SusanG
@susangodsland.bsky.social
Retired linguistic phonics tutor in Exeter, Devon. Sceptic. Europhile. Posts mostly about phonics & 'dyslexia'. Non-fiction, quiet.
Dyslexia Demystified http://www.dyslexics.org.uk
Dyslexia Demystified http://www.dyslexics.org.uk
Reposted by SusanG
This year's royalties for The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading have arrived (£5477.65).
As promised, this money has been donated to Malaria Consortium.
This brings the running total donated (with Gift Aid) to about £57,000 in four years.
>>
As promised, this money has been donated to Malaria Consortium.
This brings the running total donated (with Gift Aid) to about £57,000 in four years.
>>
This year's royalties for The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading have arrived.
As promised, this money has been donated to Malaria Consortium.
This brings the running total donated (with Gift Aid) to a little above £50,000 in three years.
>>
As promised, this money has been donated to Malaria Consortium.
This brings the running total donated (with Gift Aid) to a little above £50,000 in three years.
>>
November 8, 2025 at 12:55 PM
This year's royalties for The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading have arrived (£5477.65).
As promised, this money has been donated to Malaria Consortium.
This brings the running total donated (with Gift Aid) to about £57,000 in four years.
>>
As promised, this money has been donated to Malaria Consortium.
This brings the running total donated (with Gift Aid) to about £57,000 in four years.
>>
Reposted by SusanG
The latest episode of the Impact Podcast is out now. Episode 211 - "Why I quit". Literacy Expert Panel Member, Elizabeth Nonweiler speaks out about why she has resigned from the Welsh Government panel & what's going wrong.
Listen here: open.spotify.com/show/778EJMB...
Listen here: open.spotify.com/show/778EJMB...
Episode 211: “Why I quit.” Literacy expert speaks out
open.spotify.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:26 AM
The latest episode of the Impact Podcast is out now. Episode 211 - "Why I quit". Literacy Expert Panel Member, Elizabeth Nonweiler speaks out about why she has resigned from the Welsh Government panel & what's going wrong.
Listen here: open.spotify.com/show/778EJMB...
Listen here: open.spotify.com/show/778EJMB...
Reposted by SusanG
Elizabeth Nonweiler has stepped down from the Welsh Government’s Expert Literacy Panel, raising serious concerns about the direction of national literacy policy.
Read her resignation letter here: readingreform.org/blog/waless-...
Read her resignation letter here: readingreform.org/blog/waless-...
Wales’s Literacy Plans Must Change - Reading Reform Foundation UK
Elizabeth Nonweiler has stepped down from the Welsh Government’s Expert Literacy Panel, raising serious concerns about the direction of national literacy
readingreform.org
October 27, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Elizabeth Nonweiler has stepped down from the Welsh Government’s Expert Literacy Panel, raising serious concerns about the direction of national literacy policy.
Read her resignation letter here: readingreform.org/blog/waless-...
Read her resignation letter here: readingreform.org/blog/waless-...
Please read Elizabeth Nonweiler's letter if you are a primary teacher or a parent with a primary-aged child in #Wales. 'Wales’s Literacy Plans Must Change' readingreform.org/blog/waless-...
Wales’s Literacy Plans Must Change - Reading Reform Foundation UK
Elizabeth Nonweiler has stepped down from the Welsh Government’s Expert Literacy Panel, raising serious concerns about the direction of national literacy
readingreform.org
October 27, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Please read Elizabeth Nonweiler's letter if you are a primary teacher or a parent with a primary-aged child in #Wales. 'Wales’s Literacy Plans Must Change' readingreform.org/blog/waless-...
Reposted by SusanG
"Triangulation: moving from correlations to causation", Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine Distinguished Lecture 2025, Thursday, October 16th, 5pm, in person or online
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-of-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-of-...
September 12, 2025 at 4:19 PM
"Triangulation: moving from correlations to causation", Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine Distinguished Lecture 2025, Thursday, October 16th, 5pm, in person or online
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-of-...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/school-of-...
Reposted by SusanG
As with almost every article written about reading in the past few years, this one has inspired a few suggestions that the focus on phonics has caused problems.
I'd like to explain why I disagree.
>>
I'd like to explain why I disagree.
