You Were Probably Taught to Read Wrong | Otherwords

Summary

Dr. Erica Brozovsky explores the debate over teaching children to read, contrasting the whole language theory, which suggests reading is intuitive and context-driven, with the science of reading, emphasizing systematic phonics. The script discusses the historical conflict between these methods, the impact of educational policies on literacy rates, and the recent resurgence of phonics due to scientific evidence and parental concerns.

Takeaways

• 🔤 Reading relies on more than just the first and last letters of words; our brains use context and other visual and syntactic cues.
• 👶 The whole language theory, introduced by Ken Goodman, suggested that children learn to read naturally through exposure to books, similar to how they learn to walk and talk.
• 📚 Marie Clay's teaching program, based on whole language theory, emphasized the use of visual, syntactic, and semantic cues to guess unfamiliar words.
• 📈 The adoption of whole language and cueing methods in the US led to a literacy crisis, with many fourth graders unable to read proficiently.
• 👀 Cognitive science research showed that skilled readers pay attention to every letter in a word, contradicting the whole language theory.
• 🧠 Brain imaging studies revealed that even familiar words activate speech and listening centers in the brain, indicating a connection to sound is still made during reading.
• 📚 Skilled readers are more likely to sound out unfamiliar words, while poor readers rely more on context, leading to more errors.
• 🔄 The science of reading advocates for systematic phonics instruction, arguing that meaning should not be used to decode words but rather the other way around.
• 🏫 The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the shortcomings of cueing methods as parents observed their children's struggles with reading during online classes.
• 📈 Schools that returned to systematic phonics instruction saw significant improvements in reading proficiency scores.
• 🔄 The debate over reading instruction methods has led to a resurgence of interest in phonics, which was the standard teaching method before the 1960s.

Q & A

What is the main idea presented in the 'Otherwords' transcript?

The main idea is the debate over the best method to teach children to read, specifically the conflict between the whole language theory and the science of reading, which advocates for systematic phonics instruction.

What is the 'whole language theory' mentioned in the script?

The 'whole language theory' is an approach to teaching reading that suggests children learn to read naturally and intuitively by being exposed to books and using context clues, rather than by sounding out words.

What is 'cueing' or 'three cueing' in the context of reading instruction?

'Cueing' or 'three cueing' is a strategy developed by Marie Clay where children are taught to guess unfamiliar words using context clues, visual cues, syntactic cues, and semantic cues.

How did the 'whole language' approach become popular in the United States?

The 'whole language' approach became popular in the United States after it was adopted by all New Zealand schools and then imported to America, where it was popularized by education professors like Lucy Calkins, Irene Fountas, and Gay Su Pinnell.

What is the 'science of reading' and how does it differ from the 'whole language' approach?

The 'science of reading' is an evidence-based approach that emphasizes systematic phonics instruction and the importance of sound in literacy. It differs from the 'whole language' approach by advocating for direct teaching of the relationship between letters and sounds.

What evidence do cognitive scientists provide against the 'whole language' theory?

Cognitive scientists provide evidence such as eye-tracking studies showing that skilled readers observe every letter in a word, and MRIs showing that even familiar words activate speech and listening centers in the brain, indicating that sound is integral to reading.

What was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reading instruction in the United States?

The COVID-19 pandemic led to parents observing their children's reading classes over Zoom and noticing issues with the 'cueing' method. This increased scrutiny, along with the success of schools that reinstated phonics, contributed to a shift back towards more systematic phonics instruction.

What is the role of phonics in the 'science of reading'?

In the 'science of reading,' phonics plays a crucial role as it teaches the connection between letters and sounds, which is essential for decoding words and improving reading fluency and comprehension.

What are the two fundamental flaws identified in the 'whole language' theory?

The two fundamental flaws identified in the 'whole language' theory are: 1) the assumption that literacy acquisition works the same way as speech acquisition, and 2) the minimization of the importance of sound in literacy.

How has the written word become a part of our environment according to the script?

The script suggests that the written word has become a ubiquitous and ever-present part of our environment through newspapers, advertisements, and the internet.

What is the significance of Dr. Erica Brozovsky's role in the script?

Dr. Erica Brozovsky serves as the narrator and guide through the discussion on reading instruction, providing insights and summarizing the debate between the 'whole language' theory and the 'science of reading.'