A Review from Professor David Waugh

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Monster Phonics has received an outstanding endorsement from Professor David Waugh from Durham University. David is an expert in phonics and co-author of Teaching Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Primary Schools. After an extensive review of the Monster Phonics programme and reading scheme, he concluded that “Monster Phonics combines a carefully-structured teaching and learning programme with an engaging reading scheme. A strong feature of the programme is the high-quality core materials for teachers and parents.

About Professor David Waugh

David is the Director of Primary Programmes and Primary English Course Leader at Durham University. In 2008, he became one of two advisors for primary Initial Teacher Training for the National Strategies, working with universities and school-based training providers throughout England.

David has published extensively on primary English. His publications include sixteen books for Scholastic designed to support teachers and trainees in planning for teaching. English 3-11 (2008, Routledge), written with Jolliffe, W, was a core text for many Initial Teacher Training providers. Its successor, English 5-11, published in October 2012 and 2017 are also core text. Teaching Systematic Synthetic Phonics in Primary Schools was published in June 2012 and 2016 and has also become a core text, as have Teaching Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling in Primary Schools (2013 and 2016) and Primary English for Trainee Teachers (2014 and 2017).

David has also co-written e-learning resources, including Developing Literacy in Initial Teacher Training, Secondary Developing Literacy in Initial Teacher Training, Progressing Learning in Literacy, Developing Mathematics in Initial Teacher Training, and Mentoring and Coaching.

He has also written an app. Spelling Punctuation and Grammar for Children Count, together with English, E, Bulman, E, Allott, K and Waugh, R. (2014). This is designed to provide ready access to subject knowledge on spelling, grammar and punctuation for teachers via mobile phones and tablet computers.

David is often asked to contribute articles to news websites (e.g. BBC) and newspapers (e.g. The Guardian)

David also enjoys writing stories for children. He is a published children’s author of three novels: Lottie’s Run; “Girls Can’t Play Football!”; and Jessica’s Other World, all of which are used in schools. He regularly works in schools in England and abroad, using novels as a focus for language work with children. This led to him being asked by 15 East Durham schools to write a novel with 45 children. The Wishroom was published in June 2017.

Publications

Authored books
Chapters in books
  • Waugh, D. (2017). Talk, reading comprehension and writing. In Unlocking Speaking and Listening (2nd edition). Jones, D. & Hodson, P. London: David Fulton.
  • Waugh, D (2015). Primary Education in England. In Education in the United Kingdom. Brock, C London: Bloomsbury. 9-34.
  • Waugh, D. (2012). Creativity in English. In Creativity for a New Curriculum. Newton, L. London: Routledge.
Journal Articles
  • Gill, A. & Waugh, D. (2016). Teaching Common Exception Words at KS2. Teach Primary
  • Gill, A. & Waugh, D. (2016). Teaching Common Exception Words in KS1 – Is It Really That Tricky? Teach Primary
  • Waugh, D. (2015). Danny the Champion of the World Saved My Career. Teach Primary (85).
  • Waugh, D., Warner, C. & Waugh, R. (2014). Our Role is not Simply to Correct MistakesTeach Primary (82).
  • Waugh, D., Warner, C. & Waugh, R. (2014). Spelling out the New CurriculumTeach Primary (81).
Conference Papers
  • Waugh, D. (2017), Developing Trainee Teachers’ Confidence in Spelling, TEAN Conference. Aston University, Birmingham.
  • Waugh, D. (2016), Writing With and For children, TEAN Conference. Aston University, Birmingham.
  • Waugh, D. (2015), School-based Teacher Training Sessions, TEAN Conference. Aston University, Birmingham.
  • Blatchford, P (2017). The Teachers’ Standards in the Classroom, 3rd edition.
Software
  • Waugh, D. , Allott. K. Waugh, R. English, E. & Bulmer, E. (2014). The Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar App. Morecambe: Children Count Ltd.