You’ve tried before. Maybe multiple times. Each attempt started with hope and ended in the same familiar frustration.

If you’re an adult who struggles with reading, you’ve likely carried this burden for decades. You’ve felt the shame of avoiding forms, job applications, and opportunities that required strong reading skills. You’ve developed elaborate workarounds to hide your difficulty. You’ve maybe even convinced yourself that you’re “just not smart enough” to be a good reader.

But what if I told you something that might change everything?

What if you didn’t fail because you lacked ability? What if the teaching method itself failed you—and continues to fail you in the adult reading programs you’re trying now?

The 40% Who Were Left Behind

Here’s a statistic that should make you angry: Research shows that traditional reading instruction fails approximately 40% of all children.

That’s not a small minority. That’s nearly half of all students.

If you struggled to learn reading as a child, you were almost certainly in that 40%. And here’s the part that will really frustrate you: it wasn’t your fault.

What Happened in Your Childhood Classroom

From the 1980s through the 2010s, most American schools used what educators called “balanced literacy” or “whole language” approaches to teach reading. This methodology included:

• Sight word memorization: Learning to recognize common words by their shape (visual memory)
• Context clues: Using pictures and surrounding sentences to guess unfamiliar words
• Limited phonics: Some letter-sound instruction, but not systematic or comprehensive
• Leveled readers: Books selected by difficulty, not by phonics patterns learned

For about 60% of children, this worked fine. These kids had strong visual memory, could generalize from limited instruction, and figured out the patterns on their own.

But for the other 40%—especially children with dyslexia, poor visual memory, or learning differences—this approach was a disaster.

You needed systematic, explicit phonics instruction. You needed to learn every letter-sound relationship methodically. You needed controlled text that only used patterns you’d already mastered.

You didn’t get it.

Instead, you were told to memorize words you couldn’t retain, guess at words you didn’t know, and somehow figure out the code on your own.

You failed. But the method failed you first.

The Shocking Truth About Modern Adult Reading Programs

Now here’s where this gets really frustrating:

Many popular adult reading programs use essentially the same methodology that failed you as a child.

I know this sounds impossible. Surely now, with decades of reading research and understanding of how the brain learns to read, adult programs would have evolved beyond failed methods, right?

Wrong.

Many programs—even ones marketed as “research-based” or “Orton-Gillingham aligned”—still incorporate the same three elements that created your reading problem in the first place:

1. Heavy Sight Word Memorization

Some programs dedicate 20-25% of their lessons to teaching adults to memorize high-frequency words by visual recognition.

The problems with this:

First: Most adults already recognize these simple words (“the,” “of,” “and,” “was”) from daily life. You’re wasting valuable learning time on words you already know.

Second: If you have dyslexia or poor visual memory—which most struggling adult readers do—asking you to memorize 150+ words relies on your weakest skill. Visual memory doesn’t improve with age. If you couldn’t memorize “said” and “was” at age 7, you won’t find it easier at age 47.

Third: This is the exact method that failed you as a child. Why would it suddenly work now?

2. Mixed Methods That Create Confusion

When a program teaches multiple strategies simultaneously—phonics AND sight words AND context clues—it creates a fundamental problem:

With every unfamiliar word, you must decide: Do I decode this or guess it?

This strategic confusion leads to hesitation, slower reading, and a default to guessing (because it’s easier than systematic decoding). Research shows that when students are given multiple strategies, they almost always choose the easiest one: guessing.

This undermines the phonics instruction and reinforces the bad habits that caused reading failure originally.

3. Limited Phonics Instruction

Some programs provide only 50-60 phonics skill lessons before transitioning students to “natural texts” and expecting them to figure out complex words from limited foundational knowledge.

This creates gaps.

After 50-60 lessons, students haven’t learned all the phonics patterns needed to decode complex multisyllabic words. When they encounter words like “pharmaceutical,” “simultaneously,” or “organizational,” they’re forced to guess—because they never learned the patterns systematically.

Sound familiar? This is exactly what happened in school.

Three Red Flags Your Current Program Is Using Failed Methodology

If you’re currently using or considering an adult reading program, watch for these warning signs:

Red Flag #1: The Program Includes Dedicated “Sight Word” or “High-Frequency Word” Lessons

If a program asks you to memorize lists of words by visual recognition, it’s relying on the method that failed you before.

What to look for instead: Programs that teach you to decode ALL words using phonics rules, including high-frequency words. Even “irregular” words are mostly regular—students should decode the phonetic parts and acknowledge exceptions, not memorize entire words.

Red Flag #2: You’re Taught Multiple Strategies (Phonics, Sight Words, Context Clues)

If the program tells you to “use context clues,” “look at the picture,” or “think about what would make sense,” it’s teaching you to guess rather than decode.

What to look for instead: ONE clear strategy: systematic phonics decoding. Always. No guessing. No context clues. Just reliable decoding every single time.

Red Flag #3: The Program Transitions to “Natural” or “Authentic” Texts Before Completion

If the program moves you from controlled/decodable texts (where every word uses patterns you’ve learned) to regular books or articles before you’ve mastered all phonics patterns, you’ll encounter words you can’t decode. This forces guessing.

