In October, the Washington Post declared the victory of phonics over whole language instruction. California was bowing to reality, joining red states like Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana in restoring traditional reading education.
The re-ascendancy of phonics is a necessary first step to improving reading, but it’s not enough on its own. Restoring literacy demands we treat reading as more than a skill, but as a gateway to wisdom and understanding.
Reform can’t happen soon enough. Literacy rates have plummeted over the past decade. Thirty-three percent of eighth graders are unable to read above a basic level. In every single percentile of test takers in fourth grade, scores continued the decline that began in 2019, while the gap between high and low-performing students is widening…