That Reading Thing

Overview

That Reading Thing (TRT) is the brainchild of Tricia Millar, an experienced teacher who devised a linguistically-based, phonetically accurate and meticulously organised linguistic phonics programme to help young people with poor literacy improve their reading, and therefore their educational attainment and life chances. TRT arose from the insight that some young people’s problems with reading and writing may be due to their never having got the hang of how the language works from sound to print, and is therefore deliberately designed to make no assumptions about each new student’s level of reading and spelling. The materials are organised into 30 levels. Everyone proceeds through all the levels, but the test indicates how quickly or slowly that happens. Early levels rehearse the basics of word recognition and spelling, and those who struggle go through all these levels in detail; those who can move ahead fast do so.

Students build, spell and read age-appropriate multisyllabic words from the first session. The materials also recognise the potential for boredom on the part of the students and every teaching session has rapid succession of different activities.

TRT is intended to be delivered one-to-one, either by teachers employed by a LA which has bought the scheme in, or by volunteers. All tutors receive training in person, or online. The tutors’ manual and the website provide them with all materials and activities needed. They also provide word-by-word scripts for tutors to follow.

Evaluation Summary

Originally designed for older teenagers, including those disaffected and young offenders, it is now more often used in KS3. In 2012-13 Tricia Millar, with Welsh-speaking colleagues, developed a Welsh-language version called Llywio Darllen. KS3 data analysed here was collected by Tricia Millar and colleagues in 2009-11. The ratio gains indicate substantial progress.