What to look for instead: Controlled/decodable text throughout the ENTIRE program. You should only encounter words you can decode with 100% confidence until you’ve mastered every phonics pattern.

What Actually Works: The Approach You Should Have Received as a Child

The research is clear: adults who failed to learn with mixed methods need pure, systematic phonics instruction.

Here’s what that looks like:

Complete Systematic Phonics Coverage

Not 50-60 phonics lessons. Not partial coverage. Comprehensive instruction in every phonics pattern in the English language.

This means hundreds of lessons systematically teaching:

• All letter-sound relationships
• All vowel patterns
• All syllable types and division rules
• All prefixes, suffixes, and roots
• Complex multisyllabic word decoding

No shortcuts. No gaps. Complete mastery.

Zero Sight Word Memorization

Programs should teach you to decode high-frequency words using phonics rules, not memorize them by shape.

When you encounter words with irregular elements (like “said” where “ai” doesn’t follow its typical pattern), you should learn to:

• Decode the phonetic parts
• Acknowledge the irregular element
• Move on—no memorization list required

This respects your intelligence while accommodating your learning style.

Controlled Text Throughout

You should only read words that use phonics patterns you’ve already mastered. Every. Single. Time.

This means:

• No guessing ever required
• 100% confidence with every word
• Build true decoding skills, not coping mechanisms

By the END of the program—not the middle—you’ll have learned all patterns and can decode virtually any word.

Cognitive Clarity: One Strategy, Always

Your mental process with every unfamiliar word should be:

1. Apply phonics rules systematically
2. Decode the word

That’s it. No decision-making. No strategic confusion. No wondering “should I guess or decode?”

Just clear, reliable, systematic decoding every single time.

The Hard Truth About “Quick Fix” Programs

Here’s something most adult reading programs won’t tell you:

If a program promises to solve your reading problem in 3-6 months with 50-100 lessons, it’s cutting corners.

Learning to read as an adult—really read, with true decoding mastery that works for any word—takes time. It requires:

• Hundreds of systematic lessons
• Extensive practice with controlled text
• Complete coverage of all phonics patterns
• No shortcuts or mixed methods

Programs that promise quick results typically:

• Teach limited phonics (leaving gaps)
• Rely on sight word memorization (your weakness)
• Transition to authentic texts before mastery (forcing guessing)
• Hope partial skills transfer to complex words (they don’t)

This gets you reading simple texts quickly—but leaves you struggling with complex vocabulary, academic material, workplace documents, and technical texts.

Is that really success? Or is it just perpetuating the problem at a slightly higher level?

Why This Matters for Your Future

You’ve lived with poor reading skills for decades. You know the cost:

• Career limitations: Jobs avoided, promotions missed, opportunities lost
• Educational barriers: GED unattainable, college impossible, training programs inaccessible
• Daily embarrassment: Forms, emails, texts—constant reminders of your struggle
• Emotional burden: Shame, frustration, the belief that you’re “not smart enough”

But here’s the truth you need to hear:

You are smart enough. You’ve proven that by navigating a world designed for readers without being able to read well. The intelligence and creativity that took is remarkable.

You just never got the instruction you needed.

And if you choose a program that uses the same failed methodology from your childhood—sight word memorization, context clues, limited phonics, mixed strategies—you’re setting yourself up for the same frustration and failure.

Different results require a different approach.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Program

Before investing time and money in any adult reading program, ask these critical questions:

1. How many phonics skill lessons does the program include?

• If the answer is less than 200, ask: What patterns are being skipped?

2. Does the program include sight word memorization?

• If yes, ask: How many words must I memorize? Why can’t these be decoded?

3. When does the program transition from controlled to authentic text?

• If it’s before program completion, ask: How will I decode words using patterns I haven’t learned yet?

4. What strategy should I use when I encounter an unfamiliar word?

• If the answer includes “context clues,” “guess,” or “what makes sense,” that’s a red flag

5. How long does the complete program take?

• If it’s less than 6-8 months, ask: How can comprehensive phonics be taught that quickly?

These questions will reveal whether a program uses thorough systematic phonics or shortcuts that leave gaps.

The Choice Only You Can Make

You’ve carried the burden of poor reading skills for too long. You’ve blamed yourself, avoided opportunities, and perhaps given up hope.

But you have a choice now.

You can choose programs that essentially ask you to trust the same methods that failed you before—memorize sight words, guess from context, get through a quick program, and hope it works this time.

Or you can choose something different.

You can finally get the systematic, comprehensive phonics instruction you should have received as a child. The instruction that leaves no gaps, requires no guessing, and builds true decoding mastery for any word you’ll ever encounter.

Not a quick fix. Not shortcuts. Just thorough, reliable, systematic teaching.

For adults who’ve already failed once with mixed methods and can’t afford to fail again, the methodology matters more than anything else.

