RESEARCH STARTER

Why Johnny Can't Read

"Why Johnny Can't Read" is a pivotal work published in 1955 that critiques the shift in reading instruction methods in American schools from phonics to the "look and say" approach. Until the 1930s, phonics was the standard method, focusing on teaching children the sounds associated with letters and enabling them to decode words through a systematic understanding of the alphabet. However, the "look and say" method gained prevalence and emphasized memorization of whole words, limiting children’s ability to tackle unfamiliar words independently. The book sparked significant public concern regarding the effectiveness of reading education, leading to a broader critique of public education systems in the United States. As a result, it prompted further research and discussions about reading instruction methodologies, with many studies eventually supporting the phonics approach as more effective for teaching reading. This discourse around reading education remains relevant, as educators and researchers continue to explore the best practices for fostering literacy in diverse classroom settings.

Full Article

IDENTIFICATION Critical analysis of the methods of teaching reading

DATE Published in 1955

AUTHOR Rudolf Flesch

Rudolf Flesch identified the failure to teach phonics as the cause of the decline in reading skills among American children during the 1950’s and set off widespread debates on the condition of American education.

Key Figures

  • Rudolf Flesch(1911-1986), education critic

Until the 1930’s, the traditional method of teaching reading to American children was to use an approach called phonics. Adults would help a child learn the sound of each letter in the alphabet and in turn master the forty-four sounds of the English language. Advocates of this approach argued that the key to learning to read was in deciphering the alphabet code. By the 1930’s, however, the “look and say” method had largely replaced the use of phonics. This approach involved memorizing words, and if a word was unfamiliar or forgotten, the child could only guess what it was from the context or wait until the teacher explained it.

In 1955, Why Johnny Can’t Read was published and gained an enormous following. Its critique of “look and say” generated a growing public outcry against U.S. schools and against public education in general.

Impact

Flesch’s premise helped create an awareness of the deficiencies in the teaching of reading and stimulated discussion and reform. Other educational researchers were intrigued by his book and conducted long-term studies of their own. Many later concluded that the evidence favored the code-emphasis phonics approach and encouraged that manner of reading instruction in American classrooms.


Bibliography

Flesch, Rudolf. Why Johnny Still Can’t Read: A New Look at the Scandal of Our Schools. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. After twenty-five years, the author finds many educators still using the “look and say” method and rebuts their excuses for doing so.

McGuinness, Diane. Why Our Children Can’t Read and What We Can Do About It. New York: The Free Press, 1997. A critique of both the “look and say” method and phonics.

Sykes, Charles J. Dumbing Down Our Kids: Why Children Feel Good About Themselves but Can’t Read, Write, or Add. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1995. A broad indictment of American education.

Full Article

IDENTIFICATION Critical analysis of the methods of teaching reading

DATE Published in 1955

AUTHOR Rudolf Flesch

Rudolf Flesch identified the failure to teach phonics as the cause of the decline in reading skills among American children during the 1950’s and set off widespread debates on the condition of American education.

Key Figures

  • Rudolf Flesch(1911-1986), education critic

Until the 1930’s, the traditional method of teaching reading to American children was to use an approach called phonics. Adults would help a child learn the sound of each letter in the alphabet and in turn master the forty-four sounds of the English language. Advocates of this approach argued that the key to learning to read was in deciphering the alphabet code. By the 1930’s, however, the “look and say” method had largely replaced the use of phonics. This approach involved memorizing words, and if a word was unfamiliar or forgotten, the child could only guess what it was from the context or wait until the teacher explained it.

In 1955, Why Johnny Can’t Read was published and gained an enormous following. Its critique of “look and say” generated a growing public outcry against U.S. schools and against public education in general.

Impact

Flesch’s premise helped create an awareness of the deficiencies in the teaching of reading and stimulated discussion and reform. Other educational researchers were intrigued by his book and conducted long-term studies of their own. Many later concluded that the evidence favored the code-emphasis phonics approach and encouraged that manner of reading instruction in American classrooms.


Bibliography

Flesch, Rudolf. Why Johnny Still Can’t Read: A New Look at the Scandal of Our Schools. New York: Harper & Row, 1981. After twenty-five years, the author finds many educators still using the “look and say” method and rebuts their excuses for doing so.

McGuinness, Diane. Why Our Children Can’t Read and What We Can Do About It. New York: The Free Press, 1997. A critique of both the “look and say” method and phonics.

Sykes, Charles J. Dumbing Down Our Kids: Why Children Feel Good About Themselves but Can’t Read, Write, or Add. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1995. A broad indictment of American education.

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