States face push for phonics test for Year 1 students

Pressure is mounting on state and territory education ministers to endorse a nationwide phonics test for Year 1 students.

‘Almost one in five Australian Year 4 students still struggle to read at an agreed level of proficiency.’

Pressure is mounting on state and territory education ministers to endorse a nationwide phonics test for Year 1 students, amid fresh evidence from Britain suggesting similar screening has helped to lift reading standards, especially among boys.

Britain’s impressive result in a large-scale international literacy study — in which it moved up to eighth position compared to Australia’s 21st ranking — has been described as the best in a generation, with experts attributing it to a renewed focus on teaching phonics.

Australia’s own performance in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, which assessed the reading abilities of Year 4 students across 50 countries, has improved significantly following the introduction of a national curriculum in recent years. Concerningly, however, almost one in five Australian students still struggle to read at an agreed level of proficiency.

The results are expected to add weight to the federal government push for phonics screening, which would aim to identify young students who are struggling and likely to make slower progress than their peers.

The Council of Australian Governments’ Education Council, which comprises state and territory education ministers, is due to hear a proposal on the test at its meeting tomorrow.

The states are understood to be split on the proposal, with the ACT and Queensland having likened the move to “another standardised test”.

NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes and Tasmania’s Minister for Education and Training Jeremy Rockliff yesterday offered support for the proposal, which would involve teachers conducting a one-on-one assessment.

“With comprehensive evidence now proving the efficacy of synthetic phonics, the NSW government supports early phonics checks in schools,” Mr Stokes said. However, he cautioned that NSW would not support any program that involved “a NAPLAN-style approach”.

The Developmental Disorders of Language and Literacy Network Group, which represents literacy experts, researchers, teachers and speech therapists, has lobbied for the screening. In an open letter to all state education ministers sent on Monday, it reiterated its support.

“The importance of the phonics screening check is to identify children whose reading and comprehension is compromised by a failure to identify (or ­decode) words quickly and accurately,” the group wrote. “Early identification of decoding difficulties is essential for identifying children who need extra support and help to overcome existing or potential reading difficulties.

“We believe that the ­implementation of the Year 1 phonics check will lead to more effective teaching of reading in our schools through early identification and support of children who experience difficulties in developing the necessary skills that underlie effective reading.”

Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham said Britain’s phonics check, which was introduced in 2012, underpinned a clear plan to boost literacy outcomes. “These latest literacy ­results underscore the effectiveness of the UK’s focus on reading skills,” he said.