Learn More: See How Programs Actually Compare

Beyond methodology, cost creates another barrier to adult literacy. Many effective programs require expensive tutoring that puts them out of reach for the average adult learner. Yet some of the most expensive programs use the same failed mixed-methods approach that didn’t work in childhood. Understanding both the methodology AND the cost of different approaches helps you invest wisely in your reading future. See our Adult Phonics Cost Comparison Guide to understand what you should expect to pay for systematic phonics instruction and how to avoid overpaying for ineffective methods.

Want to see specific examples of how different programs use these methodologies?

We’ve created detailed, honest comparisons of popular adult reading programs:

Reading Horizons Elevate vs We All Can Read – See how mixed methods (57 phonics lessons + 150 sight words) compare to pure systematic phonics (720 lessons, zero memorization)

Wilson Reading System vs We All Can Read – Compare professional certification requirements, costs, and implementation approaches

Hooked on Phonics vs We All Can Read – Understand why children’s programs repackaged for adults often fail adult learners

These comparisons show you exactly what to look for—and what to avoid—when choosing a program that will actually work.

The Path Forward

You didn’t fail because you lacked ability.

You failed because the teaching method failed you.

And many adult programs continue to use those same failed methods.

But now you know what to look for. You understand the red flags. You know the questions to ask.

Most importantly, you know that different results require a different approach.

The instruction you needed as a child—systematic, comprehensive, pure phonics with no shortcuts—is still what you need as an adult.

It exists. You just have to choose it.

About We All Can Read

We All Can Read provides systematic Orton-Gillingham phonics instruction specifically designed for adults and older students. Our 720-lesson program teaches complete phonics mastery with zero sight word memorization, controlled text throughout, and one clear decoding strategy.

Try our first 10 lessons completely free (no credit card, no email, no obligation) at weallcanread.com/courses-home

The post Why Adult Reading Programs Keep Failing You: The Hidden Truth About Methodology appeared first on We All Can Read.

A five-year academic recovery period would represent an educational and personal disaster in the lives of these children. The first years in a young child’s life are by far the most pivotal ones in regards to the acquisition of foundation reading skills. Children who fall behind in reading in grades one and two often never catch up and in fact will tend to fall further and further behind as they continue through the middle and upper grades. Not only that but students in the early school years form a relationship around the activity of reading. Young students who are successful readers read more and enjoy the activity of reading. But the reverse is true as well. Young children who struggle in reading tend to form a very negative attitude towards the activity of reading. These students associate the act of reading with failing and personal shame. These core negative feelings and emotions around the activity of reading all too often remain with a person his entire life. Think of the implications of this fact.

Reading is the single most essential skill for one to master in order to be successful in life regardless as to how one defines success. There is so much uncertainty in all of our lives. The one thing that can be said with certainty is that being educationally well-prepared is the single most effective way one can best be ready for whatever lies ahead. Reading is the core skill that enables one to adjust and hopefully to thrive in whatever environment one encounters. Reading is everything. And we cannot allow these young students to drown through circumstances over which they have no control.

If I were a parent of a struggling young child, or a child of any age for that matter, I would stop everything else and provide them with an intensive remediation program that focuses upon science-based reading instruction. Nothing is more important for students behind in reading then to directly and intensively address that learning deficit. It is essential that students of any age must master the phonetic foundation of the English language in order to become successful readers and spellers as well. Once this goal is achieved, then all else is possible. But until this core skill of reading acquisition is achieved, everything else pales in significance. The ability to read fluently and effortlessly is everything. Reading is a core human right, and to deny children this core skill just as they are beginning their lives is a tragedy made all the more heartbreaking because it is a largely preventable one.

The post Children in third and fourth grades are struggling the most to recover in reading after the pandemic appeared first on We All Can Read.

Frustrated by the cost of reading help for your struggling reader? 
You are not alone. Quality Orton-Gillingham instruction can cost $15,000-$25,000 + per year – putting proven reading remediation help out of reach for most families.

There’s finally an affordable solution that works just as well.

Watch The Video Below to Discover How Families Are Getting the Same Results for a Fraction of the Cost:

In the below video, Jim Williams, author of the We All Can Read Program, explains how families are saving thousands while getting the same proven Orton-Gillingham results their children need.

Click Here to Begin Our First 10 Free Lessons

What Families Are Saying About the Cost Savings

“I figured to get the same skill set from a personal tutor it would cost me at least $3,000, maybe $4,500 over a year. This course is inexpensive and works!”
Alan W. Yoakum / Kansas City, MO

“The only school in the area costs over $20,000 a year. Comparable tutoring costs $70 an hour. I can get a month’s worth of tutoring through We All Can Read for that same amount.”
Annie Beth Donahue / North Carolina

Our Affordable Alternative That Gets the Same Results

We All Can Read solves the prohibitive economic cost of accessing Orton-Gillingham instruction by reimagining how this proven instruction is delivered. Instead of requiring hourly tutoring sessions, we created a comprehensive online program that anyone can use for one low monthly fee.

