READING
Evidence in the news
Research into teenage group therapy
SOME 7,000 YOUNG PEOPLE in Bath, Bristol, and, it is hoped, will be less likely to Some experts have doubted the
Nottingham and Swindon are to take part develop depression. effectiveness of CBT. However, with
in a £1m government-funded trial of group The young people taking part will an estimated one in fi ve teenagers at
therapy in the classroom. The programme complete questionnaires at the beginning risk of depression, this trial represents
is largely based on Cognitive Behaviour of the trial, and again after six months and an important development in a fi eld
Therapy (CBT), and will be given to entire one year. The results will be compared to a where little research has been
classes of pupils. The participants will be control group who will continue to be taught conducted.
taught how to cope with negative feelings as normal. BBC News, January 2009
New review – phonics may be key to
beginning reading success
A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW has assessed all successfully teaching children to read. The only relatively successful with beginning reading,
existing research into beginning reading programmes found to be effective use phonics, with particularly strong results coming
programmes, with interesting results. The although this should be qualifi ed by the fact from co-operative learning, phonics-based
author, Professor Robert Slavin from the that some programmes that use phonics professional development, and combining
Institute for Effective Education at the were not found to be effective. The review specifi c teaching methods with specifi c
University of York, found more than 60 shows that whilst the teaching of phonics curricula.
pieces of research that were robust enough does not always give results, their presence Less successful were instructional
to be included. in programmes may be vital to success. technology and reading curricula alone.
The most signifi cant implication of the The review also revealed that programmes Best Evidence Encyclopaedia website,
study is the key role that phonics plays in which focus on teaching methods are www.bestevidence.org.uk
spring 2009 Better: Evidence-based Education 25
Better Spr09 pp24-25 News.indd 25 20/4/09 09:20:39
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