Greater expectations

Programs like MultiLit, pioneered by Kevin and Robyn Wheldall, provided a practical solution to improve literacy rates, particularly for students falling behind. MultiLit's explicit teaching methods, grounded in phonics, offer step-by-step, teacher-led instruction and structured assessments, ensuring that students build critical literacy skills incrementally.

Thanks to the research and advocacy of education reformers such as Pamela Snow, Anne Castles, Max Coltheart and Jennifer Buckingham, "phonics checks" were introduced in Australian schools, helping identify children who need intervention before falling irrevocably behind. These reforms reflected a broader push for national standards, aiming to ensure that all students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, received the structured support needed to develop strong reading skills.

Perhaps inevitably, the debate over reading instruction became entwined with standardised testing and teacher accountability. Phonics advocates supported the use of standardised tests to measure student progress and hold schools accountable for student success. Whole language advocates, on the other hand, claimed that testing forced teachers to focus on test preparation rather than fostering a "holistic" love of learning. Pure humbug, you might say. And you would be correct.

As we move further into the 21st century, discovery learning is being supplanted by explicit, teacher-led education in which students are taught the building blocks of language step by step. This shift didn't happen overnight. Rudolf Flesch's Why Johnny Can't Read, And What You Can Do About It-a plea for explicit phonics-based teaching-was published in 1955! It took 70 years of data collection, advocacy, and proof that learning happens most effectively when teachers, rather than pupils, take the lead. Why did it take so long? The problem was and remains an aversion to accountability.

Even today, school principals continue to lobby parliamentarians against national assessments. They say that assessments stress students and public reporting of school performance embarrasses and stigmatises them. Of course, this is pure hypocrisy. The only ones who should be embarrassed by poor performance are the school principals and teachers.

What does accountability in education look like?

What does it mean to hold teachers accountable for their student's learning, and how can this be effectively implemented?

In a system where teachers are truly accountable, they are responsible for ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed. This doesn't mean that teachers must be miracle workers, capable of overcoming every external obstacle, but it does mean that they must be responsive to student needs and adjust their methods when learning isn't happening. Accountability means that teachers can't simply blame students' backgrounds, home environments, or psychological conditions when students fail. Instead, they must reflect on their teaching strategies and adapt.

In practice, teacher accountability requires a combination of clear expectations, ongoing professional development, and a system of assessments that provide regular feedback. In highly successful education systems, teachers are held accountable not through punitive measures, but through a culture of professional responsibility. Teachers are also expected to produce results-students must make measurable progress. If a student struggles, the teacher is responsible for revisiting the material, reteaching it, or using a different approach until the student achieves success.

Concluding thoughts: The challenge of teacher accountability

Victor's story and Itard's failure to teach him remind us that while idealism has a place in education, it must be balanced with evidence and accountability. Had Itard used more explicit, structured methods, Victor's learning experience might have been different. More broadly, the persistence of romantic, child-led approaches across centuries has gradually yielded to the reality that teacher-led, explicit instruction is simply more effective for most students.

In today's classrooms, holding teachers accountable for student learning means more than delivering content; it requires adopting a research-based, methodical approach to instruction. Teachers must not only present material clearly and effectively but also monitor student progress closely, adapting their methods when learning falters. Accountability in teaching is thus a responsibility rooted in skill, strategy, and evidence-based methods rather than charisma or intuition.

Moving towards explicit teaching models and establishing clear accountability ensures that education serves as a practical, powerful tool for helping every student reach their potential. By grounding education in proven methods and holding teachers responsible for outcomes, we can bridge the gap between idealism and effective learning, making education a transformative force that truly delivers on its promise.