Why We Can Offer This for Just $73/Month:

• No expensive certified instructor required – Anyone can teach this program
• Learn independently at your own pace – No scheduling conflicts
• One subscription serves entire family – Multiple children can use it
• No travel time or costs – Learn from home
• All materials included – Nothing extra to buy
• 720 comprehensive lessons – Complete curriculum included
• Proven curriculum – Same systematic, multisensory approach

Cost Comparison: Traditional vs. We All Can Read

Our program delivers the same systematic progression and multisensory techniques that make Orton-Gillingham so effective:

• Proven curriculum: Authentic Orton-Gillingham principles integrated into 720 lessons
• Systematic approach: Begins with basic letter sounds, progresses to complex multisyllabic words
• Multisensory techniques: Same methods used by $100+ per hour tutors
• Consistent progress: No cancelled sessions or scheduling conflicts
• Family involvement: You become part of the solution
• Immediate feedback: Built-in assessments for instant adjustments

Results: Students typically advance 1-2 grade levels in 6-12 months, with confidence soaring and families empowered instead of financially devastated.

Video Transcript Below: Why Orton-Gillingham Reading Instruction Is So Expensive

The post Why Is Orton-Gillingham Reading Instruction So Expensive? appeared first on We All Can Read.

Reading is a complex skill that requires the integration of many cognitive processes, such as phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. For some students, reading comes naturally and easily. For others, reading is a struggle that affects their academic performance and self-esteem.

Students who are behind in reading may have difficulties with one or more aspects of reading. They may have trouble recognizing letters and sounds, blending sounds into words, reading words accurately and quickly, understanding word meanings and contexts, or making sense of what they read.

These students need effective reading instruction that addresses their specific needs and challenges. They need instruction that is systematic, explicit, multisensory, and individualized. They need instruction that is based on scientific evidence and proven results.

One of the most widely used and respected approaches to reading instruction that meets these criteria is the Orton-Gillingham approach. The Orton-Gillingham approach was developed in the early 20th century by Dr. Samuel Orton, a neuro-psychiatrist who studied the brain basis of dyslexia, and Anna Gillingham, an educator and psychologist who refined Orton’s methods and materials.

The Orton-Gillingham approach is designed to help students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties learn to read effectively and enjoyably. It is also suitable for any student who needs to improve his reading skills.

What is the Orton-Gillingham Approach?

The Orton-Gillingham approach is a teaching approach that uses multisensory phonics techniques to teach reading to students who struggle with language processing. It is based on the following principles:

• Reading is a language-based skill that can be taught explicitly and systematically.
• Reading difficulties are often caused by problems with phonological processing, or the ability to perceive and manipulate the sounds of spoken language.
• Phonological processing can be improved by teaching the connections between sounds and letters in a logical and sequential way.
• Multisensory instruction that engages sight, hearing, touch, and movement can enhance learning and memory of language concepts.

The Orton-Gillingham approach is not a fixed program or curriculum. Rather, it is a flexible framework that guides teachers in planning and delivering instruction based on each student’s needs and progress. The Orton-Gillingham approach can be used with students of any age or grade level, from preschool to adulthood.

How Does the Orton-Gillingham Approach Work?

The Orton-Gillingham approach follows a structured literacy approach that teaches reading from the simplest to the most complex concepts. It covers all aspects of reading, including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Instruction

During instruction, teachers use direct and explicit teaching methods to introduce new concepts and review previously learned ones. Teachers follow a clear scope and sequence that ensures each concept is taught thoroughly before moving on to the next one. Teachers also provide cumulative review and reinforcement to help students retain what they have learned.

Teachers use multisensory techniques to engage all modalities of learning: visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), kinesthetic (moving), and tactile (touching).

Teachers monitor students’ progress and provide feedback and correction as needed. Teachers also adjust the level of difficulty and complexity of the practice materials according to each student’s readiness and mastery.

Why is the Orton-Gillingham Approach Effective for Students Who Are Behind in Reading?

The Orton-Gillingham approach is effective for students who are behind in reading because it addresses the root causes of their reading difficulties and provides them with the skills and strategies they need to overcome them. Some of the benefits of the Orton-Gillingham approach are:

• It teaches reading as a language-based skill that can be learned through explicit and systematic instruction. It does not rely on memorization or guessing strategies that can lead to confusion and frustration.
• It teaches phonological processing skills that are essential for reading success. It helps students develop phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words. It also helps students learn phonics, which is the ability to recognize and apply letter-sound relationships in words.
• It teaches multisensory techniques that enhance learning and memory. It helps students connect language with letters and words using all their senses. It also helps students activate different parts of their brain that are involved in reading.

The Orton-Gillingham approach has been proven by scientific research to be effective for teaching reading to students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties. Many studies have shown that students who receive Orton-Gillingham instruction improve their reading skills significantly more than those who receive other types of instruction.

The Orton-Gillingham approach is a proven and effective way to teach reading to students who are behind in reading. It helps students develop the essential skills and strategies they need to become fluent and confident readers. It also helps students enjoy reading and appreciate its value and beauty.

The We All Can Read Online Program is an Orton-Gillingham-based program. 

