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Changing How Literacy Is Taught: Evidence on Synthetic Phonics

Author

Listed:
  • Stephen Machin
  • Sandra McNally
  • Martina Viarengo

Abstract

A significant number of people have very low levels of literacy in many OECD countries. This paper studies a national change in policy and practice in England that refocused the teaching of reading around "synthetic phonics." This was a low-cost intervention that targeted the pedagogy of existing teachers. We evaluate the pilot and first phase of the national rollout. While strong initial effects tend to fade out on average, they persist for those with children with a higher initial propensity to struggle with reading. As a result, this program helped narrow the gap between disadvantaged pupils and other groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Machin & Sandra McNally & Martina Viarengo, 2018. "Changing How Literacy Is Taught: Evidence on Synthetic Phonics," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 10(2), pages 217-241, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:10:y:2018:i:2:p:217-41
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/pol.20160514
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Berlinski, Samuel & Busso, Matias & Giannola, Michele, 2023. "Helping struggling students and benefiting all: Peer effects in primary education," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    2. Jo Blanden & Matthias Doepke & Jan Stuhler, 2022. "Education inequality," CEP Discussion Papers dp1849, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    3. Spencer, Noah, 2024. "Comprehensive early literacy policy and the “Mississippi Miracle”," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    4. Holmlund, Helena & Häggblom, Josefin & Lindahl, Erica, 2024. "The Boost for reading," Working Paper Series 2024:6, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    5. Stewart, Kitty & Reader, Mary, 2021. "The Conservative governments' record on early childhood from May 2015 to pre-COVID 2020: policies, spending and outcomes," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 121552, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Zhang, Xinjie & Wang, Lu & Ye, Xiaoyang, 2025. "Combating Learning Poverty: Experimental Evidence on Improving Instruction Through Teacher Training," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    7. Knutsson, Daniel & Tyrefors, Björn, 2024. "Labor Market Effects of a Youth Summer Employment Program in Sweden," Working Paper Series 1485, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    8. Johnson, Helen & McNally, Sandra & Rolfe, Heather & Ruiz-Valenzuela, Jenifer & Savage, Robert & Vousden, Janet & Wood, Clare, 2019. "Reprint of: Teaching assistants, computers and classroom management," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 17-32.
    9. Elbro, Carsten & Kristensen, Nicolai & Skov, Peter Rohde, 2025. "Long-term Effects of Phonics Approaches to the Development of Reading Skills," IZA Discussion Papers 17815, IZA Network @ LISER.
    10. repec:cep:spccrp:08 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Martin Bøg & Jens Dietrichson & Anna A. Isaksson, 2021. "A multi-sensory tutoring program for students at risk of reading difficulties: Evidence from a randomized field experiment," The Journal of Educational Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 114(3), pages 233-251, April.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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    1. Changing How Literacy Is Taught: Evidence on Synthetic Phonics (American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 2018) in ReplicationWiki

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