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| AdminHistory | The Unit was attached to the Department of Educational Psychology backed by an academic committee of H L Elvin, W R Niblett, W D Wall, P E Vernon, Joyce M Morris, Cyril Burt, D B Fry and James Pitman (MP). Central to its research was the improvement of reading skills by means of a system of simplified spelling.
Its initial research remit was to 'conduct an enquiry into the effectiveness of using a simplified and perfectly regular medium for infants' first experiences of printed English and postponing their introduction to the special difficulties of traditional orthography until they are fluent and confident in reading books printed in this similar and more systematic way.' In September 196[1] the first classes were taught using the new method.
The Unit received substantial outside funding including a grant of $100 000 from the Ford Foundation in 1965.
John Downing was the Unit's Research Officer and at some point moved to Director, until his resignation in 1969. In 1964 he published a series of lectures which claimed that 'learning to read is easier and speedier with i.t.a [Initial Teaching Alphabet] and that these very significant improvements in reading skill are transferred from i.t.a reading to reading in the traditional alphabet and spelling of English.' Downing's departure however signalled the end of this line of research. |