• It uses an Orton-Gillingham-based, multisensory approach that teaches reading and spelling using visual, auditory, and tactile-kinesthetic modalities.
• It provides direct, systematic, and explicit phonics instruction that teaches reading and spelling from the simplest to the most complex concepts, following a logical sequence of skills and rules.
• It teaches phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, spelling, and pronunciation, which are the essential components of reading and spelling instruction based on the Orton-Gillingham approach and the science of reading.
• It allows individualized instruction that meets each student’s needs and interests, and allows them to work at their own pace and level of difficulty.
• It incorporates an Orton-Gillingham approach to teach reading and spelling, which is sequential, systematic, and comprehensive. It follows a logical sequence of skills and rules that are incremental, organized, and easily learned.
• It provides direct instruction in the following skill areas: phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear and manipulate the sounds in words; phonics, which is the relationship between sounds and letters; decoding, which is the ability to read words by applying phonics rules; fluency, which is the ability to read with accuracy, speed, and expression; spelling, which is the ability to write words by applying phonics rules; and pronunciation, which is the ability to say words correctly and with proper stress and intonation.
• It uses a multisensory approach that engages visual, auditory, and tactile-kinesthetic modalities to enhance learning and memory.
• And it is affordable! Our monthly subscription price to access all 720 online lessons is just $73 a month which is less than the average cost of a student working with an Orton-Gillingham trained tutor for one hour! And our first 10 lessons are free!

The post Orton-Gillingham Reading Instruction is Considered the Most Effective Way to Teach Reading appeared first on We All Can Read.

One of the reasons why some children struggle with reading is that they do not receive effective reading instruction that meets their needs. Many reading teachers are not trained in the science of reading and phonics, which are research-based approaches to teaching reading skills. This blog post will explain what structured, systematic phonics instruction is and why it matters for struggling readers.

Table of Contents

• What is Structured, Systematic Phonics Instruction?
• What are the Benefits of Structured, Systematic Phonics Instruction for Struggling Readers?
• How Can Teachers Implement Structured, Systematic Phonics Instruction in Their Classrooms?
• Conclusion

What is Structured, Systematic Phonics Instruction?

Phonics is a part of the science of reading that teaches students how letter patterns represent sounds in written language. Phonics instruction helps students decode words by teaching them the relationship between letters and sounds.

Structured, systematic phonics instruction is a type of phonics instruction that follows a sequential and planned set of phonics elements that gradually builds from base elements to more subtle and complex structures. Teachers follow a scope and sequence, as opposed to implicit phonics instruction that addresses phonics as it comes up in text.

Structured, systematic phonics instruction typically includes the following components:

• Phonemic awareness: The ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words.
• Letter-sound correspondences: The knowledge of how letters and groups of letters link to sounds.
• Spelling patterns: The rules and patterns that govern how words are spelled.
• Word analysis: The ability to break down words into smaller units, such as syllables, prefixes, suffixes, and roots.
• Syllable types: The knowledge of the six basic syllable types in the English language: closed, vowel-consonant-e, open, consonant-le, r-controlled, and vowel pair.
• Syllable division rules: The rules that help students determine where to divide words into syllables for accurate decoding.

Structured, systematic phonics instruction can be delivered using different methods or programs, such as synthetic phonics, analytic phonics, analogy-based phonics, phonics through spelling, or onset-rime phonics. The common feature of these methods or programs is that they teach phonics elements in a clear and explicit way.

What are the Benefits of Structured, Systematic Phonics Instruction for Struggling Readers?

Structured, systematic phonics instruction can have significant benefits for struggling readers. Some of these benefits include:

• Improved word recognition and spelling: Structured, systematic phonics instruction helps students master the code of written language and become fluent and accurate readers and spellers. Research shows that systematic phonics instruction makes a bigger contribution to children’s growth in reading than instruction that provides non-systematic or no phonics instruction.
• Improved reading comprehension and vocabulary: Structured, systematic phonics instruction helps students access the meaning of texts by enabling them to decode words quickly and effortlessly. This frees up cognitive resources for higher-level processes such as comprehension and vocabulary development. Research shows that decoding skills are essential for reading comprehension and that poor decoders have difficulty comprehending texts even when they have adequate oral language skills.
• Improved confidence and motivation: Structured, systematic phonics instruction helps students overcome their frustration and anxiety about reading by providing them with clear and consistent rules and strategies for decoding words. This boosts their confidence and motivation to read more and learn from texts.

How Can Teachers Implement Structured, Systematic Phonics Instruction in Their Classrooms?

Teachers can implement structured, systematic phonics instruction in their classrooms by following these steps:

• Assess students’ current phonics skills and identify their strengths and needs.
• Choose a method or program of structured, systematic phonics instruction that matches your students’ needs and your curriculum goals.
• Follow a scope and sequence that teaches phonics elements in a logical order from simple to complex.
• Provide explicit and direct instruction that explains the letter-sound relationships and how to apply them to decode words. Use clear examples and non-examples to illustrate the rules and patterns of phonics.
• Provide ample and varied practice opportunities that allow students to apply their phonics skills to read and spell words in isolation and in context. Use texts that contain a high proportion of decodable words that match the phonics elements taught.
• Provide feedback and correction that guide students to self-monitor and self-correct their decoding errors. Use positive reinforcement and praise to encourage students to persevere and improve their phonics skills.
• Monitor students’ progress and adjust instruction accordingly. Use formative assessments to check students’ understanding and mastery of the phonics elements taught. Provide additional support or challenge as needed to meet students’ individual needs.

