ABSTRACT
In three studies we have focussed on examining the effectiveness of different types of phonics teaching methods, that is, synthetic and analytic phonics. The outcome of three studies reported in this chapter leads to the conclusion that synthetic phonics can be used to teach English-speaking children to learn to read at the start of schooling, and its advantages are not just due to the accelerated letter—sound learning that is typical of this approach. Synthetic phonics develops phonemic awareness, and gives rise to word reading, reading comprehension, and spelling skills significantly above children's chronological ages. Furthermore, it is a method of teaching reading that is particularly beneficial for boys. Potential explanations for the superior reading performance of boys over that of girls are presented.
