use of the second assessment in Year 1 that same year.
Can you talk about some recent projects ACER has been involved with that examine the place of phonics in early literacy education?
ACER has led the development of teacher interpretation and training tools for the South Australian Phonics Screening Check since its inception in 2017. In Victoria, we led the redevelopment of the EOI and interpretation materials.
ACER is also involved in revising the Victorian Literacy Teaching Toolkit to support teachers of students with learning difficulties, which requires some focus on phonics. We have delivered training for teachers in the interpretation of this assessment around Victoria.
We are currently revising the PAT Early Years frameworks and assessments to include a more detailed focus on phonics and phonemic awareness as well as a more engaging interface. ACER is also developing phonics and phonemic teaching resources for the PAT Teaching Resources Centre for release later this year.
Why do you think discussion around phonics attracts controversy?
Research into how we learn is constantly evolving and advances in the science of learning and the science of reading continue apace, informing evolving educational policy and practice.
Like all research, evidence for specific approaches such as phonics is developed and refuted, resulting in the accumulation of evidence over time and greater specificity in the effectiveness of different approaches. Such research is subject to evolving political and ideological influences.
At different points in history, phonics has been a victim of strong marketing and bad press that at times has reduced discussion of early reading to an ‘either/or’ debate. Over time, practitioners and policymakers have come to a more robust, considered understanding of the evidence and the need for teachers to use practices and strategies shown to improve learning, consistent with the best current understandings, which is why phonics has re-established its place alongside the other elements of the Big 6 in early reading.