Conclusion

Some children will become successful readers regardless of the kind of reading instruction they receive. But for those students who struggle with basic reading skills, approximately 40% of the population, they are the group of students who most benefit from structured, systematic phonics instruction.

Structured, systematic phonics instruction is a type of phonics instruction that follows a sequential and planned set of phonics elements that gradually builds from base elements to more subtle and complex structures. It helps students decode words by teaching them the relationship between letters and sounds.

Structured, systematic phonics instruction can have significant benefits for struggling readers. It can improve their word recognition, spelling, reading comprehension, vocabulary, confidence, and motivation.

The We All Can Read Online Program helps those students in the lowest 40 per cent of the population who struggle with reading by:

• Providing them with a systematic and comprehensive phonics program that teaches them the underlying rules and patterns of the English language.
• Using an Orton-Gillingham-based approach that is proven to be effective for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
• Offering them multisensory, step-by-step, direct instruction that combines video, audio, and text to engage different learning modalities.
• Allowing them to work independently and at their own pace from anywhere using their phone, computer, or tablet.
• Giving them feedback and assessment through quizzes, worksheets, and fluency exercises to monitor their progress and mastery.
• Making it affordable and accessible by offering the first 10 lessons for free and charging a fraction of the cost of other Orton-Gillingham-based programs.

The post Structured, Systematic Phonics Instruction is Essential for Struggling Readers appeared first on We All Can Read.

Reading is one of the most important skills that children need to learn in school. It is the foundation for academic success and lifelong learning. However, many students struggle with reading and do not achieve the expected levels of proficiency. According to the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 35% of fourth-graders and 34% of eighth-graders scored at or above proficient in reading.

One of the reasons why many students struggle with reading is that many reading teachers are not trained in the science of reading and phonics. The science of reading is a collection of research from multiple fields of study that tells us what matters and what works in literacy instruction. Phonics is a part of the science of reading that teaches students how letter patterns represent sounds in written language.

This blog post will explore why many reading teachers are not trained in the science of reading and phonics, what are the benefits of such training, and what can be done to improve the situation.

What is the Science of Reading and Phonics?

The science of reading is a collection of research from multiple fields of study, such as cognitive science, neuroscience, linguistics, and education, that tells us how children best learn to read and how to teach them effectively. The science of reading is based on models that describe how reading works in the brain and what skills are involved in reading comprehension.

One of the key skills involved in reading comprehension is word decoding, which is the ability to read words by applying knowledge of letter-sound relationships. Phonics is a part of the science of reading that teaches students how letter patterns represent sounds in written language in a systematic and explicit way.

Phonics instruction helps students decode words by teaching them:

• Phonemic awareness: The ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words.
• Letter-sound correspondences: The knowledge of how letters and groups of letters link to sounds.
• Spelling patterns: The rules and patterns that govern how words are spelled.
• Word analysis: The ability to break down words into smaller units, such as syllables, prefixes, suffixes, and roots.

Phonics instruction also helps students read multisyllabic words that are common in academic texts and content areas. By teaching students how to decode words, phonics instruction supports their reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, spelling, writing, and confidence.

Why are Many Reading Teachers Not Trained in the Science of Reading and Phonics?

Despite the overwhelming evidence that supports the science of reading and phonics instruction, many reading teachers are not trained in these approaches. There are several possible reasons for this situation:

• Lack of awareness: Many reading teachers may not be aware of the latest research and evidence on how children learn to read and how to teach them effectively. They may rely on outdated or ineffective methods that are not aligned with the science of reading.
• Lack of access: Many reading teachers may not have access to high-quality professional development or resources that provide them with deep knowledge and skills in the science of reading and phonics instruction. They may face barriers such as time, cost, availability, or quality.
• Lack of support: Many reading teachers may not receive adequate support from their schools or districts to implement the science of reading and phonics instruction. They may face challenges such as curriculum alignment, assessment alignment, instructional materials, coaching, feedback, or collaboration.
• Lack of motivation: Many reading teachers may not be motivated to change their practice or beliefs about reading instruction. They may have personal preferences or biases that prevent them from adopting the science of reading and phonics instruction.

What are the Benefits of Training Reading Teachers in the Science of Reading and Phonics?

Training reading teachers in the science of reading and phonics instruction can have significant benefits for both teachers and students. Some of these benefits include:

• Improved student outcomes: Training reading teachers in the science of reading and phonics instruction can improve student outcomes in reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, spelling, writing, and confidence. Research shows that systematic and explicit phonics instruction makes a bigger contribution to children’s growth in reading than instruction that provides non-systematic or no phonics instruction. Phonics instruction also helps students who struggle with reading or have learning disabilities by providing early identification and intervention.
• Improved teacher knowledge and practice: Training reading teachers in the science of reading and phonics instruction can improve their knowledge and practice of literacy instruction. Teachers can gain essential knowledge and skills to master the fundamentals of literacy instruction required to apply and transform student learning. Teachers can also learn how to use assessment data to inform their instruction and differentiate their instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.
• Improved teacher confidence and satisfaction: Training reading teachers in the science of reading and phonics instruction can improve their confidence and satisfaction in their profession. Teachers can feel more prepared and competent to teach reading effectively and efficiently. Teachers can also feel more motivated and engaged in their work and experience less stress and burnout.

