Half of kids will learn to read almost on their own no matter what the teacher does in class. It is the other half that did not have phonics drilled into them bc Big Textbook companies needed to sell new materials. We are in a swishy private school which is not immune from new teaching trends. Classroom iPads and “sight reading” instead of learning boring, old phonics have led to lines out the door of every reading specialist in town. I’d wager 50% of the boys in my son’s 7th grade class are in outside tutoring.
I was reading before I ever went to kindergarten. I learned to read from Dr. Seuss books. I was reading cereal boxes, road signs, menus, you name it.