Rhona Johnston trained as a primary school teacher and worked as a learning support teacher for a number of years. She was then a lecturer in psychology at the University of St Andrews, a Reader at the University of Birmingham, and since 2001 has been a Professor of Psychology at the University of Hull. With Joyce Watson she devised a synthetic phonics programme which they showed in their study in Clackmannanshire was very much more effective than other types of phonics teaching. Joyce Watson was an early years teacher for a number of years, and then a lecturer at the Northern College of Education, Dundee, for over 20 years. She is now a research fellow at the University of St Andrews. With Rhona Johnston she devised a synthetic phonics programme which they showed in their study in Clackmannanshire was very much more effective than other types of phonics teaching.