>>
An expert shares five reading fluency strategies to support children to become better readers
Reading fluency: why it matters and how to teach it
A focus on reading fluency can help to bridge the gap between decoding and comprehension, says Penny Slater, who shares strategies for supporting children to become fluent readers
www.tes.com
September 28, 2025 at 10:49 AM
As with almost every article written about reading in the past few years, this one has inspired a few suggestions that the focus on phonics has caused problems.
I'd like to explain why I disagree.
>>
I'd like to explain why I disagree.
>>
Reposted by SusanG
For a pupil to read *anything* with fluency, they must be able to recognise the words with automaticity.
Fluency relies on other things too, but automatic word recognition is fundamental.
>>
Fluency relies on other things too, but automatic word recognition is fundamental.
>>
September 28, 2025 at 10:49 AM
For a pupil to read *anything* with fluency, they must be able to recognise the words with automaticity.
Fluency relies on other things too, but automatic word recognition is fundamental.
>>
Fluency relies on other things too, but automatic word recognition is fundamental.
>>
Reposted by SusanG
A surprising story about a global seed vault where over 580 million seeds from around the world are preserved safely in the permafrost. This beautifully illustrated book is intriguing and informative. With connections to both SCI and SS, this book belongs in every school library.
September 11, 2025 at 9:34 PM
A surprising story about a global seed vault where over 580 million seeds from around the world are preserved safely in the permafrost. This beautifully illustrated book is intriguing and informative. With connections to both SCI and SS, this book belongs in every school library.
Reposted by SusanG
Sharing for anyone overseas (i.e., not in NZ) wanting to hear a little of what NZ birdsong can sound like ⬇️
ANYWAY.
I’m currently being yelled at by a tree full of deep pink blossom.
May I present Tūi birb vs Korimako/ Bellbirb for your delectation.
#notpolitics #nature #morningwalk
I’m currently being yelled at by a tree full of deep pink blossom.
May I present Tūi birb vs Korimako/ Bellbirb for your delectation.
#notpolitics #nature #morningwalk
September 6, 2025 at 5:57 AM
Sharing for anyone overseas (i.e., not in NZ) wanting to hear a little of what NZ birdsong can sound like ⬇️
Reposted by SusanG
🎉 New article! 🎉
Our latest in @jidr-wiley.bsky.social measures what teachers of students with IDD know about foundational word reading and how that relates to their training and classroom instruction.
#OpenAccess version here: doi.org/10.1111/jir....
@kimberlymcfadden.bsky.social
Our latest in @jidr-wiley.bsky.social measures what teachers of students with IDD know about foundational word reading and how that relates to their training and classroom instruction.
#OpenAccess version here: doi.org/10.1111/jir....
@kimberlymcfadden.bsky.social
September 5, 2025 at 6:28 PM
🎉 New article! 🎉
Our latest in @jidr-wiley.bsky.social measures what teachers of students with IDD know about foundational word reading and how that relates to their training and classroom instruction.
#OpenAccess version here: doi.org/10.1111/jir....
@kimberlymcfadden.bsky.social
Our latest in @jidr-wiley.bsky.social measures what teachers of students with IDD know about foundational word reading and how that relates to their training and classroom instruction.
#OpenAccess version here: doi.org/10.1111/jir....
@kimberlymcfadden.bsky.social
Reposted by SusanG
Whoever needs reminding: the Convention on Human Rights is one of the greatest achievements of European civilisation, following one of its greatest tragedies. For us to leave it would not only undermine all our own rights and freedoms, it would be a completely immoral abdication of responsibility.
August 26, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Whoever needs reminding: the Convention on Human Rights is one of the greatest achievements of European civilisation, following one of its greatest tragedies. For us to leave it would not only undermine all our own rights and freedoms, it would be a completely immoral abdication of responsibility.
Reposted by SusanG
US ignores home-grown education ideas that are accelerating progress overseas. fordhaminstitute.org/national/com...
The U.S. ignores home-grown ed ideas that are accelerating progress overseas
One could argue that the University of Virginia cognitive psychologist Daniel Willingham is one of the most influential Americans of the 21st century. Willingham has observed that we have learned more...
fordhaminstitute.org
August 15, 2025 at 9:00 PM
US ignores home-grown education ideas that are accelerating progress overseas. fordhaminstitute.org/national/com...
Reposted by SusanG
Vaccines don’t just prevent deadly and dangerous diseases like measles, polio and COVID-19.
