Parents crusade against children being exposed to screens in school, questioning the use of AI and social media. Here’s a problem. Many states have mandated the Science of Reading for young children in the name of scientific evidence; they and local school districts have invested millions in programs that often involve heavy screen use. The […]
Robert Sweet’s Early Influence on The Science of Reading
Today’s Science of Reading (SOR) was born of a right-wing conservative phonics focus. A Nation at Risk helped advance that messaging, and one of the messengers was Robert Sweet, Jr. As the country mandates the Science of Reading (SOR) and invests heavily in unproven programs, marketing disputes flourish over which best align with so-called evidence. […]
The Science of POOR Kindergarten Reading Instruction
The push to have kindergarteners read through standardized drilling of sounds is one of the main reasons I distrust the Science of Reading (SoR). It’s hard to disregard how children develop, their age, and any disabilities they may have. It seems like poor reading instruction. The74 recently gave a good example, even though they likely […]
The So-Called Science of Reading’s New Focus on Babies
At the Thomas B. Fordham Wonk-a-Thon, where they ask what should happen next, Elliot Regenstein, a lawyer, states that The science of reading doesn’t start with kindergarten—it starts at birth. Fordham should look in the rearview mirror at the consequences of forcing young children to read before they’re ready, as NCLB and Common Core both […]
Chall’s Missing STAGES OF READING DEVELOPMENT in the Science of Reading
In a sense, each teacher adds by putting a brick upon another brick in a child’s reading development. And together all build a great structure. ~Jeanne S. Chall, Stages of Reading Development (1983, p. 169) Searching the so-called Science of Reading (SoR) research, one may spot citations from the late Harvard reading Professor Jeanne Chall. […]
Questioning the Classroom Impact of Neuroscience and the Science of Reading
Suppose one tries to debate the Science of Reading (SoR) and what it is precisely. They will likely be met by cognitive psychologists, parents, and educators who are insistent about the importance of neuroscience. Trying to understand how the brain works and why some children have learning disabilities has existed for decades. I’m staring at […]
The Comprehension Problem with New Reading Programs: Ignoring the Books Children LIKE to Read!
I’m not a gambler, but if I were, I’d bet that a lot of parents whose elementary school-age children are getting explicit phonics instruction, memorizing rules, and who can define words like diphthong and schwa will be disappointed when their children get to high school and couldn’t care less about reading. New reading programs promising […]
Reports Show How Phonics Crowds Out Quality Reading Like Picture Books
In 2023, Science of Reading (SoR) supporters were offended by The Science of Reading and the Rejection of Picture Books. At that time, I included reports and observations showing an overfocus on phonics instead of reading for enjoyment in SoR classrooms. If you’re a teacher who combines phonics with reading picture books for enjoyment and […]
Where’s the “Evidence” in State-Mandated Science of Reading Programs?
Last I looked, thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia have signed reading laws (Schwartz 2024). Parents, educators, school administrators, and state and local policymakers hear the Science of Reading is critical for children to read, and “evidence-based” and “research-based” are words tagged to make believers. But finding the evidence takes work. Scholars are raising […]
Is Mississippi Shifting to Online Teacher Education with Reading Universe?
Switching from face-to-face, in-person public education to computer screens is concerning. It’s happening in K12 and appears to be driving privatization with teacher education at the university level. The Science of Reading lends itself to this, but there’s little proof online instruction makes better students or teachers. So far, research supporting this is hard to […]