Gardner, P. & Kuzich,S. (2024,September,5). Edu Research Matters.
This short, succinct post in the AARE Blog, EduResearch Matters, was published in September 2024.
The post shines a light on students starting school with poor verbal skills, linked to parents’ use of mobile phones, as well as poor core body strength and both gross and fine motor coordination. The authors claim that young students currently have limited opportunities to hear and use natural language and limited opportunity to engage with quality books in the early years of school.
“They’ve been replaced by streams of powerpoints, simplistic worksheets, decodable books and choral chanting of letter-sound correspondences”.
Gardner and Kuzich, argue for a focus on spoken language in early schooling as well as more physical activity. Talking should come before phonics.