Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

A useful place to find helpful blogs and websites with a wealth of information about reading.
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Anne Glennie
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Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Anne Glennie »

This is a new and must-visit blog by Debbie Hepplewhite, where the focus is on what works for reading intervention and of course, crucially, prevention of reading failure.

Bang up-to-date with current news, views and opinion pieces, this is essential reading to keep abreast of what's happening in the education world, and beyond, with reference to reading, writing and spelling.

You will find a wide and appropriate range of effective and supportive resources for teaching, learning, training and informing – for both intervention and prevention purposes.

https://phonicsintervention.org/phonics ... tion-blog/
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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Re: Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

At the bottom of the 'home' page of my site, there is a list of articles I've written - all related to foundational literacy in one way or another.

Here is an article on 'handwriting' published in NATE Primary Matters, Spring 2017:

https://phonicsintervention.org/wp-cont ... -FINAL.pdf
Handwriting - observations and suggestions

In this article by Debbie Hepplewhite MBE, we are presented with advice for the effective teaching of handwriting which is challenging, sometimes contentious and ultimately compelling.
For anyone who is interested in teaching handwriting, you can find free alphabet and handwriting resources, free 'patter' and free video guidance for teaching fully joined handwriting here:

https://debbiehepplewhitehandwriting.com

My suggestions for teaching joined handwriting have been very well received in many schools - and the word has spread in some areas (for example, in Leeds) where several schools have adopted my handwriting style and teaching method.

This additional note is dated 30th January 2021. I actually have another blog The Naked Emperor which has a selection of different posts from the Phonics Intervention blog.

Via The Naked Emperor blog, I have written this post about my horror at the teaching of a print font starting with a 'lead-in' join - and the spread of this practice around England is very concerning. I suggest it warrants a national professional debate:
I’m HORRIFIED that teachers of 4 and 5 year olds are teaching a form of print with a ‘lead-in’ join – please stick to simple print!!!
https://debbiehepplewhite.com/im-horrif ... ple-print/
Last edited by Debbie_Hepplewhite on Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:48 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Re: Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

Here are some more of my articles which some people might find interesting or helpful - I always try to provide plenty of 'food for thought'!

In SEN Magazine:
Focussing on Phonics
(although I always use the spelling 'focusing')

https://senmagazine.co.uk/news/uncatego ... on-phonics
Literacy in the early years
https://senmagazine.co.uk/home/articles ... arly-years
Where next for phonics?
https://senmagazine.co.uk/articles/arti ... or-phonics
Phonics: policy and practice
https://senmagazine.co.uk/articles/arti ... d-practice
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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Re: Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

Here is a practical information article published in the parents' 'Trutex' magazine:
Features of phonics for reading and spelling
https://phonicsintervention.org/wp-cont ... school.pdf

Here is another short description of phonics teaching:
How do we teach reading and writing?
https://phonicsinternational.com/FR_PI_ ... elling.pdf


Here is another article to help teachers review their phonics provision for reading and spelling - published in NATE Primary Matters:
Phonics Teaching - is it fit for purpose?
https://phonicsinternational.com/NATE_TE.pdf

This article below was written by Headteacher Kate Flowerdew (at the time, Deputy Headteacher) but it builds on the practical and fit-for-purpose issues I raise about phonics provision - again published in NATE Primary Matters:
Teaching Phonics - a no nonsense approach to change
https://phonicsintervention.org/wp-cont ... _FINAL.pdf
Last edited by Debbie_Hepplewhite on Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Re: Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

This article was written with parents in mind for the My Baba organisation - it is rare in that I've referred to experiences with my own four children so I've written it 'as a parent':
Teaching Your Child to Read: How to Guarantee Your Child Becomes Truly Literate

Chatter, Books and Phonics: How best to guarantee your child becoming truly literate.
https://www.mybaba.com/chatter-books-an ... pplewhite/

This article was not published in any commercial magazine but it is packed full of information about phonics and the Year One Phonics Screening Check:
Phonics for fun, for life‐chances and for life!
https://phonicsintervention.org/wp-cont ... nics-1.pdf
Last edited by Debbie_Hepplewhite on Thu Nov 29, 2018 1:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Re: Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

This is another practical article published via Teachwire:
Phonics isn’t just ‘Baby Stuff’ – It Has a Valuable Role in KS2 Too

Some people, worryingly, consider that weaker or slower-to-learn readers need ‘something different' from phonics
https://www.teachwire.net/news/phonics- ... ign=buffer
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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Re: Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

This article is published in Headteacher Update:
Literacy: a moral right

In a challenging article, literacy expert Debbie Hepplewhite bemoans the conflicting and often strongly held views on how we should teach children to read – and calls for the moral rights of the child to be placed above the professional rights of the teacher

Do teachers share the same professional understanding of phonics provision and reading instruction? No.
http://www.headteacher-update.com/best- ... ht/164571/
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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Re: Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

I wrote an article for Teach Primary that was published as part of a 'debate' about England's statutory Year One Phonics Screening Check - the other contributor being David Reedy representing the United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA). As a consequence of the issues David Reedy raised in his piece, I felt a response - point for point - was needed. This might be helpful for people facing detractors for the use of an objective word-level phonics check in their contexts (as in Australia currently):
Debbie Hepplewhite’s direct response to David Reedy’s suggestions expressed in the ‘Teach Primary’ magazine, April 2013: ‘The Great Debate – Is it time to ditch the Y1 Phonics Screening Test?’
https://phonicsinternational.com/reedy_response.pdf

On the theme of the statutory use of a phonics check, I also wrote this response after attending a seminar of the Westminster Education Forum:
Debbie Hepplewhite’s response to talks and discussions held on 27th November 2012 at the Westminster Education Forum Keynote Seminar: Testing and assessment in primary schools
https://phonicsinternational.com/Westmi ... ite%20.pdf

I've written many other articles over the years, but I don't know where to locate them nowadays.
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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Re: Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

Having said I don't know where to locate further articles, there are many great articles (written by various people) in the archived UK Reading Reform Foundation newsletters - for which I was Newsletter Editor for a while - many of these articles are still relevant and topical:
Reading Reform Foundation Newsletter Archive
https://rrf.org.uk/resources/newsletter-archive/
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Debbie_Hepplewhite
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Re: Debbie Hepplewhite's Phonics Intervention Blog

Post by Debbie_Hepplewhite »

Food for thought about the use of nonsense words - and the difference between nonsense words used for decoding assessment in contrast to nonsense words used for children's general phonics practice:


See below for links to a number of podcast interviews where I talk about the use of nonsense words (or mis-use or over-use) in phonics provision, and four podcasts about the role of phonics for reading instruction in contexts where English is a new or additional language (although the information is also generally relevant):

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1026&p=1998#p1998
Last edited by Debbie_Hepplewhite on Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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