TEACHING

Implications of the Rose Report (2006) on the Teaching of Early Reading

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Prevalence of issues in the National Curriculum2

Lack of spontaneity2

Curriculum enrichment2

Lip-service to social and moral teaching3

Comments on the Rose Report4

Theoretical models of the reading process5

The Searchlight model5

The simple view of reading6

Difference of approach at Key Stage One and Key Stage Two7

Effective practice in the assessment and teaching of reading9

Pre-alphabetic phase9

Partial alphabetic phase10

Full alphabetic phase11

The consolidated alphabetic phase11

Phonics and the early reading process12

The debate on the effectiveness of synthetic phonics teaching13

Conclusion14

References15

Implications of the Rose Report (2006) on the Teaching of Early Reading

Introduction

For over thirty years, the subject of modernization of the school systems has been debated in the UK. In the recent years, the interest has shifted more towards the assessment and curriculum, particularly in the primary schools (Silcock 1995, p. 149). Primary education in the UK typically starts at the age of five years. At this very small age of the child where he is very keen on learning the focus is on enhancing a child's reading, writing and mathematical skills. The period of primary education for a child is between five to eleven years. However, in Scotland the child completes his primary education at the age of twelve.

Jim Rose reviewed the primary curriculum in the UK in the year 2008 and presented the findings in the form of an interim report. Later, in the year 2009, he published his final report on the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum. In this report, he made certain recommendations which will be implemented soon. Rose suggested a movement from a curriculum that is based on the subject to a new approach that embraces six areas of learning. The National Curriculum was implemented in the UK some 20 years back (The Guardian 2008, p. 1). After this implementation, this is one of the most significant changes in the learning and teaching approach in the UK and will require significant changes.

This essay reviews the implications of the Rose Report on the teaching of early reading. When understanding the implications for the teaching and early reading, it is imperative to understand the current faults and issues in the primary education system.

Prevalence of issues in the National Curriculum

There are many issues associated with the National Curriculum. Schools in the UK are certainly changing, and this change is very rapid. The National Curriculum was devised to bring desired changes to the primary education system in the UK (Huggins 1997, p. 336). Though these changes did occur, there were certain changes that were unwelcomed by the practitioners due to issues discussed hereunder.

Lack of spontaneity

The teachers do not have the power to mould the reading tactics and curriculum as per their choice. For instance, they cannot go with the flow. This makes them feel less like the teacher and impedes the creation of the bond with the children. In some schools, the teachers have the liberty whereby they have at least a week to themselves to teach their students whatever they ...