The Sound Discovery programme and the Snappy Lesson method of teaching were developed through personal research and are backed up by achievements in schools. This is described in the four downloadable papers shown below.
Please also see Independent Reports for government papers and independent Wave 3 Trials of Sound Discovery and Snappy Lesson.
(1) Raising literacy attainment of all pupils in a mainstream primary setting with particular reference to boys’ writing - a seven year longitudinal study
A longitudinal study which tracks children's literacy progress with the Sound Discovery synthetic phonics programme, from ages 4 - 11 years. 2003 SATs results. The advances made by boys in their writing were remarkable. Raising literacy attainment
(2) Accelerated Reading and Writing with Synthetic Phonics and Virtual Elimination of the "Tail of Underachievement": A Seven Year Longitudinal Study
A second longitudinal study based on progress made by the following year group. 2004 SATs results. Accelerated reading and writing
(3) All children can learn to read and spell with Sound Discovery®
The English equivalent of the Clackmannanshire study. All children paper
(4) How does Sound Discovery® match up to “The Prototype” of a good literacy instruction programme? Sound Discovery
(5) Feedback from Schools using Sound Discovery® and Snappy Lesson®
Independent reports
Synthetic phonics and Sound Discovery are highly commended in the following
independent reports: -
(6) Independent Review of the Teaching of Early Reading, Jim Rose, DfES
(7) House of Commons Education and Skills Committee, Teaching Children to Read.
(8) Reading for Purpose and Pleasure, OfSTED
(9) North Elmham (Norfolk County Council)
(10) Bath and North East Somerset (BANES Local Authority)
(11) Exceptional results in report from Norfolk County Council
(6) Government "Independent Review of the Teaching of Early Reading" - Final Report. Jim Rose. March 2006.
The long-awaited and much heralded report into the teaching of early learning by Jim Rose has now been released. It was the main story on a large number of news channels when it was first published. The report's main recommendation is that synthetic phonics be adopted nationally from September 2006. This link takes you to the report (you will be leaving the Synthetic Phonics website): - Rose Report
(7) House of Commons Education and Skills Committee "Teaching Children to Read" Evidence Pages 105 to 118.
A successful trial of Sound Discovery was reported to the House of Commons Education and Skills Committee by Sarah Seymour, an Advisory Support Teacher for the Norfolk LEA. Her findings are contained in this House of Commons Committee report. The Sound Discovery synthetic phonics literacy programme was tested in the Spring of 2004. The trial was carried out at North Elmham Primary School, Norfolk in consultation with the Cognition and Learning Team of the Norfolk Psychology Service. The programme was found to be effective, economical, motivating, user friendly and non age specific. The report is published by authority of the House of Commons and is available from The Stationery Office or click this link to download from the government website: www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmeduski/121/121.pdf ). Evidence Pages 105 to 118 can be found at pages 151-164 of this pdf document. On Evidence Pages 124 to 125 (pages 170 and 175 of the pdf document) of the same report, Jennifer Chew, OBE, a recognised authority in the teaching of literacy, discusses the advantages of adopting synthetic phonics and cites as evidence the Johnson and Watson study in Clackmannanshire and the Grant study in St Michael's School, Stoke Gifford, both of which have followed children to the end of their primary education. Marlynne Grant is the originator of the Sound Discovery programme.
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(8) Ofsted
An evaluation of the teaching of reading in primary schools.
"Reading for purpose and pleasure" December 2004. This Ofsted survey was undertaken:
* "to identify reasons for the wide range of attainment in reading among primary-aged pupils.
* to disseminate schools’ effective practice in reducing underachievement and developing pupils’ positive attitude to reading.
* to describe key features of the successful teaching of reading."
The report includes a case study of early intervention based on the Snappy Lesson:
The SEN Co-ordinator took the key role in the teaching of phonics and in providing related training for all staff. The lessons lasted for around 20 minutes in Year R (Reception) and 25 minutes in Year 1. They were held mostly during registration periods twice or three times a week. Intervention was used in Years 3 and 4 to teach more advanced spelling strategies. The case study concludes that the SEN Co-ordinator’s work had a positive impact on the standards achieved at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. The proportion of pupils on the SEN register had fallen each year since 1998, even though the percentages of pupils eligible for FSM remained fairly constant. In 2003, the test results for reading at Key Stage 1 showed, for the first time in several years, virtually no difference between the attainments of boys and girls. This was also reflected in attainment in reading at Key Stage 2. The survey report is published by the Ofsted Publications Centre (document reference number HMI 2393).
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(9) Sound Discovery Programme at North Elmham Primary School (Norfolk) - A report of
the Trial Published by Norfolk LEA
The main aims of the trial were to evaluate the impact that Sound Discovery has on reading, writing and motivation, and also the feasibility of its implementation within a small rural school. The "rule of thumb" advocated by the DfES, of a ratio gain of 'at least double the normal rate of progress' (DfES 2003) was satisfied in this trial. It was seen by North Elmham school as a cost effective intervention 'cheap and easy to introduce, economical in terms of time, all combined in a multi sensory, easy to use, hands on package.'
Wave 3 Intervention using Sound Discovery®-North Elmham Trial 2003
- From YR to Y6 (ages 4 to 11 years)
- 17 pupils, 1 school
- Vertical grouping
- 10 weeks
- Average Ratio Gains:
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(10) A Report of the Wave 3 Literacy Intervention Trial in four Bath and North East Somerset schools 2004. Published by Bath and North East Somerset LEA
The following successes were reported: -
* Average ratio gain for reading of 3.1
* Individual ratio gains for spelling
* Improvement in National Curriculum writing levels
* Increased skills, enthusiasm, motivation, independence and self esteem of children
* Removal of barriers to learning for children with a wide range of SEN
* School staff reported increased confidence in meeting the needs of children
Wave 3 Intervention using Sound Discovery®-BANES Local Authority Trial 2004
- Year 3 (ages 7 to 8 years)
- 18 pupils, 4 schools
- Vertical grouping
- 20 weeks
- Average Ratio Gains:
- Reading 3.1
- Spelling 0.9:
- 4 pupils 1.3+
- 1 pupil 2.9
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(11) "Some exceptional results obtained from the independent Sound Discovery trial
conducted by Norfolk County Council"
Sound Discovery Project Evaluation
This report is reproduced with the kind permission of Jacqui Worsley, Senior Advisory Support Teacher, Educational Psychology and Specialist Support, Children's Services.
Wave 3 Intervention using Sound Discovery®-Norfolk County Council Trial 2005
- From Y2-Y8 (ages 7 to 13 years)
- 47 pupils, 13 schools
- 12 weeks
- Average Ratio Gains:
- Reading 1.8 - 5.3
- 66% of pupils 2 - 8
- Spelling 1.4 – 3.2
- 56% of pupils 2 – 4.7
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