The DEI and The Literacy committees are teaming up in bringing another documentary to Northfield. The film is called The Right to Read. A recent New York Times article discussed our country’s literacy problems and the documentary itself.
The article "Kids Can’t Read": The Revolt That Is Taking On the Education Establishment, describes a growing movement of parents and educators who are advocating for a new approach to teaching reading in the United States.
The article explains that despite decades of research demonstrating the most effective methods for teaching reading, many schools continue to rely on outdated approaches that have been proven to be ineffective. As a result, a significant number of children are failing to learn to read, which has long-term consequences for their academic and personal success.
The article focuses on a group of advocates who are promoting a method known as structured literacy, which emphasizes phonics, or the relationship between sounds and letters. According to these advocates, structured literacy is the most effective way to teach reading, and it has been successful in countries such as England, which has higher reading achievement scores than the United States.
The article also explores the resistance that advocates of structured literacy have encountered from the education establishment, which includes many influential organizations and individuals who have long championed other methods of teaching reading. Some critics argue that structured literacy is too focused on decoding and not enough on comprehension, while others argue that it is too rigid and prescriptive.
Despite the push back, advocates of structured literacy are making progress, with some states and school districts adopting the approach and seeing positive results. The article notes that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgency of improving reading instruction, as many students have fallen behind due to remote learning and other disruptions. The children of Black, Hispanic, and indigenous parents are the ones that display the biggest reading deficits.
In conclusion, the article describes a movement that is challenging the status quo in reading instruction and advocating for a more effective approach that could have a significant impact on the academic and personal success of millions of children.