Researchers at the University of Reading’s Institute of Education, Dr. Naomi Flynn, Dr. Daisy Powell and Prof. Rhona Stainthorp (in collaboration with Prof. Emerita Morag Stuart at UCL Institute of Education), have published evaluation of their Department for Education-funded professional development events in Journal of Research in Reading in an article titled ‘Training teachers for phonics and early reading: Developing research‐informed practice’.
Named ‘The Phonics Roadshows’, these one-day events were delivered to primary school teachers in 14 different local authorities in England where results in reading attainment were low. The article tracks teachers and Local Authority staff responses to the training on the day and one-year-on. The data demonstrate that locally-relevant, research-informed professional development can lead to sustainable changes in phonics teaching.
Reference
Flynn, N., Powell, D., Stainthorp, R. & Stuart, M. (2021). Training teachers for phonics and early reading: Developing research-informed practice. Journal of Research in Reading. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9817.12336