Star letter - Literacy programme that succeeds
Teachers Magazine -  31 March 2004   Issue 31

"I was so glad to read your article "Speak, listen...learn" (Teachers, Issue 30, January 2004). I, like many other teachers, have felt that for the last few years, children's listening abilities have degenerated. I always admire the rare parent who gets their child to stand still and make eye contact before giving instructions or advice.

As well as drama and group discussions, can I add learning to read and write? Listening is absolutely essential in order to learn these skills and I have been bowled over by a literacy programme called POPAT (Programme of Phoneme Awareness Training), which succeeds in this every time and works for children with special needs as well as those in mainstream education.

After 27 years teaching, I would recommend this scheme to all primary schools. The training for staff may be strict, but it's well worth it. Reading, writing, punctuation and confidence with words comes naturally from using POPAT. It is strict with the children as well, but they always enjoy using it."

Barbara Mark, Ludlow