New phonics tests redesign learning to read

ABC NEWS (Australia)

In a major shake up of how reading is taught in Victoria, all grade one students will sit a new 10-minute phonics test to assess their progress. The new assessment is designed to save time and better identify struggling students who might otherwise fall through the cracks.

Transcript

00:00The state's quest to change how kids are taught to read and write is well underway.

00:13Phonics, the explicit teaching of the sounds in words, is being rolled out in Victorian

00:17schools and now this new phonics test will see how well students are actually doing.

00:24Dockland's primary student, Alonzo, is shown both nonsense and real words in the ten minute

00:29test.

00:30Scrug.

00:31And why are they nonsense words?

00:32And they're nonsense words so that we're actually checking their phonics knowledge,

00:36they're words that the students have never seen before, so we're checking do they have

00:40that code knowledge to be able to say the sounds and read that word.

00:43This test will be rolled out next year and will be mandatory in all government schools

00:46in 2026.

00:47It replaces a current assessment that takes longer and is less useful in identifying struggling

00:53students.

00:54We can catch kids early if they have any issues with their phonics knowledge and early reading

01:00skills and we can intervene early before waiting to fail.

01:03This is a game changer for our education system.

01:06The state is speeding up the phonics rollout, giving schools an extra $5 million to buy

01:10more of these mini whiteboards and specialty books.

01:13So it gives them that opportunity to practice phonics in a real life situation of reading

01:18a story that they will experience success with.

01:21They're great little stories.

01:23Young children love reading them.

01:25Whatever your postcode, every child will get the benefits of learning how to read properly

01:31and it will set them up for life.

01:35The phonics reforms were resisted by the teachers union earlier this year, but experts back

01:39the change after success interstate and overseas.

01:43England introduced a year one phonics screening check many years ago.

01:47We've seen a really significant increase in the performance of students in terms of

01:52their ability to master reading and that has actually flowed through to better outcomes.

01:57I'm ecstatic as a teacher but also as a parent because it means that no matter what school

02:01you go to, it's not potluck, you're going to learn to read.

02:05That's all any parent wants.

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