In every single research study ever made phonics was shown to be superior to the word method; conversely, there is not a single research study that shows the word method superior to phonics. Pg. 60 What is the author trying to say here? Flesch emphasizing the complete superiority of phonics verses the whole word method. Follow-up Question: Why do you think the author tells us this now? He wants to grab the reader’s attention and get the reader to question this statement. It sets up what he does throughout the chapter; talk about some of the prominent studies that have been completed with phonics and whole word.

Be able to explain the study conducted in 1913 by Professor Valentine. Pg. 61 Valentine conducted a study with two groups of 24 college students. He transcribed a passage from Robert Louis in Greek letters and gave each group two minutes to decipher it. One group had been coached in the Greek alphabet and the other coached in whole words. Those who learned the alphabet did 200 per cent better.

Be able to explain Miss Currier’s study. Pg. 62 She had taught two groups of children in 1 st and 2 nd grade. She concluded that the “non- phonic” children read with more expression and interest, but the “phonic” children were more careful and more accurate in reading the words that were on the page.

Be able to explain Miss Helen Braem’s conclusions. Pg. 63 Braem, the Head Teacher of Letchworth Village, a state institution form mental defectives (boys under sixteen with an I.Q. of 30 to 75) created a “Sight Reading Group” and a “Phonic Group.” After 1 year the Sight Reading Group, who had started reading for 2 years, while the Phonic Group had started reading for only 1 year, made 3 times the number of mistakes and took almost 3 times as long to read the same tests. Therefore, she started teaching phonics to the Sight Reading Group and after 8 months they had caught up to the Phonic Group.

Be able to discuss Mr. Agnew’s study. Pg. 65

The record is perfectly clear. The facts have been available to anybody in the field for many years. Our “scientific” educators simply don’t want to know the truth. Pg. 68 What is the author talking about? He is making a statement that he has referred to in previous chapters—the facts show that phonics outperforms the whole word method; however, educators, who supposedly use scientific results to guide their teaching, are teaching reading with a method that has not proven to be successful.

“Today a reader is something entirely different. It is a special tool for fixing a “sight reading vocabulary” in children’s mind. This “sight reading vocabulary” is the essence of the word method of teaching reading. The word method therefore hinges on the use of those readers. Without the readers, the word method cannot be used at all.” Pg. 80 Question: What is the author trying to say here? Early in the chapter Flesch tells the reader that the ability to read is completely reliant on the books that are developed by the basal companies. In other words, the children cannot go and read something they enjoy because they cannot read them. The children are completely reliant of the books that have a controlled vocabulary.

“The Scott, Foresman set includes 1,280 words in the first two grades and adds 498 in third grade, reaching the grand total of 1,778 words at the end of third grade. The Macmillan Company, however, is ahead of the game by considerable margin. The latest edition of their set of readers is pared down to not more than 1,284 words by the end of third grade.” pg. 80 What is the author talking about? Flesch researched the number of words each basal company established as the number of words and he presents them here. He wanted us to really come to grips with the lack of words presented in each basal. Also, the idea that they determine how many words a child should know in each grade.

“A teacher in a southern state reports that the use of books with simplified vocabulary has cut down reading difficulties in the first three grades by 75 per cent. Second and third grade teachers, particularly, find the teaching of reading a joy instead of a chore when word difficulties are reduced.” pg. 81 What is the author’s message? The author is letting us know that at that time teachers were supporting the reduction in the number of words you required children to read because the students were experiencing less difficulty with reading. Why—because they did not have to read as many words.

“That number, according to the researchers of the late Dr. Seashore of Northwestern University, is astonishingly high. It is for a third-grader, 44,000 words.” pg. 82 What is the author trying to say here? He is really pointing out how much more value the phonics method of teaching reading is by telling us that if they learn our language they could possibly be able to read 44,000 words which is astonishing considered that on the previous page he said they are learning 1,284.

“Don’t underestimate their importance in the life of your child. They are all he has to read—all he can read—during the first two or three or four years that he comes in contact with books. For all he knows, this is what books are like.” pg. 83 What is the author trying to say here? He is telling us, before he shows us an example, that these books are all your child can read. So I am going to show you an example of what is in these books and remember this is all your child can read. So when you roll your eyes and say “Oh my goodness.” Remember this is all he can read.

No. The sad fact is that the word method has alienated most of our children from the books that English-speaking children and adolescents have read and enjoyed for many generations. This is an irreparable damage. It may be possible to restore sanity in the field of reading and return to the teaching of reading rather than word guessing. But it will never be possible to bring back to adolescents and adults the lost hours of magic childhood reading—and rekindle in them emotions they have never felt.” pg. 88 Question: What is the author’s message?