Vera Southgate

Vera Southgate was a British pedagogist who tried to improve the way children were taught to read English from the late-1950s until the mid-1980s. This was an important time for the discipline as many disparate and distinct methods were being practiced including the initial teaching alphabet, phonics and whole language, which was known as "look and say" at the time. Vera Southgate published a large number of academic papers, developed the Southgate reading tests and sat on the Bullock government inquiry, she also evaluated the initial teaching alphabet on behalf of the British government. Her final major research exercise was to lead a half decade study into improving the reading skills of older children, the resulting publication, extended beginning reading, won the UK reading association book of the year.