Recommendations of the Independent review of the teaching of early reading (the Rose Report) March 2006

The Rose Report acknowledges the contribution the National Literacy Strategy has made to raising standards of attainment in reading in England since its inception in 1998 and to the improved direct teaching of literacy in the primary phase. However, the report also found that the Searchlights model of reading promoted by the Strategy has now been overtaken by more recent research and concludes that it is now time to move on from this model in order to support teachers and practitioners to further improve their teaching of early reading. It recommends the adoption of a different conceptual framework: the simple view of reading. This conceptual framework identifies two components of reading: 'word recognition' and 'language comprehension', both of which are essential to developing fluent and effective reading, and both of which require specific kinds of teaching.

'Further progress toward the goal of using evidence derived from psychological research to inform teaching practice will be better achieved if the searchlights model is now reconstructed into the two components of reading (word recognition, language comprehension) that are present but confounded within it.' Independent review of the teaching of early reading, Appendix 1, paragraph 9, page 75

Recommendations of the Independent review of the teaching of early reading (the Rose Report) March 2006

What is the 'simple view of reading'?

Figure 1: The 'simple view of reading'

As shown in Figure 1, the 'simple view of reading' proposes that skilled reading entails development of a set of processes by which the words on the page are recognised and understood (i.e. word recognition processes), and development of increasingly sophisticated language comprehension processes, by which texts as well as spoken language are understood and interpreted. Learning to read therefore involves setting up processes by which the words on the page can be recognised and understood, and continuing to develop the language comprehension processes that underlie both spoken and written language comprehension. Both sets of processes are necessary for reading, but neither is sufficient on its own. Children who cannot adequately recognise the words on the page are by that fact alone prevented from fully understanding the text; however, recognising and understanding the words on the page is no guarantee that the text will be understood.

'Different kinds of teaching are needed to develop word recognition skills from those that are needed to foster the comprehension of written and spoken language.' Independent review of the teaching of early reading, Appendix 1, paragraph 18, page 77

It follows that when practitioners and teachers undertake reading activities, including shared, guided and discrete teaching of reading, they need to think carefully about which component of reading they intend to focus on.

The implications of the 'simple view of reading' for the Searchlights model

The report recommends that the NLS Searchlights model should be reconstructed to take full account of word recognition and language comprehension as distinct processes, albeit both essential to securing effective reading. The report makes clear that there is a different weighting to these processes as children become increasingly fluent and accurate readers. Children need to acquire and practise certain skills in the early stages of reading in order to develop fluent automatic word reading, whereas the abilities to understand and appreciate written texts continue to develop throughout life. Development of fluent and automatic word reading skills is based on acquisition and use of phonic knowledge. This is acknowledged in the report's recommendation that the Primary National Strategy should now take forward the conceptual framework of the 'simple view of reading' to support quality-first teaching of early reading, with an appropriate focus on teaching phonic knowledge and skills as the prime approach to the teaching of early reading.

'The knowledge, skills and understanding that constitute high-quality phonics work should be taught as the prime approach in learning to decode (to read) and encode (to write/spell) print.' Independent review of the teaching of early reading, paragraph 240, page 70

The 'simple view of reading' replaces the Searchlights model. The knowledge and skills within the four Searchlights strategies are subsumed within the two dimensions of word recognition and language comprehension of 'the simple view of reading'. For beginner readers, priority should be given to securing word recognition knowledge and skills. This means that 'high-quality phonic work', as defined in the Rose Report, should be the prime approach used when teaching beginners to read and spell.