Conclusion

Reading is a vital skill that every child deserves to learn. However, many students struggle with reading because many reading teachers are not trained in the science of reading and phonics. The science of reading is a collection of research that tells us what matters and what works in literacy instruction. Phonics is a part of the science of reading that teaches students how letter patterns represent sounds in written language.

Training reading teachers in the science of reading and phonics instruction can have significant benefits for both teachers and students. It can improve student outcomes in reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, spelling, writing, and confidence. It can also improve teacher knowledge, practice, confidence, satisfaction.

Meanwhile, until teachers universally receive instruction in science-based reading instruction strategies, the We All Can Read Online Program offers state-of-the-art instruction available immediately for teachers, parents and students. Here are some of the advantages our online program offers to teachers who do not have training in science-based reading, most specifically phonics:

• It is a comprehensive, science-based reading program that teaches phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, fluency, spelling, and pronunciation using an Orton-Gillingham-based, multisensory approach.
• It is accessible online and does not require prior training to implement. It provides direct instruction in the form of video, audio, and text that students can work on independently.
• It is cost-effective and offers the first 10 lessons for free. It also provides hundreds of printable lessons and worksheets.
• It is suitable for students in 3rd grade to 12th grade, adults, and learners of English as a second language.
• It has been used successfully by various groups such as the Georgia Army National Guard’s Adult Literacy Training Project.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted schooling for millions of U.S. students, resulting in significant learning loss, especially in reading. However, the learning loss is not evenly distributed across students. Students from low-income, Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous communities have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and have experienced greater learning loss than their peers. The pandemic has widened the preexisting achievement gaps in reading by race and income, and has also exacerbated the opportunity gaps in reading by race and income. The pandemic’s impact on reading achievement could have long-term consequences for students’ educational and economic prospects.

According to a federal study based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the average reading score for 9-year-old students fell 5 points between 2020 and 2022. This is the largest average score decline in reading since 1990. Students of color saw some of the steepest decreases, widening the racial achievement gap. Reading scores dropped 6 points for white, Black and Hispanic students. For Asian American students, Native American students and students of two or more races, there was little change in reading between 2020 and 2022.

Another study based on the i-Ready assessment found that students, on average, started school in fall 2021 about four months behind in reading compared to pre-pandemic levels. Students from low-income schools started school with seven months of unfinished learning in reading, while students from high-income schools had four months.

The pandemic has not only affected students’ academic performance but also their social and emotional well-being. Many students have experienced stress, anxiety, depression, isolation, trauma, and grief due to the pandemic and its consequences. These factors can affect students’ motivation, engagement, attention, memory, and self-regulation, which are essential for learning.

The learning loss and opportunity gaps caused by the pandemic could have lasting implications for students’ future outcomes. One study estimated that the cumulative learning loss due to the pandemic could reduce students’ lifetime earnings by $49,000 to $61,000 on average. Another study projected that the pandemic could increase the racial achievement gap by 15 to 20 percent and the income achievement gap by 30 percent. These gaps could translate into lower rates of high school graduation, college enrollment and completion, and labor market participation for students from low-income and minority backgrounds.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated the deep-rooted inequities in our education system. It has also highlighted the urgency and importance of ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education that prepares them for success in life. Unfortunately not all schools offer science-based reading instruction, and this lack of effective reading instruction is even more likely to occur in under-performing schools that serve low-income, Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous communities. Sometimes the only option for a parent in such a situation is to be proactive and actively seek-out alternative instruction for their children. The We All Can Read Online Program was created to specifically offer such an option for parents in this situation.

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The Science of Reading Proves the Core Role Phonics Plays in Beginning Reading

The book Why Johnny Can’t Read: And What You Can Do About It is a 1955 book-length exposé on American reading education by Rudolf Flesch. It was an immediate bestseller for 37 weeks and became an educational cause célèbre. In his book, the author concluded that the whole-word (look-say) method was ineffective because it lacked phonics training. In addition, Flesch was critical of the simple stories and limited text and vocabulary in the Dick and Jane style readers that taught students to read through word memorization. Flesch also believed that the look-say method did not properly prepare students to read more complex materials in the upper grade levels.

The book created a great uproar regarding the way reading was being taught at that time. Flesch advocated a return to teaching phonics. There was great opposition to his ideas. The other method of teaching reading was called the sight method. Thus began what came to be known as The Great Reading Wars.

The Great Reading Wars are a series of debates that have been ongoing for decades over how children best learn to read. The main controversy is between two methods: phonics and whole-language. Phonics is a method that teaches children to decode words by sounding out the letters and blending them together. Whole-language is a method that teaches children to recognize words by their shapes and meanings, and to use context clues to guess unfamiliar words.

