Who is this research for?
Every Year 2 teacher knows that a small number of children fail to acquire good reading skills by conventional teaching strategies and that these children go on to form the 20% who achieve only Level 2/3 English at Key Stage 2 and ultimately to leave school at age 16 less than functionally literate. This project specifically targets these children with a short course of reading exercises which it is proposed, will resolve their problems.
What is this strategy called?
It is called Hot Reading.
Is Hot Reading a 'Whole Word' or a 'Phonics' strategy?
They idea that there are two opposing reading teaching strategies called 'phonics' and 'whole word' is defunct thinking. To become a good reader, it is essential that the grapheme-phoneme correspondences are learned; what it is not important is HOW they are learned. Any child who learns what a word looks like, subconsciously also learns the sounds associated with the letters and letter combinations in that word.
The aim of this project is to provide, not anecdotal 'evidence' but proof positive, that the Hot Reading strategy can ensure the acquisition of good reading skills by about 95% of these vulnerable readers who are being failed by the teaching systems currently in place.
Resolving reading difficulties at this early stage is desirable because it is 'prevention' rather than 'cure'
Methodology.
1. Each vulnerable reader spends about five minutes at a computer every day 'reading' a predetermined reading exercise, with the assistance of the computer. This exercise is completed by the child with no adult intervention.
2, The child subsequently reads his/her prepared text to an adult, teacher or TA from a Teacher's Book which is provided in the free resource pack.
The project starts in January and lasts just over one term. Any Year 2 teacher interested in taking part should email Eddie Carron at eddiecarron@btconnect.com
requesting whatever other details or information they may require. There are no costs to schools whatsoever.
At the computer the child wears a headset.
1. The child (or initially the adult) copies his/her name into the programme as requested by the programme.
2. The programme invites the child to click on a START button at which point, the programme says "Watch the words and listen!" The programme then conducts the child's eye through a short passage with each word serially emboldened. The computer 'voices' each word after a carefully calculated delay. They delay varies throughout the course.
3. The programme then says "Now you read it yourself!" and emboldens the first word. The pupil is taught that (1) by tapping the spacebar, the word focus moves along and that (2) by tapping any letter key, the word in focus is voiced.
At the reading session.
The child reads his prepared text to an adult from a Teachers Book. The first five exercises should be regarded as 'introductory' and the child should be praised simply for completing the exericse. Some reading errors are to be expected in this introductory phase.
After the first five exercises, the adult requires the child to read not only the exercise completed that day, but also the exercise completed the day previously. The child should now learn that the teacher expects him or her to make no reading errors.
Taking part in the project.
The project starts in January. Any Year 2 teacher wishing to take part should register their interest now by emailing me at eddiecarron@btconnect.com The list will close at the end of this term. Participants will be sent the project resources as soon as we receive their application to take part.
Anyone requiring further information could either email me at eddiecarron@btconnect.com or post their question as a comment below.