A new study found that people who got the shingles vaccine had a 20% lower risk of developing dementia.
tcnv.link/o9EHsxy
A new study found that people who got the shingles vaccine had a 20% lower risk of developing dementia.
tcnv.link/o9EHsxy
August 11, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Vaccines don’t just prevent deadly and dangerous diseases like measles, polio and COVID-19.
A new study found that people who got the shingles vaccine had a 20% lower risk of developing dementia.
tcnv.link/o9EHsxy
A new study found that people who got the shingles vaccine had a 20% lower risk of developing dementia.
tcnv.link/o9EHsxy
Reposted by SusanG
**New blog** - It's been a while so reposts hugely appreciated.
primarycolour.home.blog/2025/08/01/t...
primarycolour.home.blog/2025/08/01/t...
The Most Common Reason Why Children Don’t Become Fluent Readers… And What We Can Do About It
There are myriad reasons why a child might struggle to become a fluent reader: they might have extreme difficulties in learning to decode words relating to phonological issues, working memory or ot…
primarycolour.home.blog
August 1, 2025 at 12:25 PM
**New blog** - It's been a while so reposts hugely appreciated.
primarycolour.home.blog/2025/08/01/t...
primarycolour.home.blog/2025/08/01/t...
Reposted by SusanG
Excellent article on the problems caused by labelling versus teaching kids what they need to know.
From @paulkirschner.bsky.social
From @paulkirschner.bsky.social
What's in a name? “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”.
Changing the label doesn't solve the problem. #EduSky
www.kirschnered.nl/2025/07/27/l...
Changing the label doesn't solve the problem. #EduSky
www.kirschnered.nl/2025/07/27/l...
Language - kirschner-ED
If neurodiversity is a strength or a unique cognitive profile, why do we intervene? If it’s “not something broken that needs to be fixed”, why are we spending so much time and money to fix it?
www.kirschnered.nl
July 28, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Excellent article on the problems caused by labelling versus teaching kids what they need to know.
From @paulkirschner.bsky.social
From @paulkirschner.bsky.social
Reposted by SusanG
🥳 The ‘holy grail’ of reading inventions that was birthed in NZ & exported to the world has finally been dumped. Now the way is clear for children to receive scientifically-based instruction & stop being instructional casualties. H/T @kathyrastle.bsky.social
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
AJLD EMINENT RESEARCHER AWARD WINNER 2024 Professor James Chapman: The rise and demise of reading recovery in New Zealand
Reading Recovery (RR) was introduced throughout New Zealand during the 1980s, for children struggling the most with learning to read after 1 year of formal schooling. In May 2024, the Minister of E...
www.tandfonline.com
June 10, 2025 at 3:08 PM
🥳 The ‘holy grail’ of reading inventions that was birthed in NZ & exported to the world has finally been dumped. Now the way is clear for children to receive scientifically-based instruction & stop being instructional casualties. H/T @kathyrastle.bsky.social
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by SusanG
one of my colleagues at UoA Psych has gone into inner-city modern learning environment schools and simply sticks a microphone in them to measure the ambient noise. she told me "they're BARNS. it's so noisy in there that it's like kids are trying to learn next to a LAWN MOWER."
July 16, 2025 at 4:37 AM
one of my colleagues at UoA Psych has gone into inner-city modern learning environment schools and simply sticks a microphone in them to measure the ambient noise. she told me "they're BARNS. it's so noisy in there that it's like kids are trying to learn next to a LAWN MOWER."
Reposted by SusanG
Great flash-mob. Morning by Edward Gried - and the timing as the train exits the tunnel into daylight is awesome. youtu.be/gww9_S4PNV0?...
Flash mob in the Copenhagen Metro. Copenhagen Phil playing Peer Gynt.
YouTube video by Copenhagen Phil
youtu.be
June 21, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Great flash-mob. Morning by Edward Gried - and the timing as the train exits the tunnel into daylight is awesome. youtu.be/gww9_S4PNV0?...
Reposted by SusanG
The transportational ability of this poem is something else 🤌
June 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The transportational ability of this poem is something else 🤌
Reposted by SusanG
Really wonderful to see @andrewcopson.bsky.social honoured with an OBE!
Andrew has worked tirelessly with @humanists.uk to help voices of non-religious people (most of us in UK) to be heard - creating tangible impacts in policy, human rights and education.
humanists.uk/2025/06/13/a...
