EduResearch Matters AARE blog February 3, 2025 Mellie Green, Southern Cross University
The mystifying magic bullet
Recent reports suggest that as many as 30% of young Australians are not reading at a proficient level. These reports often promote phonics instruction as the primary magic bullet solution. This emphasis is puzzling since standardised tests predominantly assess reading comprehension. If comprehension test results are lower than expected, shouldn’t greater attention be given to fostering comprehension and deep meaning-making?
Phonic knowledge is undoubtedly important for developing strong decoding skills. However, over-emphasising phonics may only improve phonics skills—not necessarily reading comprehension. As one professor astutely observed, “Teaching more phonics will only make children better at phonics.”
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