Yudu - The Teacher January/February 2013

Page 47

Continued from page 46

All the points the Children’s Laureate made in the recent edition of The Teacher make sense. Much is what I used to do with young children and succeeded in teaching reading and having fun at the same time!

The sooner it is realised that we have a duty to give the best for the next generation without complication and duress, the sooner methods will alter and this reading problem will be resolved. Mr Gove should find practical experts not afraid to tell him.

Mary Bushell, by email

Meaningless gibberish

Since all children learn to communicate in speech before learning to read, I am amazed that the meaningless gibberish of ‘synthetic’ phonics is seen as in any way helpful.

I elt yune uns flods chab and splaw thend pip… Did you learn anything from this? eg pib! Why not pin and bib? or rib?

The whole point of language is communication. Children, especially those with good verbal skills, will have their progress retarded by this nonsense.

Mrs JAO Howard, Solihull

Wilshaw way off beam

Like many other teachers (I expect), I read Michael Wilshaw’s recent attacks on teachers with anger. I am writing this on a Sunday between planning lessons and marking. Yet Mr Wilshaw says teachers are ‘lazy’.

He must have no awareness of how much preparation goes into lessons. Most teachers work tirelessly – including weekends. Some work late in the evening as they have their own children to care for. No wonder so many get ‘burn-out’.

In an increasingly demanding job, teachers need support not attacks. They feel undermined and this leads them to leave the profession, as well as making others think twice about entering it.

Name and address withheld

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