Rudolf Flesch describes why it is so important for our children to learn phonics instead of the whole language (guessing words) method that has prevailed over the past 30 years. He states that the United States is the only nation with a remedial reading program because we are the only country that needs it. And this is only within the past 30 years since phonics were discarded. Our children our not being taught to read. They are being taught to guess.

All parents should read this book and use the lessons to teach their own children the 44 sounds necessary to be able to read any word in the English language, with the few exceptions to the rules which become sight words.

Along with explaining (with source information as evidence) WHY phonics are so important, Flesch includes lessons to learn phonics.

I'm on a mission to make parents aware and plan to push this book as much as possible.

There is an answer to the growing epidemic of non-readers in the US. If the schools will not listen to all of the evidence showing that phonics is the only valid system for teaching reading, we can do it ourselves.

Rudolf Flesch earned his Ph.D. at Teacher's College at Columbia University and has been fighting the whole language system since 1955 when this celebrated book was first published.

Without being able to actually read instead of word-guess, our children are failing unnecessarily. It is being blamed on family situations, reading disorders, and mental problems when the simple fact is that they have not been TAUGHT HOW to read.

This book is easy to read and follow. It is not technical or complicated, and includes touches of humor that help define the author's character.

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Created Jul 18, 2007 at 2:54pm • Submit your own review...