Publications by Margaret M Clark OBE
2014 – May 2022
Our two research reports from 2018 and 2020, this updated list of publications and recent key articles can be read and downloaded from a revised link on the Newman University website. Also on the revised link are the Education Journal Special Issue 1 on Baseline Assessment 2018 and the Special Issue 2019 on the Phonics Screening Check. An article summarising the 2020 research is available on the same website, as are other relevant articles including one critiquing the recent Ofsted publication. Preet Kaur Gill MP asked three written questions in parliament about the implications of our research on 10 June 2020, (see Education Journal Issue 416: 67-68 and Literacy Today .93: 10-15 for the questions and responses by Nick Gibb). The revised link is:
NB My published evidence on synthetic phonics and the Phonics Screening Check up to 2014 was summarised in Clark 2014 Learning to be Literate which won the UKLA Academic Book Award. Updated to 2015 in the revised edition Clark 2016 this was published by Routledge. Therefore, only the more recent articles are listed here and the two edited books with international contributors published in 2017 and 2018.
Books:
2014a Synthetic Phonics and Literacy Learning: An evidence-based critique. Birmingham: Glendale Education. (Self-published). (Updated in more recent publications).
___b Learning to be Literate: Insights from research for policy and practice. Birmingham: Glendale Education. (self-published). ISBN 978-0-9928931-0-1. NB This won the UKLA Academic Book Award in 2015 which led Routledge to publish the revised edition.
2016 Learning to be Literate: Insights from research for policy and practice. Revised Edition. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-18694-1 (HBK) 978-1-138-18695-8 (PBK) 978-1-315-64350-2 (EBK).
2017a Reading the Evidence: Synthetic phonics and literacy learning. (editor and contributor) Birmingham: Glendale Education. (self-published) Ebook downloadable from Amazon.co.uk and paperback. (This has six additional contributors from UK and Australia).
___ b Understanding Research in Early Education: The relevance for the future of lessons from the past. Third Edition. Abingdon: Routledge. (PBK) 978-1-138-63484-8 also EBK.
2018a Teaching Initial Literacy: Policies, evidence and ideology (editor and contributor). Birmingham: Glendale Education. (self-published). Ebook and paperback from Amazon.co.uk. (This has twelve additional contributors from USA, Australia, The Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and UK).
2018b editor with J. Glazzard, additional contributors S. Atkinson, J. Bayley and S. Reid. The Phonics Screening Check 2012-2017: An independent enquiry into the views of Head Teachers, teachers and parents. A Final Report September 2018. Available to download from Newman University.
2020 with J. Glazzard. S. Reid. C. Mills and J. Sloan Independent research into the impact of the systematic synthetic phonics government policy on literacy courses at institutions delivering initial teacher education in England. The report of this research is now available to read and download from the Newman University website
Journal Articles
Primary First
2016 `The effects and costs of four years of the phonics check in primary schools`. Primary First. Issue 15:10-14.
2018 ‘The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study PIRLS 2016: observations and cautions’. Primary First Issue 21: 26-29.
Education Journal
2015 ‘Encouraging and supporting reading in primary school in England: the next steps’. Education Journal. Issue 228: 15-19.
___ ‘Evidence on the synthetic phonics check in and not in the Final NFER Research Report’. Education Journal. Issue 240: 16-19.
___’Further government expenditure on the Phonics Check: why, with the available evidence?’ Education Journal. Issue 241: 17-18.
2016 ‘An appeal for a `research literate` teaching profession: what could be the implications for policy?` Education Journal Issue 281: 14-16.
___ ‘Primary Assessment Conference: More Than a Score 3 December 2016`. Education Journal Issue 289: 29-31
2017 ‘Synthetic Phonics and Baseline Assessment under the Searchlight in 2017: are they value for money in a time of cuts?’ Education Journal Issue 299: 16-19.
___ ‘Using data and evidence in education: a report from the Westminster Forum on 30th March’. Education Journal Issue 302: 29-30.
___ ‘Primary Assessment in England: Government Consultation Part I The place of phonics testing in primary schools’. Education Journal Issue 306: 12-14.
___ ‘Evidence-based literacy policies and a research literate profession: how to meet the challenge’. Education Journal Issue 310: 18-19.
___ ‘Scotland`s developing literacy policies: one response to PISA’. Education Journal Issue 311: 24-25.
___ ‘A Different Response to PISA: Australia`s plans to adopt the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check from England`. Education Journal Issue 312: 20-23.
___ ‘Australia plans to adopt the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check from England and recommend synthetic phonics as the method of teaching: why?’ Education Journal Issue 313: 24-25.
___ `Reading the Evidence: synthetic phonics and literacy learning` Education Journal Issue 316: 14-17.
2018 ‘Teaching initial literacy: Policies. Evidence and ideology’. Education Journal. Issue 333: 14-17.
