Here at last we have a comprehensive and authoritative guide to phoneme-grapheme correspondences and grapheme-phoneme correspondences in British English. It can be consulted by those attempting to devise literacy education programmes using the now highly fashionable – even orthodox – teaching approach generally referred to as 'synthetic phonics'. It can also be used to assess critically the adequacy of synthetic phonics approaches. It is not partisan in relation to educational debates but can make those debates much better informed. For those with a more specific interest in the English spelling system, it will provide a highly accessible work of reference.
Peter Hannon
Emeritus Professor, School of Education, University of Sheffield