Andrew has worked tirelessly with @humanists.uk to help voices of non-religious people (most of us in UK) to be heard - creating tangible impacts in policy, human rights and education.
humanists.uk/2025/06/13/a...
Andrew Copson awarded OBE in first-ever UK award for ‘Services to the Non-Religious’
Humanists UK’s Chief Executive Andrew Copson has been awarded an OBE for ‘services to the non-religious’ in the UK national honours announced today. This is the first time an award has been made for s...
humanists.uk
June 14, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Really wonderful to see @andrewcopson.bsky.social honoured with an OBE!
Andrew has worked tirelessly with @humanists.uk to help voices of non-religious people (most of us in UK) to be heard - creating tangible impacts in policy, human rights and education.
humanists.uk/2025/06/13/a...
Andrew has worked tirelessly with @humanists.uk to help voices of non-religious people (most of us in UK) to be heard - creating tangible impacts in policy, human rights and education.
humanists.uk/2025/06/13/a...
Reposted by SusanG
Now available to everyone.
Tuesday's blog post.
Phonics Denialism and the Education Policy Institute. Part 2 open.substack.com/pub/andrewol...
Tuesday's blog post.
Phonics Denialism and the Education Policy Institute. Part 2 open.substack.com/pub/andrewol...
Phonics Denialism and the Education Policy Institute. Part 2
The EPI asks "What can quantitative analyses tell us about the national impact of the phonics screening check?" and then gives a ludicrous answer.
open.substack.com
June 14, 2025 at 6:38 AM
Now available to everyone.
Tuesday's blog post.
Phonics Denialism and the Education Policy Institute. Part 2 open.substack.com/pub/andrewol...
Tuesday's blog post.
Phonics Denialism and the Education Policy Institute. Part 2 open.substack.com/pub/andrewol...
Reposted by SusanG
Nobody believed us when we warned them RFK Jr.’s endgame is to eliminate all vaccines. They told us we were histrionic and hysterical. I’ve been watching RFK Jr. for 20 years. He’s antivax to the core. He really means it, and NOTHING will change his mind. He will do all he can to eliminate vaccines.
June 9, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Nobody believed us when we warned them RFK Jr.’s endgame is to eliminate all vaccines. They told us we were histrionic and hysterical. I’ve been watching RFK Jr. for 20 years. He’s antivax to the core. He really means it, and NOTHING will change his mind. He will do all he can to eliminate vaccines.
Reposted by SusanG
here’s this year’s Faraday lecture that inspired Sella to act.
tinyurl.com/4xz9xbuz
tinyurl.com/4xz9xbuz
Science under threat: the politics of institutionalised disinformation | Royal Society
Join us for the Michael Faraday Prize Lecture given by 2024 winner Professor Salim Abdool Karim.
tinyurl.com
June 10, 2025 at 5:27 AM
here’s this year’s Faraday lecture that inspired Sella to act.
tinyurl.com/4xz9xbuz
tinyurl.com/4xz9xbuz
Reposted by SusanG
Very much this. Bear in mind that independent schools cite ‘dyslexia’ and ‘special needs’ as justification for 25% of their students having exam access arrangements. Even the teachers know it’s gamed.
June 8, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Very much this. Bear in mind that independent schools cite ‘dyslexia’ and ‘special needs’ as justification for 25% of their students having exam access arrangements. Even the teachers know it’s gamed.
Reposted by SusanG
A common assumption is that reading is easy to teach. If that is so, why do 20% arrive at secondary school reading well behind their age?
Read more in our blog ‘Whose Responsibility?’ wp.me/p4hKgx-82z (4 min read) & let us know what you think.
#EduBlogUK #EduSky
Read more in our blog ‘Whose Responsibility?’ wp.me/p4hKgx-82z (4 min read) & let us know what you think.
#EduBlogUK #EduSky
Whose Responsibility?
It came as a shock to see a letter in the Sunday Times demanding that parents be held to account if their children do not learn to read at school. I had thought that we were making progress on such…
wp.me
June 4, 2025 at 7:54 PM
A common assumption is that reading is easy to teach. If that is so, why do 20% arrive at secondary school reading well behind their age?
Read more in our blog ‘Whose Responsibility?’ wp.me/p4hKgx-82z (4 min read) & let us know what you think.
#EduBlogUK #EduSky
Read more in our blog ‘Whose Responsibility?’ wp.me/p4hKgx-82z (4 min read) & let us know what you think.
#EduBlogUK #EduSky