The origins of this conflict can be traced back to the 18th century, when a German educator named Friederich Gedike proposed that reading instruction should go from whole words to their parts, i.e. the letters. Since then, the debate between whole-to-part and part-to-whole advocates has been a recurring feature of reading education.

In the 1950s, the debate was re-ignited by the book Why Johnny Can’t Read, which criticized the American education system for failing to teach phonics. Flesch argued that the whole-word or look-say method was ineffective because it lacked phonics training and did not prepare students for more complex texts. He also blamed the simple and boring stories in the Dick and Jane readers that taught students to read by word memorization.

His comment’s sparked a backlash from the proponents of the whole-word method, who defended their method as more natural and meaningful than phonics. They also claimed that phonics was too rigid and boring, and that it could hinder children’s creativity and comprehension.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the debate continued with new research and theories on reading development. One influential figure was Jeanne Chall, who published a book called Learning to Read: The Great Debate in 1967. She reviewed hundreds of studies and concluded that phonics was more effective than whole-word in teaching children to read, especially in the early grades. She also renamed the two approaches as code-based and meaning-based, respectively.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the debate evolved into new variants, such as literature-based vs skills-based, implicit vs explicit, holistic vs fragmented, and top-down vs bottom-up. The term whole-language also emerged as a variant of meaning-based, first in Canada and then in the USA. Whole-language was more than a method; it was a philosophy of reading that emphasized children’s natural learning abilities, their interests and choices, their social interactions, and their exposure to authentic texts.

Whole-language gained popularity among many teachers and researchers, who saw it as a progressive and child-centered alternative to phonics. However, it also faced criticism from phonics advocates, who accused it of being unscientific, ideological, and ineffective. They argued that whole-language ignored the importance of explicit instruction in sound-letter relationships, and that it left many children behind, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds or with learning difficulties.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the debate became more politicized and polarized, as various states adopted policies and standards that favored one method over another. In California, for example, a major reform was initiated in 1996 to replace whole-language with phonics as the official state curriculum. This reform was influenced by a report called “Why Johnny Can’t Read: The California Disaster” by Marion Joseph, who blamed whole-language for the low reading scores of California students.

The reform also coincided with the establishment of the National Reading Panel (NRP) in 1999, which was commissioned by Congress to review the scientific evidence on effective reading instruction. The NRP issued a report in 2000 that endorsed phonics as one of the five essential components of reading instruction, along with phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The NRP report was used as the basis for the Reading First program, which was part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Reading First provided federal funding for schools that adopted phonics-based reading programs.

The NRP report and Reading First were hailed by phonics supporters as a victory for science over ideology. However, they were also challenged by whole-language supporters as biased, flawed, and narrow. They claimed that Reading First imposed a one-size-fits-all model of reading instruction that ignored children’s diversity and agency.

In recent years, the debate has resurfaced with new evidence and arguments from both sides. Some of the factors that have contributed to the renewed interest in the reading wars are:

• The rise of social media and podcasts, which have amplified the voices of journalists, researchers, advocates, and parents who are concerned about reading instruction and outcomes. One influential example is Emily Hanford of APM Reports, who has produced several stories and podcasts since 2018 that criticize the lack of phonics instruction in many schools and call for more attention to the science of reading.
• The persistence of low reading scores among American students, especially those from low-income backgrounds, racial minorities, English learners, and students with disabilities. According to the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 35% of fourth graders and 34% of eighth graders scored at or above proficient in reading. The achievement gaps between different groups of students have also remained large or widened over time.
• The emergence of new research and theories on reading development and instruction, such as brain imaging studies that show how phonics activates different areas of the brain than whole-language, cognitive science studies that show how working memory and background knowledge affect reading comprehension, and linguistic studies that show how English spelling is more predictable than often assumed.

The debate is far from over. The conflict between phonics and whole-language approaches to reading instruction has been a long-standing and complex issue that has influenced many aspects of reading education literally for centuries. To some degree the Great Reading Wars continue; however, the science of reading has irrefutably established once-and-for-all of the vital, essential role that phonics plays as the core instructional strand for the acquisition of beginning reading skills. 

The We All Can Read Program was first published in 1990 as a book. Since then our core book has gone through five separate editions. Since the first edition, each subsequent edition has been the result of improvements based on research and feedback from its previous editions. In 2007 the online edition of We All Can Read was first published. Our online edition continues to evolve and improve to this day as well.

Our program from the outset was firmly in the camp of teaching explicit, systematic phonics, a position that has proven to be academically and scientifically sound. In addition our goal has always been to provide the best phonics curriculum, particularly for older students and adults, in a cost-effective manner. Teaching someone to read does not have to require an advanced degree for teachers or parents and an investment of thousands or even tens-of-thousands of dollars. The name of our program says it all: with the right tools We All Can Read! Our program’s aim has always been and continues to be to provide the best tools for parents and teachers who want to help their children, and for adults who want to help themselves to become successful readers.

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