Massive K-12 Reading Failure Explained

American Thinker ^ | June 25, 2016 | Bruce Deitrick Price

[BruceDeitrickPrice]

Respectfully suggest that speed reading is a separate issue. Typically, it’s something that grown-ups do after they can already read.

This article deals entirely with how reading is taught when a child is age 4 to 7, let’s say. Elementary school. These days almost all children in the US are given lists of sight words to memorize, such as you’ll see here.

http://quaillake.sanger.k12.ca.us/parent_info/03570DAE-011F7A6F.2/1st%20grade%20-%20Sight%20Words.pdf

Memorizing so many sight-words with automaticity is almost impossible for most children, so they remain in a state of semi-literacy.

[IronJack]

You've got a point. When LEARNING to read, sight-reading is ludicrous. Sounding words out phonetically is the only way I can think of that would work. Once you're reached the point where you can recognize whole words instead of separate phonemes, then you might be ready for speed reading.

It's interesting that voice and text recognition systems break sound and print into phonemes. So a computer "learns" to comprehend and "read" using those building blocks. If they're good enough for a machine, why aren't they good enough for our children?

[Mogger]

We both love homeschooling but I disagree with your post. If the people who can’t read manuals had read ENOUGH, for pleasure and interest, they would have been more fluent.

Of course, you are right. Everyone should read for pleasure and interest. That would of course make one more fluent.

However, to get to that point, one must read.

If you have access to all the phonics rules you can read anything.

As you read more, the need for the basic phonics diminishes.

That's why I did them in "cheat sheet" form.

As you begin to remember the most commonly used phonics rules, there is no need to remember the more obscure ones unless you have a good memory, and want to.

That's why the "cheat sheet". When you do encounter that odd or new word, you can figure it out.

Just guessing at words, as the "educators" of today want you to do can lead to disaster in the wrong circumstances.

IMHO, a good dictionary to have is a 1934 or earlier Webster's Collegiate. They can be had for a dollar or so at flea markets, etc.

Age 3 to 9 are the most important for learning reading.

From 7 or so and up to 27 or so, I read around 100 to 200 books a year, including, around 12 years old, the Holy Bible and the Holy Quran.

If you read the type of books I do, you always have a dictionary handy.

With the history and genealogy research I'm into now, I have a collection of dictionaries going back to the 1700s and books explaining the use and meaning of words back to the 800s.

[Yaelle]

I have no problem with using phonics rules. And I love that you made that cheat sheet! One of my sons learned from phonics rules and drills. It certainly didn’t hurt him.

But the others learned from just sight reading, cracking the code, and did fine as well. You are right that those early years are very important to be read to and read themselves A LOT. But I did learn that the kids who for one reason or another were not motivated to learn to read until much older still did well, very well. I know one with a PhD who teaches now at a college.

[petitfour]

My youngest daughter’s third grade teacher has a Masters degree. She cannot conjugate a verb. She cannot do third grade math. I don’t think she could do Common Core first grade math! I didn’t know how bad she was at math at the time my daughter was in her class. I was told recently that my child and a few of her classmates used to correct their teacher when she did a problem incorrectly. (a special ed paraprofessional told me this.) The teacher was moved to teach the youngest children in the school. Thankfully, all she has to do there is turn on counting videos. Ugh. But she has a Masters degree!!! That makes her highly qualified.