PRESS RELEASE
1 December 2005

 

Response to the interim report of the Rose Review

From Anne Nelson, Director
The British Association for Early Childhood Education (Early Education)

We strongly disagree with the recommendation of the interim report of the Rose Review that synthetic phonics should be the method to teach reading and that it should be “fast and first” (Ruth Kelly, BBC Radio Four, Today programme).

The majority of reading specialists agree that a range of teaching strategies is necessary to enable all children to succeed to learn to read. We advocate a range of methods to support different learning styles with an emphasis on reading for purpose, pleasure and understanding as part of lifelong learning. There is much evidence from other countries with higher reading attainment which shows that too formal, too soon may damage children and not support learning.

The British Association for Early Childhood Education (Early Education) is the national voluntary organisation for early years practitioners promoting the right of all children to education of the highest quality. It provides support, advice and information for everyone concerned with the education and care of young children from birth to eight years.