Reading test for five-year-olds will include 'made-up words'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.All pupils aged five and six will be given a compulsory reading test next June to help schools identify children who are struggling to cope in class.
The pupils will all be given a list of 40 words to read – 20 real words and 20 phonetically made-up words to identify whether they understand sounds and letters.
The go-ahead for the test was given yesterday after a pilot in 300 schools revealed that 43 per cent of teachers said they had identified pupils with reading problems for the first time as a result of the test.
However, teacher leaders were sharply critical of the plan, claiming it would introduce the concept of "teaching to the test" in the first year of primary schooling. They also argued that they already had robust measures for checking pupils' reading standards.
The pupils will be given the test between 18 and 22 June next year. During the pilot, it took teachers between four and nine minutes to take each pupil through the list of 40 words.
Among the make-up words included in the phonics test were "vag" and "vop".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments