The Real Reading Debate and How We Fail to Teach Reading – radical eyes for equity

The Real Reading Debate and How We Fail to Teach Reading – radical eyes for equity

The Real Reading Debate and How We Fail to Teach Reading

Sometimes cliches hit the nail on the head: It’s deja vu all over again.


Sometimes hackneyed metaphors paint the best picture: When you find yourself in a hole, keep digging.


And that brings us to the “science of reading” version of the Reading War.


Here, I want to address the often misunderstood real reading debate as well as outline how there has been a historical failure in teaching reading that continues today.


First, let’s clarify some facts about reading.


For over a century, measurable reading achievement (test scores) has been mostly correlated with socio-economic factors (the students home, community, and school) and not significantly correlated with how students are being taught to read.


In that same time period, there has never been a moment when the U.S. hasn’t declared “reading crisis.” And as a result of this myopic view of reading achievement, the U.S. has a recurring Reading War; some notable moments include the 1940s, the 1950s-1960s, and the 1990s (see especially McQuillan).


Throughout the history of reading instruction, phonics instruction has always been a key component of how students are taught to read in school. The Urban CONTINUE READING: The Real Reading Debate and How We Fail to Teach Reading – radical eyes for equity