APM Reports

There's an idea about how children learn to read that's held sway in schools for more than a generation — even though it was proven wrong by cognitive scientists decades ago. Teaching methods based on this idea can make it harder for children to learn how to read. In this podcast, host Emily Hanford investigates the influential authors who promote this idea and the company that sells their work. It's an exposé of how educators came to believe in something that isn't true and are now reckoning with the consequences — children harmed, money wasted, an education system upended.

American Public Media Reports - Emily Hanford

Many kids struggle with reading – and children of color are far less likely to get the help they need.

A false assumption about what it takes to be a skilled reader has created deep inequalities among U.S. children, putting many on a difficult path in life.

The Learning Spark

There’s a wrong way to teach reading and, unfortunately, it’s also the most popular way.  So, if you’ve ever committed these teaching errors, don’t worry, you’re not alone.  I’ve been there, too.  I was shocked when I realized that many teacher prep courses and even professional development classes are teaching reading methods not supported by science.  If you’re reading this blog and find yourself surprised or even defensive at these “errors,” please take a moment to step back, take a deep breath, and use it as a springboard to start your journey into learning more about the science of reading.  Instead of feeling denial, guilt, or anger…I encourage you to simply learn more and do better.

USA Today - Mike Elsen-Rooney - The Teacher Project

Two boys with learning disabilities grew up just blocks apart in New York City. Public schools couldn't teach them. So their parents battled to place them in private schools, on the taxpayers' dime.

New York Times

“Thank God for Mississippi.”

That’s a phrase people would use when national education rankings came out because no matter how poorly your state performed, you could be sure things were worse in Mississippi.

Education Week

Learning to read is arguably the most important academic experience students will have during their school years. But it’s not a given.

The “nation’s report card” shows that just 35 percent of 4th graders are proficient readers. That’s despite decades of cognitive research clarifying exactly which skills students need to be taught to read fluently.

So what’s happening in schools—and in teacher preparation—that’s making it so hard for some students to gain these foundational skills? New data offer some insights. The Education Week Research Center conducted two nationally representative surveys, one of K-2 and special education teachers and one of education professors. The findings, presented throughout this reporting series, tell an illuminating story about what teachers do and don’t know about reading and where they learned it, as well as offer a path forward for improving reading instruction in classrooms throughout the country.

This special report was produced with support from the Education Writers Association Reporting Fellowship program.

Education Week - Catherine Gewertz

Kim Kohlrus’ 2nd grade classroom is alive with wiggling, chanting children. They’re on their feet, swaying and twisting as their teacher leads them in a call-and-response of letter combinations.

Education Week - Sarah Schwartz

There’s a settled body of research on how best to teach early reading. But when it comes to the multitude of curriculum choices that schools have, it’s often hard to parse whether well-marketed programs abide by the evidence.

American Public Media Reports - Emily Hanford

There is a theory about how people read words — one that's deeply embedded in teaching practices and curriculum materials widely used in elementary school classrooms. Although the idea has been disproved by cognitive scientists, it continues to be included in teacher preparation programs, promoted in professional development sessions, and marketed by publishers.