them read or write before they're ready. Quite the reverse", the guidance for nurseries and childcarers referring to the targets as "learning and development requirements that all early years providers must by law deliver".
Two of the most contentious targets are that children should "write their own names ... and begin to form simple sentences, sometimes using punctuation" and "use phonic knowledge to write simple regular words and make phonetically plausible attempts at more complex words". Kim Simpson of the Open Eye campaign which has been set up with the backing of child-development experts, parents and leading children's authors to campaign for improvement to the EYFS, claims that the booklet would only mislead and confuse parents. In July the Government bowed to pressure from critics and said that nurseries would be able to opt out of the two most contentious literacy targets if parents agreed to it. Ms Simpson claims that the booklet is ‘designed to head off any 'parents' revolt' about the EYFS’.
Read the article at www.timesonline.co.uk/article
(The Times, 25 August 2008)
The Guardian has reported on a study on government funded parenting courses that have been running across England from September 2006 to March 2008. Parents were found to feel more confident with their children, and spend more time listening and talking to them following the courses. However, a recognised area for further attention was that only 1 in 8 of the parents taking part in courses were male.
www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/aug/01/children
(The Guardian, 1 August 2008)
The Observer has reported on a study by the General Teaching Council for England on parents and the growing expectation for them to engage in children’s learning. The study found that parents ‘across the spectrum’ are finding it difficult to support children with their homework due to evolving teaching methods and lack of understanding of the curriculum. Parents have called for teachers to run sessions to help increase understanding of modern teaching methods and for schools to provide worked examples to accompany homework.
According to the study, many parents also feel that teachers have less time for parents and are increasingly remote figures, particularly in secondary schools.
Read the article at www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/jul/27/schools.education
(The Observer, 27 July 2008)
The Guardian has reported on US and UK research that identifies particular kinds of parenting and home environments that may help disadvantaged children to overcome obstacles and achieve academic success. It draws on findings from “Europe's largest piece of longitudinal research in this area”, the Effective Provision of Preschool Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) project, which has highlighted benefits of high-quality pre-school education, coupled with a good home-learning environment. It also reports on the success of the Peers Early Education Partnership (Peep), "which has been proved to boost cognition and self esteem in pre-school children by promoting parents' and carers' awareness of very early learning and development, and supporting adults in their relationships with the children."
The report concludes that "more finance for parenting education would be money well spent".
Read the article at www.education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2290865,00.html.
(Guardian, 15 July 2008)
The Department for Schools, Children and Families has announced the launch of a website for teachers, parents, young people and others with an interest in dyslexia. The site has been launched by Sir Jim Rose as part of his review into learning for children with dyslexia and is expected to inform his development of recommendations to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families. Sir Jim has asked for personal stories in addition to published research. The website will also contain regular updates and information about the review, which is scheduled to be published in February 2009.
The website address is: www.dcsf.gov.uk/jimroseanddyslexia/
Accounts of experience and details of research evidence can be e-mailed to dyslexia.jimrose@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Read the press release at www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0148
(DCSF, 14 July 2008)
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