My reading masters from UVA is based largely on the work of Flesch and Henderson (a later ground breaking pioneer)
A quirky bit of history. Henderson was scheduled to meet with Marie Clay from New Zealand to discuss his concerns with her new method of teaching reading. Unfortunately, two weeks before he was to go, he was diagnosed with cancer and never made the trip and later died from his cancer.
Not too long afterwards, Marie Clay released the “Whole Language” method, which has, IMO, done more damage to the process of teaching reading than any other philosophy.
What might have been huh?
Wow that is very interesting!
They kept trying to do whole language with my son, which just frustrated and upset him.
When I started the Stevenson method (he was almost 12), by the end of the first night, his eyes were shining in a way I’ll never forget. And he said, “Mom, is THAT how you do it? Is THAT how you read?”
He’d gotten the idea that over years the PS never gave him. In one night. It brings tears to my eyes remembering it now.