Leaving Johnny Behind

During my 35 years as a teacher and principal in an economically depressed area, I witnessed firsthand the scourge we inflict upon our most vulnerable citizens because we failed to provide them with adequate literacy ability. In many cases this lack of an essential skill has been a death warrant to those who might otherwise have led productive lives and contributed meaningfully to society. Too many of our most promising youngsters turn to gangs and drugs because their literacy inadequacies essentially rob them of their freedom to make wiser choices.

Reading Malpractice

After three years of intensive research, I have found that the empirical evidence that undergirds reading pedagogy is so consistently powerful that those who reject it are akin to geo-centrics and flat-earthers.

Tragically, anti-science factions have denied countless children reading instruction with the clearest and most unassailable link to actual reading ability, methods that require direct and systematic attention to precursor skills such as phonemic awareness and phonics.

Holistic practitioners continue to take exception to that but in so doing fail to see the symbiosis that exists between the two constructs. Failing to take advantage of that middle ground on behalf of children who need us the most is unconscionable. In fact, attorneys have a word for it; they call it malpractice.

"Watch & Observe" Not Good Enough

In a recent column dealing with proposed legislation in Wisconsin for dyslexia screening the legislative chair of the Wisconsin State Reading Association (WSRA) indicated a preference to simply “watch and observe” as the needs of struggling readers continue to go unmet. As a retired urban school teacher and principal, I saw the dire consequences of this “wait and see” approach. I have also noted the refusal of reading constituencies to embrace the unifying message of legitimate science and to prevent it from getting adequate expression in classrooms. Those choosing to act in such a fractious and dispassionate manner must be pursuing some other agenda, one that is obviously not about kids and their literacy futures.

Do We Really Put Children First

I wrote Leaving Johnny Behind mainly because of my frustrations with the conventional wisdom related to reading instruction, especially as it pertained to the needs of poor and minorities, dyslexics, English Language Learners, and those with handicapping conditions.

One of the things I learned during the course of my research was that diagnosticians are rarely able to show any evidence of neurological dysfunction for the vast majority of children they label as LD. In fact, the term Learning Disability did not exist prior to the 1960's and is probably more a function of our teaching methods than it is of a child's ability to learn.

The research reveals a very unifying message, but unfortunately, the obstinacy of a few very influential people prevents it from being heard and practiced to the extent necessary to reach those who need us the most. This results in some very dire consequences for many of our children. That is truly an injustice.

I look forward to joining forces with you to address these issues and doing everything possible to promote early literacy for all children.

Let's Talk About Reading

Hello,

This blog is my attempt to generate a discussion regarding the manner in which we teach children to read. As a teacher and school administrator, I saw too many of our kids fall through the cracks. I therefore decided to conduct my own investigation into the research that surrounded early literacy training and to report my findings. The product of that effort is a book called Leaving Johnny Behind: Overcoming Barriers to Literacy and Reclaiming At-Risk Readers.

I will use this blog to communicate some of the various discoveries I made while analyzing the data and get your reactions to them. I feel there are several things we can do to build more and better readers and in so doing reduce the ever-increasing achievement gaps among poor and minority populations. I am hoping that we can have a stimulating dialogue as a means of pushing our agenda on behalf of all kids.

Tony Pedriana