___ ‘The Progress in International Reading Literacy PIRLS 2016: a cautionary tale’. Education Journal Issue 334: 22-25.
___ ‘The views of teachers, parents and children on the Phonics Screening Check: the continuing domination of politics over evidence’. Education Journal Issue 347: 20-23.
___ ‘The Phonics Screening Check: Intended and unintended effects on early years classrooms in England’. Education Journal. Issue 349: 29-33.
___ ‘How justified is it to dominate government policy on early literacy with synthetic phonics and the Phonics Screening Check? Evidence, effects and expenditure. Part I Recent evidence on effects and expenditure’. Education Journal. Issue 351: 18-21.
___ ‘How justified is it to dominate government policy on early literacy with synthetic phonics and the Phonics Screening Check? Part II A critique of the evidence.’ Education Journal. 352: 15-19.
___ ‘A knowledge-base from which to debate central government’s domination of literacy policy and practice in England. A plea for a research literate profession’. Education Journal Issue 359: 18-22.
Page Break___ ‘Reception Baseline Assessment’ Education Journal Special Issue No. 1 24 October. (Reprint of six articles from 2017)
2019a ‘Literacy policy, synthetic phonics and the Phonics Screening Check Education Journal Special Issue 379. Up to date introduction and reprint of articles.
___ b ‘The Phonics Screening Check 2012-2019: a critique’. Education Journal. Issue 387: 23-26.
2020a ‘the future of Early reading courses in initial teacher education institutions in England: who controls the content?’ Education Journal 407: 16-20 Also reprinted in Literacy Today 92: 9-13 and in Education Journal Review Vol 26(2).
___ b ‘Independent research into the impact of the systematic phonics government policy on literacy courses in institutions in England delivering initial teacher education’. Education Journal 411: 18-23.
___ c ’The future content of courses on teaching early reading in initial teacher education in England’. Education Journal. Issue 421: 22-27. Also in Literacy Today 93: 10-15.
___ d ‘Class of COVID-19 – what next for education? Education Journal. Issue 421: 42.
2022 ‘the relationship between written and spoken language: important distinctions for learning to read’. Education Journal. Issue 485: 23-26.
Education Journal Review
2018 ‘What determines literacy policies: evidence or ideology? The power of politicians over policy and practice’. Education Journal Review. Vol 25 (2) 2-30.
___ ‘The progress in international reading literacy study PIRLS 2016: a cautionary tale’. Education Journal Review Vol.25 (2) 76-83.
My article in the Education Journal 2019b has been reprinted in 2020 Vol 26 (1) and 2020a in Vol 26(2).
2020a ‘The teaching of early reading in primary schools in England. Does ideology trump evidence in the formation of government policy for primary schools and for institutions involved in initial teacher education?’ Education Journal Review. Vol 26 (3): 2-17. Also in the same issue.
___b ‘The administration of the Phonics Screening Check in autumn term 2020 to Year 2 children in primary schools in England’. 18-22.
2021 ‘Synthetic Phonics and the Phonics Screening Check 2012-2022: tracking and tracing the constants and changes in government policy’. Education Journal Review. Vol 27 (2) 2-13.
2022 ‘The development of a research-literate teaching profession and evidence-based government literacy policies’. Education Journal Review Vol 28 (1) 12-25.
Improving Schools
2016 `Learning to be Literate: insights from research for policy and practice`. Improving Schools Vol 19(2): 129-140.
Reclaiming Schools
2016 `Flawed Arguments for Phonics` in The Measurement of Learning: how tests are damaging children and primary education Reclaiming Schools London: NUT Nov. 2016.download from www.reclaimingschools.org.
Forum
2017 ‘Literacy Learning in the Twenty-first Century: how much have we learnt?’ Forum. Vol. 59 (3): 483-493.
2019 ‘Early Education in England: the power of politicians over policy and practice’. Forum Vol. 61(1): 187-199.
Literacy Today
2019 ‘The Phonics Screening Check 2012-2019: a critique. December 2019 Issue 9: 12-15.
2020 ‘The future of early reading courses in initial teacher education institutions in England: Who controls the content? Literacy Today Issue 92: 9-13.
2021 ‘Frank Smith: A tribute’. Literacy Today. Issue 95: 9.
2022 ‘The relationship between written and spoken language: important distinctions for learning to read’. Literacy Today Issue 98: 12-16.
Chapter in Book 2017 `Synthetic phonics and the phonics check` 88-90 in Beyond the exam factory: alternatives to high-stakes testing. Published by More than a Score based on a seminar at Oxford in March 2017. See www.morethanascore.co.uk
Baseline Assessment
My articles on Baseline Assessment are available in Education Journal Special Issue 1 and in a new chapter 10 in the Third Edition of Understanding Research in Early Education published in 2017.
Margaret M Clark 24.5.22